Charles Stuart Calverley (/ˈkɑːvərlɪ/; 22 December 1831 – 17 February 1884) was an Englishpoet and wit. He was the literary father of what has been called "the university school of humour".[1]
He was born at Martley, Worcestershire, and given the name Charles Stuart Blayds. In 1852, his father, the Rev. Henry Blayds, resumed the old family name of Calverley, which his grandfather had exchanged for Blayds in 1807. Charles went up to Balliol College, Oxford, from Harrow School in 1850, and was soon known in Oxford as the most daring and high-spirited undergraduate of his time. He was a universal favourite, a delightful companion, a brilliant scholar and the playful enemy of all "dons." In 1851 he won the Chancellor's prize for Latin verse, but it is said that the entire exercise was written in an afternoon, when his friends had locked him into his rooms, refusing to let him out until he had finished what they were confident would prove the prize poem.[1]
A year later, to avoid the consequences of a college escapade (he had been expelled from Oxford), like his father, he too changed his name to Calverley and moved to Christ's College, Cambridge. Here he was again successful in Latin verse, the only undergraduate to have won the Chancellor's prize at both universities. In 1856 he took second place in the first class in the Classical Tripos.[1][2]
Later lifeedit
He was elected fellow of Christ's (1858), published Verses and Translations in 1862, and was called to the bar in 1865. Injuries sustained in a skating accident prevented him from following a professional career, and during the last years of his life he was an invalid.[1] He died of Bright's disease.[3]
Nowadays he is best-known (at least in Cambridge, his adoptive home) as the author of the "Ode to Tobacco" (1862) which is to be found on a bronze plaque in Rose Crescent, on the wall of what used to be Bacon's the tobacconist. It concludes:
Cats may have had their goose
Cooked by tobacco juice;
Still, why deny its use
Thoughtfully taken?
We're not as tabbies are;
Smith, take a fresh cigar!
Jones, the tobacco jar!
Here's to thee, Bacon!"
His poem Beer is also notable, for its light mocking of Greek gods who, surprisingly, did not drink beer, and continues to extol:
"O Beer! O Hodgson, Guinness, Allsopp, Bass!
Names that should be on every infant's tongue!"
His Translations into English and Latin appeared in 1866; his Theocritus translated into English Verse in 1869; Fly Leaves in 1872; and Literary Remains in 1885.[1]
His Complete Works, with a biographical notice by Walter Joseph Sendall, a contemporary at Christ's and his brother-in-law,[4] appeared in 1901.[1]
He was a true poet; he was one of the most graceful scholars that Cambridge ever produced; and all his exuberant fun was based on a broad and strong foundation of Greek, Latin and English literature.[5]
Works by Charles Stuart Calverley at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Index entry for Charles S. Calverley at Poets' Corner
January 19, 2024
charles, stuart, calverley, ɑː, december, 1831, february, 1884, english, poet, literary, father, what, been, called, university, school, humour, born, 1831, december, 1831worcestershiredied17, february, 1884, 1884, aged, signature, contents, early, life, later. Charles Stuart Calverley ˈ k ɑː v er l ɪ 22 December 1831 17 February 1884 was an English poet and wit He was the literary father of what has been called the university school of humour 1 Charles Stuart CalverleyBorn 1831 12 22 22 December 1831WorcestershireDied17 February 1884 1884 02 17 aged 52 Signature Contents 1 Early life 2 Later life 3 Works 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editHe was born at Martley Worcestershire and given the name Charles Stuart Blayds In 1852 his father the Rev Henry Blayds resumed the old family name of Calverley which his grandfather had exchanged for Blayds in 1807 Charles went up to Balliol College Oxford from Harrow School in 1850 and was soon known in Oxford as the most daring and high spirited undergraduate of his time He was a universal favourite a delightful companion a brilliant scholar and the playful enemy of all dons In 1851 he won the Chancellor s prize for Latin verse but it is said that the entire exercise was written in an afternoon when his friends had locked him into his rooms refusing to let him out until he had finished what they were confident would prove the prize poem 1 A year later to avoid the consequences of a college escapade he had been expelled from Oxford like his father he too changed his name to Calverley and moved to Christ s College Cambridge Here he was again successful in Latin verse the only undergraduate to have won the Chancellor s prize at both universities In 1856 he took second place in the first class in the Classical Tripos 1 2 Later life editHe was elected fellow of Christ s 1858 published Verses and Translations in 1862 and was called to the bar in 1865 Injuries sustained in a skating accident prevented him from following a professional career and during the last years of his life he was an invalid 1 He died of Bright s disease 3 Works edit nbsp Calverley s Ode to Tobacco plaque on corner of Market Hill Cambridge See also English translations of Homer Calverly Nowadays he is best known at least in Cambridge his adoptive home as the author of the Ode to Tobacco 1862 which is to be found on a bronze plaque in Rose Crescent on the wall of what used to be Bacon s the tobacconist It concludes Cats may have had their goose Cooked by tobacco juice Still why deny its use Thoughtfully taken We re not as tabbies are Smith take a fresh cigar Jones the tobacco jar Here s to thee Bacon His poem Beer is also notable for its light mocking of Greek gods who surprisingly did not drink beer and continues to extol O Beer O Hodgson Guinness Allsopp Bass Names that should be on every infant s tongue His Translations into English and Latin appeared in 1866 his Theocritus translated into English Verse in 1869 Fly Leaves in 1872 and Literary Remains in 1885 1 His Complete Works with a biographical notice by Walter Joseph Sendall a contemporary at Christ s and his brother in law 4 appeared in 1901 1 George W E Russell said of him He was a true poet he was one of the most graceful scholars that Cambridge ever produced and all his exuberant fun was based on a broad and strong foundation of Greek Latin and English literature 5 Notes edit a b c d e f Waugh 1911 Calverley formerly Blayds Charles Stuart CLVY852CS A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge Collected Works p xxxvi Lee Sidney ed 1912 Sendall Walter Joseph Dictionary of National Biography 2nd supplement Vol 3 London Smith Elder amp Co George W E Russell Collections amp Recollections revised edition Smith Elder amp Co 1899 at page 307 References edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Waugh Arthur 1911 Calverley Charles Stuart In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 5 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 70 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Charles Stuart Calverley Works by Charles Stuart Calverley at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Charles Stuart Calverley at Internet Archive Works by Charles Stuart Calverley at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Index entry for Charles S Calverley at Poets Corner Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Stuart Calverley amp oldid 1176641096, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
