Peace & Other Poems: 'She came, my dreaming spirit to beguile''

By Arthur Christopher Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson, FRSL was born on the 24th April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire. His father would later become the Archbishop of Canterbury. His brother was the noted E F Benson of ‘Mapp & Lucia’ literary fame.

The family was blighted by the early death of two children. Benson himself suffered with bi-polar disorder. None of the surviving children married.

In 1874 he went to Eton and thence on to King's College, Cambridge and achieved first-class honours in the Classical tripos in 1884.

From 1885 to 1903 Benson taught at Eton, but returned, as a Fellow of Magdalene College, to Cambridge in 1904 to lecture in English Literature. He became president of the college in 1912, and the Master from December 1915 until his death in 1925.

As a writer Benson was prolific across a number of genres. His essays and literary criticisms were much admired. His short story collections, mainly supernatural and ghost stories, along with several volumes of poetry were distinctive and of note.

As well he wrote lyrics for the ‘Coronation Ode’, which includes the rousing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ set to music by Edward Elgar for the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he founded the Benson Medal in 1916 ‘in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres’.

A C Benson died at the Master's Lodge at Magdalene on the 17th June 1925. He was 63.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Portable Poetry
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781803542300

Arthur Christopher Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson (24 April 1862 – 17 June 1925) was an English essayist, poet, author and academic and the 28th Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. He is noted for writing the words of the song "Land of Hope and Glory". (Wikipedia)

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Peace & Other Poems by Arthur Christopher Benson

Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge

Arthur Christopher Benson, FRSL was born on the 24th April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire.  His father would later become the Archbishop of Canterbury.  His brother was the noted E F Benson of ‘Mapp & Lucia’ literary fame.

The family was blighted by the early death of two children.  Benson himself suffered with bi-polar disorder.  None of the surviving children married.

In 1874 he went to Eton and thence on to King's College, Cambridge and achieved first-class honours in the Classical tripos in 1884.

From 1885 to 1903 Benson taught at Eton, but returned, as a Fellow of Magdalene College, to Cambridge in 1904 to lecture in English Literature.  He became president of the college in 1912, and the Master from December 1915 until his death in 1925.

As a writer Benson was prolific across a number of genres.  His essays and literary criticisms were much admired.  His short story collections, mainly supernatural and ghost stories, along with several volumes of poetry were distinctive and of note.

As well he wrote lyrics for the ‘Coronation Ode’, which includes the rousing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ set to music by Edward Elgar for the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he founded the Benson Medal in 1916 ‘in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres’.

A C Benson died at the Master's Lodge at Magdalene on the 17th June 1925. He was 63.

Thou shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

TO

OUR DEAREST BETH

QVIA MVLTUM AMAVIT

Index of Contents

Prelude

Peace 

The Charcoal-Burner 

Icarus 

The Shadow of Death

To Have Seen

In That Day 

In the Mist 

The Bird 

The Soul of a Cat 

The Parrot 

The Guerdon 

The Call 

The Song of Sweet Things That Have an End

The Fool

The Change 

Making Haste 

The Shadow 

The Hidden Manna 

At Eventide

By the Cage 

The Loosestrife

By the Weir 

The Aureole

The Pinewood

Succory

The Lizard

Burnham Beeches

By the Grove 

The Dream

The Ash-heap

S. Vincent de Paul

In School Yard

The Monotone

The Bell 

A Mystery

In Memoriam—Catharine Gladstone

To Our Mother

Ode to Music 

Ode to Japan 

Coronation Ode

Arthur Christopher Benson – A Concise Bibliography

PEACE AND OTHER POEMS

PRELUDE

Once again the faltering string

Trembles to my eager hand;

I would speak the gracious thing

That I grow to understand.

Once again the dreary voice

Murmurs in my saddened ear:—

If thou wilt poor soul, rejoice;

Singly but there are few to