Young, Edward (1683–1765)

English poet and dramatist. A country cleric for much of his life, he wrote his principal work Night Thoughts on Life, Death and Immortality from 1742–46, a meditation mourning the death of his wife, in defence of Christian orthodox thinking. His other works include dramatic tragedies, satires, and a long poem, Resignation, published in 1762.

Young was born in Upham, Hampshire, and studied at Oxford University. He became a priest in 1727 and in 1730 became rector of Welwyn, Hertfordshire. The following year he married Lady Elizabeth Lee, who died in 1740.

Among his poems are The Last Day and The Force of Religion (both 1713) and his plays include Busiris (1719) and The Revenge (1721). The Love of Fame, the Universal Passion (1725–28) is a collection of satires.