William Cowper
William Cowper
William Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet", whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired his poem Yardley-Oak. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth26 November 1731
cheer tea-drinking cups-of-tea
Tea - the cups that cheer but not inebriate.
mistake men intuition
Reasoning at every step he treads, Man yet mistakes his way, Whilst meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely known to stray.
sight spirit breathe
The Spirit breathes upon the Word and brings the truth to sight.
slavery sugar pity
I pity them greatly, but I must be mum, for how could we do without sugar and rum?
music heart air
There is in souls a sympathy with sounds: And as the mind is pitch'd the ear is pleased With melting airs, or martial, brisk or grave; Some chord in unison with what we hear Is touch'd within us, and the heart replies.
pain poetry poetic
There is a pleasure in poetic pains / Which only poets know.
judging grace frowning
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
garden greenhouses gardening
Who loves a garden loves a greenhouse too.
easter atheist earth
The Cross! There, and there only (though the deist rave, and the atheist, if Earth bears so base a slave); There and there only, is the power to save.
perfect disgusting scorn
All affectation; 'tis my perfect scorn; Object of my implacable disgust.
occupation absence
Absence of occupation is not rest.
angel sky wings
When one that holds communion with the skies Has fill'd his urn where these pure waters rise, And once more mingles with us meaner things, 'Tis e'en as if an angel shook his wings.
lines may strange
Strange as it may seem, the most ludicrous lines I ever wrote have been written in the saddest mood.
employment world return
How various his employments whom the world Calls idle; and who justly in return Esteems that busy world an idler too!