Tom MacInnes
Encyclopedia
Thomas Robert Edward MacInnes (né McInnes) (October 29, 1867 — February 11, 1951) was a Canadian poet and writer whose writings ranged from "vigorous, slangy recollections of the Yukon
gold rush" (Lonesome Bar, 1909) to "a translation of and commentary on Lao-tzu
’s philosophy" (The Teaching of the Old Boy, 1927). His narrative verse was highly popular in his lifetime.
, served in the Canadian Senate
from 1881 to 1897, and as Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia from 1897 until 1900.
Tom MacInnes was educated at University College, Toronto, graduating with a B.A.
from the University of Toronto
in 1887.
Tom MacInnes studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School
in Toronto
, Ontario
, and was called to the bar in 1893.
McInnes served as secretary to the Bering Sea Claims Commission in 1896 and 1897, and for part of 1897 was a member of the Yukon special police and customs force at Skagway. He acted as private secretary to his father, the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, from 1898 until 1900 (when the elder McInnes was dismissed from the office).
He was still spelling his surname "McInnes" as of 1916.
MacInnes spent long periods in China, where he had business interests, between 1916 and 1927. One source says that he "returned to Canada with a lifelong hatred of Communists and Chinese."
MacInnes wrote a series of articles on his Chinese experiences, published in 1926 in the Vancouver Morning Star and Vancouver Province, that became the basis of his 1927 book, Oriental Occupation of British Columbia. According to more than one sources, the book proposes that British Columbia adopt apartheid-like policies in dealing with what MacInnes perceived to be an undesirable influx of Chinese immigrants. Another source, though, calls Oriental Occupation... "a pamphlet," says that MacInnes had "developed a sympathy for Orientals living in British Columbia," and says that the pamphlet reflects his "views of British Columbia prejudice" against Orientals.
In Vancouver, MacInnes joined the Canadian Union of Fascists. He became a leading activist in the fascist scene, founding the Nationalist League of Canada.
MacInnes can be compared to Robert Service
, not least in the fact of their popularity in Canada at the time. Like Service in his Yukon and war poems, MacInnes, "was especially interested in examining man within a natural landscape, on the fringes of society." Also like Service, "his rhythms are often forced and pedantic, his rhyme-schemes careless and rough."
In some ways MacInnes seems to have modeled his career on that of Service. His first published work, A Romance of the Lost (1908), is a long yarn in rhyme about the Klondike Gold Rush
, in the manner of the poems in Service's 1907 breakthrough work, Songs of a Sourdough. In 1913 MacInnes released Rhymes of a Rounder, on the heels of Service's 1912 Rhymes of a Rolling Stone.
Unlike Service, though, MacInnes "was intrigued with elaborate poetic forms, such as the villanelle
," and actually invented "a five-line stanza of his own he called the ‘mirelle’."
Katherine Hale, reviewing Macinnes's first book in The Mail and Empire
, pronounced that "the best poem is 'The Damozel of Doom,' an eerie, dreamlike, passionate piece, suggested by the teaching of old Tao, who believed that there are regions where dead souls may be awakened by desires so strong that they are drawn outward again to Earth, where, through finer desires, they again pass into Paradise. Then 'the peace of a thousand years may be theirs in Limbo'.... The coming of this desire, which shall ultimately free, or banish the soul to ages of 'utter vanishment' is depicted in 'The Damozel of Doom' – a poem worthy of the genius of Poe."
John Garvin included three MacInnes poems, including "The Damozel of Doom," in his 1916 anthology Canadian Poets, and wrote of MacInnes's poetry: "Originality, constructive imagination, felicitous fancy, and delightful humour (if sometimes grim), combined with philosophic subtlety, much experience of life, and skilled artistry, are the outstanding qualities of this poet, so little known to Canadian readers, so worthy of their appreciation."
In a 1933 talk, on Canadian poets who had become known in the early 20th century, Charles G.D. Roberts
said: "Preeminent among these is Tom MacInnes, standing somewhat apart from the stream of our poetry, and tracing the inheritance of his very individual talent to Francois Villon
and Edgar Alan Poe, with an occasional dash of Keats."
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
gold rush" (Lonesome Bar, 1909) to "a translation of and commentary on Lao-tzu
Laozi
Laozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism...
’s philosophy" (The Teaching of the Old Boy, 1927). His narrative verse was highly popular in his lifetime.
Life
He was born Thomas Robert Edward McInnes in Dresden, Ontario,. He moved to New Westminster with his family in 1874, and grew up there. His father, Thomas Robert McInnesThomas Robert McInnes
Thomas Robert McInnes or Tòmas Raibeart Mac Aonghais was a Canadian physician, Member of the House of Commons, Senator, and the sixth Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia....
, served in the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
from 1881 to 1897, and as Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia from 1897 until 1900.
Tom MacInnes was educated at University College, Toronto, graduating with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1887.
Tom MacInnes studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and was called to the bar in 1893.
McInnes served as secretary to the Bering Sea Claims Commission in 1896 and 1897, and for part of 1897 was a member of the Yukon special police and customs force at Skagway. He acted as private secretary to his father, the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, from 1898 until 1900 (when the elder McInnes was dismissed from the office).
He was still spelling his surname "McInnes" as of 1916.
MacInnes spent long periods in China, where he had business interests, between 1916 and 1927. One source says that he "returned to Canada with a lifelong hatred of Communists and Chinese."
MacInnes wrote a series of articles on his Chinese experiences, published in 1926 in the Vancouver Morning Star and Vancouver Province, that became the basis of his 1927 book, Oriental Occupation of British Columbia. According to more than one sources, the book proposes that British Columbia adopt apartheid-like policies in dealing with what MacInnes perceived to be an undesirable influx of Chinese immigrants. Another source, though, calls Oriental Occupation... "a pamphlet," says that MacInnes had "developed a sympathy for Orientals living in British Columbia," and says that the pamphlet reflects his "views of British Columbia prejudice" against Orientals.
In Vancouver, MacInnes joined the Canadian Union of Fascists. He became a leading activist in the fascist scene, founding the Nationalist League of Canada.
Writing
MacInnes's poetry was highly popular in Canada in the first half of the 20th century. He wrote "light, easy verse that dismissed smugness and respectability with unconcerned humour ... an amused detachment underlies his work, as though poetry were merely one form of expression, as good as any other." He believed "that joy and delight, rather than the prevalent melancholic outpourings of the soul, were essential to poetry."MacInnes can be compared to Robert Service
Robert W. Service
Robert William Service was a poet and writer who has often been called "the Bard of the Yukon".Service is best known for his poems "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee", from his first book, Songs of a Sourdough...
, not least in the fact of their popularity in Canada at the time. Like Service in his Yukon and war poems, MacInnes, "was especially interested in examining man within a natural landscape, on the fringes of society." Also like Service, "his rhythms are often forced and pedantic, his rhyme-schemes careless and rough."
In some ways MacInnes seems to have modeled his career on that of Service. His first published work, A Romance of the Lost (1908), is a long yarn in rhyme about the Klondike Gold Rush
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
, in the manner of the poems in Service's 1907 breakthrough work, Songs of a Sourdough. In 1913 MacInnes released Rhymes of a Rounder, on the heels of Service's 1912 Rhymes of a Rolling Stone.
Unlike Service, though, MacInnes "was intrigued with elaborate poetic forms, such as the villanelle
Villanelle
A villanelle is a poetic form that entered English-language poetry in the 19th century from the imitation of French models. The word derives from the Italian villanella from Latin villanus . A villanelle has only two rhyme sounds...
," and actually invented "a five-line stanza of his own he called the ‘mirelle’."
Katherine Hale, reviewing Macinnes's first book in The Mail and Empire
The Mail and Empire
The Mail and Empire was formed from the 1895 merger of The Toronto Mail and Toronto Empire newspapers, both conservative newspapers in Toronto, Canada. The paper merged with The Globe to form the The Globe and Mail in 1936....
, pronounced that "the best poem is 'The Damozel of Doom,' an eerie, dreamlike, passionate piece, suggested by the teaching of old Tao, who believed that there are regions where dead souls may be awakened by desires so strong that they are drawn outward again to Earth, where, through finer desires, they again pass into Paradise. Then 'the peace of a thousand years may be theirs in Limbo'.... The coming of this desire, which shall ultimately free, or banish the soul to ages of 'utter vanishment' is depicted in 'The Damozel of Doom' – a poem worthy of the genius of Poe."
John Garvin included three MacInnes poems, including "The Damozel of Doom," in his 1916 anthology Canadian Poets, and wrote of MacInnes's poetry: "Originality, constructive imagination, felicitous fancy, and delightful humour (if sometimes grim), combined with philosophic subtlety, much experience of life, and skilled artistry, are the outstanding qualities of this poet, so little known to Canadian readers, so worthy of their appreciation."
In a 1933 talk, on Canadian poets who had become known in the early 20th century, 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......
said: "Preeminent among these is Tom MacInnes, standing somewhat apart from the stream of our poetry, and tracing the inheritance of his very individual talent to Francois Villon
François Villon
François Villon was a French poet, thief, and vagabond. He is perhaps best known for his Testaments and his Ballade des Pendus, written while in prison...
and Edgar Alan Poe, with an occasional dash of Keats."
Poetry collections
- A Romance of the Lost. Montreal: Desbarats & Co., 1908.
- Lonesome Bar: A Romance of the Lost, and Other PoemsMontreal: Desbarats & Co., 1909.
- In Amber Lands - 1910.
- Rhymes of a Rounder. North Vancouver, BC: Review P, 1912. New York: Broadway, Publishing, 1913.
- The Fool of Joy. Toronto: McClelland, Goodchild & Stewart, 1918.
- Roundabout Rhymes Charles G.D. RobertsCharles G.D. RobertsSir 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......
fwd. - 1923. - The Complete Poems of Tom MacInnes. Toronto: Ryerson P, 1923.
- High Low Along: A Didactic Poem - 1934.
- In the Old of My Age - 1947.
Books: prose
- Chinook Days - 1926.
- Oriental Occupation of British Columbia. Vancouver: Sun Publishing, 1927.
- The Teaching of the Old Boy. London, Toronto: J.M. Dent, 1927.
External links
- Tom McInnes in Canadian Poets - Biography and 3 poems (The Damozel of Doom, Illumined, Underground)
- The Fool of Joy at archive.org
- Lonesome bar at archive.org
- Alan Twigg, "MACINNES, Tom," from BC Bookworld