Skip directly to:Main content Main navigation

University of Virginia Library

The Works of William Cowper

Comprising his poems, correspondence, and translations. With a life of the author, by the editor, Robert Southey

Cowper, William (1731-1800)

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

collapse section

X.

ON THE LOSS OF THE ROYAL GEORGE.

THE NEGRO'S COMPLAINT.

PITY FOR POOR AFRICANS.

THE MORNING DREAM.

SWEET MEAT HAS SOUR SAUCE:

THE VALEDICTION.

ON THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO LONDON, THE NIGHT OF THE 17TH MARCH, 1789.

ANNUS MEMORABILIS. 1789.

THE COCK-FIGHTER'S GARLAND.

ON THE BENEFIT RECEIVED BY HIS MAJESTY FROM SEA-BATHING, IN THE YEAR 1789.

TO MRS. THROCKMORTON,

INSCRIPTION FOR A STONE ERECTED AT THE SOWING OF A GROVE OF OAKS AT CHILLINGTON, THE SEAT OF T. GIFFARD, ESQ. 1790.

ANOTHER, FOR A STONE ERECTED ON A SIMILAR OCCASION AT THE SAME PLACE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

HYMN FOR THE USE OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL AT OLNEY.

STANZAS ON THE LATE INDECENT LIBERTIES TAKEN WITH THE REMAINS OF THE GREAT MILTON,—ANNO 1790.

TO MRS. KING, ON HER KIND PRESENT TO THE AUTHOR, A PATCHWORK COUNTERPANE OF HER OWN MAKING.

IN MEMORY OF THE LATE JOHN THORNTON, ESQ.

TO WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ.

THE JUDGEMENT OF THE POETS.

THE MORALIZER CORRECTED.

THE FAITHFUL BIRD.

THE NEEDLESS ALARM.

INSCRIPTION FOR THE TOMB OF MR. HAMILTON.

EPITAPH ON MRS. M. HIGGINS, OF WESTON.

THE RETIRED CAT.

TO THE NIGHTINGALE, WHICH THE AUTHOR HEARD SING ON NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1792.

LINES WRITTEN FOR INSERTION IN A COLLECTION OF HANDWRITINGS AND SIGNATURES MADE BY MISS PATTY, SISTER OF HANNAH MORE.

EPITAPH ON A FREE BUT TAME REDBREAST, A FAVOURITE OF MISS SALLY HURDIS.

SONNET TO WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ.

EPIGRAM. (PRINTED IN THE NORTHAMPTON MERCURY.)

TO DR. AUSTIN, OF CECIL STREET, LONDON.

SONNET ADDRESSED TO WILLIAM HAYLEY, ESQ.

TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

ON THE AUTHOR OF LETTERS ON LITERATURE.

TO THE REV. WILLIAM BULL.

CATHARINA: THE SECOND PART.

ON THE RECEIPT OF MY MOTHER'S PICTURE OUT OF NORFOLK, THE GIFT OF MY COUSIN, ANN BODHAM.

THE POPLAR FIELD.

ON A MISCHIEVOUS BULL, WHICH THE OWNER OF HIM SOLD AT THE AUTHOR'S INSTANCE.

EPITAPH ON FOP, A DOG BELONGING TO LADY THROCKMORTON.

SONNET TO GEORGE ROMNEY, ESQ.

ON RECEIVING HAYLEY'S PICTURE.

EPITAPH ON MR. CHESTER, OF CHICHELEY.

ON A PLANT OF VIRGIN'S-BOWER,

TO MY COUSIN, ANNE BODHAM, ON RECEIVING FROM HER A NETWORK PURSE, MADE BY HERSELF.

INSCRIPTION FOR AN HERMITAGE IN THE AUTHOR'S GARDEN.

TO JOHN JOHNSON, ON HIS PRESENTING ME WITH AN ANTIQUE BUST OF HOMER.

TO A YOUNG FRIEND, ON HIS ARRIVING AT CAMBRIDGE WET, WHEN NO RAIN HAD FALLEN THERE.

TO WILLIAM HAYLEY, ESQ.

ON A SPANIEL, CALLED BEAU, KILLING A YOUNG BIRD.

TO THE SPANISH ADMIRAL COUNT GRAVINA, ON HIS TRANSLATING THE AUTHOR'S SONG ON A ROSE INTO ITALIAN VERSE.

ON FLAXMAN'S PENELOPE.

ON RECEIVING HEYNE'S VIRGIL FROM MR. HAYLEY.

ON THE ICE ISLANDS, SEEN FLOATING IN THE GERMAN OCEAN.

THE SALAD. BY VIRGIL.

MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTION TO WILLIAM NORTHCOT.

IN SEDITIONEM HORRENDAM,

[Cowper had sinn'd with some excuse]

STANZAS SUBJOINED TO THE YEARLY BILL OF MORTALITY OF THE PARISH OF ALL-SAINTS, NORTHAMPTON, Anno Domini 1787.

ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the Year 1788.

ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the Year 1789.

ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the Year 1790.

ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the Year 1792.

ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the Year 1793.

TRANSLATIONS FROM VINCENT BOURNE.

TRANSLATIONS OF THE LATIN AND ITALIAN POEMS OF MILTON.

[TRANSLATIONS OF LATIN VERSES.]

TRANSLATIONS OF GREEK VERSES.

ADAM: A SACRED DRAMA.

XI, XII.

[Vol. XI., XII.]

XIII, XIV.

[Vol. XIII., XIV.]

XV.

collapse section

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

ON THE REED.

I was of late a barren plant,
Useless, insignificant,
Nor fig, nor grape, nor apple bore,
A native of the marshy shore;
But gather'd for poetic use,
And plunged into a sable juice,
Of which my modicum I sip
With narrow mouth and slender lip,
At once, although by nature dumb,
All eloquent I have become,
And speak with fluency untired,
As if by Phœbus' self inspired.