Smart

CHRISTOPHER SMART (1722 - 1771)

Smart was born in Kent, but came to Durham at the age of eleven and lived under the wing of the Barnard family at Raby Castle. He attended Durham School in the 1730s and entered Cambridge in 1739.

Robert Browning in his Parleyings with Certain People Important in their Day (1887) includes Christopher Smart among the pegs he hangs his own reflections on (the conversations are entirely one-sided) - Browning was one of Smart's few 19th century admirers - in fact he seems to regard Smart's as the greatest poetic achievement between Milton and Keats:

Smart, solely of such songmen, pierced the screen
Twixt thing and word, lit language straight from soul -
left no fine film-flake on the naked coal

and states later that Smart, at least on one occasion 'Had reached the zenith from his madhouse cell'. This judgment would find considerable support today, though one of Smart's major works, his 'Song to David' (1763) was not a product of madness. Browning compared it to a great cathedral. Smart suffered from insanity after 1756, though Dr Johnson for one did not think he ought to be confined. 'His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as anyone else. Another charge laid was that he did not love clean linen, and I have no passion for it.'

Smart was committed intermittently to an asylum in London between 1756 and 1763, during which time he produced his astonishing Jubilate Agno. Among much else that is rich and strange, including the endearing description of his cat Jeoffrey, there is a reference to his northern youth.

For I bless God the Postmaster general and all conveyancers
of letters under his care especially Allen and Shelvock.
For my grounds in New Canaan shall infinitely compensate
for the flats and maynes of Staindrop Moor.
And: ‘Let Josiphiah rejoice with Tower-Mustard. God be gracious to Durham School.’

Myers Literary Guide:	The North-East
CHRISTOPHER SMART (1722 - 1771) Smart was born in Kent, but came to Durham at the age of eleven and lived under the wing of the Barnard family at Raby Castle. He attended Durham School in the 1730s and entered Cambridge in 1739. Robert Browning in his Parleyings with Certain People Important in their Day (1887) includes Christopher Smart among the pegs he hangs his own reflections on (the conversations are entirely one-sided) - Browning was one of Smart's few 19th century admirers - in fact he seems to regard Smart's as the greatest poetic achievement between Milton and Keats: Smart, solely of such songmen, pierced the screen Twixt thing and word, lit language straight from soul - left no fine film-flake on the naked coal and states later that Smart, at least on one occasion 'Had reached the zenith from his madhouse cell'. This judgment would find considerable support today, though one of Smart's major works, his 'Song to David' (1763) was not a product of madness. Browning compared it to a great cathedral. Smart suffered from insanity after 1756, though Dr Johnson for one did not think he ought to be confined. 'His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as anyone else. Another charge laid was that he did not love clean linen, and I have no passion for it.' Smart was committed intermittently to an asylum in London between 1756 and 1763, during which time he produced his astonishing Jubilate Agno. Among much else that is rich and strange, including the endearing description of his cat Jeoffrey, there is a reference to his northern youth. For I bless God the Postmaster general and all conveyancers of letters under his care especially Allen and Shelvock. For my grounds in New Canaan shall infinitely compensate for the flats and maynes of Staindrop Moor. And: ‘Let Josiphiah rejoice with Tower-Mustard. God be gracious to Durham School.’
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