Poems

T H E P O E M S

OF

W I L L I A M C O W P E R

FOURTH EDITION

LONDON :

THOMAS ARNOLD

1844

DESCRIPTION

(ii) + x + 607 + (ii)

Book measures 190mm x 125mm approximately.

Nicely bound in half very dark blue calf over marbled boards. Spine with four wide gilt-ruled raised bands and blind-tooled motif to each compartment. Maroon title label. All page edges marbled. Tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece to title page verso plus other tissue-guarded engravings throughout. Colour tinted illustration to title page.

CONDITION

In overall good condition with binding holding firm and tight. Some surface scratches and marks to spine and boards with the occasional chip to edges, and minor bumping to corners. Internally, the pages are quite clean, with some light spotting and the odd blemish, more so to engraving pages and end-papers. Neat bookplate to front paste-down.

Overall, a very decent copy of Cowper's poems.

INTERESTING

William Cowper (1731 to 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. 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 poetry. Cowper suffered from depression and insanity throughout his life and devoted much of his writing to religious works and the anti-slavery movement.

After being institutionalised for insanity, Cowper found refuge in a fervent evangelical 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 (who wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace") led to much of the poetry for which he is best remembered, and to the series of Olney Hymns. His poem "Light Shining out of Darkness" 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. 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.