Vincent Bourne

Vincent Bourne Poems

Vincent Bourne Biography

Vincent Bourne, familiarly known as Vinny Bourne (1695, Westminster – December 2, 1747) was an English classical scholar. Vincent Bourne was the son of Andrew Bourne of Westminster. In 1710 he became a scholar at Westminster School, and in 1714 entered Trinity College, Cambridge. He graduated in 1717, and obtained a fellowship three years later. Of his afterlife exceedingly little is known. It is certain that he passed the greater portion of it as usher in Westminster school. During his lifetime he published three editions of his Latin poems, and in 1772 there appeared a very handsome quarto volume containing all Bourne's pieces, but also some that did not belong to him. The Latin poems are remarkable not only for perfect mastery of all linguistic niceties, but for graceful expression and genuine poetic feeling. A number of them are translations of English poems, and it is not too much to say that the Latin versions almost invariably surpass the originals. Cowper, an old pupil of Bourne's, Beattie and Lamb have combined in praise of his wonderful power of Latin versification. See an edition (1840) of his Poemata, with a memoir by John Mitford.)

The Best Poem Of Vincent Bourne

Tweed-Side

What beauties does Flora disclose?
How sweet are her smiles upon Tweed?
Yet Mary's, still sweeter than those,
Both nature and fancy exceed.
Nor daily, nor sweet-blushing role,
Nor all the gay flowers of the field,
Nor Tweed, gliding gently through those
Such beauty and pleasure does yield.

The warblers are heard in the grove,
The linnet, the lark, and the thrush,
The black-bird, and sweet-cooing dove,
With musick enchant every bush.
Come, let us go forth to the mead,
Let us see how the primroses spring;
We'll lodge in some village on Tweed,
And love, where the feathered folks sing.

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