Henry Headley facts for kids

Henry Headley (born 1765, died 1788) was an English poet and writer. He was known for his work on old English poetry. He lived a short life but made an important contribution to literature.

Early Life and Education

Henry Headley was born in Irstead, Norfolk, England, on April 27, 1765. He was the only son of Henry Headley, a church rector. His father passed away when Henry was 20 years old.

Henry went to Colchester grammar school, where he was a student of Samuel Parr. He later attended Trinity College, Oxford, starting in January 1782. At Oxford, he became friends with other poets and writers like William Lisle Bowles. Thomas Warton, a fellow at the college, also greatly influenced Headley's writing.

Life and Illness

After finishing his studies, Henry Headley earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in May 1786. He then moved to Norwich, where he focused on studying old English poets. However, Henry had been unwell since he was young. He suffered from a serious lung illness called consumption (now known as tuberculosis).

In May 1788, hoping to improve his health, he traveled alone to Lisbon, Portugal. He stayed with Lewis de Visme in Cintra. Sadly, his health continued to get worse. In August, he decided to return home to Norwich. After two months of suffering, Henry Headley passed away on November 15, 1788, at the young age of 23.

He was buried in North Walsham, near his parents and two sisters. A special message was written by his friend William Benwell to remember him.

His Writings

Select Beauties of Ancient English Poetry

Henry Headley's most famous work was Select Beauties of Ancient English Poetry. With Remarks. It was published in two volumes in 1787. This book helped him become well-known. It was very popular and was dedicated to his friend William Windham. A second edition of the book was published in 1810 and included a short story about his life by his friend Henry Kett.

Some of Headley's critical notes from Select Beauties were later added to another book, Purple Island, in 1816. It was also noted that another writer, Robert Anderson, copied many of Headley's notes and ideas in his own book, Collection of the Poets.

Other Literary Contributions

In 1785, Headley anonymously published a collection of his early writings called Fugitive Pieces. Most of these pieces had already appeared in print. The book was reissued in 1786 with more poems and pieces. These poems were later included in other collections of British poets.

Headley also wrote for other publications. He contributed to Olla Podrida, a work by his friend Thomas Monro. He is also believed to have written for The Lounger's Miscellany. Additionally, he published articles in the Gentleman's Magazine under the name "C. T. O."