Keble, John 1792-1866
English Anglican churchman and poet

Born in Fairford, Gloucestershire, he was elected a scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford at 15, and in 1810 took a double first. He was elected a Fellow of Oriel in 1811. Ordained in 1816, he became a college tutor (1818-23). In 1827 his book of poems The Christian Year was widely circulated, and his theory of poetry was delivered as Oxford Professor of Poetry (1831-41). The Oxford Movement was inspired by his sermon on 'National apostasy' (1833), which encouraged a return to High Church ideals, and his circle (which originated the Tractarian movement) issued the 90 Tracts for the Times (ending in 1841). Other works are a Life of Bishop Thomas Wilson, an edition of Richard Hooker, the Lyra Innocentium (1846), a poetical translation of the Psalter (1839), Letters of Spiritual Counsel, 12 volumes of parochial sermons, and Studia Sacra. Keble College, Oxford, was founded in his memory (1870).