Henry Newbolt

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Sir Henry John Newbolt (June 6, 1862 - April 19, 1938) was an English author and poet.

Contents

[edit] Background

He was born in Bilston, Wolverhampton, West midlands, to the Vicar of St Mary's Church, the Rev. Henry Francis Newbolt. In his biography, My World as in My Time, he says he was Jewish. After attending Clifton College, where he was head of the school (1881) and edited the school magazine, and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford,he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1887 and practised until 1899.

[edit] Publications

His first book was a story, Taken from the Enemy (1892), and in 1895 he published a tragedy, Mordred; but it was the publication of his ballads, Admirals All (1897), that created his literary reputation. These were followed by other volumes of stirring verse, The Island Race (1898), The Sailing of the Long-ships (1902), Songs of the Sea (1904).

In 1914, he published Aladore, a fantasy novel, which was concerned with a bored but dutiful Knight who abruptly abandons his estate and wealth to discover his hearts' desire and woo a half-fae enchantress in a tale filled with allegories about the nature of youth, service, individuality and tradition. It was reissued in a limited and illustrated edition by Newcastle Publishing Company in 1975, as the new holders of the copyright.

[edit] Vitaï Lampada

Clifton College Close
Clifton College Close

Probably the best known of all Newbolt's poems and the one for which he is now chiefly remembered is Vitaï Lampadaand refers to how a future soldier learns stoicism in cricket matches on the famous Close at Clifton College:

There's a breathless hush on the Close to-night
Ten to make and the match to win
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play, and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat.
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
The sand of the desert is sodden red-
Red with the wreck of the square that broke
The gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed its banks,
And England's far, and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks-
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
This is the word that year by year,
While in her place the school is set,
Every one of her sons must hear,
And none that hears it dare forget.
This they all with a joyful mind
Bear through life like a torch in flame,
And falling fling to the host behind -
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"

[edit] Monthly review

Between 1900 and 1905, Newbolt was the editor of the Monthly Review. During the First World War, he became controller of telecommunications and worked as an official historian. He was also a member of the Coefficients dining club of social reformers set up in 1902 by the Fabian campaigners Sidney and Beatrice Webb.

The popularity of his verse was due to the solid beat of his rhythm.

[edit] Honours

Newbolt was knighted in 1915 and was awarded the 'Companion of Honour' in 1922.

[edit] Ella Coltman

Playing the Game: A Biography of Sir Henry Newbolt, by Susan Chitty, revealed that he and his wife also each had a sexual relationship with Ella Coltman, who even accompanied them on their honeymoon. Newbolt died in Coltman's house in Kensington. One of Newbolt´s later poems is entitled "To E.C." and in it he refers to E.C. as "dearest."

[edit] Works

[edit] References

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