You've left out Blake and Keats, who were the best of the Romantics, and both highly moral. Byron and Shelley were aristocrats. And aristocrats tend to have a sense of entitlement which is not conducive to morality. Though even so I vastly prefer them to what we have replaced them with: the nouveaux riches. At least they had a code of noblesse oblige, and local albeit paternalistic interests, and were sometimes discerning patrons of the arts. Coleridge was addicted to opium and Wordsworth to himself.
John, Keats, and Blake are part of the Series. 💜💜💜💜
Wordsworth had a lot going on in his life; he lost both his parents at a very early age, his brother, three children who predeceased him, Catherine (age 3), Thomas (6 years old), and Dora (42 years old). Not to mention dealing with Dorothy when she fell into dementia, his eyesight failing, and incredible headaches that so debilitated him that he was unable to write.
Shelley was disinherited by his father after he was expelled from Oxford for writing The Necessity of Atheism and refusing to recant or apologize. He derided the aristocracy (note powdered wigs and titles were things he rejected). His morality was not based on caste but on his very deeply held beliefs about free love. (see Godwin’s Political Justice)
READ COLERIDGE. There is far more to him than you give him credit for. Read
As for 'The Necessity Of Atheism', was it partly in response to this that Keats adopted his policy of 'negative capability' (which I call 'creative ambivalence')? Being too dogmatically certain about anything is never a good idea, even in real life, little own poetry. Cf. Yeats: 'The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of a passionate intensity.' Phillip Larkin would have been a much better poet if he had been less of an atheist. Albeit one with deep regrets.
Yes. I understand, but it's important to note that that was the result of neuralgia (excruciating pain he felt going down the side of his face to his chin. A doctor prescribed him laudanum, and that was the beginning of his addiction.
Wordsworth, alongside Mary (WW's wife) and Sara Hutchinson, was a caregiver for him through his addiction for nearly a year. Later, he was cared for by Dr. Morgan, Dr. Gillman, and Dr. Greene. Dr. Gillman was able to get him down to 2 tablespoons a day (a huge improvement) by allowing him to go to the chemist to pick up his vial.
Charlotte Smith, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Mary Darby Robinson, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, Leigh Hunt, William Blake, and John Keats were not of the aristocracy.
Since the RS is complete, seven books for the men and seven for the women, I won't be going back to add anything further. Perhaps you can write something for John Clare. If so, I would love to read it! 😊
The way you incorporation my poem and dedication into your Romantic Series, and Indiegogo campaign was nothing short of brilliant. I knew your passion was the romantic poets and I just wanted to find some small way to thank you for taking the time to chat with me one afternoon. Someone of your stature taking that amount of time to share thoughts and listen to mine, meant more than you know to me. Fear of the Romantics was not just dedicated to you, but it represented, in my mind, their popularity. However, I never dreamed you could top my dedication until I read this. You are incredible gifted with words and if nothing else happens to me on Substack, I will never forget this. You have become a very special friend. Thank you!!!
If you have any work you'd like me to include in the next Monthly Poem Shout Out please DM me
Hello, are you a self-published author or writing through Substack?
I help authors with publishing support and book promotion to reach more readers. Let me know if you’d like help.
Thanks for the offer, but I have a publisher.
okay that is good, pls have you do any visual marketing video to promote your book before?
See my Substack posts; they are there.
I have a lot. I am creating promos all the time. Thanks for asking.
You've left out Blake and Keats, who were the best of the Romantics, and both highly moral. Byron and Shelley were aristocrats. And aristocrats tend to have a sense of entitlement which is not conducive to morality. Though even so I vastly prefer them to what we have replaced them with: the nouveaux riches. At least they had a code of noblesse oblige, and local albeit paternalistic interests, and were sometimes discerning patrons of the arts. Coleridge was addicted to opium and Wordsworth to himself.
John, Keats, and Blake are part of the Series. 💜💜💜💜
Wordsworth had a lot going on in his life; he lost both his parents at a very early age, his brother, three children who predeceased him, Catherine (age 3), Thomas (6 years old), and Dora (42 years old). Not to mention dealing with Dorothy when she fell into dementia, his eyesight failing, and incredible headaches that so debilitated him that he was unable to write.
Shelley was disinherited by his father after he was expelled from Oxford for writing The Necessity of Atheism and refusing to recant or apologize. He derided the aristocracy (note powdered wigs and titles were things he rejected). His morality was not based on caste but on his very deeply held beliefs about free love. (see Godwin’s Political Justice)
READ COLERIDGE. There is far more to him than you give him credit for. Read
https://allpoetry.com/Fire,-Famine,-And-Slaughter-:-A-War-Eclogue
Get a signature like this: http://ws-promos.appspot.com/r?rdata=eyJydXJsIjogImh0dHA6Ly93d3cud2lzZXN0YW1wLmNvbS9lbWFpbC1pbnN0YWxsP3dzX25jaWQ9NjcyMjk0MDA4JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9ZXh0ZW5zaW9uJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXByb21vXzU3MzI1Njg1NDg3Njk3OTIiLCAiZSI6ICI1NzMyNTY4NTQ4NzY5NzkyIn0=&u=934930863433094
If you recall, I said there was so much more!
Here is the list of those included in the series:
Wordsworth (William)
Coleridge
Wordsworth (Dorothy)
Mary Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
John Keats
Lord Byron
Leigh Hunt
Lady Blessington
Lady Caroline Lamb
Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary Darby Robinson
William Blake
The Bluestocking women (volume 14) is divided into six sections:
Ann Radcliffe
Charlotte Smith
Lady Morgan
Fanny Burney
Leitiia Elizabeth Landon
Madame de Staël
Please also note I wrote a 2nd Romantic Series which features:
Robert Burns
William Cowper
Queen Caroline
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I remember liking William Cowper. You've left out John Clare.
As for 'The Necessity Of Atheism', was it partly in response to this that Keats adopted his policy of 'negative capability' (which I call 'creative ambivalence')? Being too dogmatically certain about anything is never a good idea, even in real life, little own poetry. Cf. Yeats: 'The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of a passionate intensity.' Phillip Larkin would have been a much better poet if he had been less of an atheist. Albeit one with deep regrets.
Interesting!
Coleridge I do rate highly. I just deplore his addiction to opium. An addiction which Keats warned against in two of his great Odes.
Yes. I understand, but it's important to note that that was the result of neuralgia (excruciating pain he felt going down the side of his face to his chin. A doctor prescribed him laudanum, and that was the beginning of his addiction.
Wordsworth, alongside Mary (WW's wife) and Sara Hutchinson, was a caregiver for him through his addiction for nearly a year. Later, he was cared for by Dr. Morgan, Dr. Gillman, and Dr. Greene. Dr. Gillman was able to get him down to 2 tablespoons a day (a huge improvement) by allowing him to go to the chemist to pick up his vial.
By John Clare, do you mean Lord Clare? If so, he is included in Volume 7. Lord Clare was a friend of LB. HE IS THERE.
Perhaps partly as a result of witnessing Coleridge's example.
? What are you saying here? Are you referring to Clare? Please clarify.
Charlotte Smith, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Mary Darby Robinson, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, Leigh Hunt, William Blake, and John Keats were not of the aristocracy.
Since the RS is complete, seven books for the men and seven for the women, I won't be going back to add anything further. Perhaps you can write something for John Clare. If so, I would love to read it! 😊
The way you incorporation my poem and dedication into your Romantic Series, and Indiegogo campaign was nothing short of brilliant. I knew your passion was the romantic poets and I just wanted to find some small way to thank you for taking the time to chat with me one afternoon. Someone of your stature taking that amount of time to share thoughts and listen to mine, meant more than you know to me. Fear of the Romantics was not just dedicated to you, but it represented, in my mind, their popularity. However, I never dreamed you could top my dedication until I read this. You are incredible gifted with words and if nothing else happens to me on Substack, I will never forget this. You have become a very special friend. Thank you!!!
You're welcome and happy to do it