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Richard Howitt (1799–1869) was a British poet.


Life

Howitt was born in
Heanor Heanor (/ˈhiːnə/) is a town in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. It lies north-east of Derby and forms, with the adjacent village of Loscoe, the civil parish and town council-administered area of Hea ...
in Derbyshire in 1799, was the son of Thomas Howitt and Phoebe Tantum.
William Howitt William Howitt (18 December 1792 – 3 March 1879), was a prolific English writer on history and other subjects. Howitt Primary Community School in Heanor, Derbyshire, is named after him and his wife. Biography Howitt was born at Heanor, Derbysh ...
, the writer, was his elder brother and
Mary Howitt Mary Howitt (12 March 1799-30 January 1888) was an English poet, the author of the famous poem '' The Spider and the Fly''. She translated several tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Some of her works were written in conjunction with her husband, ...
was William's wife. His younger brother was Godfrey Howitt. He spent his earlier years as a
pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...
in
Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...
, at first in partnership with his brother William, but finally on his own account. He was an ardent lover of literature, and published in 1830 a volume of poems entitled ''Antediluvian Sketches.'' This was highly praised and was followed in 1840 by the ''Gipsy King and other poems''. Many of Howitt's poems appeared first in
Tait's Magazine ''Tait's Edinburgh Magazine'' was a monthly periodical founded in 1832. It was an important venue for liberal political views, as well as contemporary cultural and literary developments, in early-to-mid-nineteenth century Britain. The magazine wa ...
and William Dearden's ''
Miscellany A miscellany is a collection of various pieces of writing by different authors. Meaning a mixture, medley, or assortment, a wikt:miscellany, miscellany can include pieces on many subjects and in a variety of different Literary genre, forms. In c ...
''.


Australia

Towards the end of 1839, Richard, in company with his brother, Dr. Godfrey Howitt, emigrated to Australia arriving in
Port Phillip Port Phillip (Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is completel ...
in 1840. He farmed on the Heidelberg Road until his return to England in 1844 and published his experiences in ' ''Impressions of Australia Felix during Four Years' Residence in that Colony, Notes of a Voyage round the World, Australian Poems/ &c.'', 1845. This miscellany of prose and verse was described by
Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 178428 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, essayist and poet. Hunt co-founded '' The Examiner'', a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles. He was the centre ...
as 'full of genuine pictures of nature, animate and inanimate.' After a stay in Nottingham Howitt retired to
Edingley Edingley is a village in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire t ...
,
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
, and published in 1868 a last volume of verse, ''Wasp's Honey, or Poetic Gold and Gems of Poetic Thought.'' He died at
Edingley Edingley is a village in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire t ...
on 5 February 1869, and was buried in the Friends' cemetery at
Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market t ...
. Christopher North says of him, in the 'Noctes Ambrosianae/ '' Richard has true poetic feeling, and no small poetic power.'' One of Richard poems, "Thou art Lovelier", was set to music in 1870 by William Legge.Thou Art Lovelier at Music Australia
Retrieved 3 October 2007.


References


Further reading

[The Reliquary, x. and xi.;
Mary Howitt Mary Howitt (12 March 1799-30 January 1888) was an English poet, the author of the famous poem '' The Spider and the Fly''. She translated several tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Some of her works were written in conjunction with her husband, ...
: an" Autobiography, edited by her daughter, Margaret Howitt, 1889, i. 117, 181, 222, ii. 169; Nottingham Daily Express, February 1869 ; Nottingham Daily Guardian, February 1869 ; Smith's Friends' Books.] E. B. {{DEFAULTSORT:Howitt, Richard People from Heanor 1799 births 1869 deaths English male poets 19th-century English poets 19th-century English male writers