Life and works of William Cowper

Mrs. Unwin's and his own health; reference to a new
work of Mr. N.'s
To William Hayley, Esq. June 29, 1795. Sonnet ad-
dressed to Mr. H.; Cowper declines engaging in a
work proposed by Mr. H.; “The Four Ages.”
To the same. July 7, 1793. He promises to join Mr. H.
in the production of "The Four Ages ;" reference
to his oddities; embellishments of his premises

Antique bust of Homer presented to Cowper by Mr.

Johnson

Cowper's poetical Tribute for the gift

To Thomas Park, Esq. July 15, 1793. Chapman's trans-

lation of the Iliad; Hobbes's translation; Lady Hes-

keth; his literary engagements

To Mrs. Charlotte Smith. July 25, 1793. On her poem

of "The Emigrants," which was dedicated to Cowper 162

To the Rev. Mr. Greatheed. July 27, 1793. He thanks
Mr. G. for the offer of part of his house; reasons for
declining it; promised visits

To William Hayley, Esq. July 27, 1793. Anticipations
of a visit from Mr. H.; head of Homer and proposed
motto for it; question concerning the cause of Ho-
mer's blindness; garden shed

To the Rev. John Johnson. Aug. 2, 1793. On his ordi-
nation; Flaxman's designs to the Odyssey
To Lady Hesketh. Aug. 11, 1793. Miss Fanshaw; pre-
sent from Lady Spencer of Flaxman's designs
Explanation respecting Miss Fanshaw; verses by her;
Cowper's reply; his lines addressed to Count Gra-
vina

To William Hayley, Esq. Aug. 15, 1793. Epigram on

building; inscription for an hermitage; Flaxman's

designs; plan of an Odyssey illustrated by them;

inscription for the bust of Homer

To Mrs. Courtenay. Aug. 20, 1793. Story of Bob

Archer and the fiddler; Flaxman's designs to Homer 173

To Samuel Rose, Esq. Aug. 22, 1793. Allusion to

scenery on the south coast of England; his literary

occupations

To William Hayley, Esq. Aug. 27, 1793. Question re-
specting Homer's blindness; Flaxman's illustrations
of Homer; recollections of Lord Mansfield; erection
of Homer's bust

To Lady Hesketh. Aug. 29, 1793. On her intended
visit to Weston; Miss Fanshaw
To the Rev. Mr. Johnson. Sept. 4, 1793. His agreeable
surprise on the appearance of a sun-dial, a present
from Mr. J.; revisal of his Homer

To William Hayley, Esq. Sept. 8, 1793. Flaxman's de-
signs to Homer; anticipations of Mr. H.'s visit
To Mrs. Courtenay. Sept. 15, 1793. His improvements
at Weston; the sun-dial; Pitcairne
To the Rev. Mr. Johnson. Sept. 29, 1793. Visits de-
vourers of time; expected visiters at Weston

To William Hayley, Esq. Oct. 5, 1793. Demands upon

his time; expected visiters; reference to H.'s Life of

To the Rev. John Newton. Oct. 22, 1793. Apology
for not writing; reference to a late journey of Mr.
N.'s. ; thanks for his last publication

To the Rev. J. Jekyll Rye. Nov. 3, 1793. Thanks for
his support of Mr. Hurdis; reference to the appli-
cation of the clerk of Northampton

Hayley's second visit to Weston

Invitation to Cowper and his guests from Lord Spencer

to Althorpe, to meet Gibbon the historian, declined

by him

To Mrs. Courtenay. Nov. 4, 1793. He complains of

being distracted with business; Hayley's visit; epi-

demic fever; Mrs. Unwin

State of Cowper and Mrs. Unwin as described by Hayley 193

To Joseph Hill, Esq. Nov, 5, 1793. Lady Hesketh's

PAGE

visit to Wargrave; his house at Weston, and pro-

spects from it

To the Rev. Walter Bagot. Nov. 10, 1793. Thanks him

for his support of Mr. Hurdis; reference to the

French Revolution

.

To the Rev. Mr. Hurdis. Nov. 24, 1793. Congratula-
tions on his election to the professorship of poetry at
Oxford; Hayley's visit; his Life of Milton; revisal
of his Homer; invitation to Weston
To Samuel Rose, Esq. Nov. 29, 1793. Expected visit
from him and Mr. (the late Sir Thomas) Lawrence;
subject from Homer proposed by the latter for his
pencil; a companion to it suggested by Cowper; in-
tention of Lawrence to take Cowper's portrait for
engraving.

To the same. Dec. 8, 1793. Thanks him for books;

history of Jonathan Wild; character of "Man as

he is"

To William Hayley, Esq. Dec. 8, 1793. Inquiries
concerning his Life of Milton; his own literary oc-
cupations

Suspension of Cowper's literary labours, and decline of
his mental powers

Results of Cowper's literary labours on the works of

Milton

Specimens of his translation of the Latin poem addressed

by Milton to his father

Hayley's remarks on that poem

Passages from Cowper's notes on Milton

Fuseli's Milton Gallery

Hayley's first letter, with a sonnet addressed to Cowper. ib.
To Joseph Hill, Esq. Dec. 10, 1792. On a sprain re-
ceived by Mr. H.; revisal of Homer; inquiry con-
cerning Lord Howe's fleet

The idea of the projected poem of "The Four Ages,"

suggested by Mr. Buchanan

216

To the Rev. Mr. Buchanan. May 11, 1793. Compli-

menting Mr. B. on the sketch which he furnished for

the poem

Increasing infirmities of Mrs. Unwin, and their effect on

Cowper

His affecting situation at this period

Dissatisfaction of Lord Thurlow with a passage in Cow-

per's Homer, and his and Hayley's attempts to im-

999

To William Hayley, Esq. Dec. 17, 1793. With a new
version of the passage above mentioned; criticisms
on their performances; his own notions of the prin-
ciples of translation

To the same.

Jan. 5, 1794. New translation of the
before-mentioned passage; remarks on translation,
and particularly of Homer

To William Hayley, Esq., from the Rev. William Great-
heed. April 8, 1794. He acquaints Mr. H. with the
alarming situation of Cowper, and urges his coming
to Weston

Hayley repairs to Weston

Lady Hesketh obtains the advice of Dr. Willis

Grant of a pension of 300l. per annum, by his Majesty to

ib.

225

228