William Cowper (1731-1800)
Sonnet to William Wilberforce, Esq.
1 Thy country, Wilberforce, with just disdain,
2Hears thee, by cruel men and impious, call'd
3Fanatic, for thy zeal to loose th' enthrall'd
4From exile, public sale, and slav'ry's chain.
5Friend of the poor, the wrong'd, the fetter-gall'd,
6Fear not lest labour such as thine be vain!
7Thou hast achiev'd a part; hast gain'd the ear
8Of Britain's senate to thy glorious cause;
9Hope smiles, joy springs, and tho' cold caution pause
10And weave delay, the better hour is near,
11That shall remunerate thy toils severe
12By peace for Afric, fenc'd with British laws.
13 Enjoy what thou hast won, esteem and love
14 From all the just on earth, and all the blest above!
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Northampton Mercury (April 16, 1792).
First publication date:
16
April
1792
RPO poem editor: N. J. Endicott
RP edition: 2RP 1.758.
Recent editing: 4:2002/2/12
Form: Sonnet
Rhyme: abbabccddccdff
Other poems by William Cowper
