Wilfrid Scawen Blunt
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922) was a British poet, political activist, and diplomat known for his unconventional life and strong advocacy on various social issues. Born into an old Sussex family, he began his diplomatic career at eighteen, serving in multiple European cities for twelve years. His marriage to Lady Anne King Noel in 1869 marked the beginning of a partnership characterized by shared interests in Orientalism and equestrian pursuits. Together, they traveled extensively, particularly to the Middle East, where Blunt developed a deep connection with the region and its people.
After retiring from diplomacy, Blunt became increasingly vocal about political matters, notably advocating for the rights of oppressed groups such as the Irish and black South Africans. He faced imprisonment for his beliefs and challenged prevalent racial attitudes during events like the Boxer Rebellion in China. Blunt's written works encompass both political critiques and love poetry, reflecting his Byronic persona and complex identity. He is remembered not only for his literary contributions but also for his commitment to living authentically according to his principles and experiences.
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Subject Terms
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt
Poet
- Born: August 17, 1840
- Birthplace: Petworth House, Sussex, England
- Died: September 12, 1922
- Place of death: Newbuildings, Sussex, England
Biography
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt was born on August 17, 1840, the second son of Francis Blunt, the scion of an old Sussex family. After his father’s death two years later, his mother leased the family estate, Crabbet Park, and traveled throughout England and Europe with her children. At the age of eighteen, Blunt passed the examination for the diplomatic service, and for twelve years he served as an attache to British embassies and legations in Athens, Constantinople, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, and Frankfort.
Blunt was already living his life as a figure from the poetry of Lord Byron when he met Lady Anne King Noel, the child of Byron’s daughter Augusta Ada. Lady Anne was fluent in French, German, Italian, and Spanish; she had studied painting with John Ruskin; and she practiced the violin for several hours each day. She is said to have been courageous, tough, resourceful, cool headed in life-threatening crises, self-reliant, and adaptable, and she shared Blunt’s interest in Orientalism and horses. She was the perfect companion for his travels. The couple married on June 8, 1869, in London. In the summer of 1873 they made their first trip to the Middle East.
Lady Anne suffered one miscarriage after another, and the couple lost two infants within days of their birth. Both were aware of their families being among only sixty-eight in England that had come from Normandy with William the Conqueror in 1066, and Blunt especially wanted a son to carry on his family line. Instead, the only surviving child of their union was a daughter, Judith Anne Dorothea, born on February 6, 1873. In November, 1877, the Blunts traveled once more to the Middle East. They returned to England with the six Arabian mares that were to form the heart of their famous Crabbet Arabian Stud Farm.
Blunt’s political persona took on a new guise after his retirement from the diplomatic service, when he traveled extensively through Europe and the Near and Middle East. He became the first Englishman sent to prison, albeit for a short stay, over the conflict in Ireland. After one act of what he considered many despicable acts committed by Englishmen in the Middle East, he wrote, “An abominable world it is, an abominable century, and an abominable race.” Blunt House, part of the British International School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is named for him because of his active support for the Arabs.
When the Boer War broke out in South Africa, Blunt became an advocate for the fate of the native black people. During the Boxer Rebellion in China, Blunt refused to indulge in the “Yellow Peril” scaremongering that was popular among his countrymen. Instead, he wrote “The Chinese, after a long course of bullying by the Powers, worrying by missionaries, and robbing by merchants and spectators, have risen, and are very properly knocking the foreign vermin on the head.”
While his judgment has been questioned, Blunt acted publicly and wrote according to his conscience. Privately, he did not abandon his Byronic lifestyle and image. He is known for his political writings as well as for his love poems. According to his biographer, Elizabeth Longford, he is to be remembered most for living out his own extraordinary autobiography.