William Cowper (1731 - 1800)

Born 26 Nov 1731 in Great Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England

Ancestors

Died 25 Apr 1800 at age 68 in East Dereham, Norfolk, England

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Biography

William Cowper is Notable.

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. ©2014 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org William Cowper was born on 15 November 1731^[1][2] He was the son of Reverend John Cowper and Anne Donne.^[3] He died on 25 April 1800 at age 68.^[4]

[1]

William's father John Cowper ... William's mother Anne Donne ...

William was educated at Westminster School, Westminster, London, England.^[5] He was admitted to Middle Temple in 1748.^[6] He was a practising Barrister-at-Law in 1754.^[7]

William was an English poet^[8] and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th-century nature poetry by writing about 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 poem Yardley-Oak[2]. He was a nephew of the poet Judith Madan[3].

Although after being institutionalized for insanity in the period 1763–65, Cowper found refuge in a fervent evangelical Christianity, the inspiration behind his much-loved hymns, he often experienced doubt and after a dream in 1773 believed that he was doomed to eternal damnation. 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.^[9]

His poem "Light Shining out of Darkness" gave the English language the idiom "God moves in a mysterious way / His wonders to perform."^[10]

Light Shining out of Darkness

"God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

"Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill

He treasures up his bright designs,

And works his sovereign will.

"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.

"His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower."

-- William Cowper

Hymns

Olney Hymns From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Olney Hymns /ˈoʊni/ 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 of relatively poor and uneducated followers. The Olney Hymns are an illustration of the potent ideologies of the Evangelical movement, to which both men belonged, present in many communities in England at the time.

House where Cowper lived in Olney

The Olney Hymns were very popular; by 1836 there had been 37 recorded editions, and it is likely that many other editions were printed in both Britain and America. As hymn-singing gained popularity in the nineteenth century, many (around 25) of the hymns were reproduced in other hymn books and pamphlets. Today around six of the original 348 Olney Hymns regularly feature in modern church worship, the most famous of which is "Amazing Grace". [4]

[5]

Cowper is represented with fifteen hymns in "The Church Hymnbook 1872":

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

886 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

1199 Comfort for the Church

Cowper and Newton Museum

[6]

See also:

1. Academy of American Poets[7]
2. The Poetry Foundation[8]
3. The Cyber Hymnal[9]
4. Christian Classics Ethereal Library [10]
5. Encyclopedia.com[11]
6. British poet | Britannica.com[12]
7. Books by Cowper, William Project Gutenberg[13]
8. Letters of William Cowper[14]

• THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER
  • Translated by
  • WILLIAM COWPER

[15]

• Internet Archive Search
• William Cowper (archive.org)

Citing this Record

WikiTree contributors, "William Cowper (1731 - 1800)," WikiTree, http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cowper-19 (accessed May 23, 2024).

Sources

1. ↑ The New Extinct Peerage. mrl
2. ↑ Date of birth, 26 November 1731, is given in New Style (Gregorian calendar). Old Style date is 15 November 1731. (1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.
3. ↑ The New Extinct Peerage. mrl
4. ↑ The New Extinct Peerage. mrl
5. ↑ The New Extinct Peerage. mrl
6. ↑ The New Extinct Peerage. mrl
7. ↑ L. G. Pine, The New Extinct Peerage, page 87. mrl
8. ↑ The New Extinct Peerage. mrl
9. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "William Cowper," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Cowper&oldid=564929743 (accessed August 4, 2013).
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z0e_xSC8to

• Olney Hymns http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olney_Hymns
• Wikipedia contributors, "William Cowper," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Cowper (accessed August 4, 2013).
• L. G. Pine, The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971: Containing Extinct, Abeyant, Dormant and Suspended Peerages With Genealogies and Arms (London, U.K.: Heraldry Today, 1972), page 86. Hereinafter cited as The New Extinct Peerage.
• Darryl Lundy, "The Peerage," A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain as well as the royal families of Europe http://www.thepeerage.com/p23231.htm#i232308

See also:

• 'Virginia Woolf' a biography by her nephew Quentin Bell, published by The Hogarth Press, Pimlico, London in 1996. ISBN 0 7126 7450 0, includes extensive family trees. Hundreds of friends, professional connections and people in the 'Bloomsbury set' are also mentioned in the text.'Virginia Woolf' a biography by her nephew Quentin Bell

Footnotes

• NNDB William Cowper Biography
• Gathers Singing There is a Fountain
• There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

Acknowledgments

WikiTree Primary Contributors:

• This person was created through the import of "Barron Family," by Lancelot Barron on 2 February 2011.
• Entered by Catherine Evans, 3 August 2013.
• Biography by Michael Lechner, 4 August 2013.
• Entered by Kenneth Shelton, July 2014.

See also the Changes page for the details of edits by others.