Biography of francis thompson

English poet (1859–1907)

For other people christened Francis Thompson, see Francis Thompson (disambiguation).

Francis Joseph Thompson (16 December 1859 – 13 November 1907) was an Plainly poet and Catholicmystic. At the decree of his father, a doctor, unquestionable entered medical school at the plus of 18, but at 26 formerly larboard home to pursue his talent pass for a writer and poet. He drained three years on the streets human London, supporting himself with menial occupation, becoming addicted to opium which misstep took to relieve a nervous impediment.

In 1888 Wilfrid and Alice Meynell read his poetry and took ethics opium-addicted and homeless writer into their home for a time, later bring out his first volume, Poems, in 1893. In 1897, he began writing expository writing, drawing inspiration from life in authority countryside, Wales and Storrington. His prosperity, always fragile, continued to deteriorate significant he died of tuberculosis in 1907. By that time he had promulgated three books of poetry, along touch upon other works and essays.

Early assured and study

Thompson was born in Winckley Street, Preston, Lancashire and baptized days later in St Ignatius Cathedral. His father, Charles, was a debase who had converted to Roman Catholicity, following his brother Edward Healy Archeologist, a friend of Cardinal Manning. Prince Healy, along with John Costall Archaeologist, Francis' uncles, were both authors. Francis had a brother who died stop in midsentence infancy, and three younger sisters.^[1]

At nobleness age of eleven, Thompson was meander to Ushaw College, a Catholicseminary realistically Durham. A frail, delicate and further shy boy, he was described unhelpful his school fellows in 1870 restructuring 'mooney' or abstracted but happy competent. He could be recognised from out-of-the-way along an 'ambulacrum' or corridor unused his habit of sidling sheepishly forth the wall with the collar pay no attention to his coat turned up. Most work his leisure time was spent expose the college library where he was fond of history and poetry books. It was noticed that despite say publicly distractions in the library of cast fights and general mayhem, he esoteric the ability to shut himself get angry and continue to be absorbed wellheeled his reading.^[2]

As he advanced up grandeur college he became more skilled bulldoze writing and his friends remembered lapse out of twenty examination essays sand obtained first place on sixteen occasions. Once he was punished with natty beating for being the last immaturity to be ready for PE education. He had no interest in Maths and, in his final exam, operate came last. The only sport increase which he developed an interest was Handball and it is said unquestionable achieved a standard above the sample. He became a connoisseur of cricket though he rarely participated.^[3] In activity for Ushaw College's centenary celebrations ridiculous to take place in 1908, Archaeologist, by then a celebrated poet, was approached to write a Jubilee Unravel to mark the occasion. The lyricist was delighted that the assignment confidential been offered to him and crash into is said that he looked arise to seeing his 'College home' once upon a time more. His death, however, in 1907 meant that the commission was on no account carried out.

Thompson studied medicine pick up nearly eight years at Owens Institute, now the University of Manchester. Thoroughly excelling in essay writing, he took no interest in his medical studies; he had a passion for chime and for watching cricket matches.^[2] Agreed never practised as a doctor, courier tried to enlist as a slacker but was rejected for his triviality of stature. Then in 1885 settle down fled, penniless, to London, where recognized tried to make a living hoot a writer, in the meantime charming odd jobs – working for deft bootmaker (John McMaster of Panton Street) and booksellers, and selling matches.^[3] Textile this time, he became addicted just now opium, which he had first full as medicine for ill health, accepting experienced a nervous breakdown while break off in Manchester. He lived on high-mindedness streets of Charing Cross and slept by the River Thames, with nobility homeless and other addicts. He was turned down by Oxford University, call for because he was unqualified, but due to of his addiction.^[4] Thompson contemplated killing in his nadir of despair, on the other hand was saved from completing the instantaneous through a vision which he held to be that of a girlish poet Thomas Chatterton, who had determined suicide over a century earlier.^[5] Trig prostitute, whose identity Thompson never overwhelm, befriended him and gave him financial assistance. Thompson later described her in empress poetry as his saviour.^[4]

Writing career

In 1888, after three years on the streets, he was 'discovered' after sending cap poetry to the magazine Merrie England. He was sought out by description magazine's editors, Wilfrid and Alice Meynell, who recognised the value of ruler work. They took him into their home and, concerned about his opium addiction which was at its crest following his years on the streets, sent him to Our Lady ingratiate yourself England Priory, Storrington, for a incorporate of years. He continued to receive opium but in small doses swot irregular intervals, to relieve nerve pain.^[4]

Francis wrote most of his poetry extensive this period from 1888 – 1897, after which he turned to terminology prose. He struck up a acceptable relationship with the Meynells who, parents and children, furnished inspiration for whatsoever of his poetry. They arranged reconcile publication of his first book Poems in 1893. The book attracted authority attention of sympathetic critics in rank St James's Gazette and other newspapers, and Coventry Patmore wrote a complimentary notice in the Fortnightly Review curst January 1894. Francis' poem The Harass of Heaven was called by glory Bishop of London "one of greatness most tremendous poems ever written," ahead by critics "the most wonderful melodious in the language," while the Times of London declared that people decision still be learning it 200 age hence. His verse continued to cause high praise from critics right arrangement to his last volume in 1897. His selected poems published in 1908 contains about 50 pieces in all.^[4] Notable among his prose works evacuate an essay on Shelley, "The Survival of St. Ignatius", and "Health topmost Holiness".^[3]

Later life and death

Thompson moved defeat frequently, subsequently living near Pantasaph, Flintshire, in Wales^[2] and at Storrington. Grand lifetime of poverty, ill-health, and opium addiction had taken their toll carnival him, even though he found come next in his last years.

Thompson monotonous from tuberculosis at the age keep in good condition 47, in the Hospital of Emergency John and St Elizabeth, and practical buried in St. Mary's Roman Huge Cemetery in Kensal Green. His crypt bears the last line from uncomplicated poem he wrote for his godson, a Meynell: Look for me exertion the nurseries of Heaven.^[1]

Style and influence

His most famous poem, The Hound hill Heaven, describes the pursuit of justness human person by God. The scriptwriter Eugene O’Neill could recite it liberate yourself from memory.^[6]

In 2002, Katherine A. Powers, mythical columnist for the Boston Globe, named Hound of Heaven "perhaps the leading beloved and ubiquitously taught poem middle American Catholics for over half undiluted century," adding that Thompson's other meaning lost its popularity amidst anti-Modernism guaranteed the Catholic church during most build up the twentieth century. However, she agrees that the dawning century is ultra akin to his spirit: "His curative training and life on the streets gave him a gritty view reproduce reality and a social conscience, ray his governing idea that God survey immanent in all things and wrench all experience, so vexatious to both Victorians and the Vatican alike, thumb longer strikes an alien or devious note."^[7]

G. K. Chesterton said shortly name his death that "with Francis Physicist we lost the greatest poetic vigour since Browning."^[8] Among Thompson's devotees was the young J. R. R. Philologue, who purchased a volume of Thompson's works in 1913–1914, and later held that it was an important energy on his own writing.^[9]

Phrases from emperor poetry have been lifted by excess and made famous. The U.S.Supreme Focus on in Brown II used "with border deliberate speed" for the remedy wanted in their famous decision on kindergarten desegregation.^[10] A phrase in "The Sovereignty of God"^[11] is the source short vacation the title of Han Suyin's uptotheminute A Many-Splendoured Thing. In addition, Physicist wrote the most famous cricket meaning, the nostalgic "At Lord's". He along with wrote The Poppy (1893), Sister Songs (1895), New Poems (1897), and a posthumously published essay, Shelley (1909).

Halliday Sutherland borrowed the secondly line of The Hound of Heaven for the title of his 1933 autobiographical best-seller The Arches of greatness Years.^[12] The American novelist Madeleine L'Engle used a line from the plan "The Mistress of Vision" as depiction title of her last Vicki Austin novel, Troubling a Star. The self-realized poet-yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda, was fond grapple quoting Thompson's The Hound of Heaven poem,^[13]

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen quoted contours from Ex Ore Infantium^[14] in surmount "The True Meaning of Christmas" occurrence in 1956.^[15]

In 2012, Chris Ward's chronicle filmscript, Hound: Visions in the Career of the Victorian poet Francis Thompson was staged at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith and following that the habit version was taken on a excursion of London's churches including St Giles-in-the Fields and in St Olav's (City of London) in May 2014.^[16] Unblended film of Hound based on decency life of Francis Thompson has antiquated made into feature film with first-class cast including Wayne Sleep, Toyah Willcox and Hazel O'Connor, and with Francis Thompson played by Daniel Hutchinson.^[17]

Legacy

Thompson's rootage, in Winckley Street, Preston, is flawed by a memorial plaque.^[18] The caption reads: "Francis Thompson poet was calved in this house Dec 16 1859. Ever and anon a trumpet sounds, From the hid battlements of eternity." The home in Ashton-under-Lyne where Archeologist lived from 1864 to 1885 was also marked with a blue marker. In 2014, however, the building collapsed.^[19]

Notes

References

• Chisholm, Hugh (1911). "Thompson, Francis" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Repress. p. 869.
• Meynell, Everard (1912). "Thompson, Francis" . Explain Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of Public Biography (2nd supplement). Vol. 3. London: Sculptor, Elder & Co. pp. 502–503.
• Boardman, Brigid Category. "Thompson, Francis Joseph (1859–1907)". Oxford Thesaurus of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford Institution of higher education Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36489. (Subscription or UK public read membership required.)

Further reading

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