Old Poetry Poetry • Poets • Essays • Forums •

James Thomson

I lived from 1700-1748. I was from Scotland.

I influenced poet Andre Marie de Chenier.

James Thomson was the most celebrated Scottish poet of the 1700's until Robert Burns. In 1725, he traveled from Scotland to London where he published his masterpiece, The Seasons (1726-1730, revised 1744-1746). Thomson broke with the witty artificial poetic style of his day. He turned to nature for his subject matter, and wrote fresh, vivid descriptions of natural scenes in rich blank verse. This style led to the romantic movement later in the 1700's. Thomson was born in Ednam in the Scottish lowlands.

Popular poetry

Search my poetry:
1 - 10 of 93  Show all by written, popularity, title, first line
  • Summer
    Now swarms the village o'er the jovial mead:
    The rustic youth, brown with meridian toil,
    18 lines, 1 comment
  • The Four Seasons : Spring
    Come, gentle Spring! ethereal Mildness! come,
    And from the bosom of yon dropping cloud,
    1172 lines
  • Spring Showers
    The north-east spends his rage; he now shut up
    Within his iron cave, th' effusive south
    42 lines
  • A Hymn
    These, as they change, Almighty Father, these
    Are but the varied God. The rolling year
    118 lines
  • Rule, Britannia! (With Variations)
    When Britain first, at heaven's command,
      Arose from out the azure main;
    40 lines, 1 comment
  • On A Country Life
    I hate the clamours of the smoky towns,
    But much admire the bliss of rural clowns;
    107 lines
  • Sheep-Sheering
    In one diffusive band,
    They drive the troubled flocks, by many a dog
    51 lines
  • A Poem Sacred to the Memory of Sir Isaac Newton
    Shall the great soul of Newton quit this earth,
    To mingle with his stars; and every muse,
    209 lines
  • Evening In Autumn
    The western sun withdrawn the shorten'd day,
    And humid evening, gliding o'er the sky
    21 lines
  • The Effects of Spring on Nature
    See where the winding vale its lavish stores,
    Irriguous, spreads. See, how the lily drinks
    31 lines
1 - 10 of 93  Show all by written, popularity, title, first line

Start a forum topic about this poet

, Content