George Crabbe

Born in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, on December 24, 1754, George Crabbe first trained in medicine and worked as a surgeon before turning fully toward literature. After struggling in London, he won crucial support from Edmund Burke, which helped launch his writing career.

Crabbe became both a clergyman and a poet, and he is especially remembered for verse that paid careful attention to common life rather than idealized scenes. Works such as The Village, The Borough, and Tales are noted for their realistic detail, their interest in middle- and working-class people, and their strong narrative voice.

He died in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, on February 3, 1832. Readers still return to his poems for their plainspoken power and for the way they capture the hardships, habits, and dignity of everyday life.