Bad Men, profaning Friendship's hallowed name, But souls, that carry on a blest exchange From such communion, in their pleasant course, Feel less the journey's roughness, and its length; And one in heart, in interest, and design, Such fellowship in literary labour, for the noblest of purposes, must be delightful indeed, if attended with success, and at all events, it is entitled to respect: yet it may be doubted if the intense zeal, with which Cowper embarked in this fascinating pursuit, had not a dangerous tendency to undermine his very delicate health. Such an apprehension naturally arises from a recollection of what Medical writers of great ability have said on the aweful subject of mental derangement. Whenever the slightest tendency to that misfortune appears, seems expedient to guard a tender spirit from the attractions of Piety herself—So fearfully and wonderfully are we made, that man in all conditions, ought perhaps to pray, that that he never may be led to think of his Creator, and of his Redeemer either too little, or too much. But if the charitable and religious zeal of the Poet led him into any excesses of devotion, injurious to the extreme delicacy of his nervous system, he is only the more entitled to admiration and to pity. Indeed his genius, his virtues, and his misfortunes were calculated to excite those tender and temperate passions in their purest state, and to the highest degree. It may be questioned if any mortal could be more sincerely beloved and revered than Cowper was by those, who were best acquainted with his private hours. The season was now arrived when the firm friendship of Mrs. Unwin was put to the severest of trials, and when her conduct was such as to deserve those rare rewards of grateful attention and tenderness, which when she herself became the victim of age and infirmity, she received from that exemplary being, who considered himself indebted to her friendly vigilance for his life, and who never forgot an obligation, when his mind was itself. In 1773, he sunk into such severe paroxysms of religious despondency, that he required an attendant of the most gentle, vigilant, and inflexible spirit. Such an attendant he found in that faithful guardian, whom he had professed to love as a mother, and who watched over him, during this long fit of depressive malady, extended thro' several years, with that perfect mixture of tender ness ness and fortitude, which constitutes the inestimable influence of maternal protection. I wish to pass rapidly over this calamitous period, and shall only observe, that nothing could surpass the sufferings of the Patient, or the care of his Nurse. That meritorious care received from Heaven the most delightful of rewards, in seeing the pure and powerful mind, to whose restoration it had contributed so much, not only gradually restored to the common enjoyments of life, but successively endowed with new and marvellous funds of diversified talents, and courageous application. The spirit of Cowper emerged by slow degrees from its very deep dejection; and before his mind was sufficiently recovered to employ itself on literary composition, it sought, and found, much salutary amusement in educating a little group of tame Hares. On his expressing a wish to divert himself by rearing a single Leveret, the good-nature of his neighbours supplied him with three. The variety of their dispositions became a source of great entertainment to his compassionate and contemplative spirit. One of the trio, he has celebrated in the Task, and a very animated minute account of this singular family humanized, and described most admirably by himself, in prose, appeared first in the Gentleman's Magazine, and has been recently inserted in the second Volume of his Poems. These interesting animals had not only the honor of being cherished and celebrated by a Poet, but the pencil has also contributed to their renown; and their Portraits, engraved from a drawing presented N presented to Cowper by a friend unknown, may serve as a little embellishment to this Life of their singularly tender and benevolent Protector. His three tame Hares, Mrs. Unwin, and Mr. Newton, were, for a considerable time, the only companions of Cowper; but as Mr. Newton was removed to a distance from his afflicted friend, by preferment in London, to which he was presented by that liberal encourager of active piety Mr. Thornton, the friendly Divine, before he left Olney in 1780, humanely triumphed over the strong reluctance of Cowper to see a stranger, and kindly introduced him to the regard and good offices of the Revd. Mr. Bull of NewportPagnell, who, from that time, considering it as a duty to visit the Invalide, once a fortnight, acquired, by degrees, his cordial and confidential esteem. The affectionate temper of Cowper inclined him particularly to exert his talents at the request of his friends; even in seasons, when such exertion could hardly have been made without a painful degree of self-command. At the suggestion of Mr. Newton we have seen him writing a series of Hymns: at the request of Mr. Bull he translated several spiritual Songs from the mystical Poetry of Madame de la Mothe Guyon, the tender and fanciful Enthusiast of France, whose talents and misfortunes drew upon her a long series of persecution from many many acrimonious bigots, and secured to her the friendship of the mild and indulgent Fenelon! We shall perceive, as we advance, that the greater Works of Cowper were also written at the express desire of persons, whom he particularly regarded; and it may be remarked, to the honor of Friendship, that he considered its influence as the happiest inspiration; or to use his own expressive words, The Poet's lyre, to fix his fame, Should be the Poet's heart: The Poetry of Cowper is itself an admirable illustration of this maxim; and perhaps the maxim may point to the prime source of that uncommon force, and felicity, with which this most feeling Poet commands the affection of his Reader. In delineating the life of an Author, it seems the duty of Biography to indicate the degree of influence, which the warmth of his heart produced on the fertility of his mind. But those mingled flames of Friendship and Poetry, which were to burst forth with the most powerful effect in the compositions of Cowper, were not yet kindled. His depressive malady had suspended the exercise of his genius for several years, and precluded him from renewing his correspondence with the Relation, whom he so cordially regarded, N 2 |