Biography of the blind, including the lives of all those, from Homer down to the present day, who have distinguished themselves as poets, philosophers, artists, &c. &c ... To which is prefixed a memoir of the author / [James Wilson].

  • Wilson, James, the blind poet, 1779-
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Biography of the blind, including the lives of all those, from Homer down to the present day, who have distinguished themselves as poets, philosophers, artists, &c. &c ... To which is prefixed a memoir of the author / [James Wilson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    National Music has been greatly enriched by his pro- ductions: but it was not only in the composition of Music that he distinguished himself; his Poetry is also fine, for he wrote according to Nature, and to use the language of an ingenious author. ‘ His composi- tions are like the dreams of joys that are past, plea- sant and mournful to the soul.’ I am sorry to say that we know but little of the history of this extraor- dinary genius. It appears that he spent his life as an itinerant Musician, and was made welcome at the houses of the great, and there with the tales of other days enlivened the convivial hours. It reflects no great credit on the times in which Carolan lived, that he was suffered to live in poverty, and die in obscuri- ty ; but it has too frequently been the lot of great geniuses to meet wfith neglect while living, and when dead to be lamented, and admired ; as if mankind knew not their value until they were gone, and pos- terity were willing to compensate for the injuries they had experienced through life, by erecting to their memories splendid monuments. A trifle bestowed on them while living, and starving in an empty garret, would have rendered them more essential service than all the sums lavished on the decorations of West- minster-Abbey, to which they are insensible. This celebrated Poet and Musician, was born in the year 1670, in the village of Nobber, in the County of Westmeath, on the lands of Cardan’s town, which were wrested from his ancestors, by the family of the Nugents, on their arival in this Kindom. His Father wa3 a poor farmer, the humble proprietor of a few