Robert Bridges 
On English Homophones [EPUB ebook] 
Society for Pure English, Tract 02

Robert Seymour Bridges OM (23 October 1844 – 21 April 1930) was an English poet, the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1913 until his death in 1930. Bridges began his literary career with the publication of a collection of poems titled ‘Prometheus the Firegiver’ in 1883. He is renowned for his exploration of the fundamentals of English prosody and for fostering a keen appreciation of the technical aspects of poetry among a wider readership. A notable work that exemplifies his scholarly approach to literature is ‘On English Homophones, ‘ where Bridges delves into the intricate phonetic subtleties of English, showcasing his fascination with linguistic nuance and his contention that sound and rhythm are central to the poetic form. This work stands as a testament to his innovative engagement with language, further illustrating why Bridges is often lauded for his meticulous craftsmanship and for the prescriptive influence he exerted on early twentieth-century English verse. In addition to his linguistic contributions, Bridges was instrumental in bringing Gerard Manley Hopkins’s poetry to public attention. Through his advocacy and editorial efforts, he ensured the posthumous recognition of Hopkins’s groundbreaking stylistic innovations, which challenged conventional poetics and anticipated modernist techniques. Bridges’s literary style was marked by a combination of classical formality and a romantic sensibility, with an emphasis on clarity and lyrical beauty. His influence on English literature, though perhaps not as pronounced as that of his contemporaries, continues to be appreciated by scholars and poetry enthusiasts alike.