William Barnes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the Nottinghamshire and England cricketer, see Billy Barnes
William Barnes (22nd February 1801 - 7th October 1886) was an English writer, poet, minister, and philologist. He wrote over 800 poems, some in Dorset dialect and much other work including a comprehensive English grammar quoting from more than 70 different languages.
[edit] Life
He was born at Rushay, Dorset, the son of a farmer. After being a solicitor's clerk and a schoolmaster, he entered the Church, in which he served various cures. He first contributed to a newspaper, Poems in Dorset Dialect, separately published in 1844. Hwomely Rhymes followed in 1858, and a collected edition of his poems, Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect, appeared in 1879. Note: the preface to this collection refers to three previous collections, the third collection including the comic "John Bloom in London". His philological works include Philological Grammar (1854), Se Gefylsta, an Anglo-Saxon Delectus (1849). Tiw, or a View of Roots (1862), and a Glossary of Dorset Dialect (1863).
He was a friend of Thomas Hardy, Tennyson and Gerard Manley Hopkins.
Barnes had a strong interest in language; he was fluent in Greek, Latin and several modern European languages. He called for the purification of English by removal of Greek, Latin and foreign influences so that it might be better understood by those without a classical education. For example, the word "photograph" (<Gk. light+writing) would become "sun-print" (<Saxon). Other terms include "wortlore" (botany), "welkinfire" (meteor) and "nipperlings" (forceps).
This 'Pure English' resembles the 'blue-eyed English' later adopted by the composer Percy Grainger.
Barnes's poems are characterised by a singular sweetness and tenderness of feeling, deep insight into humble country life and character, and an exquisite feeling for local scenery.
Ralph Vaughan Williams set to music the poem 'My Orcha'd in Lindèn Lea', but in a version ("Linden Lea") that removes much of the Dorset dialect.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article incorporates public domain text from: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London, J.M. Dent & sons; New York, E.P. Dutton.
- See The Rebirth of England and the English: The Vision of William Barnes by Andrew Phillips ISBN 1-898281-17-3
