The Works of Francis Thompson (4 vols.)

by Francis Thompson

Publishers:

Dodd, Mead and Company; Charles Scribner’s Sons; Burns Oates & Washbourne

, 1922

Overview

Francis Thompson lived a life as dramatic as his poetry. His father was a doctor, and he came from a Catholic family. He was educated at Ushaw, but after failing to follow in his father’s footsteps as a doctor, Thompson moved to London and lived for three years as a destitute and homeless vagabond. He attempted to make money through bookselling, shoemaking, selling matches, and calling cabs. He was also a recipient of patronage from a wealthy couple. Upon writing and submitting a small poem for publication, Thompson’s literary career took off and he was able to leave the streets and an opium addiction that had wrecked his health.

Professional relationships, friends, and a period of time at Premonstratensian monastery inspired him to produce “Daisy” and the magnificent “Ode to the Setting Sun”. He made some impact on the literary world during his life, but his literary prowess was most fully recognized after his death. This collection contains his entire body of work, including pen and ink illustrations for The Hound of Heaven. This shining light of Christian intellect and non-traditional devotional fervor left a small and impactful collection of poems and prose. His relationship to the church is ever present in his spiritual and observational writings. Take a journey into the mind of a poet who was daily reminded of God’s pursuit of his soul.

Key Features

• Contains poems, prose and illustrations
• Focuses on spiritual and poetic themes
• Examines an idealized heart of Christian devotion

Praise for the Print Edition

The interest aroused by Thompson is as strongly religious as it is literary.

—Current Opinion, Volume 56

Product Details

• Title: The Works of Francis Thompson
• Author: Francis Thompson
• Volumes: 4
• Pages: 805
• Resource Type: Collected Works, Poetry
• Topic: Spirituality

About Francis Thompson

Francis Thompson (1859–1907), was an English poet and literary critic. His father was a doctor, and he came from a Catholic family. He was educated at Ushaw, but failed to follow in his father’s footsteps as a doctor. Thompson moved to London and lived for three years as a destitute and homeless vagabond. He attempted to make money through bookselling, shoemaking, selling matches, and calling cabs. He was also a recipient of patronage from a wealthy couple. Upon writing and submitting a small poem for publication, Thompson’s literary career took off and he was able to leave the streets and an opium addiction that had wrecked his health. Upon his death, G.K. Chesterton commented, “we lost the greatest poetic energy since Browning.”