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Twilight Hours: A Legacy of Verse
A posthumous collection of the poetry of Sarah Williams, who died in 1868 at the age of 31. The book includes an introduction by the book's editor and collector, the scholar E.H. Plumptre.
- GenresPoetryClassicsNonfiction
340 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1868
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About the author
Sarah Williams
11 books118 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Sarah Williams (1837–1868) was an English poet, probably best known as the author of the poem "The Old Astronomer", also known as "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil", that begins "Reach me down my Tycho Brahe..." and contains the famous line "I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."
A segment of her poem is used in the introduction to Ian Rankin's novel Set in Darkness.
Though my soul may set in darkness,
it will rise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly
to be fearful of the night.
She published short works and one collection of poetry during her lifetime under the pseudonyms Sadie and S.A.D.I., the former of which she considered her name rather than a nom de plume. Her posthumously published second poetry collection and novel appeared under her given name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_W...
Sarah Williams (1837–1868) was an English poet, probably best known as the author of the poem "The Old Astronomer", also known as "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil", that begins "Reach me down my Tycho Brahe..." and contains the famous line "I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."
A segment of her poem is used in the introduction to Ian Rankin's novel Set in Darkness.
Though my soul may set in darkness,
it will rise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly
to be fearful of the night.
She published short works and one collection of poetry during her lifetime under the pseudonyms Sadie and S.A.D.I., the former of which she considered her name rather than a nom de plume. Her posthumously published second poetry collection and novel appeared under her given name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_W...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 10, 2015
"I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night." - The Old Astronomer
This poetry was written by a young woman in the mid 1800's and published after her death. Her life isn't well documented, even the book's introduction described her from a slightly removed perspective. Regardless, if you read her poetry you can see that she loved, lost, and adventured: at least through literature. There is a bittersweet aspect to reading the poetry of someone who died young.
In a letter she wrote, "Somebody asked me once what I should do if I found myself at the head of a household? I said, 'Abdicate.'" While she never did acquire a household to abdicate from, she left this accidental inheritance of poetry.
As the book's introduction states, Sadie wrote the way birds sing, spontaneously and naturally. Sometimes she drifts into cliche (as when raindrops are compared to teardrops or her sometimes rote religious poems), but her utter lack of pretension is genuinely charming. The variety of the subjects are also a mark in its favor. The collection features love poems full of ghosts and funny poems about children.
The poems have simple rhyme schemes, but those rhymes are still occasionally beautiful. God, death, love, and children are the subjects most often examined, and at some length. Sadie was intensely spiritual, though she writes about falling asleep in church consistently. Her devotion was more to the ideas of heaven, love, and personal devotion than to the religious institution.
I admit, the poems' quality is inconsistent. It varies from trite to sublime.
The following are my favorites:
GOD'S WAY
I said, "The darkness shall content my soul ; "
God said," Let there be light."
I said, "The night shall see me reach my goal;"
Instead, came dawning bright.
I bared my head to meet the smiter's stroke ;
There came sweet dropping oil.
I waited, trembling, but the voice that spoke,
Said gently, "Cease thy toil."
I looked for evil, stem of face and pale ;
Came good, too fair to tell.
I leant on God when other joys did fail ;
He gave me these as well.
AGAINST TEARS
This world is all too sad for tears,
I would not weep, not I,
But smile along my life's short road,
Until I, smiling, die.
The little flowers breathe sweetness out
Through all the dewy night ;
Should I more churlish be than they,
And 'plain for constant light?
Not so, not so, no load of woe
Need bring despairing frown ;
For while we bear it, we can bear,
Past that, we lay it down.
This poetry was written by a young woman in the mid 1800's and published after her death. Her life isn't well documented, even the book's introduction described her from a slightly removed perspective. Regardless, if you read her poetry you can see that she loved, lost, and adventured: at least through literature. There is a bittersweet aspect to reading the poetry of someone who died young.
In a letter she wrote, "Somebody asked me once what I should do if I found myself at the head of a household? I said, 'Abdicate.'" While she never did acquire a household to abdicate from, she left this accidental inheritance of poetry.
As the book's introduction states, Sadie wrote the way birds sing, spontaneously and naturally. Sometimes she drifts into cliche (as when raindrops are compared to teardrops or her sometimes rote religious poems), but her utter lack of pretension is genuinely charming. The variety of the subjects are also a mark in its favor. The collection features love poems full of ghosts and funny poems about children.
The poems have simple rhyme schemes, but those rhymes are still occasionally beautiful. God, death, love, and children are the subjects most often examined, and at some length. Sadie was intensely spiritual, though she writes about falling asleep in church consistently. Her devotion was more to the ideas of heaven, love, and personal devotion than to the religious institution.
I admit, the poems' quality is inconsistent. It varies from trite to sublime.
The following are my favorites:
GOD'S WAY
I said, "The darkness shall content my soul ; "
God said," Let there be light."
I said, "The night shall see me reach my goal;"
Instead, came dawning bright.
I bared my head to meet the smiter's stroke ;
There came sweet dropping oil.
I waited, trembling, but the voice that spoke,
Said gently, "Cease thy toil."
I looked for evil, stem of face and pale ;
Came good, too fair to tell.
I leant on God when other joys did fail ;
He gave me these as well.
AGAINST TEARS
This world is all too sad for tears,
I would not weep, not I,
But smile along my life's short road,
Until I, smiling, die.
The little flowers breathe sweetness out
Through all the dewy night ;
Should I more churlish be than they,
And 'plain for constant light?
Not so, not so, no load of woe
Need bring despairing frown ;
For while we bear it, we can bear,
Past that, we lay it down.
January 15, 2024
The only words that could do her work justice are words written by Williams herself.
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September 25, 2010will this book it's important I now now how to read so this book help me
June 12, 2023
Deserves so much more love
I love this collection and have ordered her earlier work, I can’t believe she isn’t better known. This poetry is very thought provoking, intriguing and I really, really wish we knew more about her life, herself as a person and even her death.
Some poems are stunning and I reread them over and over just searching for every speck of meaning, some were not very well written but it seems to add to her charm as an author.
Each poem is it’s own story and some in the middle are crafted in a way that the poems go back and forth in a conversation between lovers. It really is just beautiful and ingenious.
You can really hear the poet’s voice in her work and her writing, though often simple, just draws you in.
I wonder what she could have gone on to have written if she had not been lost so young?
She sounds so intelligent and educated for a woman of her age and at the time, it really is impressive. I would love to know more on her work in other areas.
I just want to know so much more about her but there’s nothing at all, she loved and lost her Dad, lived in London, attended college, worked to put this book together while suffering from cancer and then gave it to an ex-pupil just before she died during surgery in an attempt to remove it. There’s not a whole lot more on her other than that, and it’s just such a shame, I want to know so much more.
I love this collection and have ordered her earlier work, I can’t believe she isn’t better known. This poetry is very thought provoking, intriguing and I really, really wish we knew more about her life, herself as a person and even her death.
Some poems are stunning and I reread them over and over just searching for every speck of meaning, some were not very well written but it seems to add to her charm as an author.
Each poem is it’s own story and some in the middle are crafted in a way that the poems go back and forth in a conversation between lovers. It really is just beautiful and ingenious.
You can really hear the poet’s voice in her work and her writing, though often simple, just draws you in.
I wonder what she could have gone on to have written if she had not been lost so young?
She sounds so intelligent and educated for a woman of her age and at the time, it really is impressive. I would love to know more on her work in other areas.
I just want to know so much more about her but there’s nothing at all, she loved and lost her Dad, lived in London, attended college, worked to put this book together while suffering from cancer and then gave it to an ex-pupil just before she died during surgery in an attempt to remove it. There’s not a whole lot more on her other than that, and it’s just such a shame, I want to know so much more.
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August 16, 2025Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night.
Williams seems like such an interesting person. Wish there was more about her.
Williams seems like such an interesting person. Wish there was more about her.
May 6, 2019
This is good reading and especially: "The Old Astronomer" and "Is It True?"
June 26, 2019
Some very great poems...a most interesting author.
May 20, 2024
Beautiful observations and turns of phrase.
March 29, 2017
THE OLD ASTRONOMER
You may tell that German college that their honour
comes too late.
But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly
savant's fate;
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in
perfect light;
I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night.
What, my boy, you are not weeping? You should
save your eyes for sight;
You will need them, mine observer, yet for many
another night.
I leave none but you, my pupil, unto whom my plans
are known.
You "have none but me," you murmur, and I " leave
you quite alone "?
You may tell that German college that their honour
comes too late.
But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly
savant's fate;
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in
perfect light;
I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night.
What, my boy, you are not weeping? You should
save your eyes for sight;
You will need them, mine observer, yet for many
another night.
I leave none but you, my pupil, unto whom my plans
are known.
You "have none but me," you murmur, and I " leave
you quite alone "?
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews