Alfred Domett

From Freepedia

Alfred Domett, CMG (20 May, 1811 – 2 November, 1887) was a British colonial statesman and poet. He was born at Camberwell Grove, Surrey; his father was a ship-owner He entered St John's College, Cambridge, but left the university in 1833.

He published one or two volumes of poetry from 1833, and contributed several poems to Blackwood's Magazine, one of which, A Christmas Hymn, attracted attention. He was called to the bar, but for ten years he lived a life of ease in London, where he became the intimate friend of Robert Browning, of whose poem Waring he was the subject. An account of the friendship between the two men appeared in The Contemporary Review for January 1905, by W. H. Griffin. (See also Robert Browning and Alfred Domett, edited by F. G. Kenyon, 1906).

In 1842 Domett emigrated to New Zealand where he filled many important administrative posts, being colonial secretary for New Munster in 1848, secretary for the colony in 1851, and prime minister in 1862-1863. He returned to England in 1871, was created CMG in 1880.

Among his books of poetry, Ranolf and Amohia, a South Sea Day Dream, about Maori life, is the best known (1872), and Flotsam and Jetsam (1877) is dedicated to Browning.

This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain.

 

Prime Minister of New Zealand				Image:New zealand coa.png
Preceded by: Edward Stafford	(1862-1863)	Succeeded by: Frederick Whitaker
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