Night-Thoughts

"Night Thoughts" redirects here. For the Suede album, see Night Thoughts (album). For other uses, see Night-Thoughts (disambiguation).

The Complaint: or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, better known simply as Night-Thoughts, is a long poem by the English poet Edward Young, published in nine parts (or "nights") between 1742 and 1745. It was illustrated with notable engravings by William Blake.

The poem records Young's musings on death as he ponders the loss of his wife and friends, and as he laments human frailties. A famous line points out how quickly life and opportunities can slip away. The individual poems in the series are dedicated to several contemporaries of Young, including Arthur Onslow, Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland, Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield, Henry Pelham, and Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle.

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