James Henry (poet) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Henry
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James Henry in 1866
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| Born | December 13, 1798 Dublin |
| Died | 14 July 1876 (aged 77) Dalkey, County Dublin |
| Resting place | Glendruid, County Dublin |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin |
James Henry (born December 13, 1798, died July 14, 1876) was an Irish writer. He was known as a classical scholar, meaning he studied ancient Greek and Roman writings. He was also a poet.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Henry was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Robert Henry, was a woollen draper, which means he sold fabric. James was taught by a minister named Joseph Hutton. Later, he went to Trinity College, Dublin.
When he was just 11 years old, James discovered the amazing poetry of Virgil. Virgil was a famous ancient Roman poet. James loved Virgil's long poem, the Aeneid, so much that he always carried a copy with him!
At Trinity College, James was very good at his studies. He earned a special gold medal for his work in Classics. After college, he decided to study medicine. He worked as a doctor in Dublin until 1845. Even though he had some unusual ideas about religion and his job, he was a very successful doctor.
James married Anne Jane Patton from Donegal. They had three daughters, but sadly, only one of them, Katherine, lived past infancy.
A Life Dedicated to Virgil
In 1845, James Henry received a lot of money. This allowed him to stop working as a doctor. He could then spend all his time on his biggest passion: studying Virgil.
He traveled all over Europe with his wife and daughter. They were looking for rare books and old handwritten copies of Virgil's poems. When his wife passed away in Tyrol, James continued his research with his daughter, Katherine. She became very knowledgeable about Virgil too! Together, they crossed the Alps mountains seventeen times.
After his daughter Katherine died in 1872, James returned to Dublin. He kept working on his research at Trinity College. He passed away in Dalkey, County Dublin.
His Poetry
Besides his work on Virgil, James Henry also wrote his own poetry. He published five collections of poems. He also wrote two long poems about his travels. He even wrote some funny, satirical pamphlets.
His best poems have a style similar to famous poets like Robert Browning. However, some of his other poems were not as good. James paid for his poetry books to be published himself. Sadly, his poems did not get much attention from critics during his lifetime or after.
Rediscovery of His Work
For a long time, James Henry's poetry was mostly forgotten. But then, a scholar named Christopher Ricks rediscovered his work. In 1987, Ricks included eight of Henry's poems in a book called New Oxford Book of Victorian Verse.
Later, more of his poems were included in other important collections. The Penguin Book of Victorian Verse featured four of his poems. Valentine Cunningham also included five of Henry's poems in a book called The Victorians: an Anthology of Poetry and Poetics in 2000. In the 21st century, one of his poems from 1856, "Old Man," was featured in another anthology called My Own Land's Sins.
Books Published After His Death
In 2002, Christopher Ricks helped publish a book called Selected Poems of James Henry. This book collected some of Henry's best poems. It also included an introduction by Ricks. The book was published by The Lilliput Press and was reviewed in several well-known newspapers and magazines.
