Henry Kirke White
Henry Kirke White was an English poet born on March 21, 1785, in Nottingham. His early education in a village school inspired his literary ambitions, as reflected in his youthful poems such as "Childhood" and "On Being Confined to School," which expressed a longing for freedom and nature. After a brief stint in the stocking industry, he became an apprentice in a law office, where he continued to write poetry and essays that were later published in magazines. White's desire to pursue a career in poetry and ministry led him to seek financial support for college, culminating in the publication of his collection, "Clifton Grove, a Sketch in Verse, with Other Poems," in 1803.
His work garnered the attention of notable poet Robert Southey, who offered assistance, though White ultimately received a sizarship at St. John's College, Cambridge. He excelled academically, finishing first in college examinations, but faced declining health that ultimately led to his untimely death at the age of twenty-one on October 19, 1806. Following his passing, Southey published "The Remains of Henry Kirke White," which was well-received and highlighted White's poetic talent. His poetry, characterized by diverse themes and a keen attention to style, continues to be recognized for its emotional depth and honesty, with "The Christiad, a Divine Poem" being among his most notable unfinished works.
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Henry Kirke White
Poet
- Born: March 21, 1785
- Birthplace: Nottingham, England
- Died: October 19, 1806
- Place of death: Cambridge, England
Biography
Henry Kirke White was born on March 21, 1785, in Nottingham, England, to John and Mary White. Educated in a village school, White expressed happy memories of those times and of the encouragement he received from his teacher in his poem “Childhood,” written when he was around fourteen years old. His earlier endeavor, “On Being Confined to School,” written at age thirteen, both emulates the Romantic yearning for youthful wandering outdoors and announces his desire to become a poet.
In 1799, he worked briefly in a stocking loom before becoming apprenticed to the Coldham and Enfield law offices, during which time he continued to read and write poetry and to write essays, the latter of which he published in various magazines. Growing increasingly convinced of his calling to be both a poet and a minister, White gained release from the law office. He attempted to raise the funds needed to attend college by selling a volume of his poetry by subscription. He selected eighteen of his poems for the volume, Clifton Grove, a Sketch in Verse, with Other Poems (1803). In his introduction to the book, White begged indulgence for his lack of academic polish and explained that he hoped to raise money to attend a university through the sale of his book. Although the volume was not unanimously well received, it caught the attention of poet Robert Southey, who promptly offered White both verbal and financial support. However, White did not take advantage of Southey’s offer because St. John’s College, Cambridge University, provided him with the financial assistance of a sizarship.
From the summer of 1804 through the summer 1805, White studied to prepare for college and entered St. John’s in October, 1805. Once there he returned to writing poetry, though by the end of 1805 his health was beginning to fail. By the summer of 1806, he had achieved academic success as first man in college examinations. However, he suffered the most serious attack on his health to date when he unexpectedly lost consciousness at breakfast sometime in July, 1806. Shortly after his return to school, he died on October 19, 1806, at the age of twenty-one. Southey again stepped in, publishing a two-volume collection of White’s work, The Remains of Henry Kirke White (1807). The book met with great success in England and the United States and won further recognition of White’s genius from Lord Byron, among others. Diverse in subject matter, form, rhythm, and meter, White’s poetry demonstrates a remarkable attention to style, economy, honesty, and depth. “The Christiad, a Divine Poem,” unfinished at the time of White’s death, has received the most attention because of its sustained length, subject matter, and its memorable hymn “Oft in danger, oft in woe.”