Sarah Williams (December 1837[a] – 25 April 1868) was an English poet and novelist, most famous as the author of the poem "The Old Astronomer". 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.[1] Her posthumously published second poetry collection and novel appeared under her given name.
Williams was born in December 1837[a] in Marylebone, London, to Welsh father Robert Williams (c. 1807–1868) and English mother Louisa Ware (c. 1811–1886).[2][3] She was very close to her father and considered her "bardic" interests to come from him.[4] As a young child unable to pronounce 'Sarah', she inadvertently gave herself the nickname 'Sadie'.[1] An only child, she was educated first by her doting parents and later governesses.[4] She graduated from Queen's College, London.[4][5]
Although Williams was only half Welsh by birth and never lived outside London, she incorporated Welsh phrases and themes in her poems and Sadie was considered a Welsh poet.[6]
Robert Williams died in January 1868 of a sudden illness. Already suffering from cancer and devastated by the loss of her father, Sarah's condition deteriorated.[4] After three additional months of hiding the cancer from her friend and mother, she agreed to surgery despite knowing it might kill her. She died in Kentish Town, London during surgery on 25 April 1868.[3][7]
Her second book of poetry, Twilight Hours: A Legacy of Verse, was published in late 1868.[8] The collection included "The Old Astronomer" (also known as "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil", as it was titled in a 1936 U.S. reprint), now the most famous of her poems. The second half of the fourth stanza is widely quoted:
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.[9]
Ian Rankin titled his Inspector Rebus novel Set in Darkness after the lines and quoted them in the introduction. In an interview, Rankin linked the quote to the rise of a restored Scottish Parliament and the redemption of the Inspector in the novel.[10] The poem is written from the perspective of an aged astronomer on his deathbed bidding his student to continue his humble research. The lines have been chosen by a number of professional and amateur astronomers as their epitaphs.[3][11]
a Contemporary birth records and publications at Williams' death indicate that she was born in December 1837.[2][7] Later sources and modern databases give the date incorrectly as 1841, based on The Poets and the Poetry of the Nineteenth Century (published in 1898).[4]
Referencesedit
^ abPlumptre, Edward Hayes (1868). Williams, Sarah (ed.). Twilight Hours: A Legacy of Verse. Strahan. pp. vii–xxxiii. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
^ ab"Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
^ abcHughes, Stefan (2012). Catchers of the Light: The Forgotten Lives of the Men and Women Who First Photographed the Heavens(PDF). ArtDeCiel Publishing. p. i. ISBN9781620509616.
^ abcdeMiles, Alfred Henry, ed. (1898). The Poets and the Poetry of the Nineteenth Century. Vol. 7. pp. 573–594.
^Kunitz, Stanley J.; Haycraft, Howard, eds. (1936). British authors of the nineteenth century. New York: H.W. Wilson. p. 661.
^J.J. (1885). Harris, James (ed.). "Queries". The Red Dragon: The National Magazine of Wales. 8: 406.
^ abMacleod, Norman, ed. (1 June 1868). ""Sadie": In Memory of an Esteemed Contributor". Good Words. Strahan & Co. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
^Williams, Sarah (1868).Twilight hours, a legacy of verse; introduction by Plumptre, E. H., Strahan & Co., London. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
^Williams, Sarah (1868). "The Old Astronomer". Twilight Hours. Strahan & Co. p. 69.
^Pierce, K. Kingston (January 2000). "January interviews Ian Rankin: The Accidental Crime Writer". January Magazine. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
^Barnes, Don (March 1998). "'I Have Loved the Stars Too Fondly'". Sky and Telescope. 95 (3): 10. Bibcode:1998S&T....95c..10B.
^"Scotland's Sky in April 2022". Astronomical Society of Edinburgh. 31 March 2022.
External linksedit
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Sarah Williams
Twilight Hours: A Legacy of Verse
The Prima Donna: Volume 1, Volume 2
Works by Sarah Williams at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
January 01, 1970
sarah, williams, poet, sarah, williams, december, 1837, april, 1868, english, poet, novelist, most, famous, author, poem, astronomer, published, short, works, collection, poetry, during, lifetime, under, pseudonyms, sadie, former, which, considered, name, rath. Sarah Williams December 1837 a 25 April 1868 was an English poet and novelist most famous as the author of the poem The Old Astronomer 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 1 Her posthumously published second poetry collection and novel appeared under her given name Sarah WilliamsBornDecember 1837 1837 12 Marylebone London UKDied25 April 1868 1868 04 26 aged 30 Kentish Town London UKPen nameSadie S A D I OccupationPoetLanguageEnglishAlma materQueen s College LondonPeriodVictorianYears active1866 68Notable works The Old Astronomer Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksBiography editWilliams was born in December 1837 a in Marylebone London to Welsh father Robert Williams c 1807 1868 and English mother Louisa Ware c 1811 1886 2 3 She was very close to her father and considered her bardic interests to come from him 4 As a young child unable to pronounce Sarah she inadvertently gave herself the nickname Sadie 1 An only child she was educated first by her doting parents and later governesses 4 She graduated from Queen s College London 4 5 Although Williams was only half Welsh by birth and never lived outside London she incorporated Welsh phrases and themes in her poems and Sadie was considered a Welsh poet 6 Robert Williams died in January 1868 of a sudden illness Already suffering from cancer and devastated by the loss of her father Sarah s condition deteriorated 4 After three additional months of hiding the cancer from her friend and mother she agreed to surgery despite knowing it might kill her She died in Kentish Town London during surgery on 25 April 1868 3 7 Her second book of poetry Twilight Hours A Legacy of Verse was published in late 1868 8 The collection included The Old Astronomer also known as The Old Astronomer to His Pupil as it was titled in a 1936 U S reprint now the most famous of her poems The second half of the fourth stanza is widely quoted 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 9 Ian Rankin titled his Inspector Rebus novel Set in Darkness after the lines and quoted them in the introduction In an interview Rankin linked the quote to the rise of a restored Scottish Parliament and the redemption of the Inspector in the novel 10 The poem is written from the perspective of an aged astronomer on his deathbed bidding his student to continue his humble research The lines have been chosen by a number of professional and amateur astronomers as their epitaphs 3 11 Legacy edit nbsp NGC 3628 Sarah s Galaxy The galaxy NGC 3628 is nicknamed Sarah s Galaxy possibly in tribute to Williams 12 In Star Trek Discovery a starship s dedication plaque quotes from her famous poem 1 Notes edita Contemporary birth records and publications at Williams death indicate that she was born in December 1837 2 7 Later sources and modern databases give the date incorrectly as 1841 based on The Poets and the Poetry of the Nineteenth Century published in 1898 4 References edit a b Plumptre Edward Hayes 1868 Williams Sarah ed Twilight Hours A Legacy of Verse Strahan pp vii xxxiii Retrieved 28 August 2015 a b Index entry FreeBMD ONS Retrieved 28 August 2015 a b c Hughes Stefan 2012 Catchers of the Light The Forgotten Lives of the Men and Women Who First Photographed the Heavens PDF ArtDeCiel Publishing p i ISBN 9781620509616 a b c d e Miles Alfred Henry ed 1898 The Poets and the Poetry of the Nineteenth Century Vol 7 pp 573 594 Kunitz Stanley J Haycraft Howard eds 1936 British authors of the nineteenth century New York H W Wilson p 661 J J 1885 Harris James ed Queries The Red Dragon The National Magazine of Wales 8 406 a b Macleod Norman ed 1 June 1868 Sadie In Memory of an Esteemed Contributor Good Words Strahan amp Co Retrieved 28 August 2015 Williams Sarah 1868 Twilight hours a legacy of verse introduction by Plumptre E H Strahan amp Co London Retrieved 2 January 2020 Williams Sarah 1868 The Old Astronomer Twilight Hours Strahan amp Co p 69 Pierce K Kingston January 2000 January interviews Ian Rankin The Accidental Crime Writer January Magazine Retrieved 28 August 2015 Barnes Don March 1998 I Have Loved the Stars Too Fondly Sky and Telescope 95 3 10 Bibcode 1998S amp T 95c 10B Scotland s Sky in April 2022 Astronomical Society of Edinburgh 31 March 2022 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarah Williams nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Sarah Williams Twilight Hours A Legacy of Verse The Prima Donna Volume 1 Volume 2 Works by Sarah Williams at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarah Williams poet amp oldid 1223142389, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
