The Irish Poet and the Natural World: An Anthology of Verse in English from the Tudors to the Romantics

James Kirkpatrick (1696–1750–1770)

JAMES KIRKPATRICK (1696–1750–1770) James Kirkpatrick was born in Carlow and spent time in Dublin as a young man. Presumably he trained as a physician before he sailed to America in the 1720s. Once in America, he became a respected authority on the newly invented practice of inoculation; after his return to England in the early 1740s, Kirkpatrick wrote a textbook on the subject and styled himself ‘MD’. The Sea Piece (1750), his only published poem, recalls his first voyage from Belfast to America; in the passage that follows, Kirkpatrick contrasts the veniality of the inhabitants of Dublin with the ‘superior’ natural world of fish and other creatures that live in the sea. from: The Sea Piece: a narrative, philosophical and descriptive poem in five cantos … We pass the Banks where Carickfergus stands, Whose threat’ning Fort defies invading Bands; But yet her present Ruins scarce declare What once the Glories of the City were. In vain her royal Appellation springs From old Ierne’s Race of Scottish Kings;1 Whilst her young Neighbour2 late, and new to Fame, No regal Honours sounding thro’ her Name, Miry and low beside the Lough display’d, Prevents3 her Riches, and attracts her Trade. 10 From the thin Harbour4 thro’ the vocal Town, The chearful Sailor’s Hail is rarely known; Tho’ echoing Ruins greedily repeat Each Clangor straggling thro’ the grassy Street; Whilst on the Quay, where Merchants drove5 before, Plato might muse, and Antiquaries pore: Yet still her Sons some Privileges claim, And still the Ruins hold a City’s Name. 240 Carrickfergus was said to have been founded in the sixth century by Fergus, a king of 1 Ireland and Scotland. 2 i.e. deprives Carrickfergus of her riches … 3 i.e. of Carrickfergus. 4 carried on their trade. 5 241 James Kirkpatrick Two dreadful Rocks6 contract the opening Port, Where greedy Ruin holds her frequent Court. 20 With dazzling Foam her rugged Domes so white Distract the Vision, and exceed the Light: Her thund’ring Voice of num’rous Waters roars, Stuns the wide Deep, and shakes the echoing Shores; … Yet safe in distant Waves the Rocks we hide, And from the Copeland Islands safely slide. And when the tedious Empire of the Night, Slow and reluctant, yields to solar Light, New Lands we make, by various Names expres’t, And Hoath’s high Hill discern among the rest.7 30 Pensive and thoughtful on the Poop I stood, While the swift Vessel cut the yielding Flood. The Sea-edg’d Mountain to my Mind restores The sweet Remembrance of the neighb’ring Shores; Boys Sports and Cares my acted Fancy move, And earliest Verse inspir’d by earlier Love. For not far hence, where Liffy purls her Way Thro’ numerous Arches to the fishy Bay, Eblana’s Turrets deck the nether Sky, And with Augusta’s only fail to vie.8 40 What pompous9 Domes their swelling Summits raise! What gilded Spires amidst the Æther blaze! What Piles antique10 their rev’rend Beauties show! Their Fabrics mould’ring as their Honors grow. What wreathy Spires of curling Smoke appear Buoyant and floating thro’ the heavier Air; And, hov’ring round the Region whence they rise, Present a dusky Cloud to distant Eyes! 6 The ship is travelling down the Irish Sea, leaving the Copeland Islands off Belfast Lough 7 (or ‘Carrickfergus Bay’as it was known in the eighteenth century) and passing by Howth Head. Notes in the 1750 text tell the reader that ‘make’ is a ‘Sea-term’ for seeing land and that Howth is ‘a Mountain at the Mouth of the Harbour of Dublin’. Eblana = Dublin; Augusta = London. 8 splendid, magnificent. 9 stately, old buildings. 10 242 But if the Muse descend the misty Sky, And deign to walk, as now she dares to fly, 50 What various Themes invite her future Lays! What various Nations croud the busy Maze! The bounding Chariots, as they jolt along, Shou’d range in rougher Ranks the rattling Song. Here winding Lanes with darker Allies meet, And a new Scene’s display’d in ev’ry Street: A various Hurry agitates the whole, Where different Routs pursue a common Goal. Wou’d you survey the inmost Nest of Trade,11 Where Conscience may be sold, or Bargains made; 60 Wait the meridian Sun, the Hour to thrive, And listen to the Buzzings of the Hive; Where...