in respect of the poetical merit of many lines, or of their fidelity. They have just enough of each to make them deficient in the other. Oh Phoenix, father, friend, guest sent from Jove! Here Jove has fix'd me; and while breath and sense Hear too, and mark me well-Haunt not mine ears And with the earliest blush of opening day Since I wrote these I have looked at Pope's. I am certainly somewhat closer to the original than he, but further I say not.-I shall wait with impatience for your Lordship's conclusions from these premises, and remain in the mean time with great truth, My Lord, &c. W. C. DEAR COWPER, TO WILLIAM COWPER, ESQ. FROM LORD THURLOW. I HAVE received your letter on my journey through London, and as the chaise waits I shall be short. I did not mean it as a sign of any presumption that you have attempted what neither Dryden nor Pope would have dared; but merely as a proof of their addiction to rhyme; for I am clearly convinced that Homer may be better translated than into rhyme, and that you have succeeded in the places I have looked into. But I have fancied that it might have been still more literal, preserving the ease of genuine English and melody, and some degree of that elevation which Homer derives from simplicity. But I could not do it, or even near enough to form a judgement, or more than a fancy about it. Nor do I fancy it could be done" stans pede in uno." But when the mind has been fully impregnated with the original passage, often revolving it and waiting for a happy moment may still be necessary to the best trained mind. Adieu. MY LORD, TO THE LORD THURLOW. I HAUNT you with letters, but will trouble you now with a short line only to tell your Lordship how happy I am that any part of my work has pleased you.-I have a comfortable consciousness that the whole has been executed with equal industry and attention; and am, my Lord, with many thanks to you for snatching such a hasty moment to write to me, Your Lordship's obliged and affectionate humble servant, WM. COWPER. TO THE REV. JOHN NEWTON. MY DEAR FRIEND, Feb. 20, 1792. WHEN I wrote the lines in question, I was, as I almost always am, so pressed for time, that I was obliged to put them down in a great hurry. Perhaps I printed them wrong. If a full stop be made at the end of the second line, the appearance of inconsistency, perhaps, will vanish: but should you still think them liable to that objection, they may be altered thus: In vain to live from age to age We modern bards endeavour; Trifling enough, I readily confess they are; but I have always allowed myself to trifle occasionally; and on this occasion had not, nor have at present, time to do more. By the way, should you think this amended copy worthy to displace the former, I must wait for some future opportunity to send you them properly transcribed for the purpose. It is rather singular that the same post which brought me yours in which you express your disapprobation of this trifle, as such, brought me likewise a request from a very pious lady that I would write for her a copy of verses on a pen stolen by a niece of hers, from the Prince of Wales' standish. I am obliged to comply, and consequently must trifle again;-and thus it fares with poets by profession. Our wits are not at our own command, but must of necessity be sometimes directed to such subjects, not as we should choose for ourselves, but as our friends are pleased to choose for us. Your demand of more original composition from me, will, if I live, and it please God to afford me health, in all probability be sooner or later gratified. In the mean time, you need not,—and if you turn the matter in your thoughts a little, you will perceive that you need not,-think me unworthily employed in preparing a new edition of Milton. His two principal poems are of a kind that call for an editor who believes the gospel, and is well grounded in all evangelical doctrine. Such an editor they have never had yet, though only such a one can be qualified for the office. We mourn for the mismanagement at Botany Bay, and foresee the issue. The Romans were, in their origin, banditti; and if they became in time masters of the world, it was not by drinking grog, and allowing themselves in all sorts of licentiousness. The African colonization, and the manner of conducting it, has long been matter to us of pleasing speculation. God has highly honoured Mr. Thornton; and I doubt not that the subsequent history of the two settlements will strikingly evince the superior wisdom of his proceedings. I write now in a hurry not to be easily conceived, and am this moment called to breakfast. Mrs. Unwin, I thank God, is still recovering, though still slowly. She unites with me in affectionate remembrances to yourself and Miss Catlett, and Lady Hesketh adds her compliments. Adieu, my dear friend. I am most truly yours, WM. COWPER. Many thanks for a barrel of oysters, which came, notwithstanding the late warm weather, perfectly sweet and good. P. S. Lady Hesketh made the same objection to my verses as you; but she being a lady-critic, I did not heed her. As they stand at present, however, they are hers and I believe you will think them much improved. My heart bears me witness how glad I shall be to see you at the time you mention; and Mrs. Unwin says the same. MY DEAR SIR, TO THE REV. MR. HURDIS. Weston, Feb. 21, 1792. My obligations to you on the score of your kind and friendly remarks demanded from me a much more expeditious acknowledgment of the numerous pacquets that contained them; but I have been hindered by many causes, each of which you would admit as a sufficient apology, but none of which I will mention lest I should give too much of my paper to the subject. My acknowledgements are likewise due to your fair sister, who has transcribed so many sheets in so neat a hand, and with so much accuracy. At present I have no leisure for Homer, but shall certainly find leisure to examine him with a reference to your strictures, before I send him a second time to the printer. This I am at present unwilling to do, choosing rather to wait, if that may be, till I shall have undergone the discipline of all the reviewers; none of whom have yet taken me in hand, the Gentleman's Magazine excepted. By several of his remarks I |