For at least a thousand years, the Fens had been populated by an ague-stricken people, John Clare being among them from his childhood:
“Exposure in the ill-drained fields round
Helpstone brought on an attack of tertiary ague, from which the boy had
scarcely rallied when he was again sent into the fields.” (Cherry)
In “The Changing Fen”
published in 1883, quoting a nineteenth century geographer, we read:
“fenmen are a thirsty tribe and avail
themselves of the excuse of a moist air and bad water to counteract the former,
and correct the latter, by potations of as much strong beer as they can
procure; while opium eating and brandy drinking … [is] a drain on the pocket of
the fenman…”
So the crippling and
weakening ague was usually treated with brandy (if you could afford it), but
more typically beer and home produced opium.
Clare, being a poor man could
only afford beer, and this little collection explores some of his drinking
poems.
Drinking with John Clare (Arbour Chapbook No. 1) was sold out in 2018, but has now - Aug 2020 - been reprinted. It is £3.50 + £1.00 P&P. It is also available as a Kindle edition (PDF) is available at £1.50 - Email me on arborfield@pm.me or leave me a message on the John Clare Poet facebook page.
Drinking with John Clare (Arbour Chapbook No. 1) was sold out in 2018, but has now - Aug 2020 - been reprinted. It is £3.50 + £1.00 P&P. It is also available as a Kindle edition (PDF) is available at £1.50 - Email me on arborfield@pm.me or leave me a message on the John Clare Poet facebook page.
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