Analysis of Olney Hymn 50: The Christian

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



Honor and happiness unite
To make the Christian's name a praise;
How fair the scene, how clear the light,
That fills the remnant of His days!

A kingly character He bears,
No change His priestly office knows;
Unfading is the crown He wears,
His joys can never reach a close.

Adorn'd with glory from on high,
Salvation shines upon His face;
His robe is of the ethereal dye,
His steps are dignity and grace.

Inferior honors He disdains,
Nor stoops to take applause from earth;
The King of kings Himself maintains
The expenses of His heavenly birth.

The noblest creature seen below,
Ordain'd to fill a throne above;
God gives him all He can bestow,
His kingdom of eternal love!

My soul is ravished at the thought!
Methinks from earth I see Him rise!
Angels congratulate His lot,
And shout Him welcome to the skies.


Scheme ABAB CXCX DEDE FGFG HIHI XJXJ
Poetic Form Quatrain  (83%)
Metre 1001001 1101101 11011101 11010111 01010011 11110101 110111 11110101 01110111 01010111 1111001001 11110001 010010101 11110111 01110101 0010111001 01010101 01110101 11111101 11010101 1111101 1111111 1001011 01110101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 818
Words 147
Sentences 9
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 107
Words per stanza (avg) 24
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

45 sec read
54

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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