whole truth. Under this impression, could I have followed my own wishes without giving umbrage to others, the private Letters would have been very much increased in number; and I think that those who have read Cowper's familiar Letters and who remember the impressions that they cannot have failed to produce, would have held me excused for my temerity. It is to be regretted that those written to such men as Coleridge and Lamb have been all lost or destroyed: still it is hoped that enough remains to elucidate the character of Mr. Cary.

In connecting together the different papers which form the bulk of these volumes, I have been as brief as possible. My object has been rather to record the little incidents that may serve to give a faithful picture of my father's simple and quiet life, than to write a panegyric on one whose praises, as they represent themselves to me, are more suited to lonely and reverential reflection, than public and wordy description.

Oxford, January 21, 1847.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Ì.

1772-1790.

Mr. Cary's Birth and Parentage.—Disposition in Childhood.—
Loss of his Mother.-His Education.-Publication of Ode
to General Elliott.-Acquaintance with and Letters to Miss
Seward. Contributions to the "Gentleman's Magazine.”—
Ode.-Sonnets.-Letters to Miss Seward

PAGE

1

CHAPTER II.

1790-1796.

Enters at Christ Church.-His College Life.-Letters to Miss
Seward and his Sister.-Poem in Blank Verse, "The
Mountain Seat."-Choice of a Profession.-Lines " On the
Failure of obtaining a Fellowship at College."-Letters to
Mr. Price and Miss Seward.—Is ordained and presented to
the Vicarage of Abbots-Bromley.-Commencement of his
Literary Journal.-His Marriage

38

CHAPTER III.

1796-1797.

Mr. Cary's Domestic Pursuits.-Letters to his Wife.-Literary Journal continued.-Letter to Mr. Price.-Begins the translation of Dante.-Ode to General Kosciusko.-Sonnet on the Birth of a Son.-Letter to Mr. Birch and Mr. Digby. -Literary Journal for 1797.-Letter to his Wife

CHAPTER IV.

1798-1800.

Death of his Father's Second Wife.-Letter to his Wife.-
Sermons.-Letters to his Wife and Mr. Price.-Literary
Journal for 1798, 1799.-Letters to Mr. Price and his
Sister

CHAPTER V.

1800-1804.

Mr. Cary is presented to the Vicarage of Kingsbury.-Letter to his Sister—and to his Wife.—Removes to Kingsbury.-Letter to his Sister.-Literary Journal for 1800.-Account of the most Eminent Restorers of Greek Literature.-Letters to his Sister and Mr. Price.-Birth of a Daughter.-Domestic Troubles.-Letters to his Wife.-To Mr. Price.-Literary Journal for 1801.-Studies interrupted by illness.-Letters to his Sister. To his Wife.-Increase of his Family .

PAGK

85

117

150

CHAPTER VI.

1805-1812.

Mr. Cary's translation of the Inferno of Dante is published.— Correspondence with Miss Seward about his version of Dante.-Literary Journal for 1806.-Death of his youngest daughter. His consequent illness.-Letter to Mr. Birch, and to his Wife.—Settles in the neighbourhood of London.Appointed reader at Berkeley Chapel.-Letter to his Father. Literary Journal for 1811 and 1812

PAGE

226

CHAPTER VII.

1813-1815.

Mr. Cary resigns the readership of Berkeley Chapel.-Version of Dante completed and published.-Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Price.-Literary Journal for 1813.-Letter to Mr. Price. His Dante little noticed. His means; education of his children.-Translation from Pignotti of the FriarAss.-Takes the curacy of Chiswick.-Letters to Mr. Price and Mr. Birch.-Literary Journal for 1814 and 1815

277