William Robert Spencer

William Robert Spencer (1769–1834) was an English poet and Anglican clergyman best remembered for polished, light verse. Educated at Oxford, he took holy orders and held church livings while also moving in literary society. Spencer’s poems often favor wit, graceful sentiment, and songlike brevity, qualities that helped pieces such as “The Toast” circulate widely in anthologies and recitation. He is also associated with “Beth Gelert,” a poem linked to the Welsh legend of the faithful hound, though the story itself predates him. Spencer’s reputation rests less on large-scale works than on the enduring popularity of his shorter occasional poems.