Index of John Clare's autobiographical prose

Compiled by John Goodridge

Introduction

This index was designed primarily for John Clare Society Journal contributors, to enable the conversion of citations and references from John Clare's Autobiographical Writings (1983, henceforth AW) to John Clare By Himself (1996, henceforth BH) which supersedes it, but it may also be useful to those searching for particular topics in either volume. The opening words of each piece of text are followed by the manuscript number and page/folio reference where it may be sourced, as given in BH, then the page references for AW and BH. To convert a citation from AW to BH you will need to find the passage's opening words in AW and then trace them here. Where an item begins with a date, or words placed as a title, this is ignored for the purposes of alphabeticisation. Letters are not included. I have put a bold highlight on items which I have not located in Autobiographical Writings (i.e. which appear to be new to By Himself)

Like the first-line index of poetry also available on the Clare web-site, this has not been thoroughly checked, so I would very much welcome corrections. Please contact:

Professor John Goodridge
Dept of English and Media Studies
The Nottingham Trent University
Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 6GB, UK
phone [0]115-8483375 
fax [0]115-8486632
e-mail john.goodridge@ntu.ac.uk

A Favourite Tabby Cat  [Monday 10th August 1828], N17 inner back cover; BH 244

A Journey for pleasure [My [Third] Visit to London], B3 65-8; AW 141-3; BH 149-52

A little artless simple seeming body somthing of a child, B3 64; AW 137; BH 144-5

A Mr Frellingham of Peterboro came to see me with a painter, B6 R85; BH 124

A religion that teaches us to act justly to speak truth, B4 136; BH 134

A very good common place counsel is Self Identity,  N6 23; BH 271

After I had been in London awhile Rippingille, B3 12, 8; AW 143-5; BH 152-4

After I had burnd lime at the kiln, A32 13; AW 77; BH 92-3

After I had done with going to school, B8 101; AW 54-5; BH 65-6

after looking after the gardens and the library, A25 19-20; AW 125-6; BH 129-30

After mixing into the merrymakings of Wakes, A25 7-8; AW 74-5; BH 88-90

altho I had conquered the old notion of kidnappers, D2 1, B3 54-6; AW 139-40; BH 147-8

Among all the friendships [Chusing Friends Chapter 6TH], A25 R34-2; AW 39-41; BH 49-51

Among the many that came to see me there was a dandified, A33 1; AW 119-20; BH 122-3

Among these trifles are many keepsakes, Pfz 198 42; BH 100-101

Anna Maria Clare N30 4; BH 170

and from him I learnd some fearful disclosures, A31 59; AW 131-2; BH 138

and I was often sent to Stamford at all hours, A34 R4; AW 61-2; BH 74

and then the year usd to be crownd with its holidays, B8 R127-6; AW 29-31; BH 35-6

Another impertinent fellow of the name of Ryde, A18 269; AW 121; BH 124

As I expect the words of the dead [To E. Drury], BL Add. MS 54225 f. 143r; BH 248

As I grew up a man [[Memorys of Love Chapter 6], A25 7; AW 72-3; BH 87

As soon as I got here the Smiths gang of gipseys, B7 R88; AW 68-9; BH 82

As to my learning I am not wonderfully deep, B3 81; AW 46-7; BH 59

As to my learning if I was to brag over it, B4 99; AW 47n; BH 294n44

As we grow into life we leave our better life, D14 9r; BH 160

At The Easter Hunt I Saw A Stout Tall Woman, N8 44; BH 267

At the end of a little common when I was a boy, A49 73; AW 36-7; BH 44

at the situation I found myself in after I had printed, A32 5; AW 100; BH 107

at these feasts and merry makings I got acquainted, A25 11-14; AW 69-72; BH 83-6

Autumn hath commenced her short pauses of showers, N6 46-8; BH 272-5

Boys standing on the bridge throwing crumbs, A31 21; BH 169

Burkhardt took me to Vauxhall, A31 58; AW 132; BH 139

Carrying fathers dinner to the hayfield, B3 75-6; AW 162-3; BH 166-8

Casterton cowpasture which I usd to pass thro, A34 3; AW 77; BH 92

Charity i[t] is said covers a multitude of sins, B5 1; BH 161

Christmas Boxes, D14 7r; BH 169

Closes of greensward & meadow, N6 20; BH 256

Common sense would never covet the property, B5 74; BH 59-60

Envy was up at my success [A pro[p]het is nothing...], B3 R90; AW 112-13; BH 114-15

Felt very melancholly [Journey out of Essex], N6 1-4, N8, 22-6; AW 153-61; BH 257-65

Fern hill, N8 25; BH 266

George Shelton too a Stone Mason, B8 104-5; AW 56-7; BH 67-9

God almighty bless Mary Joyce Clare, N8 21; BH 266

good luck began to smile from all quarters, A32 1-2, B3 75; AW 117; BH 120

Hazlit[t] is the very reverse of this, B3 70, 61-3; AW 134-7; BH 141-4

he has some pretentions to ryhme, B3 56; AW 131; BH 138

He [J.B. Henson] was a bookseller and printer, A31 216-17; AW 97; BH 103-4

he stood in no need of News paper praise, B3 72; BH 158

He was fond of amusment and a singer [F. Gregory], D2 2; AW 55; BH 66

Heads, A32 11; BH 168

Here is one of the old Castles here that was, A46 153; AW 54n; BH 135

his name was Preston and he made me believe, A33 8, A18 275, 269; AW 120-1; BH 123-4

how many days hath passd since we usd to hunt the stag, B8 R128-7; BH 46-7

I also was fond of gather[ing] fossil stones, A25 2-6; AW 49-53; BH 62-4

I always wrote my poems in great haste, A25 10; AW 86; BH 101

I always wrote my poems in the fields, A32 6; AW 85-6; BH 100

I became acquainted with Robinson Crusoe, A25 R32; AW 46; BH 57

I cannot say what led me [My first feelings...Chapter Four], A34 R10; AW 82-3; BH 98-9

I cannot trace my name to any remote period,  A32 7; AW 29; BH 34

I did not know the way to any place, B3 54; AW 140; BH 148

I do not know how the qualms of charity, B5 R93; AW 140-1; BH 149

I feel a beautiful providence ever about me, A53 43r; AW 129; BH 134

I found another boy acquantance which grew up, A25 R32; BH 51

[ I gave up gardening: see I kept up gardening and workd with a lime burner]

I got acquainted this time with van Dyk, B32 18; AW 145; BH 154

I had often read of the worlds seven wonders, A31 58; AW 130; BH 136

I had often thought of colecting my best poems, B3 80, A31 214, see also A25 10; AW 96-7; BH 102-3

I had plenty of leisure but it was the leisure of solitude, A34 R8, R6; AW 33-4; BH 39-41

I had several kind and gentlemanly [visitors], B6 R86; AW 123-4; BH 127-8

I have been accused of being a drunkard, B3 85-7; AW 113-15; BH 115-18

I have determind this day of beginning a sort of journal [The Journal], N15 10-115; BH 171-243

I have dipt into several sorts of studies [More Hints], N22 3; AW 27-8; BH 32-3

I have not [yet] mentioned anything about my [Opinions on Religion], D2 8; AW 128; BH 133

I have often read myself into a desire, A46 153; BH 135-6

I have often seen these vapours [Appendix No. 9], N15 129-32; BH 251-2

I have provd the world and I feel disapointed, D2 7; AW 151-2; BH 164-5

I have puzzled waster hours over Lees Botany to understand, B3 73; AW 49n; BH 62

I kept up gardening and workd with a lime burner, A25 29; AW 66; BH 79

I learnt irregular habbits at this place, A34 R13; AW 62; BH 74-5

I livd at this place a year and left, B3 83; AW 55; BH 66-7

I lovd to employ leisure when a boy, A34 R16-14; AW 31-3; BH 37-9

I may be thought a vain fellow, A25 10; BH 160

I met with notice from the Bishop of Peterbro, A32 3-4; AW 124-5; BH 128-9

I might have inserted several praises from friends, B3 68, A31 51; AW 150-1; BH 163

I never had much relish [Beginnings with the World], B8 R128; AW 53; BH 64

I never saw him but I heard somthing about him [Southey], B3 84; AW 137-8; BH 145

I now followd gardening [Chapter 5 My first attempts...], A25 12; AW 64-6; BH 77-9

I now left home and went with a brother, B7 79-80; AW 66-7; BH 79-81

I now recieved invitations to go to Milton, A18 273; AW 126-7; BH 130-1

I once got into that awkard squad not for my own fault, B7 94; AW 80; BH 96

I shoud imagine that my low origin in life, B3 59; AW 150; BH 160

I som times thought seriously of religion, A25 17; BH 133

I spent a good deal of time too with Rippingille, B3 56; AW: see 'On my first visit to London I met with Rippengille'; BH 137-8

I stopt about a month in London, B3 54; AW 138; BH 145-6

I thought I was up sooner then usual, B6 99; BH 43

I usd to be fondly attachd to spots about the fields, A33 7; AW 34-5; BH 41-2

I usd to go on evenings in the week, B7 83; AW 76; BH 92

I usd to spend many of my winter nights, A25 R31-30; AW 41-2; BH 51-2

I was now wearing into the sunshine, A32 2-3; AW 118; BH 120-1

I was puzzld what to do and wish[d] my self, A43 R18-16; AW 59-61; BH 71-3

I was threatend with the b[l]ack hole, B7 R96; AW 80; BH 96

I was with them without a salary, A34 R7; AW 55; BH 67

I went with Hessey to visit a very odd sort, B3 20, 30; AW 145-6; BH 154-5

I workd with a man here of a very singular [G. Cousins], A34 R11; AW 62-3; BH 75-6

I woud advise young authors not to be upon, B7 77-8; AW 148-9; BH 158-9

I wrote several of my poems while I was here, A32 14-17; AW 97-100; BH 104-6

if common fame was the highest species of fame, B3 80; BH 59

if every mans bosom had a glass in it,  A25 17; AW 128; BH 13-4

In spring the leafing hedges brings to my memory, B3 60; AW 36; BH 43-4

In the beginning of January my poems was publishd, A55 7-8, A32 1; AW 115-17; BH 118-19

In the field calld the Barrows as a man was digging [1807], A48 R43; BH 244

in the midst of this  dilemma a bookseller name Thompson, A32 16-18; AW 100-101; BH 107-8

In the name of God amen, I John Clare [Will], N29 4; BH 247

It was a pleasant liv[e]ly town, A32 12; AW 68; BH 81

It was thought that I shoud never [Gardener Boy at Burghley], A34 R12; AW 61; BH 73-4

Jack Randall the Champion of the Prize Ring, N8 42; BH 266

John and William started to school--september, A57 R72b; BH 169

John Billings was an inofensive man, A25 R30; AW 42-3; BH 53

John Taylor came to see me merely I suppose, B6 R86-5; AW 127-8; BH 131-2

Last night octr. 13. 1832 I had a remarkable dream, B5 50-1; BH 253-5

Like the poor purgatorial convict, Pfz 198, 48 cf. A49 preceding p. 1; BH 161

Lord Radstock was my best friend, B6 R84; AW 43-4; BH 54-5

Many people will think me a vain fellow [near conclusion], D2 8; cf. A32 11; AW 149; BH 159-60

mem: ladys thronging the streets at night, B3 82; BH 136

most of the Poems which I destroyd were descriptive, B6 R81; AW 105-6; BH 113-14

Mr Hopkinson of Morton the magistrate [Hopkinson], A25 20, 28-30; AW 121-3; BH 125-7

Mr T[aylor] seems to fancy it a gift, Pfz 198 40; BH 48

My acquantance of books is not so good [Books], A34 1; AW 45-6; BH 56-7

My creed may be different [A Confession of Faith], N30 3; BH 132-3

My family has increased and my affections, Pfz 198, 47; BH 161

My fondness for study began to decline, B7 91; AW 75; BH 90

My Gilchrist often asked me if I should like to see London, A33 9; AW 129-30; BH 134-5

My mother brought me a picturd pocket hankerchief, A34 9; AW 83; BH 99

My scholarship was to extend no farther than, B8 103-2; AW 53-4; BH 64-5

My uncle morris came over to see us [Wisbeach], B3 78; AW 57-8; BH 69-71

Ned Drury has got my early Vol of M.S.S., D14 6r; BH 248

On my first visit to London I met with...Rippengille, A31 54; AW 137-8; BH: see 'I spent a good deal of time too with Rippingille'

On the last time we was calld up there was a fresh bounty, B7 R94; AW 81-2; BH 97-8

on the night we got into London it was announced, A33 10; AW 130; BH 136

Once in these midnight revels we escapd, B7 91; AW 69; BH 82

One of my greatest amusments while in London, B3 68-70; AW 132-4; 139-41

[One] Weeks Labour--2s/6d, N8 46; BH 267

Orchis hunting, A31 22; BH 169

Pooty hunting, A18 273; AW 163; BH 168

Poverty has made a sad tool of me by times, A53  49r, 64v; AW 150; BH 162

Recieved from C. Redding while in Prison, N8 60; BH 268

Recieved 6 sets of Poems [Oct 8th Friday 1830], N29 10; BH 244

Reynolds is a near kin to Wainwright, B3 58-9; AW 134; BH 141

Rip was very fond of seeming to be amused and [talking], B3 20; AW 145; BH 154

Saw--Darley, A9 6; BH 168

Saw my Wife Patty in a Dream [Jany 23rd 1850], N10 inside back cover; BH 282

so I determined on some plan or other, A25 10; BH 102

some bring in a [plea] on the reader that have had, B6 R83; AW 150; BH 163

some of them askd me if I kept a book to insert the names, B7 R93; AW 119; BH 121-2

surely our play prolonging moon on spring evenings, A46 106; AW 31; BH 36

That number three seems to have brought many things, A53 3r, 13r-v, 3v; AW 73-4; BH 88

the common people know the name of Chatterton, B3 79; BH 57-8

The Critics speaks their guesses or opinions, B3 81; AW 113; BH 115

The first books I got hold of beside the bible, A31 216; AW 46; BH 57

the first publication of my poems, B7 R93; AW 118-19; BH 121

The gipseys in matters of religions, A25 14-15; AW 72; BH 86-7

the hills on the road to London, B3 82; BH 137

The Humbug called the 'Ring or the 'Fancy owes me, N10 90; BH 282

The last of my Poor Stock Doves, N29 21; BH 244

The Lodge house was a story of my mothers, A34 2;; AW 87-8 BH 101-2

...the man [master of the kitchen gardens] was, A34 R12-11; AW 63-4; BH 76-7

The Marquis was then a boy, A34 R13; AW 37; BH 45

The neighbours believing my learning to be great, AA25 2-4; AW 47-9; BH 60-1

The officers were often talking about Bounaparte, B7 R95-4; AW 81; BH 96-7

[The Revd Isaiah Holland was another friend] and [one], A25 21-2; AW 44-5; BH 55-6

The spring of our life--our youth--is the midsumer, D10 7r; BH 36-7

The world seems eager of the oppertunity, B6 R146; BH 162

There is a pleasure in recalling ones past years [Sketches], N14; AW 1-26; BH 1-31

There is a saying or rather an old [Northborough], A46 154; AW 39; BH 47-8

There is £400 in the Funds or at least was [Appendix no. 5], N15 122-3; BH 245-6

There is nothing but poetry about the existance of childhood, A46 106; BH 37

There is one thing which I do not like in this, A57 67-9; BH 249-50

There was an Elegy also on an old Cart Horse, B6 R81; AW 86; BH 101

the[re] was some literary assosiations too, A32 13; AW 68; BH 82

these are universal feelings, A25 9; AW 43; BH 53

tho I took some of them the next day when Drury, A32 18-22, see also A32 7; AW 101-5; BH 108-13

tho I was always felt in company a disbelief of ghost, D2 5-6; AW 37-8; BH 45-6

to look at nature with a poetic feeling, B5 46; BH 62

Van Dyk, B3 12; BH 168

Waithmans shop, B3, 88; AW 163; BH 168

We had a very uncomfortable occurence indeed, B5 R83; BH 162

We usd to go on Sundays to the Flower pot, B7 81; AW 5-6; BH 90-2

We workd awhile in the nursery at hoeing, A34 R11-10; AW 64; BH 77

Went In The Morning To Buckhurst Hill Church [Easter Sunday 1841], N8 43; BH 266-7

What a many such escapes from death doth a boys, B7 R92-1; AW 35-6; BH 42-3

What ups and downs have I met with since I was a boy, B5 46; AW 29; BH 34-5

When a person finds fault with every body but himself, B3 59; AW 151; BH 163-4

When I used to go any were [for 3rd Visit to London], B3 16; AW 146-7; BH 155-6

When I was in london the first time Lord Radstock, B3 82; AW 130-1; BH 136-7

When Taylor came to see me [second Visit to London], B3 88; AW 138-9; BH 146-7

When the country was chin deep [March to Oundle...], B7 R98-6; AW 78-80; BH 93-6

while I was in London the melancholly death of Lord Byron, B3 71-2; AW 147-8; BH 156-8

'Will with a whisp' 'Jimmy Whisk', A49 49; AW 38; BH 46

With not a few 'envy hatred and malice' is a trinity, B5 R41; BH 161-2

SK, 19/09/03