The Spirit of Man

by Robert Bridges

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Genres: Poetry

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1916

About the author

Robert Seymour Bridges was Britain's poet laureate from 1913 to 1930. A doctor by training, he achieved literary fame only late in life. His poems reflect a deep Christian faith, and he is the author of many well-known hymns. It was through Bridges’ efforts that Gerard Manley Hopkins achieved posthumous fame.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

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Reviews

[Lenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an interesting book. It claims to be a collection of some of the greatest poetry and prose of Western culture. Well and good. But the subtext of it seems to be that it was written as a kind of intellectual's propaganda to exhort young British men to go fight in World War I, or perhaps to soothe their rather damaged minds while in the trenches. It is a fascinating book.

[Nes · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Spirit of Man: An Anthology in English & French From the Philosophers & Poets made by the Poet Laureate in 1915 & dedicated by gracious permission to His Majesty The King' reads the title page. Robert Bridges compiled the anthology during WWI for soldiers and civilians, and the thematic preoccupations reflect this. Reflections on grief culminate in a closing avowal of Christian light. The book is dual language, which perhaps was intended to strengthen the reader's relationship with France, at a time when the two powers were allied.

I own several copies/ editions of 'The Spirit of Man' and think I have unintentionally become a collector. No other book has held my interest in this way. The extracts aren't attributed, making the reading experience dream-like, as the proffered extracts are divorced from their context. The page titles include 'Satan', 'British Colonies', 'Absolute Beauty', 'Mother and Child', 'Heroism', 'Joy of Battle', 'Dark Messages', 'Loneliness', 'Mortality', and 'Elfland'. Bridges' curation is passionate and precise. The extracts explore ancient civilisations, classical philosophy, the relationship of humans to landscapes, and Britain's political position on a world stage; they also reference famous ballads of cultural significance to British identity.

Despite its origins, this is not a book filled with trite platitudes; it explores, with integrity, ideas around death, God, and grief. It is also interesting as a historical document, and perhaps reflects a time in society when works of poetry and philosophy were widely read. On the outbreak of war, what did the establishment want the people to read? I would argue that this is not a piece of propaganda in the literal sense, although it may have served an insidious purpose. On every page, I see the careful deliberations of a poet deeply invested in the task of compilation.

[Marcus Hobson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting anthology for a number of reasons - it was first published in 1916, a few months before the horrors of The Somme battles. There is an interesting mix of poems and prose and some unusual choices in the selection.
Some found it a comfort in 1916, as they came to terms with the loss of their loved ones. In my copy certain lines had been marked by grieving parents, commemorating the loss of their son and lauding his heroism.
The book itself has a fascinating history - I have tried to find out exactly how many editions it went through without success, but a quick glance through all the copies for sale on Abe Books found twenty six reprints. It remained popular right through the Second War and beyond, touching a note with those who had been touched by loss.