S. Foster Damon

Who was S. Foster Damon?

Samuel Foster Damon was an American academic, a specialist in William Blake, a critic and a poet. He was born in Newton, Massachusetts. He was one of the Harvard Aesthetes, and married Louise Wheelwright, sister of John Wheelwright who was another poet identified with that grouping. He graduated from Harvard University in 1914, returning there after World War I as an instructor in the English Department.

His book William Blake, His Philosophy and Symbols from 1924 was later followed by A Blake Dictionary, the work for which he is perhaps best known.

His later academic career was at Brown University, where he had positions from 1927. His other writings include a biography of Amy Lowell, and the long poem The Moulton Tragedy, a heroic poem with lyrics. He also published poetry under the pseudonym Samuel Nomad.