In the grand tapestry of American literature, the threads of the famous are often woven with the brightest gold, their names—Whitman, Dickinson, Poe—echoing through the ages. But the strength and beauty of the cloth also depend on the countless subtle, sturdy threads that provide its foundation, its texture, and its often overlooked complexity. Phoebe Cary was one such thread. A poet of sharp wit, profound empathy, a…
“Alice, you have no idea what a rakish appearance you present. I’ll get you the hand-glass that you may see how you wear your cap.”
Neighbourhood:
American Poets, Hymn Writers, Victorian Poets, Women Poets
Emotional landscape: Sorrow, Longing, Tenderness
William Whiting was born on 1 November 1825 in Kensington, then a rapidly changing western district of London, and died in Winchester on 3 May 1878. He is remembered above all as the author of “Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” the hymn later known throughout much of the English-speaking world as the Navy Hymn. That single work has achieved a cultural reach far beyond the scale of its author’s surviving literary reput…
Neighbourhood:
Devotional Poets, Hymn Writers, Victorian Poets
Emotional landscape: Spirituality, Peace, Tenderness
