John Clare
@johnclare.bsky.social
Entries from the journal that C19th English poet John Clare kept from Sep 1824 - Sep 1825, posted on the day of the year they were written.
Built by @adriantoll.bsky.social
See johnclaretweets.org for more info.
Also see @gilbertwhite.bsky.social
Built by @adriantoll.bsky.social
See johnclaretweets.org for more info.
Also see @gilbertwhite.bsky.social
1825: Saw a large bunch of blue violets in flower & a root of the Bedlam cowslip
February 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Saw a large bunch of blue violets in flower & a root of the Bedlam cowslip
1825: Heard the Skylark sing at Swordy well - saw a piece of bayonet & gun barrel found while digging a stone pit this proves the story that superstition tells of a battle fought here by the rebels in Cromwells time - it is said were there is smoke there is fire & I often think were superstition...
February 16, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Heard the Skylark sing at Swordy well - saw a piece of bayonet & gun barrel found while digging a stone pit this proves the story that superstition tells of a battle fought here by the rebels in Cromwells time - it is said were there is smoke there is fire & I often think were superstition...
1825: Heard the blackbird sing in Hilly wood - recievd a Valentine from Mrs Emmerson [three lines inked out] my Anna is some-thing better
February 15, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Heard the blackbird sing in Hilly wood - recievd a Valentine from Mrs Emmerson [three lines inked out] my Anna is some-thing better
1825: Wrote to Vandyk & Dr Darling in my letter to Van Dyk I inserted the tune of 'Peggy Band' There is a many beautiful tunes to these provincial Ballads such is the 'White Cockade' 'Wars Alarms' 'Down the Burn Davy' old & new 'Thro the wood laddy' 'Dusty Miller' 'Highland Laddie' & a very...
February 14, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Wrote to Vandyk & Dr Darling in my letter to Van Dyk I inserted the tune of 'Peggy Band' There is a many beautiful tunes to these provincial Ballads such is the 'White Cockade' 'Wars Alarms' 'Down the Burn Davy' old & new 'Thro the wood laddy' 'Dusty Miller' 'Highland Laddie' & a very...
1825: Recievd a letter from Dr. Darling - An odd sort of fellow came today with a bag full of old school summing books wanting me to buy them & vowing he was the author of them & that I might make a good bargain by publishing them what odd characters there are in the world the fellow fancied...
February 13, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Recievd a letter from Dr. Darling - An odd sort of fellow came today with a bag full of old school summing books wanting me to buy them & vowing he was the author of them & that I might make a good bargain by publishing them what odd characters there are in the world the fellow fancied...
1825: Receivd a letter from Vandyke in which he appears as the Editor of my Poems they chuse who they please this time but my choice comes next & I think I shall feel able to do it myself he wishes me to alter the title of my song written in imitation of Peggy Band to Peggy Bland because the old...
February 12, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Receivd a letter from Vandyke in which he appears as the Editor of my Poems they chuse who they please this time but my choice comes next & I think I shall feel able to do it myself he wishes me to alter the title of my song written in imitation of Peggy Band to Peggy Bland because the old...
1825: Saw the first young Lamb this season - saw a blue violet on the Ivy bank next the lane in Billings Close
February 11, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Saw the first young Lamb this season - saw a blue violet on the Ivy bank next the lane in Billings Close
1825: Fine day the bees are out & busily seeking for wax among the little flowers of the yellow acconite - a sparrow is building its nest in a hole in the old wallnut tree in the Taylors garden
February 10, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Fine day the bees are out & busily seeking for wax among the little flowers of the yellow acconite - a sparrow is building its nest in a hole in the old wallnut tree in the Taylors garden
1825: Recievd a letter from Mrs Gilchrist - heard by Ned Simpson of Stamford that a bird of the hawk kind was shot at a fountain in hollywell Park of a large size which he calls the 'hair legd falcon' Heard by the same of a white mole being caught in Stamford field
February 6, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Recievd a letter from Mrs Gilchrist - heard by Ned Simpson of Stamford that a bird of the hawk kind was shot at a fountain in hollywell Park of a large size which he calls the 'hair legd falcon' Heard by the same of a white mole being caught in Stamford field
1825: Recievd a joint letter from Lord Radstock & Mrs Emmerson under a Frank which was put into post too soon for which a charge of 1 py was made - 'Knaves in office' watch chances as the cat watches mice & are of that species of animal that catch their prey by supprise
February 5, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Recievd a joint letter from Lord Radstock & Mrs Emmerson under a Frank which was put into post too soon for which a charge of 1 py was made - 'Knaves in office' watch chances as the cat watches mice & are of that species of animal that catch their prey by supprise
1825: The first winters day a sharp frost & a night fall of snow drifted in heaps by a keen wind - there has been a deal of talk about the forwardness of this season - but last season was not much behind - on the third of this month I found an hedge-sparrows nest in Billings Boxtrees before the...
February 4, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: The first winters day a sharp frost & a night fall of snow drifted in heaps by a keen wind - there has been a deal of talk about the forwardness of this season - but last season was not much behind - on the third of this month I found an hedge-sparrows nest in Billings Boxtrees before the...
1825: Recievd a letter from Hessey with £5 enclosed & a parcel containing 2 Nos of the new series of London Mag; and 'Waladmor' a German-Scotch novel - if Job was living now he woud stand a chance to gain his wish 'O that mine enemy woud write a book' for this is the age of book making - & like...
February 3, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Recievd a letter from Hessey with £5 enclosed & a parcel containing 2 Nos of the new series of London Mag; and 'Waladmor' a German-Scotch novel - if Job was living now he woud stand a chance to gain his wish 'O that mine enemy woud write a book' for this is the age of book making - & like...
1825: Went to walk in the fields & heard Ufford bells chiming for a funeral when I enquird I found it was for poor old John Cue of Ufford a friend of mine with whom I workd some seasons at turnip hoeing for which he was famous - he knew my Grandfather well & told me many reccolections of their...
February 2, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Went to walk in the fields & heard Ufford bells chiming for a funeral when I enquird I found it was for poor old John Cue of Ufford a friend of mine with whom I workd some seasons at turnip hoeing for which he was famous - he knew my Grandfather well & told me many reccolections of their...
1825: A beautiful morning took a walk in the fields saw some birch poles on the quick fencing & fancyd the bark of birch might make a good substitute for Paper it is easily parted in thin lairs & one shred of bark round the tree woud split into 10 or a dozen sheets I have tryd it & find it...
February 1, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: A beautiful morning took a walk in the fields saw some birch poles on the quick fencing & fancyd the bark of birch might make a good substitute for Paper it is easily parted in thin lairs & one shred of bark round the tree woud split into 10 or a dozen sheets I have tryd it & find it...
1825: Went to Simons Wood for a succor of the Barberry bush to set in my Garden - saw the Corn tree putting out into leaf - a yellow crocus & a bunch of single snowdrops in full flower - the mavis thrush has been singing all day long Spring seems begun the woodbines all over the wood are in full...
January 31, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Went to Simons Wood for a succor of the Barberry bush to set in my Garden - saw the Corn tree putting out into leaf - a yellow crocus & a bunch of single snowdrops in full flower - the mavis thrush has been singing all day long Spring seems begun the woodbines all over the wood are in full...
1825: Receivd a letter from Mrs Emmerson & a 'Litterary Gazette' from somebody in which is a Review of an unsuccessful attempt to reach Repulse Bay &c by Captain Lyon from which the following curious incident is extracted speaking of some graves of the Esquimaux he says 'Near the large grave was...
January 30, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Receivd a letter from Mrs Emmerson & a 'Litterary Gazette' from somebody in which is a Review of an unsuccessful attempt to reach Repulse Bay &c by Captain Lyon from which the following curious incident is extracted speaking of some graves of the Esquimaux he says 'Near the large grave was...
1825: Receivd a letter from Mr Sharp & one from Lord Radstock - & answerd his Lordships sending in it the 'Vanitys of Life' a poem - heard the buzz of the black beetle or cockchaffer that flyes about in the autumn evenings & early in spring it is different to the brown or summer beetle which is...
January 27, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Receivd a letter from Mr Sharp & one from Lord Radstock - & answerd his Lordships sending in it the 'Vanitys of Life' a poem - heard the buzz of the black beetle or cockchaffer that flyes about in the autumn evenings & early in spring it is different to the brown or summer beetle which is...
1825: Fetchd some soil from Cowper green for my ferns & flowers - the sharpest frost for this winter which woud not bare a boy to slide on - from what cause sprung the superstition of making the No. 3 a fatal No? - it is so much so - that ghosts use it & never pay a visit without giving their...
January 26, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Fetchd some soil from Cowper green for my ferns & flowers - the sharpest frost for this winter which woud not bare a boy to slide on - from what cause sprung the superstition of making the No. 3 a fatal No? - it is so much so - that ghosts use it & never pay a visit without giving their...
1825: A fine day the bees were out busily flying as if seeking flowers the sky was hung with light flying clouds & the season appeard as if the beginning of April
January 25, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: A fine day the bees were out busily flying as if seeking flowers the sky was hung with light flying clouds & the season appeard as if the beginning of April
1825: Newspaper wonders 'There is now living at Barton an old lady of the name of Faunt who has nearly attaind the great age of 105 years - she has lately cut new teeth to the great surpprise of the family' - Stamford Mercury - took a walk in hilly wood brought home another plant of the white...
January 23, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Newspaper wonders 'There is now living at Barton an old lady of the name of Faunt who has nearly attaind the great age of 105 years - she has lately cut new teeth to the great surpprise of the family' - Stamford Mercury - took a walk in hilly wood brought home another plant of the white...
1825: 'A new Vegetable called the Asparagus Potatoe' has been introduced into this country it comes into season just as the asparagus goes out' - 'So little wind prevails in Italy that not a windmill is to be seen in any part of it, there were two in Venice but were taken down as usless for want...
January 22, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: 'A new Vegetable called the Asparagus Potatoe' has been introduced into this country it comes into season just as the asparagus goes out' - 'So little wind prevails in Italy that not a windmill is to be seen in any part of it, there were two in Venice but were taken down as usless for want...
1825: A robin whistling on the plumb trees by the window I never heard one so early before
January 21, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: A robin whistling on the plumb trees by the window I never heard one so early before
1825: Wrote a letter to Hessey
January 20, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Wrote a letter to Hessey
1825: A slight storm of snow for the first time this winter - just compleatd the 9th Chapter of my Life - corrected the poem on the 'Vanitys of the World' which I have written in imitation of the old poets on whom I mean to father it & send it to Montgomerys paper the 'Iris' or the 'Literary...
January 19, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: A slight storm of snow for the first time this winter - just compleatd the 9th Chapter of my Life - corrected the poem on the 'Vanitys of the World' which I have written in imitation of the old poets on whom I mean to father it & send it to Montgomerys paper the 'Iris' or the 'Literary...
1825: Took a walk in ‘Porters snow Close' to hunt ferns in the morning & in Turnills 'heath wood' in the afternoon found nothing but the fox fern which is the commonest of all about here - Receivd a letter from Mrs Emmerson & answerd it
January 16, 2026 at 6:30 AM
1825: Took a walk in ‘Porters snow Close' to hunt ferns in the morning & in Turnills 'heath wood' in the afternoon found nothing but the fox fern which is the commonest of all about here - Receivd a letter from Mrs Emmerson & answerd it