Bliss Carman

1861-1929

William Bliss Carman (poet, essayist, journalist) was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick on 15 April 1861. At fourteen, Carman graduated to the Collegiate School in Fredericton. Carman’s first published poems appeared in the University Monthly in 1879. He graduated from UNB in 1881 with honours in Latin and Greek, and then spent a year (1882-1883) at Oxford and then Edinburgh University before returning to Fredericton. His thesis “English Literature from Chaucer to Elizabeth” earned him an MA from UNB in June 1884. Carman left Fredericton once again (around 1886), this time for Harvard University where he studied English. Carman published poems in The Harvard Monthly and in The Atlantic Monthly before leaving Harvard in 1888.  His first published volume of poems was Low Tide on Grand Pré: A Book of Lyrics (1893). Carman’s next publication, Songs from Vagabondia (1894), was co-authored with Richard Hovey. His next work was The Pipes of Pan (5 volumes, 1902-1905). In 1906 he received honourary degrees from the University of New Brunswick and McGill University. He was elected a member of the Royal Society of Canada in 1925, and he received the Lorne Pierce Medal for distinguished service to literature in 1928. In 1929 he was awarded a medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Carman died of a stroke on 8 June 1929 at his home in New Canaan and buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredericton.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Fredericton

Archival Material

• Isabel St. John Bliss Collection of Bliss Carman
  ⌄
  Location

  University of New Brunswick Archives & Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  MG L 32

  Date Range of Material

  1836 - [1959], predominant 1882-1900

  Extent

  39.5 cm textual records and other material

  Scope and Content Note

  The collection consists of primary materials, such as correspondence, privately printed poems, and photographs and secondary materials gathered by Isabel St. John Bliss in preparation for her planned work on Bliss Carman. It is unknown when she acquired and began to organise her research materials.

• Bliss Carman fonds (Victoria U.)
  ⌄
  Location

  Victoria University Library - Special Collections

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  Fonds no. 5

  Date Range of Material

  [1921?]–1928

  Extent

  13 cm of textual records;
  8 photographs: b&w

  Scope and Content Note

  The fonds consists of Bliss Carman’s records pertaining to his activities as a poet and to his personal life. The fonds includes correspondence with Madelaine Galbraith, poems, photographs, and other material.

• Bliss Carman fonds (LAC)
  ⌄
  Location

  Library and Archives Canada

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  R4260-0-8-E, MG29-D46

  Date Range of Material

  1882-1933

  Extent

  4.4 cm of textual records.

  Scope and Content Note

  Fonds consists of correspondence from Carman to various publishers regarding his poetry and a letter to S.M. Burnett concerning a voyage to England, 1898-1916, 0.2 cm; copies of letters from Sir George Parkin and Lady Parkin regarding his life and work in England, visits to Australia and New Zealand, introduction of Carman to friends at Oxford, Imperial Federation League, Rhodes Scholarship, international affairs, literary work and family affairs, 1882-1933, 3.8 cm; and manuscripts of Carman's poems, "Above the Gaspereau", "The Choristers", and "A Song", as well as manuscripts by Mary Hathaway who lived in the Fredericton Bliss Carman House, n.d., 0.4 cm. Photocopy, 49 pages.