Joseph Warton's Nature Poetry: Primitivism and the Sublime

Introduction: Warton's Attraction to Nature

One cannot look at the poetry of Joseph Warton without realizing the poet's attraction to nature and his ability to capture it in a unique light. Warton does not simply want to write poetry about nature — he wants us to appreciate it with him. His poetry examines nature from a distinctive perspective, endowing it with an unsurpassed appreciation. Two poems that reveal Warton's sensibility are "The Enthusiast: or, the Lover of Nature" and "Ode to Evening." Both poems are studies of nature that force us to confront the contrast between the natural world and the civilized world that surrounds it.

"The Enthusiast: or, the Lover of Nature" is a poem that celebrates nature by exploring the element of minimalistic living. Warton achieves this by interjecting the primitive man into the picture. By examining how primitive man lived on the earth and enjoyed nature, Warton emphasizes the importance of not only living in harmony with nature but also encourages us to take better care of it before it becomes nothing but a memory. Each of these poems celebrates nature in a passionate way that allows us to see the poet's desire to capture the simple essence he experienced.

In "The Enthusiast: or, the Lover of Nature," Warton praises nature through the primitive man — the noble savage. "Ode to Evening" celebrates nature through a simple admiration of the senses. Both poems draw on positive and negative experiences to illustrate the poet's point of view. In "The Enthusiast," we see positive personality traits personified as entities the speaker encounters on his walk through the wild. In "Ode to Evening," negative personality traits are exposed and then dissolved when the poet surrenders himself entirely to nature. Both poems celebrate nature with no holds barred.

While Warton might have been a forerunner to Romanticism, that was certainly not his intended goal. Instead, we can safely assume that the poet set out to awaken our senses to a world we have forgotten. William Phelps contends that Warton is "one of the most important names in the history of English Romanticism" (Phelps) because he echoes "some of the earliest and most distinct Romantic tones" (Phelps). It is important to recognize that while Warton may have been a precursor to the Romantic Movement, he was also a pioneer of another philosophical doctrine — one that emphasized the importance of the primitive man.

Warton as Precursor to Romanticism and Primitivism

Audley Smith agrees with the notion of primitivism in Warton's poetry. He observes that it is not "subject matter but method of treatment that constitutes romanticism. The primitivism of Joseph Warton — one of his truly romantic characteristics — arises from his romantic handling of classical material, in sentimentalizing a realistic picture of primitive man" (Smith). During the eighteenth century, nature was something that needed to be refined and controlled. This was not the case for Warton, who took it upon himself to leave the refined behind as he delved into the possibilities of raw nature. This practice becomes obvious in the very subtitle of "The Enthusiast: or, the Lover of Nature." Many have observed that while this poem engages with the figure of the Native American, it is equally — if not more — a work about nature itself.

Plain and simple, it is all about nature for Warton. The poet is clearly delighted with the "unfrequented Meads, and pathless Wilds" (Enthusiast 3), and in that nature we find a "fearful Fawn" (11) and a "brisk Squirrel" (12) that moves from "Bough to Bough" (13). Nothing escapes the poet's attention. Warton does not omit the slightest detail, including the "busy Bees" (13) that "Hum drowsy Lullabies" (14). The second stanza is filled with even more love of nature as Warton acknowledges that Versailles may "boast a thousand Fountains" (26), but those fountains cannot touch any:

Pine-topt Precipice / Abrupt and shaggy, whence a foamy Stream, / Like Anio, tumbling roars; or some bleak Heath, / Where straggling stand the mournful Juniper, / or Yew-tree scath'd. (28–32)

Here the poet is willing to let the machinations and advancements of the world pass him by, for he does not belong to that world. Warton does not assume that the modern world is any better than the primitive one, and to help us understand this, he establishes a significant presence in the poem.

The Noble Savage in 'The Enthusiast: or, the Lover of Nature'

The introduction of the "first of Men" (78) — the noble savage — adds depth and richness to the poem. By bringing in another character, a primitive and therefore pristine one, Warton elevates the experience of nature. Edward Rielly asserts that "Warton's model of an ideal poet, the American Indian, is free from 'that philosophical, that geometrical, and systematical spirit' and embodies Warton's own aesthetic precepts" (Rielly). These simple men lived "in sheltering groves, / Warm caves, and deep-sunk Valleys" (Enthusiast 87–90). They were minimalists — primitive in the truest sense — and lived directly from the earth:

The sun and showers, and genial earth untillag'd could produce, / They gather'd grateful, or the Acorn brown / or blushing Berry; by the liquid lapse / Of murm'ring Waters call'd to slake their Thirst. (90–94)

It is important to note, however, that these characters were not ignorant or simple-minded — quite the contrary. Warton is illustrating through these images that we do not become better people when we become more sophisticated. In fact, he seems to be suggesting that we become less human when we allow ourselves to be consumed by materialism and what it brings.

Edward Rielly agrees with this notion. He asserts that Warton had his own primitive nature, which "led him in this search to what today might be called underdeveloped regions... Joseph Warton's primitivism, however, comes through with a special focus" (Rielly). This is evident throughout the rest of the poem, in which the poet concentrates on the elements of nature as the primitive man experiences them. Nature is simple, sublime, and beautiful. For example, the poet tells us that the "bladed Grass" (Enthusiast 110) is more splendid than any Persian carpet.

The poem would not be complete without an interjection of city life. The contrast is sharpened as Warton introduces images of "far-off noises, rattling Carrs, / Loud Shouts of Joy, sad Shrieks of Sorrow" (142–3). These sounds strike his ears — an image that sends him retreating to nature for tranquility.

Conclusion: Two Poems, One Vision

Warton's poetry is focused on the appreciation of nature. We cannot read his poems without catching a glimpse of the poet's message. "The Enthusiast: or, the Lover of Nature" and "Ode to Evening" are two examples of how Warton lures us into admiring nature in different ways. In "The Enthusiast," the poet takes us on a journey filled with rich detail: nature abounds, and by interjecting the image of the primitive man, Warton is able to contrast the development of modern man with the simplicity of nature. In "Ode to Evening," we encounter the same appreciation but delivered differently — the poet simply allows us to see nature as it is, through his eyes.