William Cullen Bryant was born in Cummington, Massachusetts in 1794. He began his career as a lawyer but developed a strong interest in poetry early in his life. Bryant became known as an American romantic poet and made significant contributions to American literature during the nineteenth century. He spent much of his career as a journalist and served as the long-time editor of the New-York Evening Post, a position that allowed him to influence both literary and political discourse of his era. Bryant died in New York City in 1878.