The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
LAUREATES AND POETS.

The appointment of Mr.. Austin as poet
laureate has awakened some curiosity as
to the history Of the English laureateship,
as well as some surprise as to this appoint-
ment.
The general remark of conversation, that
the poet laureate holds the place once
held by the court fool. is probably historic
ally true. That is to say. as soon as CIV
ilization advanced SO far that kings ceased
to have professional testers at court. they
began to have poets laureate. So far is it
true that
ems blessed her;
The Wanda of that days the Wordsworth
of this
1t may be doubted whether any profess
sional court fool can be found on the civil
list since the time of Richard i, perhaps
before his time. That monarch took "Wil-
liam the Foreigner to Palestine with him,
that he might sing his exploits, much as
the Times sent DR.. Russell to the Crimea.
Edward III carried Robert Baston to Scot
land with him for the same purpose. But
after his failure at Bannockburn, the Scots
took this Robert prisoner, and made him
write up their victory for his ransom.
This was as the proprietor of a Democratic
side higher salary than he has, IL he
will come across the way and write for
u.s."
Chaucer calls Petrarch laureate poete,"
meaning, probably, that he had received the
crown at some university sclemnity. Chau-
Ger is believed to have called himself by
the same title. John Shelton received, in
form, a laurel crown, as sort of poetical
degree. at Oxford in 1889. and on doubtful
authority he is called poet laureate to Hen
~ VIII. With Henry's daughter the laure-
ate, seems to have become a recognized
member of the royal household. Edmund
Spenser was named laureate by Elizabeth,
with an annual pension of ESQ. In 1916
James the Fool named Ben Jonson poet
laureate for life, and Charles /, in $780,
advanced his salary from 100 marks to fl00
He added the famous perquisite of fierce
of canary wine of which so much fun has
since been made.
After Ben Jonson's death, through the
stormy times of the civil war and the COM
monwealth there was an interregnum of
laureates until 1860, when Charles III APP
pointed William Davenant. OF Davenant's
successors-appointed for life. let it be OBJ
served-those whom our readers will re-
member are Dryden, from 1870 to 1859. pos
sbly Nahum Tate. the partner of Nicholas
Brady In the psalm book: Colley Cibber,
Robert Southey. William Wordsworth and
Alfred Tennyson. The rest are hopelessly
forgotten, except in the cyclopedias and
dictionaries OF biography.
The understanding. for century or two,
was that the poet laureate should compose
an ode for the New Year and one for the
Kings birthday. Probably the old-fash-
toned New Years address of the newspa-
pers Of the first half of this century was
borrowed from the New Years ode of the
laureate. Cowper ridicules the birthday
ode as
His. quit-rent ode. his pepper-corn of
praise
The requ:sition of these regular quit
rents was abandoned on the appointment
of Southey as the successor of Henry
James Pye. in 1913. There will be found in
Scott's letters. at that time, some interest
ing correspondence about Southey's ap-
pointment. The "terce of canary had
been committed in Pye's time for the pay
ment Of f27 sterling year.
1t would seem as II the appointment had
generally been made. now for three centu-
ries. rather by accident or by charity. rnuch
as 1t has been made now, In most instances.
ally been a reaction. When there had been
a laureate specially stupid, as when Pye
died. the Prime Minister, perhaps the
monarch of the day spurred up. and the
appointing powers tried to do better.
1t is now known that on Wordsworth's
death the post was offered to the venerable
Samuel Rogers at Queen Victorias request
Rogers was then lightweight years old
The invitation was conveyed to him in a
charming note from Prince Albert. most
grateful to Rogers. from its expression OF
gratitude and regard. He was begged 10
regard the proposal as simply an honor
due to him, and he was assured that
formal duty would be required. He was TO
write whenever he wished. and at no other
time. Rogers was greatly gratifed, but aft
CT considering the proposal he declined. in
a note worthy OF him. He was then asked
with equal courtesy. IL he would suggest
the proper person. and Rogers at once
named Alfred Tennyson.
The subsequent correspondence became
curious and interesting to men OF letters,
because IL showed just how far statesmen.
or such statesmen. know who are the men
OF letters of their time. For Rogers re-
ceived a note from the Prime Minister Of