Edward Young
An 18th-century poet whose melancholic masterpiece, 'Night Thoughts,' captured the existential dread of an age and became a European sensation.
1683–1765 (age 82)·English poet·Birthday: July 3
Biography
Edward Young spent much of his career as a clergyman waiting for the professional advancement that never quite arrived, a frustration that seeped into his writing. His true impact came not from court poetry but from profound personal grief. Following the deaths of his stepdaughter, her husband, and finally his own wife, Young penned 'The Complaint: or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality.' Published in nine parts between 1742 and 1745, this sprawling, somber work in blank verse was a raw meditation on mortality, faith, and the stars. Its dramatic, emotional tone struck a deep chord, making it one of the most widely read poems of the century. It traveled across Europe, influencing the Sturm und Drang movement and thinkers like Goethe, and its Gothic sensibility later inspired the illustrations of William Blake. Young transformed private sorrow into a public exploration of the soul’s nocturnal struggles.
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Edward's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1683Born
1688Started school
1696Became a teenager
1699Could drive
1701Could vote
1704Turned 21
1713Turned 30
1723Turned 40
1733Turned 50
1743Turned 60
1753Turned 70
1763Turned 80
1765Died at 82
Key Achievements
- Wrote 'Night-Thoughts,' a massively popular and influential long poem that defined the 'graveyard school' of poetry.
- His work directly influenced major European literary figures including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the philosopher Edmund Burke.
- Served as a rector in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, for over two decades, where he wrote much of his famous work.
- Earlier satirical works, like 'The Love of Fame, the Universal Passion,' established his literary reputation.
Did You Know?
He spent nearly 20 years seeking a diplomatic or significant church post, but was largely unsuccessful.
'Night-Thoughts' was famously illustrated by the Romantic poet and artist William Blake decades after its publication.
The phrase “procrastination is the thief of time” originates from his 'Night-Thoughts.'
He was a friend and correspondent of other literary giants like Samuel Richardson and Voltaire.
“Procrastination is the thief of time.”
