Young's Night Thoughts

About the book

"Young's Night Thoughts" by Edward Young is a long poem published in nine parts between 1742 and 1745. The work records the poet's reflections on death as he mourns the loss of his wife and friends while contemplating human frailties. Written in blank verse across nine "nights," the poem explores themes of life, death, and immortality. It includes the famous line "procrastination is the thief of time" and was later illustrated with notable engravings by William Blake in 1797.