The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-12-05
JOHN CLARE, THE NORTHAMPTOl
POET.

POET.
CLARE, ''the peasant poet" whose genius
obtained for him at one period a large share
Of public notice, has long been for some
years an inmate of Northamptonshire Lunat-
ic Asylum.
a writer in the Weschester Journal, gives
an account of a visit which he paid a few
day since to the unfortunate poet On ar
irving at the Asylum, he was informed that.
poor Glare, being perfectly harmless, was
permitted to absent himself daily from the
Asylum, and that his f~averiie spot was aniche
under the colonnade of All Saints Church.
Here, on my arrival, | found him. He
was habited in a fustian dress, and there was
nothing in his appearance which would dis
tingu;sh him from the ordinary race ofpea-
SAINTS, except that on closer inspection his
countenance still exhibited traces of that IN
teilectual spirit which ere while has lurked
within. The pioneer of age had furrowed
his cheek, bur he appeared healthy and cheer
full and readily joined in the conversation /
had commenced. This | had in some mea-
sure ~propiated by small present of tobac-
co, of which he makes constant use; and
while daily sitting in his Mich, on an emf
nence commanding the principal thorough
fare OF the town, poor John Clare, by the aid
of the ffagrant weed in a measure beguiles
his loneliness, sUothes the disquilude within
and revisits the region of peosy. Tobacco
and pipe are the only objects of his ambition,
and these he is never without, the towns
people supplying him with abundance, in re-
turn for his verses.
| endeavored to elicit the nature of his
mental delusion, but. as | bad been informed
| found them to be protean, and constantly
varying. In common with the majority of
~lunatics, he has objections TO the prcsen,
royal succession, and has likewise, recently
fancied himselfto be greatest pugilist in the
Kingdom. As TO treatment he is permitted
to do just as he pleases; he only sleeps in
the Asylum, and returns their TO take his
meals. He has an unlimited supply ofbooks,
and is never without one in his pocket, to-
gether with paper and pencils.
The poet is still solaced by the visits OF
his muse, and his visitor gives several of his
recent productions. The following tit is
stately was written a few weeks ago, and
will be read with interest not only from the
circumstances of their author, but from their
own intrinsic beauty.
SLEEP AND SPRING.
Oh! for that sweet, untroubled rest,
That poets of have sung
Like babe's upon its mothers breast,
Or birds upon its young;
The heart asleep without a pain;
When shall sleep that sleep again2
When shall be as have been
Upon nv mothers breast
Sweet Natures garb of emerald green,
To WOO my form 10 rest:
Lone in the meadow field and glen,
And in my native wllds again2
! The sheep within the fallow field,
J The herd upon the green,
The larks that in the thistle shield,
Aud pipe from morn TO cen;
llOhl for the pasture field and fen!
/, When shall | feel such rest again?
, I love the weeds along the fen
More sweet than garden flowers,
For freedom haunts the hum BILE glen
b That blest my happy hours:
E Here prisons injury health and me-
[ love sweet freedom and the free!
: The crows upon the swelling hills,
+ The COWS upon the lea,
Sheep feeding by the pasture rills,
a Are ever dear TO me,
Because sweet freedom is the mate
G. Whilst | am Torn and desolate.
+ | loved the winds when | was young,
When life was dear to me;
[ loved the song which nature sung
Enduring liberty;
| loved the woods, the wales, the stream,
> For their my boyhood used 10 dream.
: There toll itself was ever play,
Twas pleasant e'en TO weep;
Twas joy TO think of dreams by day
The beautiful Of sleep.
When shall | see the wood, the plain,
n And dream those happy dreams again?
: STAND TO YOUR COLORS.-The il
dications of the general determination
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