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!
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.
horseback ride
So you must ride / On horseback after we.
creator worships yes
A self-made man? Yes - and worships his creator
busy dreams frames god himself works
The busy trifler dreams himself alone, / Frames many a purpose, and God works his own.
hat neck
Away went Gilpin, neck or naught, / Away went hat and wig!
enthusiast half mankind till wild
No wild enthusiast ever yet could rest, till half of mankind were, like himself, possest
doth next ride
Now let us sing, Long live the king, / And Gilpin, long live he; / And when he next doth ride abroad, / May I be there to see!
blood church dear dying god lose precious shall sin thy
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its powerTill all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
smith
And the first smith was the first murderer's son.
both goes stands useless wants watch
An idler is a watch that wants both hands, As useless if it goes as if it stands
heart honest warm
An honest man, close-buttoned to the chin,/ Broadcloth without, and a warm heart within.
blood perish rome shall word
Rome shall perish - write that word / In the blood that she has spilt.
crew land royal shook
A land-breeze shook the shrouds, / And she was overset; / Down went the Royal George, / With all her crew complete.