Le Cahier Jaune: 'Love takes the gleanings as they are''

By Arthur Christopher Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson, FRSL was born on the 24th April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire. His father would later become the Archbishop of Canterbury. His brother was the noted E F Benson of ‘Mapp & Lucia’ literary fame.

The family was blighted by the early death of two children. Benson himself suffered with bi-polar disorder. None of the surviving children married.

In 1874 he went to Eton and thence on to King's College, Cambridge and achieved first-class honours in the Classical tripos in 1884.

From 1885 to 1903 Benson taught at Eton, but returned, as a Fellow of Magdalene College, to Cambridge in 1904 to lecture in English Literature. He became president of the college in 1912, and the Master from December 1915 until his death in 1925.

As a writer Benson was prolific across a number of genres. His essays and literary criticisms were much admired. His short story collections, mainly supernatural and ghost stories, along with several volumes of poetry were distinctive and of note.

As well he wrote lyrics for the ‘Coronation Ode’, which includes the rousing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ set to music by Edward Elgar for the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he founded the Benson Medal in 1916 ‘in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres’.

A C Benson died at the Master's Lodge at Magdalene on the 17th June 1925. He was 63.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Portable Poetry
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781803542263

Arthur Christopher Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson (24 April 1862 – 17 June 1925) was an English essayist, poet, author and academic and the 28th Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. He is noted for writing the words of the song "Land of Hope and Glory". (Wikipedia)

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Le Cahier Jaune by Arthur Christopher Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson, FRSL was born on the 24th April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire.  His father would later become the Archbishop of Canterbury.  His brother was the noted E F Benson of ‘Mapp & Lucia’ literary fame.

The family was blighted by the early death of two children.  Benson himself suffered with bi-polar disorder.  None of the surviving children married.

In 1874 he went to Eton and thence on to King's College, Cambridge and achieved first-class honours in the Classical tripos in 1884.

From 1885 to 1903 Benson taught at Eton, but returned, as a Fellow of Magdalene College, to Cambridge in 1904 to lecture in English Literature.  He became president of the college in 1912, and the Master from December 1915 until his death in 1925.

As a writer Benson was prolific across a number of genres.  His essays and literary criticisms were much admired.  His short story collections, mainly supernatural and ghost stories, along with several volumes of poetry were distinctive and of note.

As well he wrote lyrics for the ‘Coronation Ode’, which includes the rousing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ set to music by Edward Elgar for the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he founded the Benson Medal in 1916 ‘in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres’.

A C Benson died at the Master's Lodge at Magdalene on the 17th June 1925. He was 63.

Non intret, Cato theatrum meum, aut si intraverit, spectet

Index of Contents

TO M B

PREFACE

QUID DEDICATUM

SECRETS

DREAMS

FEARS

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

DRIFTING

THE WATER-OUSEL

CURA SUI

MY FRIEND

THE DEAD POET

GOOD-BYE

ALL THAT WE KNEW OF HIM

AN OLD DIARY

IN COWPER'S LETTERS

WILLIAM BLAKE

DEAN SWIFT

THOMAS GRAY

GILBERT WHITE

MOLINOS

VER SCHOLASTICUM

DEMETRIUS

MISERRIMUS

THE GALE

THE BIRD-CHERRY

STORM AND TEMPEST

HIDDEN LIFE

VIATOR

ON THE WESTERN CLIFFS

A JUNE EVENING

AZALEA

THE DRAGONFLY.

KNAPWEED

NORTHWARDS

IN THE SOUTH

HOMEWARDS

IDYLL

EARL HACON'S TOMB

TOO LATE

AN ENGLISH HOME

ANGULUS TERRARUM

AMBERLEY CASTLE

JANUS

NEW YEAR'S EVE

IN A COLLEGE GARDEN

HERO-WORSHIP

STAND ASIDE

(I) ART

(II) FAITH

(III) THE COMPROMISE

NON OMNIS MORIAR

OLD FOES

HOC UNUM CUPIO

INTEREA

PROSPERO

ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER BENSON – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

TO M B

Oh patron of my fitful song,

True heart, brave heart, oh pure and good

My praises cannot do thee wrong;

I cannot praise thee as I would.

Read as thou wilt, mother and friend,

And should the critic sense approve

It may not? Hasten to the end,

And fill the vacancy with love.

And if thy dreams were other far

For thy inconstant heedless child,

Love takes the gleanings as they are,

And so the world is reconciled.

And should the strong years smite me thro

And leave my yearnings unconfessed,

Remember that I thought of you,

And honoured you, and loved you best.

PREFACE

An author, says Dr. Johnson in his life of Dryden, has a right to print his own works, and need seek no apology in falsehood. If the poems here collected are not their own apology, they will deserve none. They make no claim to be an important contribution to the philosophy of truth; they are only the faithful presentation of some of the simple and integral experiences of every man's life. These lie behind the futile bitterness of Politics, the dull promises of Socialism, the misty theories of Education, and the curious Economical speculations that bring interest to so many and peace to so few. Scheming in the interests of others is often little more than an excuse for not facing individual difficulties, but the unwilling egotism which must transfuse the expression of the struggles of the unit, can only be excused by the consciousness that such experience is after all a common inheritance.

Poetry is the most speculative of all ventures; to