Author:William Cowper

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William Cowper (1731–1800)

William Cowper (26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800) 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. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan.

William Cowper

Works

Poetry

• Verses Written at Bath on Finding the Heel of a Shoe
• An Epistle to Robert Lloyd, Esq.
• Mortals! around your destin'd heads
• Of Himself
• The Symptoms of Love
• An Apology For Not Showing Her What I Had Wrote
• Delia, th' unkindest girl on earth
• This ev'ning, Delia, you and I
• An Attempt at the Manner of Waller
• A Song
• Upon a Venerable Rival
• Written in a Quarrel
• See where the Thames, the purest stream
• How blest the youth whom Fate ordains
• Ode, Supposed to be Written on the Marriage of a Friend
• On Her Endeavouring to Conceal Her Grief at Parting
• Bid adieu, my sad heart
• On the Death of Sir W. Russell
• An Address To The Mob On Occasion Of The Late Riot At The House Of Sir Hugh Palliser
• The Modern Patriot
• The Distressed Travellers
• The Poplar-Field
• The Nightingale and Glow-Worm
• On a Goldfinch Starved to Death in his Cage
• Boadicea: An Ode
• The Negro's Complaint
• Verses Supposed To Be Written by Alexander Selkirk
• Care for the Lowest, poem advocating animal-rights
• Sweet Meat has Sour Sauce
• Retirement
• The Winter Nosegay
• To the Nightingale
• Sonnet to William Wilberforce, Esq.
• Epigrams on his Garden Shed
• To Mary
• The Castaway
• Anti-Thelyphthora, satirical attack against the defence of polygamy entitled Thelyphthora
• The Diverting History of John Gilpin (1782)
• The Task

Hymns

Olney Hymns (1779)

• As birds their infant brood protect (Jehovah-Shammah)
• By whom was David taught (Jehovah Nissi, The Lord my banner)
• Ere God had built the mountains (Wisdom)
• God gives his mercies to be spent (Vanity of the world)
• Heal us, EMMANUEL, here we are (Jehovah Rophi, I am the Lord that healeth thee)
• Hear what God the LORD hath spoken (The future peace and glory of the church)
• I Will praise thee every day (O Lord I will praise thee)
• Jesus, whose blood so freely streamed (Jehovah Shalem, The Lord send peace)
• My God! how perfect are thy ways! (Jehovah our righteousness)
• My God! till I received thy stroke (Ephraim repenting)
• O! for a closer walk with God (Walking with God)
• The LORD will happiness divine (The contrite heart)
• The Lord proclaims his grace abroad (The covenant)
• The saints should never be dismayed (Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will provide)
• There is a fountain filled with blood (Praise for the fountain opened)
• Ye sons of earth prepare the plow (The sower)

Translations

• The Odyssey of Homer (1791)

Works about Cowper

• “Cowper, William” in A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John William Cousin, London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1910.
• The Poetical Works of William Cowper (Introductory memoir), 1870 by William Benham
• A Portrait of William Cowper: His Own Interpreter in Letters and Poems, 2004 by Louise B. Risk
• “Cowper, William,” in Dictionary of National Biography, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., (1885-1900) in 63 vols.

Works by this author published before January 1, 1923 are in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Translations or editions published later may be copyrighted. Posthumous works may be copyrighted based on how long they have been published in certain countries and areas.