About This Quote
A line from the poem "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" by the English poet John Clare, which is about the 18th century English penal system. A noted political activist, Clare was imprisoned in Reading Gaol in 1787 after being convicted of treason for his part in the 1780 so-called "Reasons of State." After spending almost three years there, he was released on grounds of insanity. His mental state continued to decline until he was committed to an asylum where he remained until his death in 1864.
Source: Practical Religion
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