latter part is very true indeed; yes! yes! there are multa cum bile, many acrimonious." These little occasional touches of austerity would naturally arise in a life so sequestered: but how just a subject of surprize and admiration is it, to behold an author starting under such a load of disadvantages, and displaying, on the sudden, such a variety of excellence! For neglected, as it was, for a few years, the first volume of Cowper exhibits such a diversity of poetical powers, as have been given very rarely indeed to any individual of the modern, or of the antient world. He is not only great in passages of pathos, and sublimity, but he is equally admirable in wit and humour. After descanting, most copiously, on sacred subjects, with the animation of a prophet, and the simplicity of an apostle, he paints the ludicrous characters of common life with the comic force of Moliere; particularly in his poem on Conversation, and his exquisite portrait of a fretful temper; a piece of moral painting so highly finished, and so happily calculated to promote good humour, that a transcript of the verses shall close the first Part of these memoirs. Some fretful tempers wince at every touch ; Your elevated voice goes through the brain: You fall at once into a lower key; That's worse :— -the drone-pipe of an humble bee! You rise and drop the curtain: He shakes with cold ; To make a blaze : -now it's hight. -you stir the fire and strive -that's roasting him alive. Serve him with ven'son, and he chuses fish ; He likes your's little, and his own still less. END OF THE FIRST PART, 2ND OF THE FIRST VOLUME. ; INDE X. An introductory Letter to the Right Honourable Earl Cowper. DESULTORY REMARKS On the Letters of eminent persons, particularly those of Pope and Cowper. LIFE OF COWPER, PART THE FIRST. The Family, birth, and first residence of Cowper.... The schools, that Cowper attended. His sufferings during childhood... ... .... His removal from Westminster to an attorney's office......14 Verses on his early afflictions••••• His settlement in the Inner-temple... 16 ... 17 18 19 23 24 •25 27 His acquaintance with eminent authors. ... ... His nomination to be Clerk of the Journals in the House of Lords. Letter. .29 .30 1 To Lady Hesketh, Journals of the house of Commons; reflection on the singular temper of his mind. Aug. 9, 1763..30 His extreme dread of appearing in public.. His illness, and removal to St. Alban's His recovery .... 33 34 .36 His settlement at Huntingdon to be near his Brother.• • • • • • • 37 The translation of Voltaire's Henriade by the two Brothers 38 The origin of Cowper's acquaintance with the Unwins......38 Letter. His adoption into the family Page, His early friendship with Lord Thurlow, and J. Hill, Esqr..43 1765. 2 To Joseph Hill, Esq. Account of his situation at Huntingdon. 3 To Lady Hesketh. On his illness and subsequent recovery July 1..46 4 To the same. Salutary effects of affliction on the human mind. July 4..48 Account of Huntingdon; distance from his 5 To the same. .... ••••• July 5••52 7 To the same. 8 To the same. .... Aug. 1..58 Aug. 17..62 Sept. 4..64 On a particular providence; experience 9. To the same. of mercy, &c. .... 10 To the same. First introduction to the Unwin family; their characters. .....Sept. 14..69 On the thankfulness of the heart, its inequa- 11 To the same. .Oct. 10.72 satisfaction, &c. 1766. 15 To Lady Hesketh. On solitude; on the desertion of his friends. .... March 6..82 16 To Mrs. Cowper. Mrs. Unwin, and her son; his cousin 85 17 To the same. Letters the fruit of friendship; his conversion." 18 To the same. The probability of knowing each other in Letter: 19 To the same. On the recollection of earthly affairs by de- parted spirits. .•• Pagei •April 18..94 21 To the same. His manner of living; reasons for his not 1767. 22 To the same. Reflections on reading Marshal. March 11..105 24 To the same. March 14.108 On the motive of his introducing Mr. Un- win's son to her. ... April 3..110 ... ..... future abode. His devotion and charity in his new residence. 27 To Joseph Hill, Esq. On the occurrences during his visit Alban's. 1769. 28 To the same. On the difference of dispositions; his love of 118 His poem in memory of John Thornton, Esqr........... 120 122 The composition of his hymns.... 123 29 To Mrs. Cowper. His new situation; reasons for mixture 124 30 To the same. The consolations of religion on the death of .Aug. 31..127 Cowper's journey to Cambridge on his Brother's....illness 129 1770. 31 To the same. Dangerous illness of his brother. March 5..130 The death and character of Cowper's Brother ....... .131 |