The poems of William Cowper, with notes from his own correspondence |
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Page 50
Complacency has breath ' d a gentle gale O ' er all his thoughts , and swell ' d his
easy sail : His books well trimm ' d and in the gayest style , Like regimental
coxcombs , rank and file , Adorn his intellects as well as shelves , And teach him
...
Complacency has breath ' d a gentle gale O ' er all his thoughts , and swell ' d his
easy sail : His books well trimm ' d and in the gayest style , Like regimental
coxcombs , rank and file , Adorn his intellects as well as shelves , And teach him
...
Page 76
0 , querulous and weak whose useless brain Once thought of nothing , and now
thinks in vain ; Whose eye reverted weeps o ' er all the past , Whose prospect
shows thee a disheart ' ning waste ; Would age in thee resign his wintry reign ,
And ...
0 , querulous and weak whose useless brain Once thought of nothing , and now
thinks in vain ; Whose eye reverted weeps o ' er all the past , Whose prospect
shows thee a disheart ' ning waste ; Would age in thee resign his wintry reign ,
And ...
Page 165
A Sweet sleep enjoys the curate in his desk , no The tedious rector drawling o ' er
his head ; A And sweet the clerk below . But neither sleep Of lazy nurse , who
snores the sick man dead ; NI Nor his , who quits the box at midnight hour , To ...
A Sweet sleep enjoys the curate in his desk , no The tedious rector drawling o ' er
his head ; A And sweet the clerk below . But neither sleep Of lazy nurse , who
snores the sick man dead ; NI Nor his , who quits the box at midnight hour , To ...
Page 170
Now roves the eye ; And , posted on this speculative height , Exults in its
command . The sheepfold here Pours out its fleecy tenants o ' er the glebe . At
first , progressive as a stream , they seek The middle field ; but , scatter ' d by
degrees ...
Now roves the eye ; And , posted on this speculative height , Exults in its
command . The sheepfold here Pours out its fleecy tenants o ' er the glebe . At
first , progressive as a stream , they seek The middle field ; but , scatter ' d by
degrees ...
Page 289
He lives , and o ' er his brimming beaker boasts ( As if barbarity were high desert
) Th ' inglorious feat , and clamorous in praise Of the poor brute , seems wisely to
supposedly The honours of his matchless horse his own . But many a crime ...
He lives , and o ' er his brimming beaker boasts ( As if barbarity were high desert
) Th ' inglorious feat , and clamorous in praise Of the poor brute , seems wisely to
supposedly The honours of his matchless horse his own . But many a crime ...
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The Poems of William Cowper, with Notes from His Own Correspondence William Cowper No preview available - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
beauty beneath cause charms clear close course death delight divine dream earth ease ev'ry eyes face fair fall fancy fear feel field fire flow'r folly force fruit give glory grace half hand happy hast head hear heard heart Heav'n hope hour human kind land least leaves less light live lost means mind nature never night once peace perhaps play pleasure poor pow'r praise prove rest scene seek seems seen sense shine side sight skies smile song soon soul sound speak stand stream sweet task taste teach thee theme thine things thou thought thousand true truth turn virtue voice waste wind wisdom wise wish worth wrong
Popular passages
Page 377 - Until he came unto the Wash Of Edmonton so gay ; And there he threw the Wash about, On both sides of the way, Just like unto a trundling mop, Or a wild goose at play. At Edmonton his loving wife From the balcony spied Her tender husband, wondering much To see how he did ride. " Stop, stop, John Gilpin ! Here's the house!
Page 335 - But alas ! recollection at hand Soon hurries me back to despair. But the sea-fowl is gone to her nest, The beast is laid down in his lair, Even here is a season of rest, And I to my cabin repair. There's mercy in every place, And mercy, encouraging thought ! Gives even affliction a grace, And reconciles man to his lot.
Page 408 - Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace ; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
Page 398 - I heard the bell toll'd on thy burial day, I saw the hearse that bore thee slow away, And, turning from my nursery window, drew A long, long sigh, and wept a last adieu ! But was it such?
Page 334 - 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.
Page 398 - I see, The same that oft in childhood solaced me ; Voice only fails, else how distinct they say, " Grieve not, my child, chase all thy fears away!
Page 340 - On the whole it appears, and my argument shows With a reasoning the court will never condemn, That the spectacles plainly were made for the Nose, And the Nose was as plainly intended for them. Then shifting his side, (as a lawyer knows how) He pleaded again in behalf of the Eyes ; But what were his arguments few people know, For the court did not think they were equally wise. So his lordship decreed, with a grave solemn tone, Decisive and clear, without one IF or BUT — That, whenever the Nose put...
Page 193 - Support and ornament of Virtue's cause. There stands the messenger of truth: there stands The legate of the skies! — His theme divine, His office sacred, his credentials clear. By him the violated law speaks out Its thunders ; and by him, in strains as sweet As angels use, the gospel whispers peace.
Page 400 - Shoots into port at some well-havened isle, Where spices breathe, and brighter seasons smile, There sits quiescent on the floods, that show Her beauteous form reflected clear below, "While airs impregnated with incense play Around her, fanning light her streamers gay ; So thou, with sails how swift ! hast reached the shore, " Where tempests never beat nor billows roar," And thy loved consort on the dangerous tide Of life long since has anchored by thy side.
Page 400 - Would'st softly speak, and stroke my head, and smile) — Could those few pleasant days again appear, Might one wish bring them, would I wish them here ? I would not trust my heart — the dear delight Seems so to be desir'd, perhaps I might.
Bibliographic information
| Title | The poems of William Cowper, with notes from his own correspondence |
| Author | William Cowper |
| Published | 1824 |
| Original from | Oxford University |
| Digitized | 25 Sep 2006 |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |