Litchfield enquirer., 1845-06-19

John Glare, the .North0mptonslire Poet. Glare
the peasant poet,' whose genius obtained for hin
at one period large share of public notice. ha:
long been forgotten, and it is not generally known
that ne mas been for some years an inmate of North
amptonshlre Lunatic Asylum.
| writer in the Worcester Journal gives an ac
count of visit which he paid, few DAYS since. te
the unfortunate poet. On arriving at the ASYLUM
he was informed that poor Clare, being perfectly
harmless, was permitted to absent himself daily
from the asylum, and that his favorite SPOT was a
niche under the colonnade of All Saints Church.
Here, on my arrival, found him. He was ha.
blted in fustian dress, and there was nothing
IN his appearance which would distinguish him
from the ordinary of peasants, except that on
closer inspection his countenance still exhibited
traces of that intellectual spirit which erewhle had
lurked within. The pic neers of age had furrowed
his cheek, but he appeared healthy and cheerful,
and readily joined in the conversation I had com
menced. This had, in some measure, propitated
by small present of tobacco, of which he makes
constant use; and while daily sitting in his niche,
on an emlnence commanding the PRINCIPAL thor
oughtore of the town, poor John Clare, by the aid
OF the "fragrant weed" in measure beguiles his
loneliness, soothes the disquietude within, and re-
visits the regions of poesy. Tobacco and pipe
are seemingly the only objects of his ambition, and
these he is never without, the townspeople supply-
ing him with an abundance in return for his verses
l endeavored to elicit the nature of his menta;
decisions, but, as l had been informed, found
them to be rrotean, and constantly varying. In
common with the majority of lunatics, he has OBJ
iections to the present roval succession. and has
likewise recently ancied himself to be the greatest
pugillst in the kingdom. AS to treatment, he is
permitted to do just as he pleases he only sleeps
IN the asylum, and returns there to take his meals
He has an unlimited supply of books, and is never
without one in his pocket, together with paper and
pencils. ..
Ihn nNn CT 1eoloo l-,A
and his vlser gives several of his recent produc-
lions. The following. it is stated 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 oft have sung
Like babes upon its mothers breast,
Or birds upon its young;
The heart asleep without pain,
When shall sleep that sleep again.
When shall be as / have been
Upon my mothers breast?
Sweet natures garb of emerald green,
To woo my form to rest;
Lone in the meadow, field and glen,
And in my native wilds again
The sheep within the fallow field,
The herd upon the green,
The larks that in the thistle shield,
And pipe from morn to cen;
Oh for the pasture, field and fen!
When shall feel such rest again?
love the weeds along the fen,
More sweet than garden flowers.
For freedom haunts he humble glen
That blessed my happy hours;
Here prisons injure health and me-
II love sweet freedom and the freeI --~------
The crows upon the swelling hills,
The cows upon the lea,
Sheep feeding by the pasture rills,
Are ever dear to me;
Because sweet freedom is their mate
Whilst am lone and desolate
loved the winds when was young,
When life was dear to me;
loved the song which nature sung
Enduring Liberty;
I loved the woods, the wales, the stream,
For there my boyhood used to dream.
There toll itself was ever play,
Twas pleasure cen to weep;
Twas Joy to think of dreams by day
The beautiful Of sleep.
When shall see the wood, the plain,
And dream those happy dreams again.