The Farmer's Boy: A Rural Poem Part 1

The Farmer's Boy.

by Robert Bloomfield.

PREFACE

Having the satisfaction of introducing to the Public this very pleasing and characteristic POEM, the FARMER'S BOY, I think it will be agreeable to preface it with a short Account of the manner in which it came into my hands: and, which will be much more interesting to every Reader, a little History of the Author, which has been communicated to me by his Brother, and which I shall very nearly transcribe as it lies before me.

In _November_ last year [Footnote: This was written in 1799.] I receiv'd a MS. which I was requested to read, and to give my opinion of it. It had before been shewn to some persons in _London_: whose indifference toward it may probably be explain'd when it is consider'd that it came to their hands under no circ.u.mstances of advent.i.tious recommendation. With some a person must be rich, or t.i.tled, or fas.h.i.+onable as a literary name, or at least fas.h.i.+onable in some respect, good or bad, before any thing which he can offer will be thought worthy of notice.

I had been a little accustom'd to the effect of prejudices: and I was determin'd to judge, in the only just and reasonable way, of the Work, by the Work itself.

At first I confess, seeing it divided into the four Seasons, I had to encounter a prepossession not very advantageous to any writer: that the Author was treading in a path already so admirably trod by THOMSON; and might be adding one more to an attempt already so often, but so injudiciously and unhappily made, of trans.m.u.ting that n.o.ble Poem from Blank Verse into Rhime; ... from its own pure native Gold into an alloyed Metal of incomparably less splendor, permanence, and worth.

I had soon, however, the pleasure of finding myself reliev'd from that apprehension: and of discovering, that, although the delineation of RURAL SCENERY naturally branches itself into these divisions, there was little else except the General Qualities of a musical ear, flowing numbers, Feeling, Piety, poetic Imagery and Animation, a taste for the picturesque, a true sense of the natural and pathetic, force of thought, and liveliness of imagination, which were in common between Thomson and this Author. And these are qualities which whoever has the eye, the heart, the awakened and surrounding intellect, and the diviner sense of the Poet, which alone can deserve the name, must possess.

But, with these general Characters of true Poetry, "_The Farmer's Boy_"

has, as I have said, a character of its own. It is discriminated as much as the circ.u.mstances and habits, and situation, and ideas consequently a.s.sociated, which are so widely diverse in the two Authors, could make it different. Simplicity, sweetness, a natural tenderness, that _molle atque facetum_ which HORACE celebrates in the Eclogues of VIRGIL, will be found to belong to it.

I intend some farther and more particular CRITICAL REMARKS on this charming Performance. But I now pa.s.s to the Account of the Author himself, as given me by his Brother:... a Man to whom also I was entirely a stranger:... but whose Candor, good Sense, and brotherly Affection, appear in this Narrative; and of the justness of whose Understanding, and the Goodness of his Heart, I have had many Proofs, in consequence of a correspondence with him on different occasions which have since arisen, when this had made me acquainted with him, and interested me in his behalf.

In writing to me, Mr. GEORGE BLOOMFIELD, who is a Shoemaker also, as his Brother, and lives at BURY, thus expresses himself.

"As I spent five years with the Author, from the time he was thirteen years and a half old [Footnote: This by farther recollection has since been discover'd and stated by Mr. G. and Mr. R. BLOOMFIELD not to be quite exact. See p. viii. C. L.] till he was turned of eighteen, the most interesting time of life (I mean the time that instruction is acquir'd, if acquir'd at all), I think I am able to give a better account of him than any one can, or than he can of himself: for his Modesty would not let him speak of his Temper, Disposition, or Morals."

"ROBERT was the younger Child of GEORGE BLOOMFIELD, a _Taylor_, at HONINGTON. [Footnote: This Village is between _Euston_ and _Troston_, and about eight miles N E. of _Bury_. L.] His Father died when he was an infant under a year old. [Footnote: Our Author was born, as his Mother has obligingly informed me, 3 _Dec_. 1766. L.] His Mother [Footnote: ELIZABETH, Daughter of ROBERT MANBY. Vide Note at the end of this Preface.] was a Schoolmistress, and instructed her own Children with the others. He thus learn'd to read as soon as he learn'd to speak."

"Though the Mother was left a Widow with six small Children, yet with the help of Friends she manag'd to give each of them a little schooling."

"ROBERT was accordingly sent to Mr. RODWELL, [Footnote: This respectable Man is senior Clerk to the Magistrates of the Hundred of BLACKBOURN, in which Honington is situated, and has conducted himself with great propriety in this and other public employments. L.] of Ixworth, to be improved in _Writing_: but he did not go to that School more than two or three months, nor was ever sent to any other; his Mother again marrying when ROBERT was about seven years old."

"By her second Husband, JOHN GLOVER, she had another Family."

"When _Robert_ was not above _eleven_ years old, the late Mr. W. AUSTIN, of SAPISTON, [Footnote: This little Village adjoins to HONINGTON. L.] took him. And though it is customary for Farmers to pay such Boys only 1s. 6d.

per week, yet he generously took him into the house. This reliev'd his Mother of any other expence than only of finding him a few things to wear: and this was more than she well knew how to do."

"She wrote therefore," Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD continues, "to me and my Brother NAT (then in London), to a.s.sist her; mentioning that he, ROBERT, was so small of his age that Mr. AUSTIN said he was not likely to be able to get his living by hard labour."

Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD on this inform'd his Mother that, if she would let him take the Boy with him, he would take him, and teach him to make shoes: and NAT promis'd to clothe him. The Mother, upon this offer, took coach and came to LONDON, to Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD, with the Boy: for she said, she never should have been happy if she had not put him herself into his hands.

"She charg'd me," he adds, "_as I valued a Mothers Blessing, to watch over him, to set good Examples for him, and never to forget that he had lost his Father_." I religiously confine myself to Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD'S own words; and think I should wrong all the parties concern'd if in mentioning this pathetic and successful Admonition, I were to use any other. He came from Mr. AUSTIN'S 29 _June_ 1781. [Footnote: This date of his coming to Town is added by Mr. BLOOMFIELD himself since the first Edition.]

Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD then lived at Mr. _Simm's_, No. 7, _Pitcher's-court, Bell-alley, Coleman-street_. "It is customary," he continues, "in such houses as are let to poor people in _London_, to have light Garrets fit for Mechanics to work in. In the Garret, where we had two turn-up Beds, and five of us worked, I received little ROBERT."

"As we were all single Men, Lodgers at a s.h.i.+lling per week each, oar beds were coa.r.s.e, and all things far from being clean and snug, like what _Robert_ had left at SAPISTON. _Robert_ was our man, to fetch all things to hand. At Noon he fetch'd our Dinners from the Cook's Shop: and any one of our fellow workmen that wanted to have any thing fetched in, would send him, and a.s.sist in his work and teach him, for a recompense for his trouble."

"Every day when the Boy from the Public-house came for the pewter pots, and to hear what Porter was wanted, he always brought the yesterday's _Newspaper_. [Footnote: There was then, neither as a resource for the exigencies of finance, nor as a Principle of supposed Policy, that unhappy Check which prevails now on the circulation of _Newspapers_, and other means of _popular_ Information. L.] The _reading_ of the Paper we had been us'd to take by turns; but after _Robert_ came, he mostly read for us,...

because his time was of least value."

"He frequently met with words that he was unacquainted with: of this he often complain'd. I one day happen'd at a Book-stall to see a small Dictionary, which had been very ill us'd. I bought it for him for 4d. By the help of this he in little time could read and comprehend the long and beautiful speeches of BURKE, FOX, or NORTH.

"One Sunday, after an whole day's stroll in the country, we by accident went into a dissenting _Meeting-house_ in the _Old Jewry_, where a Gentleman was lecturing. This Man fill'd _Robert_ with astonishment. The House was amazingly crowded with the most genteel people; and though we were forc'd to stand still in the aisle, and were much press'd, yet _Robert_ always quicken'd his steps to get into the Town on a Sunday evening soon enough to attend this Lecture.

"The Preacher lived somewhere at the West End of the Town ... his name was FAWCET. His language," says Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD, "was just such as the _Rambler_ is written in; his Action like a person acting a Tragedy; his Discourse rational, and free from the Cant of Methodism.

"Of him _Robert_ learn'd to accent what he call'd _hard_ words; and otherwise improv'd himself; and gain'd the most enlarg'd notions of PROVIDENCE.

"He went sometimes with me to a _Debating Society_ [Footnote: It is another of the Const.i.tutional Refinements of these times to have fetter'd, and as to every valuable purpose, silenc'd, these Debating Societies. They were at least, to say the lowest of them, far better amus.e.m.e.nts than drunkenness, gambling, or fighting. They were no useless Schools to some of our very celebrated Speakers at the Bar and in Parliament: and, what is of infinitely more importance, they contributed to the diffusion of Political Knowledge and Public Sentiment. L.]

at _Coachmaker's-hall_, but not often; and a few times to _Covent-garden Theatre_. These are all the opportunities he ever had to learn from Public Speakers. As to _Books_, he had to wade through two or three Folios: an _History of England, British Traveller_, and a _Geography_. But he always read them as a task, or to oblige us who bought them. And as they came in sixpenny numbers weekly, he had about as many hours to read as other boys spend in play."

"I at that time," proceeds his Brother, "read the _London Magazine_; and in that work about two sheets were set apart for a _Review ... Robert_ seem'd always eager to read this Review. Here he could see what the Literary Men were doing, and learn how to judge of the merits of the Works that came out. And I observ'd that he always looked at the _Poet's Corner_. And one day he repeated a _Song_ which he compos'd to an old tune. I was much surpris'd that a boy of sixteen [Footnote: He was probably 17; as appears on the statement from the Author himself. See N.

to p. xvii.] should make so smooth verses: so I persuaded him to try whether the Editor of our Paper would give them a place in _Poet's Corner_. And he succeeded, and they were printed. And as I forget his other early productions, I shall copy this."

THE MILK-MAID, ON THE FIRST OF MAY.

Hail, MAY! lovely MAY! how replenish'd my pails!

The young Dawn overspreads the East streak'd with gold!

My glad heart beats time to the laugh of the Vales, And COLIN'S voice rings through the woods from the fold.

The Wood to the Mountain submissively bends, Whose blue misty summits first glow with the sun!

See thence a gay train by the wild rill descends To join the glad sports:... hark! the tumult's begun.

Be cloudless, ye skies!... Be my Colin but there, Not the dew-spangled bents on the wide level Dale, Nor Morning's first blush can more lovely appear Than his looks, since my wishes I could not conceal.

Swift down the mad dance, while blest health prompts to move, We'll count joys to come, and exchange Vows of truth; And haply when Age cools the transports of Love, Decry, like good folks, the vain pleasures of youth.

No, no; the remembrance shall ever be dear!

At no time LOVE with INNOCENCE ceases to charm: It is transport in Youth ... and it smiles through the tear, When they feel, in their children, its first soft alarm.

The Writer of this Preface doubts whether he has been successful in adding the last Stanza to this beautiful and simply expressive song. But he imagin'd that some thought of this kind was in the mind of the Author: and he was willing to endeavour to express it. The Breast which has felt Love, justly shrinks from the idea of its total extinction, as from annihilation itself. And there is even an high social and moral use in that order of Providence which exalts Sensations into tender and benign Pa.s.sions; those Pa.s.sions into habitual Affections yet more tender; and raises from those Affections _Virtues_ the most permanent, the most necessary and beneficent, and the most endearing: thus expanding the sentiment into all the Charities of domestic and social Life.

"I remember," says Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD, continuing his Narrative, "a little piece which he called the Sailor's Return: [Footnote: It is much to be wished that this may be discovered. L.] in which he tried to describe the feelings of an honest _Tar_, who, after a long absence, saw his dear native Village first rising into view. This too obtain'd a place in the Poet's Corner."

"And as he was so young," his brother proceeds, "it shews some Genius in him, and some Industry, to have acquir'd so much knowledge of the use of words in so little time. Indeed at this time myself and my fellow workmen in the Garret began to get instructions from him, though not more than sixteen years old." [Footnote: What simple magnanimity and benevolence in this Remark. L.]

"About this time there came a Man to lodge at our Lodgings that was troubled with fits. ROBERT was so much hurt to see this poor creature drawn into such frightful forms, and to hear his horrid screams, that I was forced to leave the Lodging. We went to _Blue Hart-court, Bell-alley_.

In our new Garret we found a singular character, _James Kay_, a native of _Dundee_. He was a middle-aged man, of a good understanding, and yet a furious _Calvinist_. He had many Books, ... and some which he did not value: such as the SEASONS, PARADISE LOST, and some _Novels_. These Books he lent to ROBERT; who spent all his leisure hours in reading the _Seasons_, which he was now capable of reading. I never heard him give so much praise to any Book as to that."

"I think it was in the year 1784 that the Question came to be decided between the _journeymen Shoemakers_; whether those who had learn'd without serving an _Apprentices.h.i.+p_ could follow the Trade."

[Footnote: That is _as journeymen_: for there was no question that they could not as _Masters_ on their _own_ account. That a person may work as a _journeyman_ without having served an apprentices.h.i.+p, had already been determined, T. 9. G. 3. _Beach v. Turner_. Burr. Mansf. 2449. A person also who has not served an Apprentices.h.i.+p may be a partner, contributing money, or advice and attention to the accounts and general concerns of the Trade, provided that he does not actually exercise the Trade, and that the acting partner has served. Vide _Reynolds_ v. _Chase_, M. 30. G. 2. Burr.

Mansf. 2. 1 Burn. J.P. Apprent. -- 12. L.]

"The Man by whom _Robert_ and I were employ'd, Mr. Chamberlayne, of _Cheapside_, took an active part against the lawful journeymen; and even went so far as to pay off every man that worked for him that had joined their Clubs. This so exasperated the men, that their acting Committee soon looked for _unlawful men_ (as they called them) among _Chamberlayne's_ workmen."

They found out little _Robert_, and threatened to prosecute _Chamlerlayne_ for employing him, and to prosecute his Brother, Mr. _G. Bloomfield_, for teaching him. Chamberlayne requested of the Brother to go on and bring it to a Trial; for that he would defend it; and that neither _George_ nor _Robert_ should be hurt.

In the mean time _George_ was much insulted for having refus'd to join upon this occasion those who call'd themselves, exclusively, the _Lawful Crafts_. _George_, who says he was never famed for patience, (it is not indeed so much as might be sometimes wish'd, very often the lot of strong and acute minds to possess largely of this virtue,) took his pen, and address'd a Letter to one of the most active of their Committee-men (a man of very bad character). In this, after stating that he took _Robert_ at his Mother's request, he made free as well with the private character of this man as with the views of the Committee. "This," says _George_, "was very foolish; for it made things worse: but I felt too much to refrain."