Nonfiction:
A Vindication of Providence: Or, A True Estimate of Human Life, 1728
An Apology for Princes: Or, The Reverence Due to Government, 1729
The Centaur Not Fabulous: In Six Letters to a Friend on the Life in Vogue, 1755
An Argument Drawn from the Circumstances of Christ’s Death for the Truth of His Religion, 1758
Conjectures on Original Composition in a Letter to the Author of Sir Charles Grandison, 1759 (better known as Conjectures on Original Composition)
Drama:
Busiris, King of Egypt, pr., pb. 1719
The Revenge, pr., pb. 1721
The Brothers, wr. 1724, pr., pb. 1753
Poetry:
An Epistle to the Right Honourable the Lord Landsdowne, 1713
A Poem on the Last Day, 1713
The Force of Religion: Or, Vanquished Love, a Poem, in Two Books, 1714
On the Late Queen’s Death, and His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne, 1714
A Paraphrase on Part of the Book of Job, 1719
A Letter to Mr. Tickell Occasioned by the Death of Joseph Addison, 1719
The Instalment to the Right Honourable Sir Robert Walpole, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, 1726
Cynthio, 1727
Love of Fame, the Universal Passion: In Seven Characteristical Satires, 1728 (verse satires)
Ocean: An Ode Occasion’d by His Majesty’s Late Royal Encouragement of the Sea-Service, 1728
Imperium Pelagi: A Naval Lyrick, Written in Imitation of Pindar’s Spirit, 1730
Two Epistles to Mr. Pope, Concerning the Authors of the Age, 1730
The Foreign Address: Or, The Best Argument for Peace, 1735
The Poetical Works of the Reverend Edward Young, 1741
The Complaint: Or, Night Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality, 1742-1746 (commonly known as Night-Thoughts)
Resignation: In Two Parts, and Postscript, 1762
Miscellaneous:
The Complete Works, Poetry and Prose, of the Rev. Edward Young, 1854
The poet, critic, and dramatist Edward Young was born at Upham, near Winchester, probably in early July, 1683, the son of Edward Young, rector of Upham and fellow of Winchester. Young probably deserved the comment of Alexander Pope, that he had spent “a foolish youth, the sport of peers and poets.” He very likely was not then the pious man of religion and morality that he later became.
Young graduated from Oxford as a bachelor of civil law on April 23, 1714, and as a doctor of civil law on June 10, 1719. Thereafter he capitalized on his friendships and acquaintances as he attempted to make his way in the world and gain admittance to literary circles. He wrote many and various “literary” works on many and various subjects, from literature to politics, some of which he later regretted.
Although he wrote two successful blank verse tragedies, Busiris, King of Egypt and The Brothers, Young is remembered primarily for his long blank verse meditation on death, The Complaint: Or, Night Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality. This work went through hundreds of reprints, editions, and translations during the following centuries, and it was illustrated by William Blake. By the early 1740’s Young had become wealthy and, although he continued to write, his creative powers had weakened. He eventually sank into melancholy and irritability.