Which poet wrote the famous line "A thing of beauty is a joy forever"?

Introduction / Context:
Many famous lines from English poetry are frequently quoted in literature, speeches and even everyday conversation. Examinations often test whether candidates can match these lines to the correct authors. The line "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" is one such well known opening line from a classic English poem, and identifying its writer is a standard general English question.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The line given is "A thing of beauty is a joy forever".
• The options include John Keats, V. S. Naipaul, Sir Richard Burton, Larry Collins and William Wordsworth.
• Only one of these names is the poet who wrote that specific line.
• We assume basic familiarity with major English Romantic poets and some modern authors.

Concept / Approach:
The line "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" is the opening of John Keats' long narrative poem "Endymion". Keats is a central figure in English Romantic poetry, known for his rich imagery and themes of beauty and transience. The other names listed are novelists or figures from different contexts, and they did not write this line. Therefore, the correct approach is to associate the quote with the Romantic poet Keats rather than with later prose writers.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise the line as a famous quotation from Romantic era poetry.Step 2: Recall that Keats wrote "Endymion", which begins with "A thing of beauty is a joy forever; its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness."Step 3: Examine the options: V. S. Naipaul and Larry Collins are prose writers and novelists; Sir Richard Burton was an explorer and translator; Wordsworth is another Romantic poet but not the author of this exact line.Step 4: Match the quote specifically with John Keats.Step 5: Select John Keats as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, a learner can recall that Wordsworth's well known lines include "I wandered lonely as a cloud" and "The child is father of the man", while Keats' memorable lines include those from "Ode to a Nightingale", "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Endymion". The specific phrase "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" appears repeatedly in exam guides under Keats' name, confirming the attribution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
V. S. Naipaul was a twentieth century novelist and essayist, not a Romantic poet, and did not write this line. Sir Richard Burton was known for explorations and translations such as "The Arabian Nights", not for Romantic verse. Larry Collins is a co author of historical and political novels. William Wordsworth, although a Romantic poet, did not pen this exact line; mixing him up with Keats is a common but incorrect assumption. Thus, only John Keats is correct.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates might choose William Wordsworth because he is another famous Romantic poet they recognise, even if they cannot recall his specific lines. Others may ignore the poetic style and guess among all names without distinguishing between poets and prose writers. To prevent this, it helps to study a small set of famous quotations paired with their authors and to note whether the writer is primarily a poet or a novelist. This simple preparation makes one line quote questions much easier.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is John Keats.