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
mad
Stop, while ye may; suspend your mad career!
friend grant passing praise remark shrewd solitude sweet whisper whom
I praise the Frenchman, his remark was shrewd - How sweet, how passing sweet is solitude! But grant me still a friend in my retreat, Whom I may whisper Solitude is sweet
breed errors faults life
Faults in the life breed errors in the brain,And these, reciprocally, those again.
blood perish rome shall word
Rome shall perish - write that word / In the blood that she has spilt.
adopt smiles sparing style teacher
Once more I would adopt the graver style - a teacher should be sparing of his smile.
adopt sparing style teacher teaching
Once more I would adopt the graver style -- a teacher should be sparing of his smile.
false fanaticism fire
Fanaticism soberly defined, is the false fire of an over heated mind.
anticipate blood brighter claim divinely earn ensure equal feed few immortal liberty loved martyrs noblest remember spent struggle sweets time walk win
A patriot's blood,Well spent in such a strife, may earn indeed,And for a time ensure to his loved land,The sweets of liberty and equal laws;But martyrs struggle for a brighter prize,And win it with more pain. Their blood is shedIn confirmation of the noblest claim --Our claim to feed upon immortal truth,To walk with God, to be divinely free,To soar, and to anticipate the skies.Yet few remember them.
enter fine foot list manners polished sets wanting
I would not enter on my list of friends / (Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, / Yet wanting sensibility) the man / Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.
came haste pleasure shall turning
So turning to his horse, he said, / I am in haste to dine; / 'Twas for your pleasure you came here, / You shall go back for mine.
face nose
He would not, with a peremptory tone,Assert the nose upon his face his own.
caesar knew posterity regions shall thy
Regions Caesar never knew / Thy posterity shall sway.
names fascination surrender
Some to the fascination of a name, Surrender judgment hoodwinked.
heard language last life lips oh passed roughly since thee
Oh that those lips had language! Life has passed With me but roughly since I heard thee last