1840 in poetry

Events

• The Percy Society is established in Britain to publish scholarly editions of early ballads, poems and other works in English.

Works published in English

[[English poetry|United Kingdom]]

• Thomas Aird, Orthuriel, and Other Poems
• Matthew Arnold, Alaric at Rome
• Robert Browning, Sordello
• Caroline Clive, under the pen name "V", ''IX Poems by 'V'''
• Thomas De Quincey, Recollections of the Lake Poets, final two essays on the Lake Poets published in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (first essay published in 1836; see also Recollections 1835, 1839):
  • "Westmoreland and the Dalesmen," January
  • "Society of the Lakes, I, II, and III," January, March, and June
• Frederick William Faber, The Cherwell Water-Lily, and Other Poems
• Monckton Milnes, Poetry for the People
• Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841; Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
• Robert Owen, The Social Bible
• Percy Bysshe Shelley (died 1822), edited by Mary Shelley, Essays, Letters from Abroad, Translations and Fragments, including the essay "Defence of Poetry"
• William Wordsworth, The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, six volumes (see also reprint of 1842 with a seventh volume of additional poems; Miscellaneous Poems 1820; Poetical Works 1827; Poetical Works 1836; Poems 1845; Poetical Works 1857; Poetical Works, Centenary Edition, 1870)

Other in English

• Philip Pendleton Cooke, "Florence Vane", a popular ballad, often anthologized, written for the author's cousin; first published in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine at Edgar Allan Poe's request; United States
• Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841; Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
• Frances Sargent Osgood, The Casket of Fate, United States
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Wreck of the Hesperus", in New World, January 10, United States

Works published in other languages

• Hans Christian Andersen, Jeg er en Skandinav ("I am a Scandinavian"), Denmark
• José de Espronceda, Poesías, including complete version of El estudiante de Salamanca, Spain
• Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich, Ulrich Zwingli, Switzerland
• Victor Hugo, Les Rayons et les Ombres ("Beams and shadows"), France
• Mikhail Lermontov, Mtsyri ("The Novice"), Russia
• Taras Shevchenko, Kobzar ("The Bard"), Russia
• Henrik Wergeland, Jan van Huysums Blomsterstykke ("Flower-piece by Jan van Huysum"), Norway

Births

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• January 13 – Nicholas Flood Davin (died 1901), Irish-born Canadian lawyer, journalist, politician and poet
• January 18 – Henry Austin Dobson (died 1921), English poet and essayist
• February 2 – Griffith Williams (Gutyn Peris) (died 1838), Welsh poet
• March 5 – Constance Fenimore Woolson (died 1894), American novelist, short-story writer and poet; a grandniece of James Fenimore Cooper
• March 18 – William Cosmo Monkhouse (died 1901), English poet and critic
• June 2 – Thomas Hardy (died 1928), English novelist and poet
• August 17 – Wilfred Scawen Blunt (died 1922), English poet and writer
• September 20 – Ellen Mary Clerke (died 1906), Irish author, journalist, poet and science writer
• October 5 – John Addington Symonds (died 1893), English poet and literary critic

Deaths

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• June 7 – Népomucène Lemercier (born 1771), French poet and playwright
• June 12 – Gerald Griffin (born 1803), Irish novelist, poet and playwright
• July – Goronwy Owen (born 1723), Welsh poet
• July 7 – Nikolai Stankevich (born 1813), Russian philosopher and poet

Notes

References

1. Levine, P. J. A.. (2003). "The Amateur and the Professional: Antiquarians, Historians and Archaeologists in Victorian England 1838–1886". Cambridge University Press.
2. (2004). "The Concise Oxford Chronology of English Literature". Oxford University Press.
3. 978-0-618-16821-7, retrieved via Google Books
4. Ludwig, Richard M., and Clifford A. Nault, Jr., ''Annals of American Literature: 1602–1983'', 1986, New York: Oxford University Press
5. "I am a Scandinavian". Hans Christian Andersen and Music.
6. Rees, William. (1992). "The Penguin book of French poetry: 1820-1950". Penguin.