James Thomson

James Thomson (1834-1882) was the poet of pessimism, born, a sailor's son, at Port-Glasgow, and brought up in an orphanage. He was introduced to literature by Mr Bradlaugh, to whose National Reformer he contributed much of his best poetry, including his gloomy yet sonorous and impressive "The City of Dreadful Night," besides essays.

Wisdom & Quotes

• The City is of night; perchance of death.

But certainly of night.
- The City of Dreadful Night

John Dalberg Acton