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
although full loss trouble
For loss of time, / Although it grieved him sore, / Yet loss of pence, full well he knew, / Would trouble him much more.
cat loss reflection
... no wisdom that [my kitten] may gain by experience and reflection hereafter will compensate for the loss of her present hilarity.
loss light well-known
For 'tis a truth well known to most, That whatsoever thing is lost, We seek it, ere it comes to light, In every cranny but the right.
loss ears animated
But animated nature sweeter still, to soothe and satisfy the human ear.
finds fools idle wisdom wishes
In idle wishes fools supinely stay;Be there a will, -- and wisdom finds a way.
art infinitely thou
I know that Thou art infinitely gracious, but what will become of me?
heaven noticed scorned though
Not scorned in Heaven, though little noticed here.
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.
pleasure received
I never received a little pleasure from anything in my life; if I am pleased, it is in the extreme.
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
changes god knows length shadow slow
Oh! let me then at length be taughtWhat I am still so slow to learn;That God is love, and changes not,Nor knows the shadow of a turn.
affection black skins white
Skins may differ, but affectionDwells in white and black the same.
bestowed divinely soon taste wings
Society, friendship, and love, / Divinely bestowed upon man, / Oh, had I the wings of a dove, / How soon would I taste you again!