Sydney Thompson Dobell (1824–74) was an English poet and critic associated with the Spasmodic school of poetry, exploring themes of idealism, struggle, and political reform.
Born in Cranbrook, Kent, he was privately educated and never attended formal schooling. Early exposure to literature and political discourse shaped his intellectual pursuits. In 1844, he married Emily Fordham, and his liberal activism led to involvement in the Society of the Friends of Italy, advocating Italian independence. His friendships with Robert Browning, Alfred Tennyson, and Thomas Carlyle influenced his poetic style.
Dobell’s first major work, The Roman (1850,) published under the pseudonym Sydney Yendys, celebrated Italian liberation. His second long poem, Balder (1853,) examined a poet’s inner life and was later satirized for its dramatic intensity. He collaborated with Alexander Smith on Sonnets on the War (1855,) reflecting on the Crimean War. His collection England in Time of War (1856) included Keith of Ravelston, one of his most recognized ballads. His essays on aesthetics and philosophy were compiled in Thoughts on Art, Philosophy, and Religion (1876.)
Dobell’s health declined after a riding accident in 1869, and he spent his later years as an invalid. Though his reputation faded over time, his works remain significant for their engagement with political and philosophical themes.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Sydney Thompson Dobell
As grand and griefless as a rich man’s funeral.
—Sydney Thompson Dobell
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