Ernest Dowson

Date of Birth: August 2, 1867

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: February 23, 1900

Biography

Ernest Christopher Dowson was an influential English poet, novelist, and short-story writer associated with the Decadent movement. Born on August 2, 1867, in Lee, London, Dowson was the son of Alfred Dowson, a former wine merchant, and his wife Annie. Dowson’s life was marked by both extraordinary creative output and personal tragedy. He attended Queen’s College, Oxford, but left without obtaining a degree. Dowson is best known for his lyrical poetry, particularly his use of the French poetic form, which was characterized by its melancholic and often morbid themes. His most famous works include “Vitae Summa Brevis Spem Nos Vetat Incohare Longam” and “Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae sub Regno Cynarae.” Despite his literary talents, Dowson struggled with financial instability and deteriorating health, exacerbated by alcoholism. His personal life was also tumultuous; he fell deeply in love with Adelaide Foltinowicz, the daughter of a Polish restaurant owner, but his feelings were unrequited. This unfulfilled love profoundly influenced his work and contributed to his pervasive sense of melancholy. Dowson’s life was cut tragically short when he died of tuberculosis on February 23, 1900, in Catford, London, at the age of 32. His work remains a poignant testament to the fleeting nature of life and love.

5 Interesting Facts about Ernest Dowson

1. Ernest Dowson was a member of the Rhymers’ Club, a group of London-based poets that included W.B. Yeats and Lionel Johnson.

2. The phrase “days of wine and roses,” which has become widely known, originated from Dowson’s poem “Vitae Summa Brevis Spem Nos Vetat Incohare Longam.”

3. Dowson translated several works from French to English, including some of the poems of Paul Verlaine.

4. His poem “Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae sub Regno Cynarae” is often cited as one of the quintessential expressions of unrequited love in English literature.

5. Dowson’s financial difficulties led him to take up various odd jobs, including working in a family restaurant and a stint as a clerk.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Ernest Dowson

1. “They are not long, the weeping and the laughter, Love and desire and hate: I think they have no portion in us after we pass the gate.”

2. “I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.”

3. “I cried for madder music and for stronger wine, but when the feast is finished and the lamps expire, then falls thy shadow, Cynara!”

4. “Yea, all things die, and all hearts are touched.”

5. “Pale amber sunlight falls across the reddening October trees, that hardly sway before a breeze as soft as summer: summer’s loss seems little, dear! on days like these.”