Peter John Allan
Encyclopedia
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Peter John Allan was a Canadian
poet
.
Peter John Allan was born in York
, England
, the third son of Dr. Colin Allan and Jane Gibbon. Peter John Allan's father was Chief Medical Officer
at Halifax
before moving to Fredericton in 1836 upon his retirement. Growing up in Fredericton, Peter John briefly attended King's College
but left before completing his degree. He then turned to the study of law. About the same time, he began to publish his compositions in the New Brunswick Reporter and Fredericton Advertiser, a local newspaper published by James Hogg
. Allan began to plan the publication of a volume of poetry. He solicited enough subscriptions to underwrite the cost of publication and had completed the manuscript when he died suddenly in 1848 at Fredericton, following a brief illness. His poems were posthumously published in London
in the summer of 1853 by his brother, and entitled The poetical remains of Peter John Allan.
Influenced by the aesthetic
concepts of the Romantic poets
and especially by the style and versification of Lord Byron
, Allan was able in his most effective poetry to break away from the moralistic attitudes and sentimental tone that had prevailed in locally written verse since the end of the 18th century. Allan was excited by the potential of man's imagination, by the range of experience that imagination offered to human consciousness, and by the relationship between the natural world and ideal reality, which only the imagination opened to human awareness.
In his best poems, Allan used this intense sensitivity to ideal reality to control the rush of emotion he felt when confronted with the sensual beauty of nature. This control gave an intellectual toughness to his verse that was missing in the verses of contemporary Maritime poets such as Joseph Howe
and Mary Jane Katzmann, who approached nature poetry by way of sentimentalism. The new note struck by Allan's verse was probably noticed by few. It had an immediate if muted effect on James Hogg's poetry, but it was not until the early verses of Charles G.D. Roberts
and Bliss Carman
that once again intellectual perception and emotional sensitivity were to be found in so subtle a balance in the poetry of Maritime Canada
.
Peter John Allan was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Peter John Allan was born in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the third son of Dr. Colin Allan and Jane Gibbon. Peter John Allan's father was Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Officer
There are four Chief Medical Officers in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments on health related matters: Her Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government...
at Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
before moving to Fredericton in 1836 upon his retirement. Growing up in Fredericton, Peter John briefly attended King's College
University of King's College
The University of King's College is a post-secondary institution in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. King's is a small liberal arts university offering mainly undergraduate programs....
but left before completing his degree. He then turned to the study of law. About the same time, he began to publish his compositions in the New Brunswick Reporter and Fredericton Advertiser, a local newspaper published by James Hogg
James Hogg
James Hogg was a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote in both Scots and English.-Early life:James Hogg was born in a small farm near Ettrick, Scotland in 1770 and was baptized there on 9 December, his actual date of birth having never been recorded...
. Allan began to plan the publication of a volume of poetry. He solicited enough subscriptions to underwrite the cost of publication and had completed the manuscript when he died suddenly in 1848 at Fredericton, following a brief illness. His poems were posthumously published in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the summer of 1853 by his brother, and entitled The poetical remains of Peter John Allan.
Influenced by the aesthetic
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
concepts of the Romantic poets
Romantic poetry
Romanticism, a philosophical, literary, artistic and cultural era which began in the mid/late-1700s as a reaction against the prevailing Enlightenment ideals of the day , also influenced poetry...
and especially by the style and versification of Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, later George Gordon Noel, 6th Baron Byron, FRS , commonly known simply as Lord Byron, was a British poet and a leading figure in the Romantic movement...
, Allan was able in his most effective poetry to break away from the moralistic attitudes and sentimental tone that had prevailed in locally written verse since the end of the 18th century. Allan was excited by the potential of man's imagination, by the range of experience that imagination offered to human consciousness, and by the relationship between the natural world and ideal reality, which only the imagination opened to human awareness.
In his best poems, Allan used this intense sensitivity to ideal reality to control the rush of emotion he felt when confronted with the sensual beauty of nature. This control gave an intellectual toughness to his verse that was missing in the verses of contemporary Maritime poets such as Joseph Howe
Joseph Howe
Joseph Howe, PC was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician, and public servant. He is one of Nova Scotia's greatest and best-loved politicians...
and Mary Jane Katzmann, who approached nature poetry by way of sentimentalism. The new note struck by Allan's verse was probably noticed by few. It had an immediate if muted effect on James Hogg's poetry, but it was not until the early verses of Charles G.D. Roberts
Charles G.D. Roberts
Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts, was a Canadian poet and prose writer who is known as the Father of Canadian Poetry. He was "almost the first Canadian author to obtain worldwide reputation and influence; he was also a tireless promoter and encourager of Canadian literature......
and Bliss Carman
Bliss Carman
Bliss Carman FRSC was a Canadian poet who lived most of his life in the United States, where he achieved international fame. He was acclaimed as Canada's poet laureate during his later years....
that once again intellectual perception and emotional sensitivity were to be found in so subtle a balance in the poetry of Maritime Canada
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
.