William Cowper ( ; 26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

hymnwriter A hymnwriter (or hymn writer, hymnist, hymnodist, hymnographer, etc.) is someone who writes the text, music, or both of hymns. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the composition of hymns dates back to before the time of David, who composed many of ...

. 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 Romantic poetry is the poetry of the Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It involved a reaction against prevailing Enlightenment ideas of the 18t ...

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge (; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake ...

called him "the best modern poet", whilst

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

particularly admired his poem ''Yardley-Oak''. After being institutionalised for insanity, Cowper found refuge in a fervent

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

Christianity. He continued to suffer doubt and, after a dream in 1773, believed that he was doomed to eternal damnation. He recovered and wrote more religious hymns. His religious sentiment and association with

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...

(who wrote the hymn "

Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...

") led to much of the poetry for which he is best remembered, and to the series of

Olney Hymns The ''Olney Hymns'' were first published in February 1779 and are the combined work of curate John Newton (1725–1807) and his poet friend William Cowper (1731–1800). The hymns were written for use in Newton's rural parish, which was made up ...

. His poem "

Light Shining out of Darkness "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" is a Christian hymn, written in 1773 by William Cowper from England. It was written by Cowper in 1773 as a poem entitled "Light Shining out of Darkness". The poem was the last hymn text that Cowper wrote. It was w ...

" gave English the phrase: "God moves in a mysterious way/ His wonders to perform." He also wrote a number of anti-slavery poems and his friendship with Newton, who was an avid anti-slavery campaigner, resulted in Cowper being asked to write in support of the Abolitionist campaign. Cowper wrote a poem called " The Negro's Complaint" (1788) which rapidly became very famous, and was often quoted by

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

during the 20th-century

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

. He also wrote several other less well known poems on slavery in the 1780s, many of which attacked the idea that slavery was economically viable.

Life

Cowper was born in

Berkhamsted Berkhamsted ( ) is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, in the Bulbourne valley, north-west of London. The town is a civil parish with a town council within the borough of Dacorum which is based in the neighbouring large new town ...

, Hertfordshire, where his father John Cowper was rector of the Church of St Peter. His father's sister was the poet

Judith Madan Judith Madan (; 26 August 1702 – 7 December 1781) was an English poet. She was the granddaughter of the diarist, Sarah, Lady Cowper (1644–1720) and aunt of the poet William Cowper. She was a correspondent, admirer and protégé of Alexan ...

. His mother was Ann née Donne. He and his brother John were the only two of seven children to live past infancy. Ann died giving birth to John on 7 November 1737. His mother's death at such an early age troubled William deeply and was the subject of his poem, "

On the Receipt of My Mother's Picture "On the Receipt of My Mother's Picture", also known as "On the Receipt of My Mother's Picture Out of Norfolk", is a 1798 poem by English poet William Cowper, which he wrote because of a love for his mother. History Cowper's mother, Ann, died wh ...

", written more than fifty years later. He grew close to her family in his early years. He was particularly close with her brother Robert and his wife Harriot. They instilled in young William a love of reading and gave him some of his first books –

John Bunyan John Bunyan (; baptised 30 November 162831 August 1688) was an English writer and Puritan preacher best remembered as the author of the Christian allegory ''The Pilgrim's Progress,'' which also became an influential literary model. In addition ...

’s ''

Pilgrim’s Progress ''The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come'' is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature and a progenitor of the ...

'' and John Gay’s ''Fables.'' Cowper was first enrolled in

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

in April 1742 after moving from school to school for a number of years. He had begun to study Latin from a young age, and was an eager scholar of Latin for the rest of his life. Older children bullied Cowper through many of his younger years. At Westminster School he studied under the headmaster John Nicoll. At the time, Westminster School was popular amongst families belonging to England's Whig political party. Many intelligent boys from families of a lower social status also attended, however. Cowper made lifelong friends from Westminster. He read through the ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...

'' and the ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...

'', which ignited his lifelong scholarship and love for

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

’s epics. He grew skilled at the interpretation and translation of Latin, which he put to use for the rest of his life. He was skilled in the composition of Latin as well and wrote many verses of his own. After education at

, Cowper was articled to Mr Chapman, solicitor, of

Ely Place Ely Place is a gated road of multi-storey terraces at the southern tip of the London Borough of Camden in London, England. It hosts a 1773-rebuilt public house, Ye Olde Mitre, of Tudor origin and is adjacent to Hatton Garden. It is privatel ...

Holborn Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part ( St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. The area has its roots ...

, to be trained for a career in law. During this time, he spent his leisure at the home of his uncle Bob Cowper, where he fell in love with his cousin Theodora, whom he wished to marry. But as James Croft, who in 1825 first published the poems Cowper addressed to Theodora, wrote, "her father, from an idea that the union of persons so nearly related was improper, refused to accede to the wishes of his daughter and nephew." This refusal left Cowper distraught. He had his first severe attack of depression/mental illness, referred to at the time as melancholy. In 1763 he was offered a Clerkship of Journals in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

, but broke under the strain of the approaching examination; he experienced a period of depression and

insanity Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

. At this time he tried three times to commit

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

and was sent to Nathaniel Cotton's asylum at

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman r ...

for recovery. His poem beginning "Hatred and vengeance, my eternal portions" (sometimes referred to as "Sapphics") was written in the aftermath of his suicide attempt. After recovering, he settled at

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...

with a retired clergyman named Morley Unwin and his wife

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

. Cowper grew to be on such good terms with the Unwin family that he went to live in their house, and moved with them to Olney. There he met

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...

, a former captain of slave ships who had devoted his life to the gospel. Not long afterwards, Morley Unwin was killed in a fall from his horse; Cowper continued to live in the Unwin home and became greatly attached to the widow Mary Unwin. At Olney, Newton invited Cowper to contribute to a

hymnbook A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook (or hymn book). Hymnals are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts (normal for most hymnals for most centuries of Chri ...

that he was compiling. The resulting volume, known as ''Olney Hymns,'' was not published until 1779 but includes hymns such as "Praise for the Fountain Opened" (beginning "There is a fountain fill'd with blood") and "Light Shining out of Darkness" (beginning "

God Moves in a Mysterious Way "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" is a Christian hymn, written in 1773 by William Cowper from England. It was written by Cowper in 1773 as a poem entitled "Light Shining out of Darkness". The poem was the last hymn text that Cowper wrote. It was w ...

"), which remain some of Cowper's most familiar verses. Several of Cowper's hymns, as well as others originally published in the ''Olney Hymns,'' are today preserved in the ''

Sacred Harp Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in New England and was later perpetuated and carried on in the American South. The name is derived from ''The Sacred Harp'', a ubiquitous and historically important tune ...

,'' which also collects

shape note Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the noteh ...

songs. In 1773, Cowper experienced an attack of insanity, imagining not only that he was eternally condemned to hell, but that God was commanding him to make a sacrifice of his own life. Mary Unwin took care of him with great devotion, and after a year he began to recover. In 1779, after Newton had moved from Olney to London, Cowper started to write poetry again. Mary Unwin, wanting to keep Cowper's mind occupied, suggested that he write on the subject of ''The Progress of Error.'' After writing a satire of this name, he wrote seven others. These poems were collected and published in 1782 under the title ''Poems by William Cowper, of the Inner Temple, Esq.'' Johann Heinrich Füssli 035

In 1781 Cowper met a sophisticated and charming widow named Lady Austen who inspired new poetry. Cowper himself tells of the genesis of what some have considered his most substantial work, '' The Task,'' in his "Advertisement" to the original edition of 1785: Blockquote , ...a lady, fond of

blank verse Blank verse is poetry written with regular metrical but unrhymed lines, almost always in iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the 16th century", and Pa ...

, demanded a poem of that kind from the author, and gave him the SOFA for a subject. He obeyed; and, having much leisure, connected another subject with it; and, pursuing the train of thought to which his situation and turn of mind led him, brought forth at length, instead of the trifle which he at first intended, a serious affaira Volume! In the same volume Cowper also printed "

The Diverting History of John Gilpin ''The Diverting History of John Gilpin Shewing how he went Farther than he intended, and came safe Home again'' is a comic ballad by William Cowper written in 1782 in poetry, 1782. The ballad concerns a draper called John Gilpin who rides a Bolt ...

", a notable piece of comic verse. Writing "John Gilpin" was later credited by G. K. Chesterton in ''Orthodoxy'' with saving Cowper from becoming completely insane. Harriett Hesketh born Cowper

Cowper and Mary Unwin moved to

Weston Underwood, Buckinghamshire Weston Underwood is a village and civil parishParishes in Milton Keynes
- Milton K ...

, in 1786, having become close with his cousin Lady Harriett Hesketh (Theodora's sister). During this period he started his translations of

's ''

'' and ''

'' into

. His versions (published in 1791) were the most significant English renderings of these

epic poems An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...

since those of

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, ...

earlier in the century. Later critics have faulted Cowper's Homer for being too much in the mould of

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem '' Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and political ...

. In 1789 Cowper befriended a cousin, Dr John Johnson, a Norfolk clergyman, and in 1795 Cowper and Mary moved to

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

to be near him and his sister Catharine. They originally stayed at

North Tuddenham North Tuddenham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, North Tuddenham is east of East Dereham, and is close to the A47 road. The parish church is dedicated to St Mary. The villages name means 'Tuda's homestead/village'. It co ...

, then at Dunham Lodge near

Swaffham Swaffham () is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,9 ...

and then

Mundesley Mundesley /ˈmʌndz.li/ is a coastal village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is north-north east of Norwich, south east of Cromer and north east of London. The village lies north-north east of the town of Nort ...

before finally settling in East Dereham (all places in

) with the Johnsons, after Mary Unwin became paralysed. Mary Unwin died in 1796, plunging Cowper into a gloom from which he never fully recovered. He did continue to revise his Homer for a second edition of his translation. Aside from writing the powerful and bleak poem, "The Castaway", he penned some English translations of Greek verse and translated some of the ''Fables'' of John Gay into Latin.

Death and memorials

St Nicholas Church, Dereham, Norfolk - Window - geograph

Cowper was seized with

Edema Edema, also spelled oedema, and also known as fluid retention, dropsy, hydropsy and swelling, is the build-up of fluid in the body's Tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin which feels t ...

(also known as

Dropsy Edema, also spelled oedema, and also known as fluid retention, dropsy, hydropsy and swelling, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin which feels tight, the area ma ...

) in the spring of 1800 and died on the 25th of April. He is buried in the chapel of St Thomas of Canterbury, St Nicholas's Church in East Dereham, and a

stained-glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

window there commemorates his life. In St Peter's Church in Berkhamsted there are two windows in memory of Cowper: the east window by

Clayton & Bell Clayton and Bell was one of the most prolific and proficient British workshops of stained-glass windows during the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century. The partners were John Richard Clayton (1827–1913) and Alfred Bell (1832 ...

(1872) depicts Cowper at his writing desk accompanied by his pet hares, and bears the inscription "Salvation to the dying man, And to the rising God" (a line from Cowper's poem "The Saviour, what a noble flame"); and in the north aisle, an

etched glass Glass etching, or "French embossing", is a popular technique developed during the mid-1800s that is still widely used in both residential and commercial spaces today. Glass etching comprises the techniques of creating art on the surface of glass ...

window is inscribed with lines from "Oh! for a closer walk with God" and "The Task". In the same church there is also a memorial tablet to the poet's mother, Ann Cowper. Cowper is also commemorated (along with

George Herbert George Herbert (3 April 1593 – 1 March 1633) was an English poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England. His poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognised as "one of the foremost British devoti ...

) by another Clayton & Bell stained-glass window in St George's Chapel,

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

. In 1823, Cowper's correspondence was published posthumously from the original letters in the possession of his kinsman John Johnson. Near the village of Weston Underwood, where Cowper once resided, is a

folly In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends the range of usual garden buildings. Eighteenth-cent ...

named Cowper's Alcove. The folly was built by the Lord of the Manor of Weston House, a member of the Throckmorton family in 1753. Cowper was known to visit here frequently for inspiration for his poetry. The alcove is mentioned in Cowper's "The Task". The folly was dedicated to Cowper by the Buckinghamshire county council green belt estate, and a plaque with the verse from "The Task" referencing the alcove was installed.

Works

Poems

The Snail
1730
The Winter Nosegay
1777 *''

'', 1778–1779, in collaboration with

* ''

John Gilpin John Gilpin (18th century) was featured as the subject in a well-known comic ballad of 1782 by William Cowper, entitled '' The Diverting History of John Gilpin''. Cowper had heard the story from his friend Lady Austen. Gilpin was said to be ...

'', 1782
Epitaph on a Hare
1782 *Cowper's first independent volume, ''Poems by William Cowper, of the Inner Temple, Esq.,'' 1782

1783 * '' The Task'', 1785
The Morning Dream
1788 *

's ''

'' and ''

'', 1791 (translations from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

).
The Retired Cat
1791

1793 *''On the Ice Islands Seen Floating in the German Ocean, 1803''
The Castaway
1803 *Hatred and vengeance, my eternal portion, 1815 *The Poplar-Field, 1785 *''Lines Written During a Period of Insanity,'' 1816

Hymns

Cowper is represented with fifteen hymns in American

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

Edwin Hatfield's 1872 opus '' The Church Hymn Book for the Worship of God''. * 127 ''Jesus! where'er thy people meet'' * 357 ''The Spirit breathes upon the word'' * 450 ''There is a fountain, filled with blood'' * 790 ''Hark! my soul! it is the Lord'' * 856 ''To Jesus, the Crown of my hope'' * 871 ''Far from the world, O Lord! I flee'' * 885 ''My Lord! how full of sweet content'' (1782 translation) * 932 ''What various hindrances we meet'' * 945 ''Oh! for a closer walk with God'' * 965 ''When darkness long has veiled my mind'' * 1002 Tis my happiness below'' * 1009 ''O Lord! in sorrow I resign'' (1782 translation) * 1029 ''O Lord! my best desire fulfill'' * 1043 ''There is a safe and secret place'' * 1060 ''God of my life! to thee I call''

Familiar quotations

moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. : There is a fountain fill'd with blood Drawn from 's veins; And sinners, plung'd beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains. : Oh! for a closer walk with , A calm and heav'nly frame; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb! : God made the country, and man made the town. : There is a pleasure in poetic pains
Which only poets know. : Variety's the very spice of life,
That gives it all its flavour. : I am monarch of all I survey, My right there is none to dispute; From the centre all round to the sea, I am lord of the fowl and the brute. : No voice divine the storm allay'd, No light propitious shone; When, snatch'd from all effectual aid, We perish'd, each alone; But I beneath a rougher sea, And whelmed in deeper gulphs than he. : 'Tis pleasant, through the loopholes of retreat, To peep at such a world; to see the stir Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd; To hear the roar she sends through all her gates At a safe distance, where the dying sound Falls a soft murmur on the uninjur'd ear. :

Notes

References

Bibliography

* ''The Church Hymn Book for the Worship of God'', 1872, edited by Edwin F. Hatfield. New York and Chicago.

Sources

* Harold Child, "William Cowper", in Ward & Trent, ''et al.'' ''The Cambridge History of English and American Literature.'' New York: GP Putnam's Sons, 1907–21. As given a
Bartleby.com
(Some biographical data utilised.) * H. S. Milford
''The Complete Poetical Works of William Cowper''
London: Oxford University Press, 1913. ("Chronological Table" on pp. xxiv–xxx heavily utilised for biographical data.)

CCEL The Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) is a digital library that provides free electronic copies of Christian scripture and literature texts. Description CCEL is a volunteer-based project founded and directed by Harry Plantinga, a pro ...

Hymns by William Cowper

Electronic text of Cowper's "Odyssey" translation at bibliomania.com
* Audio
Robert Pinsky reads "Epitaph On A Hare"
by William Cowper (vi
poemsoutloud.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowper, William Anglican writers Church of England hymnwriters English Anglicans English male poets English abolitionists English evangelicals Evangelical Anglicans People with mental disorders History of mental health in the United Kingdom People educated at Westminster School, London People from Berkhamsted People from Dereham 1731 births 1800 deaths Deaths from edema Burials in Norfolk Musicians from Hertfordshire Translators of Homer Christian abolitionists Calvinist and Reformed poets Calvinist and Reformed hymnwriters Evangelical writers 18th-century letter writers