John Clare (1793–1864) John Clare is “the quintessential Romantic poet,” according to William Howard writing in the Dictionary of Literary Biography. With an admiration of nature and an understanding of the oral tradition, but with little formal education, Clare penned numerous poems and prose pieces, many of which were only published posthumously....
Did I grab your attention with that title, thinking this was a blog about romance movies? Gotcha! While not about the movies themselves, this blog is related, so read on. . . If you visit my blog it is because you like romance stories, which means you are probably well...
The great Romantic poet John Keats was the subject of a previous biographical blog, which can be read if missed by clicking the link below. Keats’ literary brilliance was cut tragically short with his death of tuberculosis at the tender age of twenty-five. One portion of his life which I...
John Keats (1795-1821) John Keats was born in London on October 31, 1795, probably at the inn owned by his grandfather and where his father Thomas Keats worked in the stables as a hostler. His upbringing was humble, John one of four children with the most basic education available to...
With Valentine’s Day approaching,it seems fitting to share a collection of classic paintings of lovers in passionate embraces. “A man had given all other bliss and all his worldly worth for this,to waste his whole heart in one kiss upon her perfect lips.”~Lord Alfred Tennyson “A Kiss Under the Parasol” by...
Our modern impression of “romantic, romance, romanticism” immediately brings love and sentimentality to mind, particularly as it relates to other human beings. Indeed, that is one correct definition. However, when referring to the poetry written by the Romantic poets during the artistic movement known as Romanticism, which began in the...
Today’s blog is a continuation from yesterday’s post about the history of Federal Hill, the plantation estate of the Rowan family that is now known worldwide as “My Old Kentucky Home.” Please read that article first as it sets the foundation for the Kentucky State song of the same name,...
“You know nothing, Jon Snow!” As it turns out, there is one John Snow who did know quite a great deal! Forgive me if the Game of Thrones reference is unfamiliar… or worse yet, a reminder of a fabulous TV show that ended up having the worse final seasons of...
Named after the small village of Gwennap located just outside Redruth in Cornwall, the Gwennap Pit came into existence as a natural depression formed by a collapse into an abandoned underground mine shaft. The massive pit was a chaotic cavity of stone and earth in a disorderly array. How long...
There is a common joke that Auld Lang Syne is one of the most popular songs of which no one knows the full lyrics! Other than the chorus, this is largely the truth. Back in my long ago days of celebrating New Year’s Eve at a party, I can’t recall...
An entire period is titled for him, so who was he exactly? The Prince of Wales ruled as Regent in his father’s stead for a mere nine years, and was King for only ten years. Why has so much history revolved around his short reign? GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK was born at...
Anna Seward (1747-1809) ANNA SEWARD was born in Derbyshire, in 1747. She was the daughter of a clergyman and the only one of four children to reach adulthood. She did not attend school but was tutored by her father and introduced to classical works such as Milton at a very...
A few weeks ago I shared a YouTube video on Corset History created by Weird History. As I said then, the channel is amazing. So many great bits from history on hundreds of topics. As y’all know, medical history is especially fascinating to me, so today I am sharing another...
Elizabeth Gurney was born in Norwich, England in 1780 to an influential and extremely wealthy Quaker family. Her father, John Gurney, was a partner in Gurney’s Bank, and her mother Catherine was from the Barclay family, founders of Barclays Bank. In 1798, when only 18, Elizabeth heard the preaching of...
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night” ~Luke 2:8 Unlike most Christmas carols, the origins of Silent Night are rooted in well-established facts AND steeped in dramatized legend. The Facts: Father Joseph Mohr (1792-1848), a young priest in the parish church at...
