14 July and John Keble
Engraving by F. Holl., after G. Richmond. Happy Bastille Day to the French and Francophiles. As you know it's 'Le Quartorze Juillet' or ' La Fête Nationale ' in France. Enjoy the fireworks. In the Church of England today is the commemoration of John Keble, Priest, Tractarian, Poet. I'm not expecting fireworks. I first became aware of John Keble (pictured left) through 2 books of poetry belonging to my maternal grandmother. These were 'The Psalter in English Verse' (a metrical version of the Hebrew Psalms) and the better known 'The Christian Year' published 1827, popular as a devotional book throughout the 19th century. In 'The Christian Year' Keble provided a poem for every Sunday and feast day of the Christian calendar (according to the BCP and its lectionary of that time) with extras for Morning, Evening, Burial, Matrimony and other occasions including 'Gunpowder Treason'. Just a few of Keble's verses from this...