William Cullen Bryant (1794 - 1878)
Cummington, Massachusetts, United States

"Here the free spirit of mankind, at length,
Throws its last fetters off; and who shall place
A limit to the giant's unchained strength,
Or curb his swiftness in the forward race?"

William Cullen Bryant was erudite at a young age. This child-prodigy published his first poem at the age of ten, followed by a political satire of Jefferson at the age of thirteen. His father provided Bryant with a library collection of classical books, which heavily influenced his writing. Bryant would heavily edit his works before publishing them. He wished people to praise his work not for its distinct American individuality yet for its merit, as it stands alone. Bryant focused on technique to express his thoughts. His poetic theory and practice, founded upon romantic principles of emotional expression, naturalness, simplicity, spontaneity, irregularity, and freedom, set him squarely in the Romantic Movement. Bryant was also a lawyer and an editor for the New York Evening Post. And as he made more money in journalism, he abandoned his poetic talent. Bryant was also enthusiastic about politics. Bryant was a proponent of "Laissez-Faire", hands-off , economic policy. He opposed tariffs of any kind, as we saw in his earliest book where he satirizes the embargo of U.S. goods to the European ports. He was against slavery, endorsing the Free-Soil party, the Republican party, and Lincoln. His influence from the editorial desk of the New York Evening Post was great. He published poetry, but his first collected edition included only five previously unpublished poems. Bryant's place in literary history is not altogether secure. He is regarded as falling somewhat short of his potential. Although he published little as he became immersed in the journalistic life, he was extremely popular in his time and even one time was named as a candidate for President.

Works
"Thanatopsis," 1817
Poems, 1821
Lectures on Poetry -1826
Letters of a Traveler -1850
Poetry
"The Embargo"- 1808
"Inscription for the Entrance to a Wood," "Thanatopsis," "The Yellow Violet," "To a Waterfowl"- 1815
"The Burial Place"- 1818
"Oh Fairest of the Rural Maids"- 1820
"The Ages"-1821
"Monument Mountain"- 1824
"A Forest Hymn"- 1825
"To the Fringed Gentian"- 1832
"The Prairies"- 1833
"Earth," "To the Apennines"- 1835
"The Fountain"- 1839
"The Antiquity of Freedom"- 1842
"The White-Footed Deer"- 1843
"October, 1866"- 1866
"Among Trees"- 1868.

Additional Information
Works By Bryant - http://www.4literature.net/William_Cullen_Bryant/

Sources:
Yarborough, Wynn . "William Cullen Bryant." Virginia Commonwealth University. 1996. http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/eng372/brybio.htm