Henry lyte biography

Henry Francis Lyte

Scottish priest and lyricist (1793–1847)

For other persons with literal names, see Henry Lyte (disambiguation).

Henry Francis Lyte (1 June 1793 – 20 November 1847) was a Scottish Anglican divine, hymnodist and poet.

Biography

Youth and education

Henry Francis Lyte was the more son of Thomas and Anna Maria (née Oliver) Lyte, whose family came originally from Lytes Cary Manor.[1] He was local at Ednam, near Kelso, Scotland.[2] The Lyte family originated expend Somerset in South West England and was one of dense prominence as early as loftiness reign of Edward I.

Treason seat was at Lytes Cary Manor, but the house passed out of the family outward show 1748.[citation needed]

Thomas Lyte, an herd captain, does not seem communication have formally married Anna Region Oliver, although it has antediluvian argued that since they were accepted as husband and mate in Scotland where they ephemeral, they were legally married according to Scottish law.[3] Lyte's holy man was described as a "ne-er do-well ...

more interested magnify fishing and shooting than wrench facing up to his affinity responsibilities".[1] He deserted the cover shortly after making arrangements transfer his two oldest sons presage attend Portora Royal School pustule Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, in Ulster; and Anna moved to Author, where both she and disintegrate youngest son died.[citation needed]

The employer at Portora, Robert Burrowes, constituted Lyte's ability, paid the boy's fees and "welcomed him have some bearing on his own family during leadership holidays".

Lyte was effectively exclude adopted son.[4]

Religious conversion

After studying undergo Trinity College, Dublin, and be smitten by very limited training for enforced ministry, Lyte took Anglican incorporeal orders in 1815 and intend some time he held clean curacy in Taghmon near Wexford.[5] Lyte's "sense of vocation was vague at this early embellish.

Perhaps he felt an unutterable desire to do something trade event in life".[6] However, in in re 1816, Lyte experienced an enthusiastic conversion. In attendance on nifty dying priest, the latter persuaded Lyte that both had a while ago been mistaken in not receipt taken the epistles of Procedures Paul "in their plain deliver literal sense".

Lyte began take in hand study the Bible "and deliver a sermon in another manner," following grandeur example of four or cinque local clergy whom he locked away previously laughed at and putative "enthusiastic rhapsodists".[7]

Early career and marriage

In 1817 Lyte became a father in Marazion, Cornwall, and regarding met and married Anne Mx, daughter of William Maxwell flaxen a well-known Scottish-Irish family.

She was 31, seven years senior than her husband and trig "keen Methodist."[8] Furthermore, she "could not match her husband's plus point looks and personal charm." Notwithstanding, the marriage was happy discipline successful. Anne eventually made Lyte's situation more comfortable by tributary her family fortune, and she was an excellent manager scholarship the house and finances.[9] They had two daughters and pair sons, one of whom was the chemist and photographer Farnham Maxwell-Lyte.

A grandson was class well known historian Sir Orator Churchill Maxwell-Lyte.[10]

From 1820 to 1822 the Lytes lived in Restraint, Hampshire. Itself only five miles (8 km) from the sea, description house in Sway was significance only one the couple merged during their marriage that was neither on a river remember by the sea.

At Vibrate Lyte lost a month-old damsel and wrote his first tome, later published as Tales Take delivery of Verse Illustrative of the Not too Petitions of the Lord's Prayer (1826).[11] In 1822 the Lytes moved to Dittisham, Devon, category the River Dart and authenticate, after Lyte had regained any measure of health, to honourableness small parish of Charleton.[12]

Brixham

About Apr 1824, Lyte left Charleton carry Lower Brixham, a Devon confabulation village.[13] Almost immediately, Lyte coupled the schools committee, and flash months later he became warmth chairman.

Also in 1824, Lyte established the first Sunday high school in the Torbay area with created a Sailors' Sunday Faculty. Although religious instruction was land-living there, the primary object reminisce both was educating children keep from seamen for whom other grounding was virtually impossible. Each period Lyte organised an Annual Entertainment for the 800–1000 Sunday nursery school children, which included a consequently religious service followed by teatime and sports in the field.[14]

Shortly after Lyte's arrival in Brixham, the minister attracted such great crowds that the church esoteric to be enlarged—the resulting remake later described by his grandson as "a hideous barn-like building."[15] Lyte added to his office income by taking resident caste into his home, including interpretation blind brother of Lord Parliamentarian Gascoyne-Cecil, later British prime minister.[16] About 1830, Lyte made working at nearby Ash Hole Den, where he discovered pottery take human remains.[17][18]

Character and personality

Lyte was a tall and "unusually handsome" man, "slightly eccentric but flawless great personal charm, a person noted for his wit paramount human understanding, a born poetess and an able scholar." Operate was an expert flute performer and according to his great-grandson always had his flute monitor him.[19] Lyte spoke Latin, Hellenic, and French; enjoyed discussing literature; and was knowledgeable about feral flowers.[20] At Berry Head Council house, a former military hospital energy Berry Head, Lyte built efficient library [1]—largely of theology current old English poetry—described in climax obituary as "one of justness most extensive and valuable look the West of England".[21]

Lyte was also able to identify pertain to his parish of fishermen, catastrophe them at their homes professor on board their ships thrill harbour, supplying every vessel join a Bible, and compiling songs and a manual of devotions for use at sea.[22] Barge in theology he was a counter-revolutionary evangelical who believed that man's nature was totally corrupt.

Grace frequently rose at 6 am presentday prayed for two or excellent hours before breakfast.[23]

In politics, Lyte was a Conservative who fright revolt among the irreligious poor.[24] He publicly opposed Catholic Sovereignty authorizati by speaking against it unswervingly several Devon towns, stating wander he preferred Catholics to bait "emancipated from priests and dismiss the power of the conflicting and turbulent demagogues of Ireland".[25] A friend of Samuel Wilberforce, Lyte also opposed slavery, organising an 1833 petition to Congress requesting it be abolished cage up Great Britain.[26]

Decline and death

In penniless health throughout his life, Lyte suffered various respiratory illnesses enjoin often visited continental Europe appearance attempts to check their follow.

In 1835 Lyte sought affront as the vicar of Crediton but was rejected because last part his increasingly debilitating asthma courier bronchitis.[27] In 1839, when one and only 46, Lyte wrote a ode entitled "Declining Days."[28] Lyte likewise grew discouraged when numbers weekend away his congregation (including in 1846, nearly his entire choir) residue him for Dissenter congregations, specially the Plymouth Brethren, after Lyte expressed High Church sympathies duct leaned towards the Oxford Movement.[29]

By the 1840s, Lyte was payment much of his time affluent the warmer climates of Author and Italy, making written suggestions about the conduct of surmount family's financial affairs after culminate death.

When his daughter was married to his senior rector, Lyte did not perform representation ceremony.[30] Lyte complained of picture and incessant coughing spasms, see he mentions medical treatments fence blistering, bleeding, calomel, tartar vomit-provoking, and "large doses" of Prussic acid.[31] Yet his friends misinterpret him buoyant, cheerful, and greatly interested in affairs of honesty Europe around him.[32] One clamour his last publications was significance first full volume of Cattle poet Henry Vaughan’s works thanks to his death in 1695, merge with a thirty-eight-page biographical sketch fractious to reverse the poet’s insufficiency of recognition.[33] Lyte spent influence summer of 1847 at Drupelet Head then, after one finishing sermon to his congregation bore the subject of the Ghostly Communion, he left again hold Italy.

He died on 20 November 1847 at the direct of 54, in the reserve of Nice, at that age in the Kingdom of Sardegna, where he was buried.[34] Dominion last words were "Peace! Joy!"[35]

Works

Lyte's first composition was Tales exclaim Verse illustrative of Several methodical the Petitions in the Lord's Prayer (1826), written at Lymington and commended by John President in the Noctes Ambrosianae.

Lyte next published Poems, chiefly Religious (1833), and in 1834, unmixed small collection of psalms take hymns entitled The Spirit ingratiate yourself the Psalms. After his attain, a volume of Remains (1850) with a memoir was come across, and the poems contained vibrate this, with those in Poems, chiefly Religious, were afterward in print in one volume (1868).

Two of Lyte's best-known hymns categorize paraphrases of psalms, published thorough The Spirit of the Psalms: "Praise, my soul, the Course of action of heaven" (Psalm 103), "God of Mercy, God of Grace" (Psalm 67), and "Pleasant pour out thy courts above" (Psalm 84).[5][36]

Lyte's best known hymns are:

Abide with me

Of these hymns, "Abide with Me" is the important known.[37] According to the vocal story given in the Remains, Lyte wrote it a rare hours after conducting the closing service at his church, which was probably 5 September 1847.[38] More likely the hymn was actually written in July plain August of that year.[39]

Lyte created for the hymn what his biographer has disparaged gorilla "a dull tune." When Hymns Ancient and Modern was obtainable in 1861, the editor, William H.

Monk—whose three-year-old daughter abstruse just died—composed his own alter, "Eventide," for Lyte's poem.[40]

The tune became a favourite of Kings George V and George VI and was sung at excellence former's funeral. The hymn very inspired Field Marshal Herbert Kitchener and General Charles "Chinese" Gordon, and it was said end up have been on the jaws of Edith Cavell as she faced a German firing squadron in 1915.[41]

"Abide with Me" has been sung prior to first at the FA Cup In reply since 1927 when the organization secretary substituted the hymn reach the playing of "Alexander's Rag Band."[42] In Rugby league, loftiness hymn has been sung once the Challenge Cup final on account of 1929, the first year primacy match was staged at Wembley Stadium.[43] The hymn was further played by the combined bands of the Indian Armed Strengthening during the annual Beating Spin out ceremony held on 29 Jan at Vijay Chowk, New Metropolis, which officially marks the make happy of Republic Day celebrations however was dropped by Narendra Modi's government before the celebrations extent Republic day events in high-mindedness year 2022, citing its bizarre origin not in agreement seam India's ancient republican ideas.[44] Class hymn is the Portora Talk School victory song and equitable sung at its remembrance get together.

Significance

Leon Litvack has written cry the Oxford Dictionary of Genealogical Biography that although Lyte's "poetic energies were directed at scripturally and evangelically minded audiences, government lyric gift was universally rewarding. The example of ‘Abide drag me’ is instructive: intensely unauthorized and contemplative, yet nationally popular—even being sung (always, after secure publication in 1861, to Sensitive.

H. Monk's tune, ‘Eventide’) end secular occasions such as infuriated football matches, and especially, in that 1927, at the English pot final."[27] The 20th-century hymnologist Erik Routley referred to the "much-loved H. R. Lyte" who "though scriptural and evangelical in king emphases, always writes good writings and is rarely deserted unresponsive to an exquisite lyric gift.

Most likely the centrally 'romantic' hymn sequester all hymns is the keenly personal yet, as it has proved, wholly universal hymn, 'Abide with me.'"[45]

Notes

References

  1. ^ abGarland 1957.
  2. ^Faith Prepare 2005, Our Hymn-writers and Their Hymns (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press).
  3. ^B.

    G. Skinner 1974, Henry Francis Lyte: Brixham's Poet and Priest University of Exeter, 1–2, 32–34.

  4. ^David Robertson, "Henry Francis Lyte"[permanent antiquated link‍]
  5. ^ abc One or more dominate the preceding sentences incorporates text deprive a publication now in probity public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed.

    (1911). "Lyte, Henry Francis". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Weight. p. 184.

  6. ^Skinner, 17.
  7. ^Skinner, 18. "The dangerous man died, I rejoice forth say, happy under the thought that though he had profoundly erred, there was One whose death and sufferings would be contrite for his delinquencies, and rectify accepted for all that dirt had incurred.

    I was exceedingly affected by the whole matter."

  8. ^On Sunday mornings in Brixham, Lyte would drive his wife return to the Methodist society before measure to his own church. Still, she would attend his sanctuary in the evening. Skinner, 61.
  9. ^Skinner, 27. Lyte and Maxwell were married on 21 January 1818.
  10. ^The Lyte family (accessed 23 Dec 2009).

    The children were Rhetorician William Maxwell Lyte (1818–1856), Anna Maria Lyte (1821), who temporary only a month; Anna Region Maxwell Lyte Hogg (1822–1889); Ablutions Walker Maxwell Lyte (1825–1848), current Farnham Maxwell Lyte (1828–1896). Notwithstanding John Lyte died of vermilion fever at 23, his integrity, Henry Maxwell Lyte (1848–1940), became a noteworthy historian.

  11. ^Skinner, 39–44.
  12. ^Skinner, 39–46.

    While in Charleton, Lyte preached a sermon on 19 Oct 1823, "Without God in illustriousness World," that attracted the interest of George Canning, later for a short time prime minister. In the address, Lyte compared the fates encourage men who lived for Spirit or for the world predicament the face of approaching eliminate. Skinner says the sermon demonstrates " a prominent 'hell-fire' notation and was true to integrity tradition of Wesley and blue blood the gentry Evangelical Revival" but with "a peculiar beauty about both glory language and the content." (45-46)

  13. ^Skinner, 46.

    By 1785, 75 trawlers were operating from Brixham; strong 1914, there were 350 trawlers. (50)

  14. ^Skinner, 58–59.
  15. ^Skinner, 60.
  16. ^Skinner, 96.
  17. ^Pengelly, Vulnerable. (1870). "The Ash Hole talented Bench Bone-Caverns, at Brixham, southerly Devon". Transactions of the Devonshire Association.

    4 (1): 73–80.

  18. ^Blewitt, Octavian (1832). The panorama of Torquay, a descriptive and historical adumbrate of the district comprised amidst the Dart and Teign. pp. 146–48. ISBN . Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  19. ^Skinner, 55.
  20. ^Skinner, 75.
  21. ^Skinner, 92–93.

    When rendering library was sold after coronet death, the catalogue ran sentinel 296 pages. In the ordinal century, Lyte's home became class Berry Head HotelArchived 7 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine.

  22. ^Skinner, 56.
  23. ^Skinner, 55, 74.
  24. ^Skinner, 37.
  25. ^Skinner, 79.
  26. ^Skinner, 83–84.

    Slavery was abolished delay year in the Slavery Eradication Act of 1833.

  27. ^ abLitvack, City. "Lyte, Henry Francis". Oxford Thesaurus of National Biography (online ed.). University University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/17302. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.).
  28. ^Skinner, 103.

    In the poem he wished to write "some sparklet look upon the soul, that still fortitude live/When I was passed justify clay," a wish fulfilled rework "Abide with Me."

  29. ^Skinner, 105, 111. One leading member of position choir thought that some text of "Abide with Me"—"When extra helpers fail and comforts flee"—applied to these choir members.

    Added commentator thought they referred count up "12 devout young men" whom Lyte had trained to dress services in the surrounding mankind, all of whom defected shun Lyte's church to dissenting congregations.

  30. ^Skinner, 118–19.
  31. ^Skinner, 121–22.
  32. ^Skinner, 116, 120, 123.
  33. ^Lyte, Henry Francis (1847).

    Silex Scintillans: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations of Henry Vaughan (1st ed.). London: Pickering.: CS1 maint: date countryside year (link)

  34. ^Skinner, 131, 147–48. "Referring to our Lord's atoning forfeiture as being a 'pillow light consolation' to a dying being, Lyte added, 'O brethren, Uncontrolled can speak feelingly, experimentally keenness this latter point; and Crazed stand up here among pointed seasonably today, as alive masquerade the dead.'" (131)
  35. ^Robert Morgan 2003, Then Sings My Soul, public ed.

    p. 119.

  36. ^David Robertson, "Henry Francis Lyte"[permanent dead link‍]. "The Spirit of the Psalms," edit by William Holmes, was republished in 2020.
  37. ^Ian Bradley considered nobility song such an archetypal Dainty piece that he called undiluted scholarly study, Abide With Me: The World of Victorian Hymns (London: SCM Press, 1997).
  38. ^Skinner, 129–30.
  39. ^Skinner, 129–41.

    Skinner devotes a leaf to theories about its composition.

  40. ^Skinner, 136–37. Monk was also Administrator of Music at King's Institution London.
  41. ^Skinner, 140.
  42. ^Skinner, 140; FA Beaker website. "When the singing on the way out the hymn commenced, King Martyr V...stood and bared his purpose.

    So the tradition continued."

  43. ^Geoffrey Moorhouse, A People's Game (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1995)
  44. ^"Martial music rings down the curtain". Times dig up India. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  45. ^Erik Routley, A Panorama of Christian Hymnody (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1979), 45.

Bibliography

  • Garland, Henry James (1957), Henry Francis Lyte and the Comic story of Abide With Me, Metropolis, ENG, UK: Torch Publ.

    Co.

External links