An Epistle To Robert Lloyd, Esq. by William Cowper
‘Tis not that I design to rob Thee of thy birthright, gentle Bob,– For thou art born sole heir and single Of dear Mat Prior’s easy jingle; Nor that I mean, while thus I knit My threadbare sentiments together, To show my genius or my wit, When God and you know I have neither, Or […]
An Epistle To Joseph Hill, Esq. by William Cowper
Dear Joseph,– five and twenty years ago– Alas! how time escapes — ’tis even so!– With frequent intercourse and always sweet And always friendly we were wont to cheat A tedious hour, — and now we never meet, As some grave gentleman in Terence says, (‘Twas therefore much the same in ancient days,) Good lack, […]
An Epigram From Homer by William Cowper
Pay me my price, potters! and I will sing. Attend, O Pallas! and with lifted arm Protect their oven; let the cups and all The sacred vessels black well, and, baked With good success, yield them both fair renown And profit, whether in the market sold Or streets, and let no strife ensue between us. […]
An Enigma by William Cowper
A needle, small as small can be, In bulk and use surpasses me, Nor is my purchase dear; For little, and almost for nought As many of my kind are bought As days are in the year. Yet though but little use we boast, And are procured at little cost, The labour is not light; […]
An Attempt At The Manner Of Waller by William Cowper
Did not thy reason, and thy sense, With most persuasive eloquence, Convince me that obedience due None may so justly claim as you, By right of beauty you would be Mistress o’er my heart and me. Then fear not I should e’er rebel, My gentle love! I might as well A forward peevishness put on, […]
An Apology For Not Showing Her What I Had Wrote by William Cowper
Did not my Muse (what can she less?) Perceive her own unworthiness, Could she by some well-chosen theme, But hope to merit your esteem, She would not thus conceal her lays, Ambitious to deserve your praise. But should my Delia take offence, And frown on her impertinence, In silence, sorrowing and forlorn, Would the despairing […]
Addressed To Miss Macartney, Afterwards Mrs. Greville, On Reading The Prayer For Indifference by William Cowper
And dwells there in a female heart, By bounteous heaven design’d The choicest raptures to impact, To feel the most refined; Dwells there a wish in such a breast Its nature to forego, To smother in ignoble rest At once both bliss and woe? Far be the thought, and far the strain, Which breathes the […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 5. by William Cowper
SCENE I. — The Flesh and Adam. The Flesh. If in a bosom formed in lonely woods, An amorous lure, the engine of deceit, May wake a blazing spark, And raise an inextinguishable fire; This day to me shall shine a day of triumph, When in desire’s fierce flames I shall behold that heart, Which […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 4. by William Cowper
SCENE I. — Volan, CHORUS of Fiery, Airy, Earthly, and Aquatic Spirits. Volan. Forth from a thousand clouds of flame and smoke, From the deep bosom of the spacious earth, I to these scenes a messenger return. Now to the fatal sound Of these entwined pipes, By hissing snakes united, And all attuned to the […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 3. by William Cowper
SCENE I.– Adam and Eve. Oh, my beloved companion! Oh thou of my existence, The very heart and soul! Hast thou, with such excess of tender haste, With ceaseless pilgrimage, To find again thy Adam, Thus solitary wandered? Behold him! Speak! what are thy gentle orders? Why dost thou pause? what ask of God? what […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 2. by William Cowper
SCENE I. — CHORUS OF ANGELS Singing. Now let us garlands weave Of all the fairest flowers, Now at this early dawn, For new-made man, and his companion dear; Let all with festive joy, And with melodious song, Of the great Architect Applaud this noblest work, And speak the joyous sound, Man is the wonder […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 1. by William Cowper
CHORUS OF ANGELS, Singing the Glory of God. To Heaven’s bright lyre let Iris be the bow, Adapt the spheres for chords, for notes the stars; Let new-born gales discriminate the bars, Nor let old Time to measure times be slow. Hence to new Music of the eternal Lyre Add richer harmony and praise to […]
A Tale. June 1793 by William Cowper
In Scotland’s realm, where trees are few Nor even shrubs abound; But where, however bleak the view Some better things are found; For husband there and wife may boast Their union undefiled, And false ones are as rare almost As hedge-rows in the wild; In Scotland’s realm forlorn and bare The history chanced of late,– […]
A Tale, Founded On A Fact, Which Happened In January, 1779 by William Cowper
Where Humber pours his rich commercial stream, There dwelt a wretch, who breathed but to blaspheme. In subterraneous caves his life he led, Black as the mine, in which he wrought for bread. When on a day, emerging from the deep, A Sabbath-day, (such Sabbaths thousands keep!) The wages of his weekly toil he bore […]
A Song : The Sparkling Eye by William Cowper
The sparkling eye, the mantling cheek, The polished front, the snowy neck, How seldom we behold in one! Glossy locks, and brow serene, Venus’ smiles, Diana’s mien, All meet in you, and you alone. Beauty, like other powers, maintains Her empire, and by union reigns; Each single feature faintly warms: But where at once we […]
A Song : On The Green Margin by William Cowper
On the green margin of the brook, Despairing Phyllida reclined, Whilst every sigh, and every look, Declared the anguish of her mind. Am I less lovely then? (she cries, And in the waves her form surveyed); Oh yes, I see my languid eyes, My faded cheek, my colour fled: These eyes no more like lightning […]
A Riddle by William Cowper
I am just two and two, I am warm, I am cold, And the parent of numbers that cannot be told. I am lawful, unlawful — a duty, a fault, I am often sold dear, good for nothing when bought; An extraordinary boon, and a matter of course, And yielded with pleasure when taken by […]
A Poetical Epistle To Lady Austen by William Cowper
Dear Anna, — Between friend and friend, Prose answers every common end; Serves, in a plain and homely way, To express the occurrence of the day; Our health, the weather, and the news, What walks we take, what books we choose, And all the floating thoughts we find Upon the surface of the mind. But […]
A Manual, More Ancient Than The Art Of Printing, And Not To Be Found In Any Catalogue by William Cowper
There is a book, which we may call (Its excellence is such) Alone a library, though small; The ladies thumb it much. Words none, things numerous it contains: And thing with words compared, Who needs be told, that has his brains, Which merits most regard? Ofttimes its leaves of scarlet hue A golden edging boast; […]
A Figurative Description Of The Procedure Of Divine Love by William Cowper
‘Twas my purpose, on a day, To embark, and sail away. As I climbed the vessel’s side, Love was sporting in the tide; “Come,” he said, “ascend-make haste, Launch into the boundless waste.” Many mariners were there, Having each his separate care; They that rowed us held their eyes Fixed upon the starry skies; Others […]
A Fable by William Cowper
A raven, while with glossy breast Her new-laid eggs she fondly press’d, And, on her wicker-work high mounted, Her chickens prematurely counted (A fault philosophers might blame, If quite exempted from the same), Enjoy’d at ease the genial day; ‘Twas April, as the bumpkins say, The legislature call’d it May. But suddenly a wind, as […]
A Comparison by William Cowper
The lapse of time and rivers is the same, Both speed their journey with a restless stream; The silent pace, with which they steal away, No wealth can bribe, no prayers persuade to stay; Alike irrevocable both when past, And a wide ocean swallows both at last. Though each resemble each in every part, A […]
A Comparison. Addressed To A Young Lady by William Cowper
Sweet stream that winds through yonder glade, Apt emblem of a virtuous maid Silent and chaste she steals along, Far from the world’s gay busy throng: With gentle yet prevailing force, Intent upon her destined course; Graceful and useful all she does, Blessing and blest where’er she goes; Pure-bosom’d as that watery glass, And Heaven […]
A Child Of God Longing To See Him Beloved by William Cowper
There’s not an echo round me, But I am glad should learn, How pure a fire has found me, The love with which I burn. For none attends with pleasure To what I would reveal; They slight me out of measure, And laugh at all I feel. The rocks receive less proudly The story of […]
William Ellery Leonard – William Ellery Leonard
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Wayside Flowers by William Allingham
Wayside Flowers by William Allingham Pluck not the wayside flower, It is the traveller’s dower; A thousand passers-by Its beauties may espy, May win a touch of blessing From Nature’s mild caressing. The sad of heart perceives A violet under leaves Like sonic fresh-budding hope; The primrose on the slope A spot of sunshine dwells, […]
These Little Songs by William Allingham
These Little Songs by William Allingham These little Songs, Found here and there, Floating in air By forest and lea, Or hill-side heather, In houses and throngs, Or down by the sea; Have come together, How, I can’t tell: But I know full well No witty goose-wing On an inkstand begot ’em; Remember each place […]
The Touchstone by William Allingham
The Touchstone by William Allingham A man there came, whence none could tell, Bearing a Touchstone in his hand; And tested all things in the land By its unerring spell. Quick birth of transmutation smote The fair to foul, the foul to fair; Purple nor ermine did he spare, Nor scorn the dusty coat. Of […]
The Little Dell by William Allingham
The Little Dell by William Allingham Doleful was the land, Dull on, every side, Neither soft n’or grand, Barren, bleak, and wide; Nothing look’d with love; All was dingy brown; The very skies above Seem’d to sulk and frown. Plodding sick and sad, Weary day on day; Searching, never glad, Many a miry way; Poor […]
The Fairies by William Allingham
The Fairies by William Allingham Up the airy mountain, Down the rushy glen, We daren’t go a-hunting For fear of little men; Wee folk, good folk, Trooping all together; Green jacket, red cap, And white owl’s feather! Down along the rocky shore Some make their home, They live on crispy pancakes Of yellow tide-foam; Some […]
The Eviction by William Allingham
The Eviction by William Allingham In early morning twilight, raw and chill, Damp vapours brooding on the barren hill, Through miles of mire in steady grave array Threescore well-arm’d police pursue their way; Each tall and bearded man a rifle swings, And under each greatcoat a bayonet clings: The Sheriff on his sturdy cob astride […]
The Boy by William Allingham
The Boy by William Allingham The Boy from his bedroom-window Look’d over the little town, And away to the bleak black upland Under a clouded moon. The moon came forth from her cavern, He saw the sudden gleam Of a tarn in the swarthy moorland; Or perhaps the whole was a dream. For I never […]
Robin Redbreast by William Allingham
Robin Redbreast by William Allingham Good-bye, good-bye to Summer! For Summer’s nearly done; The garden smiling faintly, Cool breezes in the sun; Our Thrushes now are silent, Our Swallows flown away, — But Robin’s here, in coat of brown, With ruddy breast-knot gay. Robin, Robin Redbreast, O Robin dear! Robin singing sweetly In the falling […]
Places and Men by William Allingham
Places and Men by William Allingham In Sussex here, by shingle and by sand, Flat fields and farmsteads in their wind-blown trees, The shallow tide-wave courses to the land, And all along the down a fringe one sees Of ducal woods. That ‘dim discovered spire’ Is Chichester, where Collins felt a fire Touch his sad […]
On a Forenoon of Spring by William Allingham
On a Forenoon of Spring by William Allingham I’m glad I am alive, to see and feel The full deliciousness of this bright day, That’s like a heart with nothing to conceal; The young leaves scarcely trembling; the blue-grey Rimming the cloudless ether far away; Brairds, hedges, shadows; mountains that reveal Soft sapphire; this great […]
Meadowsweet by William Allingham
Meadowsweet by William Allingham Through grass, through amber’d cornfields, our slow Stream– Fringed with its flags and reeds and rushes tall, And Meadowsweet, the chosen of them all By wandering children, yellow as the cream Of those great cows–winds on as in a dream By mill and footbridge, hamlet old and small (Red roofs, gray […]
Lepracaun or Fairy Shoemaker, The by William Allingham
Lepracaun or Fairy Shoemaker, The by William Allingham Little Cowboy, what have you heard, Up on the lonely rath’s green mound? Only the plaintive yellow bird Sighing in sultry fields around, Chary, chary, chary, chee-ee! – Only the grasshopper and the bee? – “Tip-tap, rip-rap, Tick-a-tack-too! Scarlet leather, sewn together, This will make a shoe. […]
Late Autumn by William Allingham
Late Autumn by William Allingham October; and the skies are cool and gray O’er stubbles emptied of their latest sheaf, Bare meadow, and the slowly falling leaf. The dignity of woods in rich decay Accords full well with this majestic grief That clothes our solemn purple hills to-day, Whose afternoon is hush’d, and wintry brief […]
William Allingham – William Allingham
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In Snow by William Allingham
In Snow by William Allingham O English mother, in the ruddy glow Hugging your baby closer when outside You see the silent, soft, and cruel snow Falling again, and think what ills betide Unshelter’d creatures,–your sad thoughts may go Where War and Winter now, two spectre-wolves, Hunt in the freezing vapour that involves Those Asian […]