Although not a complete bibliography of his poetic work, this delightful compendium comprises a collection of Cowper s most influential and celebrated poems. A worthy addition to any bookshelf and a must-have for both collectors of Cowper and connoisseurs of 18th century poetry, the contents of this classic text were pivotal in shaping and defining English nature poetry genre in the 1700s. One of the great poets of his time, William Cowper was an important figure in the establishment of nature poetry and was one of the main progenitors of Romantic poetry. Hailed as the best modern poet by Samuel Coleridge, Cowper wrote many seminal poetic works, the most influential of which include: The Task (_1785), Olney Hymns (1779), and John Gilpin (1782). William Cowper was an English hymnodist and poet, most notably renowned for his contributions to early romantic poetry. We are proud to republish this scarce book with an introductory biography of the author."