CONTENTS

OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

Part the Second-continued.

PAGE

1

4

Remarks on the completion of the second volume of

Cowper's Poems.

Gibbon's record of his feelings on the conclusion of his

History

Moral drawn from the evanescence of life

To the Rev. John Newton, Jan. 5, 1785. On the re-

nouncement of the Christian character; epitapb on

Dr. Johnson

To the Rev. William Unwin, Jan. 15, 1785. On delay in

letter-writing ; sentiments of Rev. Mr. Newton ; Cow-

per's contributions to the Gentleman's Magazine ; Lu-

nardi's narrative

Explanation respecting Cowper's poem, entitled “The

Poplar Field"

To Joseph Hill, Esq., Jan. 22, 1785. Breaking up of

the Frost ; anticipations of proceedings in Parliament.

To the Rev. William Unwin, Feb. 7, 1785. Progress of

Cowper's second volume of Poems; his pieces in the

Gentleman's Magazine; sentiments of a neighbouring

nobleman and gentleman respecting Cowper

To the Rev. John Newton, Feb. 19, 1785. An ingenious

bookbinder; poverty at Olney; severity of the late

winter

5

8

11

14
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17

.

.

To Joseph Hill, Esq., Feb. 27, 1785. Inquiry con-

cerning his health, and account of his own

To the Rev. John Newton, March 19, 1785. Uses and

description of an old card table; want of exercise

during the winter; petition against concessions to

Ireland

18

To the Rev. William Unwin, March 20, 1785. Remarks

on a Nobleman's eye; progress of his new volume;

political reflections; celebrity of “ John Gilpin" 22

To the Rev. John Newton, April 9, 1785. On the pre-

diction of a destructive earthquake, by a German

ecclesiastic

25

To the Rev. John Newton, April 22, 1785. On the po-

pularity of “ John Gilpin"

27

To the Rev. William Unwin, April 30, 1785. On the

celebrity of “ John Gilpin ;" progress of Cowper's

new volume ; Mr. Newton's sentiments in regard to

him; mention of some old acquaintances; discovery of

a bird's nest in a gate-post

28

To the Rev. John Newton, May 1785. Sudden death

of Mr. Ashburner; remarks on the state of Cowper's

mind; reference to his first acquaintance with Newton 32

To the Rev. John Newton, June 4, 1785. Character of

the Rev. Mr. Greatheed; completion of Cowper's new

volume; Bacon's monument of Lord Chatham

35

To Joseph Hill, Esq., June 25, 1785. Cowper's summer-

house; dilatoriness of his bookseller

37

To the Rev. John Newton, June 25, 1785. Allusion to

the mental depression under which Cowper laboured ;
Nathan's last moments; complaint of Johnson's delay;
effects of drought; tax on gloves

38

To the Rev. John Newton, July 9, 1785. Mention of

letters in praise of his Poems; conduct of the Lord

Chancellor and G. Colman ; reference to the comme-

moration of Handel ; cutting down of the spinney 42

To the Rev. William Unwin, July 27, 1785. Violent

thunder-storm ; courage of a dog; on the love of

Christ

46

.

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49

54

57

58

60

62

ib.

63

66

70

To the Rev. John Newton, Aug. 6, 1785. Feelings on

the subject of authorship; reasons for introducing John

Gilpin in his new volume

To the Rev. John Newton, Aug. 17, 1785. Reasons

for not writing to Mr. Bacon ; Dr. Johnson's Diary ;

illness of Mr. Perry

Character of Dr. Jobnson's Diary

Extracts from it

Arguments for the necessity of conversion

Johnson's neglect of the Sabbath

Testimony of Sir William Jones respecting the Holy

Scriptures

To the Rev. William Unwin, Aug. 27, 1785. Thanks for

presents; his second volume of poems; remarks on

Dr. Johnson's Journal ; claims of who and that

To the Rev. John Newton, Sept. 24, 1785. Recollections

of Southampton ; recovery of Mr. Perry; proposed

Sunday school

Origin of Sunday schools

Their utility

Sentiments of the late Rev. Andrew Fuller on the Bible

Society and on Sunday Schools

To Joseph Hill, Esq., Oct. 11, 1785. Cowper excuses

himself for not visiting Wargrave; on his printed epis.

tle to Mr. Hill

Renewal of Cowper's intimacy with bis cousin, Lady

Hesketh

To Lady Hesketh, Oct. 12, 1785. Recollections revived

by her letter ; account of his own situation; allusion to

his uncle's health ; necessity of mental employment for

himself

To the Rev.John Newton, Oct. 16, 1785. On the death

of Miss Cunningham; expected removal of the Rev.

Mr. Scott from Olney; Mr. Jones, steward of Lord

Peterborough, burned in effigy

To the Rev. William Unwin, Oct. 22, 1785. Progress of

his translation of Homer; course of reading recom-

mended for Mr. Unwin's son

71

.

ib.

72

73

.

74

78

.

82
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life ;

95

To the Rev. John Newton, Nov. 5, 1785. On his tar-
diness in writing ; remarks on Mr. N.'s narrative of his

strictures on Mr. Heron's critical opinions of

Virgil and the Bible ; lines addressed by Cowper to

Heron

84

Remarks on Heron's “Letters on Literature"

88

To Joseph Hill, Esq., Nov. 7, 1785. On the interruptions

experienced by men of business from the idle

90

To Lady Hesketh, Nov. 9, 1785. Reference to his

poems;

he signifies his acceptance of her offer of pecuniary aid ;

his translation of Homer; description of his person 91

To the same, without date. His feelings towards her;

allusion to his translation of Homer

To the Rev. Walter Bagot, Nov. 9, 1785. On Bishop

Bagot's Charge

96

To the Rev. John Newton, Dec. 3, 1785. Causes which

led him to undertake the translation of Homer; visit

from Mr. Bagot; renewal of his correspondence with

Lady Hesketh ; complains of indigestion

97

To the same, Dec. 10, 1785. On the favourable reports

of his last volume of poems; censure of Pope's Homer 101

To the Rev. William Unwin, Dec. 24, 1785. On his

translation of Homer

To Joseph Hill, Esq., Dec. 24, 1785. On his translation

of Homer

105

To the Rev. William Unwin, Dec. 31, 1785. On his

negociation with Johnson respecting the Translation

of Homer; want of bedding among the poor of Olney 106

To Lady Hesketh, Jan. 10, 1786. His consciousness of

defects in his poems; on his Translation of Homer 109

To the Rev. William Unwin, Jan. 14, 1786. On Mr.

Unwin's introduction to Lady Hesketh ; specimen of

Cowper's translation of Homer, sent to General Cowper;

James's powder; what is a friend good for? unrea-

sonable censures

112

To the Rev. John Newton, Jan. 14, 1786. On his

Translation of Homer.

114

• 104

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1

.

To the Rev. Walter Bagot, Jan. 15, 1786. Explanation

of the delay in the publication of his proposals ; al-

lusion to Bishop Bagot

115

To the same, Jan. 23, 1786. Dr. Maty's intended re-

view of “The Task ;" Dr. Cyril Jackson's opinion of

Pope's Homer

117

To Lady Hesketh, Jan. 31, 1786. Acknowledgment of

presents from Anonymous; state of his health ; pro-

gress of his translation of Homer; correspondence

with General Cowper

119

To the same, Feb. 9, 1786. Anticipations of a visit from

her ; description of the vestibule of his residence 122

To the same, Feb. 11, 1786. He announces that he

has sent off to her a portion of his translation of

Homer; effect of criticisms on his health ; promise

of Thurlow to Cowper

125

To the Rev. John Newton, Feb. 18, 1786. On their

correspondence ; bis translation of Homer; proposed

mottoes

128

To Lady Hesketh, Feb. 19, 1786. Preparations for her

expected visit; character of Homer; criticism on

Cowper's specimen .

130

To the Rev. Walter Bagot, Feb. 27, 1786. Condolence

on the death of his wife

133

To Lady Hesketh, March 6, 1786. On elisions in his

Homer; progress of the work

134

To the Rev. W. Unwin, March 13, 1786. Character

the critic to whom he had submitted his Homer

138

To the Rev. John Newton, April 1, 1786. Expected

visitors

139

To Joseph Hill, Esq, April 5, 1786. Reasons for declin-

ing to make any apology for his translation of Homer . 141

Motives which induced Cowper to undertake a new version 142

To Lady Hesketh, April 17, 1786. Description of the

Vicarage at Olney, where lodgings had been taken for
her; Mrs. Unwin's sentiments towards her; letter

from Anonymous; his early acquaintance with Lord

Thurlow

143