(1831-1884)
No one ever attained greater fame with few, slight, and unserious
books than this English author. His name rests upon four volumes
only:--'Verses and Translations' (1862); 'Translations into English and
Latin' (1866); 'Theocritus Translated into English Verse' (1869); and
'Fly-Leaves' (1872). 'Fly-Leaves' holds a unique place in English
literature. It is made up chiefly of parodies, which combine the mocking
spirit with clever imitations of the style and affectations of familiar
poets. They are witty; they are humorous; they are good-natured; and
they are artistic and extraordinarily clever. His satirical banter shown
in these verses--most of which are real poems as well as parodies--has
been classed as "refined common-sense," and "the exuberant playfulness
of a powerful mind and tender and manly nature." It contains also
independent literary skits and _comiques_ which are quite equal in merit
to the parodies.
Calverley was born at Martley, Worcestershire, December 22d, 1831, the
son of the Rev. Henry Blayds, a descendant of an old Yorkshire family
named Calverley. In 1852 Mr. Blayds resumed the name of Calverley, which
had been dropped at the beginning of the century. Calverley was more
famous at Harrow for his marvelous jumping and other athletic feats than
for his studies, but even at this period he showed great talent for
translating from the classics, and astonished every one by his gifts of
memory. A few Latin verses won for him the Balliol scholarship in 1850,
and in the next year he received at Oxford the Chancellor's prize for a
Latin poem.
In 1852 he went to Cambridge, and shortly after won the Craven
scholarship, as well as numerous medals and prizes for his attainments
in Greek and Latin. This was the more remarkable inasmuch as he
was extremely indolent and very fond of society, preferring to entertain
his friends by his witty songs, his charming voice, his clever
caricatures--for he had talent with his pencil--and his brilliant
conversation, rather than to apply himself to routine work. His comrades
used to lock him into a room to make him work, and even then he would
outwit them by dashing off a witty parody or a bit of impromptu verse.
Among his literary _jeux d'esprit_ was an examination paper on
'Pickwick,' prepared as a Christmas joke in exact imitation of a genuine
"exam." The prizes, two first editions of Pickwick, were won by W. W.
Skeat, now famous as a philologist, and Walter Besant, known to the
public as a novelist.
Calverley remained in Cambridge as tutor and lecturer, and was presently
called to the bar. It seemed the irony of fate that the famous athlete
should receive an injury while skating which compelled him to abandon
his profession, and for seventeen years practically abandon work. He
died at Folkestone, on February 17th, 1884.
That he was adored by his friends, and possessed unusual qualities of
character as well as mind, may be seen in the memoir published by Walter
T. Sendall with the 'Literary Remains' (1885). Apart from his wit,
Calverley has a distinct claim to remembrance on account of his
remarkable scholarship. His translations from Greek and Latin have won
the enthusiastic admiration of specialists and students of the classics.
Dr. Gunson, tutor of his college, an accomplished Latinist, declared
that he thought Calverley's Horatian verse better than Horace's, being
equally poetical, and more distinguished in style. These works not only
attest his mastery of ancient languages, but also his acquaintance with
the beauty and capacity of English verse, into which he has put a grace
of his own. His numerous renderings of Latin into English and English
into Latin show his ease and dexterity of both thought and touch, and
his translation of Theocritus is considered by authorities to be a
masterpiece of literary workmanship.