William Knox (Scottish poet)


William Knox was a Scottish poet. He is known for writing Abraham Lincoln's favourite poem, Mortality, which Lincoln often recited by memory.

Life

The eldest son of a Thomas Knox, a farmer, and Barbara Turnbull in Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, he was educated first in Lilliesleaf then in Musselburgh Grammar School. They lived in a farm which his mother had inherited when her first husband, also a farmer, died.
He farmed unsuccessfully from 1812 to 1817 then he turned to writing poems, encouraged by both Christopher North and Sir Walter Scott.
He wrote several books of poetry, The Lonely Hearth, Songs of Israel which contains "Mortality", Harp of Zion.
He fell into dissipated habits, was latterly a journalist in Edinburgh, and died at 36.
He died aged only 36 in Edinburgh, following a stroke, and is buried in the New Calton Cemetery in its upper east section.