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John Clare (1793 - 1864) was an English poet. The son of a farm labourer, he became known for his celebrations of the English countryside and sorrows at its disruption. His biographer Jonathan Bate called Clare "the greatest labouring-class poet that England has ever produced. No one has ever written more powerfully of nature, of a rural childhood, and of the alienated and unstable self."
From 6th September 1824 until 11th September 1825 Clare kept a journal. The first entry reads "I have determined this day of beginning a sort of journal to give my opinion of things I may read or see & set down any thoughts that may arise either in my reading at home or my musings in the Fields & this day must fill up a sort of Introduction for I have nothing else to set down all I have read today is Moores Almanack for the account of the weather which speaks of rain tho its very hot & fine"
The entries, with variable spelling and written with little attention paid to punctuation, paint a vivid picture of Clare's life. Many entries are about his interest in natural history and the surrounding countryside, including local vernacular such as "pooty" for snail. Others reflect his difficulties in securing publishers for his poems during this time. He also gives his views on various poets and writers, and we get glimpses into his family life as birthdays and illnesses come and go.
The entries include observations on the natural world, literary matters, local history and occasional mordant humour:
1st March 1825
Saw today the largest piece of Ivy I ever saw in my life mailing a tree which it nearly surpassd in size in Oxey Wood it was thicker than my thigh & its cramping embraces seemd to diminish the tree to a dwarf - it has been asserted by some that ivy is very injurious to trees & by others that it does no injury at all - I cannot decide against it - the large pieces were coverd all over with root-like fibres as thick as hair & they represented the limbs of animals more than the bark of a tree
17th March 1825
Recievd a letter & present of Books from Lord Radstock containing Hannah Moores 'Spirit of Prayer' - Bp Wilsons 'Maxims' Burnets 'Life of God in the Soul of Man' - 'A New Manual of Prayer' & Watsons 'Answer to Paine' a quiet unaffected defence of the Bible & an example for all controversialists to go bye were railing has no substitute for argument - I have not read Tom Paine but I have always understood him to be a low blackguard
20th February 1825
Found several pieces of Roman pot in Harrisons top close on the hill over which the road crosses to the Tindhills at the north-east corner of Oxey Wood one piece was the lettered & Artis says they are Roman & I verily believe some Roman camp or pottery was made there
February 27th 1825
Recievd a letter in rhyme from a John Pooley - a very dull fooley [two lines inked out] who ran me 10d further into debt as I had not money to pay the postage