The Diverting History of John Gilpin
- First published
- 1792
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"The Diverting History of John Gilpin" by William Cowper is a comic ballad written in 1782. The poem recounts the misadventures of John Gilpin, a wealthy London draper, during what should have been a simple family journey to an inn. When Gilpin loses control of his horse, the animal bolts and carries him on an unplanned wild ride that takes him ten miles beyond his intended destination, separating him from his wife and children in a series of comic mishaps.
- Humorous poetry, English
- Horses
- Wit and humor, Juvenile
- Horsemanship
- Marriage
- Horse racing
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #11979. The Diverting History of John Gilpin on Wikipedia.
