William Bryant

William Cullen Bryant was born in Cummington, Massachusetts on November 3, 1794. His home in Cummington was surrounded by brooks, rivers, rocky hills, and woods. Bryant’s mother was Sarah Snell Bryant. His father, Doctor Peter Bryant, was a strict Calvinist who loved poetry, music, and was also one of the strongest men in the countryside. As a child, Bryant was sickly, but his father’s training turned him into a husky boy. Bryant attended the district …

…a candidate for President. Introduction William Cullen Bryant was a defender of human rights and a supporter of free trade, the abolition of slavery, and other improvements. Bryant was also an advocate of the hands off economic policy also known as “Laissez-Faire”. He is best known for his early poem, “Thanatopsis”, which granted him universal recognition. Other well known poems include “To a Waterfowl” and “The Prairies”. Bryant also translated “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”.