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
miracle
All we behold is miracle.
greatness office talent
Great offices will have great talents.
events creeps please
Events of all sorts creep or fly exactly as God pleases.
night peaceful evening
...So let us welcome peaceful evening in.
friendship men bears
The man that hails you Tom or Jack, and proves by thumps upon your back how he esteems your merit, is such a friend, that one had need be very much his friend indeed to pardon or to bear it.
reason sole cases
Could he with reason murmur at his case, Himself sole author of his own disgrace?
inspirational flower treasure
The only amaranthine flower on earth is virtue; the only lasting treasure, truth.
war hero writing
Some write a narrative of wars and feats, Of heroes little known, and call the rant A history.
kindness slave born
Is base in kind, and born to be a slave.
vacuity
In indolent vacuity of thought.
moving oysters water
Twere better to be born a stone Of ruder shape, and feeling none, Than with a tenderness like mine And sensibilities so fine! Ah, hapless wretch! condemn'd to dwell Forever in my native shell, Ordained to move when others please, Not for my own content or ease; But toss'd and buffeted about, Now in the water and now out.
drawing common-sense buckets
Defend me, therefore, common sense, say From reveries so airy, from the toil Of dropping buckets into empty wells, And growing old in drawing nothing up.
forgiveness blessing enemy
Alas! if my best Friend, who laid down His life for me, were to remember all the instances in which I have neglected Him, and to plead them against me in judgment, where should I hide my guilty head in the day of recompense? I will pray, therefore, for blessings on my friends, even though they cease to be so, and upon my enemies, though they continue such.
luxury elbows lasts
Necessity invented stools, Convenience next suggested elbow-chairs, And luxury the accomplish'd Sofa last.