Robert Southey was born in Bristol in England in 1774 and appointed Poet Laurete in 1813, a post he grew to dislike. He was an Oxford contemporary and Brother-in-law of Coleridge and a friend of Wordsworth. He was also an active campaigner for the abolition of the Slave Trade. His work was often critised by other romantic poets, particularly Byron who satirised him in his poem Don Juan. Southey was a prolific poet, his complete works were published in 10 volumes in 1837. This is a selection of his shorter Lyric Poems. (Summary by Alan Mapstone)