On The Relationship between Elliott and Montgomery

 

         This article is based on two letters from Elliott to Montgomery and examines the change in relationship between the two Sheffield poets over the years between the letters. Elliott’s letters were sent in 1823 and 1833.

         James Montgomery (1771-1854) was a contemporary of Elliott. A wealthy man, he was a newspaper owner, a prolific poet and a writer of four hundred hymns, the most famous being “Angels From The Realms Of Glory.”

         When he was twenty-two, Montgomery started work on “The Sheffield Register” newspaper which he owned from 1794, re-titling it the “Sheffield Iris,” a paper he ran for 31 years. In the next two years, his radical newspaper columns irritated the authorities and he was twice sent to prison. In later years, he moderated his views and became an influential figure in the cultural life of the city. He never married. At his funeral, shops and factories closed as a mark of respect and the funeral procession took an hour to pass. A statue of him was erected, streets were named after him and there is a Montgomery Hall in the city centre. Elliott, too, was to be commemorated with a statue.

 

 

The 1823 Letter To James Montgomery

         Dated 7^th March 1823, the letter respectfully requested Montgomery to accept a copy of Elliott’s new book and if he had any influence with the critics “do use it for my benefit.” The new book was called ”Love’ which was printed in 1822 but not published until 1823, the date of this letter. “Love” Elliott said “may be called a sort of child of your own.” This mysterious observation could relate to the Sheffield Iris newspaper being willing to include poems from the young poet. Another perplexing remark then referred to a trouble which Elliott had caused for Montgomery. The Rhymer regrettably did not enlarge on this spat. A picture of Montgomery is shown below.

         The end of Elliott’s letter is amusing – something only rarely seen in the work of the Corn Law Rhymer. He had decided to deliver the manuscript of “Love” to Montgomery personally, but on reaching Miss Gales’s door, Elliott’s courage failed and he tellingly expressed himself as follows: “when my iron nerves enabled me to heroically carry it back again, without troubling you.” This revealed a total lack of self-confidence in meeting his social superior. It also displayed a rare humorous touch of self-mockery.

         Miss Gales, who was mentioned in the letter, lived with her two sisters under Montgomery’s wing. Their father, who had founded the radical Sheffield Register newspaper, had to flee abroad to avoid arrest leaving his daughters helpless until Montgomery took responsibility for the three of them.

         Elliott’s letter finished with “I am, DSir, Yours very truly,          E. Elliott.” Note here that this was a formal signature – the normal signature would have been “Ebenezer Elliott.” The phrase “Yours Truly” was also a more formal signing off. The whole letter was very brief and respectful. Elliott in 1823 was a minor, unknown poet though he was being published: in 1801 came “The Vernal Walk;” in 1818 “Night” appeared and “Peter Faultless” followed in 1820. There was a social gulf between the two men which explained Elliott’s timid approach. Montgomery was a successful businessman and a well-known poet: Elliott was a struggling tradesman, yet to make his mark.

        Six months after the 1823 letter, the famous poet, Robert Southey, visited Sheffield and had a meeting with Elliott on November 7th 1823. Significantly, James Montgomery was also present at the meeting. The meeting was a turning point in Elliott’s relationship with Montgomery since Southey’s interest in the upcoming poet greatly impressed Montgomery. From Southey’s letters, we know that he was clearly impressed by the young Elliot.  

                          
 

         

          ROBERT SOUTHEY

        With the publication of his “Corn Law Rhymes” in 1831, Elliott was quickly established as a poet of stature. This further altered his relationship with Montgomery. A letter of 1832 revealed that Elliott submitted his manuscript of “The Splendid Village” to Montgomery and was pleased with the latter’s suggestions. This showed that the two poets were now on a friendlier standing. “The Splendid Village” was published in 1833.

         Another indication of the growing relationship was demonstrated when Elliott dedicated his epic poem “Spirits And Man” to Montgomery saying “I dedicate to James Montgomery, author of ’The World Before The Flood,’ in this fragment an evidence of my presumption and my despair.” Another puzzling remark. No date has been found for Elliott’s “Spirits And Man” but in his preface he was critical of Montgomery’s “The World Before The Flood.” Both the dedication and the criticism demonstrated Elliott’s self-confidence and, indeed, his fearlessness.

 The 1833 Letter To James Montgomery

         This was a much longer letter showing Elliott confidence was now high. The tone was much different too - Elliott addressing Montgomery as an equal. He now signed his name as “Ebenezer Elliott” and signed off with “I am, DSir, Your much oblig’d friend.” Note the word “friend.”

         The letter began with another mystery: “If I had intentionally inflicted upon you the torture which you have endured from me, I should indeed be a monster.” One wonders to what this referred. It does, however, indicate increasing familiarity between the two poets. Elliott next referred to a letter from Montgomery that let Elliott into a secret. This again suggested the two were close, though the secret was not explained. This was followed by a hint that Montgomery had made an apology to Elliott: “You never neglected me, on the contrary, you did more to bring my early writings into notice than all the world beside.”

 

MONTGOMERY’S FLAMBOYANT SIGNATURE

 

The next lines of the letter had a sense that Elliott might have offended Montgomery’s friends with remarks about religion. Elliott concluded that religious people “seem to me to have telescopic eyes.” Meaning that they home in on the smallest thing and make an issue of it.

 

         The following section of the letter is most interesting since it showed that Elliott’s self-confidence allowed him to give advice to Montgomery. In Elliott’s eyes they were equal. “Will you allow me to say, that you, perhaps, lock yourself up too much in your study?” He then recommended his friend (we can use that word now) to do some gardening, get out in the countryside and climb a few mountains. The Rhymer explained his reasoning: three years ago his sight had deteriorated rapidly. “Never before was I so humiliated as when forced to wear spectacles.” A trip into Derbyshire had wrought a great improvement in his health and in his sight. The benefit of the countryside was “Win-Hill” which was “a poem, the best I have yet written.” A strong recommendation to Montgomery to take a holiday in the Peak District. (Click here for  a study of the Win-Hill poem).

 

                    

                                                                                                                                                                                              

THE TWO STATUES

ELLIOTT LEFT, MONTGOMERY RIGHT

         Clearly the relationship between Elliott and Montgomery had changed somewhat, though Jingling James – as a newspaper affectionately christened Montgomery – stated that they did not meet often and that their meetings were short. However, this statement should be treated with caution since throughout the 1830s and 1840s, the two of them attended meetings at the Sheffield Mechanics’ Institute where Montgomery was chair and Elliott was vice-chair. In Montgomery’s day, social distinctions were more rigid than they are today, and it is likely that with the gulf in their social status they had little or no contact in social settings. They were acquaintances rather than bosom friends.

         After the “Corn Law Rhymes” were published, Elliott became nationally famous, and all the world came to his door. The American lawyer, Henry B. Stanton, visited Sheffield in 1840 and declared “Of the two Sheffield poets, Elliott’s grasp of intellect was much the stronger, his genius far more buoyant and elastic.”

 

 [Note that the two letters mentioned in this article are to be found in the Morgan Library and Museum in the USA].

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