sympathy between the body and the mind is pe-win, to which he was indebted for so much of culiarly exquisite; where the slightest change in the comfort of his later years. Wherever he the temperament of the frame communicates itself telt at ease, his manners were said to be singuto the imagination and the feelings, and the breath larly attractive: and this family seem to have and pulsation seem in return to be regulated by the had a simplicity and warmhearted kindness, thoughts it is almost impossible to depend upon which offered him precisely the social resources a person's own account of the origin of his emo- which he wanted, besides having the advantage tions. There can be no doubt, that the presence of being able to sympathize with him in all his of fever is the real cause of much that passes religious feelings. After residing with them two for religious transport in the prospect of dissolu- years, the circumstances of the family were tion, and that despondency is not less frequently changed by the death of Mr. Unwin, and, at the the mere effect of the bodily langour, consequent suggestion of Mr. Newton, they went to reside upon the exhaustion." But he contends that near him in Olney, the scene of his pastoral lathese emotions, though they may originate in bours. In Mrs. Unwin, a woman of intelligence physical changes, are not to be viewed as physi- as well as excellence, who was seven years cal phenomena ; impressions may be made in older than himself, he found a counsellor as well dreams which are true; and convictions may as friend, who was so much interested in his come over the mind in sickness, which are not the welfare, that after her children, who were both less just because partly attributable to the state of of mature years, left her, she made it her duty the system. The way to ascertain whether they and pleasure to devote her life to bim. Beside are delusive or not, is to learn whether there is the all-engrossing subject of which his heart was any ground for them; meaning, we suppose, that full, he spent his time in exercise, conversation, the question is, whether the mind creates un- and music, in which he always delighted. It does natural or only exaggerates natural emotions. not appear that he engaged seriously in writing His inference, if we understand him, is that any thing more than the Olney Hymns, which Cowper was an example of the latter state of he undertook in conjunction with bis friend Mr. mind; and of course, that disordered as he was, Newton: but as he wrote with great facility, he may be considered as a moral agent, and his these were trifles which made but small deconversion quoted as a genuine instance of the mands upon his mind. By external circumeffect of the influences of religion.

stances he was little troubled, with the exception One would think, however, that admitting the of the loss of his brother, a learned and exceljustness of this distinction, it would be unsafe lent member of the University, whose death he and undesirable to present a mind, which has deeply deplored; but he found consolation for lost the power of judging and comparing, as an sorrows like this more easily than for the perillustration of the effect of religion upon a plexing evils of the world, and this will not healthy understanding. When the man in deli- furnish us with a reason for his relapsing into rium sees spectres about him, it will not do to gloom. Hayley ascribed it to his excessive relipoint out objects in the chamber, which his mind gious feeling, not discriminating between the feeldistorts and enlarges into shapes of terror; they ing itself and the means which he took to cherish may furnish a starting-point for the imagination, it. In true religious feeling there can be no exbut they will not prove that the patient's obser- cess; since the feeling, as it grows, will spend vations are any more to be trusted. Neither itself in works of active duty; but in his reliwill it do to say, that the subject of religion is gious exercises, possibly there may have been a infinite, and that no amount of devotion to the cause for his returning disorder. subject can therefore be excessive. This will be But though Cowper may have been in error readily admitted by all, if by religion we under- in giving, not too much of his feeling, but too stand religious duty. The question is, whether much of his time to religion, this period of his there is no such thing as excessive remorse for life seems to have been more tranquil and serene neglect of some particular obligation. On the than any other. There are not many letters, whole, we think, that the friend of religion, in- but those are on the subject nearest his heart, stead of endeavouring to find order in the con- and are written in a cheerful spirit, which seems fusion which prevailed at that time in ('owper's to show that there was nothing morbid in his mind, will consult the honour of Christianity devotion. There is nothing in the least premore by pointing to the healthy action of his sumptuous or intrusive in his manner: he powerful intellect and the daily beauty of his speaks of himself in terms of unfeigned humilunclouded life, as a fine and attractive example ity, stating his own sentiments with manly freeof the spirit and power of religion. His regret dom, but never complaining of others because for lost and wasted years, was best manifested their feelings did not keep pace with his own. by the earnestness with which he redeemed the This way of life seems much more favourable to rest; his gratitude for the divine goodness, the health of his mind, than the more brilliant which restored him from suffering, was display- period when he stood out before the gaze of ed by his beginning life anew. These facts are men: for however much he endeavoured to undoubted; and they aiford volumes of testi- guard himself against excessive sensibility to mony in favour of Christian truth.

the world's opinion, it is manifestly impossible When Cowper, at the age of thirty-three, had that any man should be indifferent to censure recovered so far as to be able to leave the care or praise, and he of all mankind was least likely of the physician, and retreat into the country, to present a breast of steel to the critic's blow, he became acquainted with the family of Un- He succeeded much better in guarding himself

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against the temptations of flattery, than against earliest of the pieces which compose his first the depressing effect of censure. His letters be- volume, and the rest were written at the sug. tray the consternation with which he looked for gestion of friends, on subjects which happened the critical sentence of Johnson, and the almost to strike his imagination. Original and powerbodily fear in which he waited for the signal ful as these poems were, they were very slow in from the Doctor's heavy gun, which should give winning their way to the public favour; the sale notice whether the poet was to live or die. He was far from rapid, and the critical verdicts of was delighted with a line from Franklin, which, literary tribunals did not tend to increase their though it betrayed no great poetic enthusiasm, circulation. One of the reviews declared, that showed that he had discernment to see the sub- they were evidently the production of a very stantial excellence of the new candidate for pious gentleman, without one spark of genius. fame. Throughout Cowper's life, he seems to But considering all circumstances, this was not have been deeply wounded by neglect and scorn, surprising; the versification of the day was such whether as a poet or a man. When he first as Pope had left it, and ears accustomed to the went to Huntingdon as an invalid stranger, some even flow of his numbers, were startled by the one had spoken of him as “that fellow Cow-bolder grace of Cowper's lines; it seemed like per;" and he does not disguise the satisfaction absurd presumption, in one unknown to fanie, which it gave him to prove that he was by birth-to step so widely from the beaten path; and, as right a gentleman. He never was reconciled to every one knows, literary independence is not the neglect which he experienced at the hands easily forgiven. Then, too, the preface by Mr. of Thurlow, who was once his intimate friend. Newton was of a nature to alarm light readers: He had once playfully engaged to provide for it was written with more solemnity than was callCowper if he ever had the power; but when he ed for by the occasion; he does not seem to have became Lord Chancellor, he followed the exam- admired the play of Cowper's humour, though ple of Pharaoh's chief butler, a person who has it was one of his most remarkable powers; found more imitators than most others recorded the poet studiously apologizes for it in his letters in the Scripture. It was not to be expected, to Newton, assuring him that it was introduced that a coarse and somewhat savage individual in order to gain a hearing from the thoughtless, like Thurlow could sympathize much with one on the same principle that induces parents, in so gentle and refined ; nor would it have been giving physic to their children, to touch the brim easy to provide for him except by a pension; of the cup with honey. This language is one of but all that Cowper wished from him was an as- those instances of bad taste, of which Cowper surance that he was not forgotten, and it is a was not often guilty. It must be manifest to disgrace to Thurlow that this small measure of every one, that he indulged his humour simply attention to his feelings was never paid. because he could not help it. It was much more

After eight years of health, in the year 1773 natural to him to give way to this sportive wit, Cowper's depression returned, and soon deepen-than to launch anathemas at the head of Charles ed into an impenetrable gloom. No enjoyments, Wesley, for amusing himself with sacred music no cares nor duties could find the least access to on Sunday evening, and was at least as likely his mind; he did not show the least interest in to have a good effect upon the world. The tone the society of his friends, nor gratitude for their of severity with wbich he cannonades follies and kindness, though they were unwearied in their sins alike, does not seem like Cowper's choice, exertions to rescue him from his distress. Mr. but has the appearance of being borrowed from Newton though he was sometimes injudicious some one who exerted a powerful influence over in his treatment of Cowper, proved himself a bim. It is in direct opposition to sentiments faithful friend on this occasion ; and Mrs. Un- which he sometimes expresses, particularly in a win attended him with a kindness and self-devo- letter where he disapproves a certain clergytion, which were requited by his lasting grati- man's preaching, or rather his constant endeatude and affection. But nothing would avail;vour to scold men out of their sins. He says, he remained in a state of helpless despondency " the heart, corrupt as it is, and because it is so, for five years, all the while in utter despair of grows angry if it be not treated with good mansalvation; and when he began to recover, it was ners, and scolds again. There is no grace, that five years more before he regained sufficient the spirit of self can counterfeit more successfully firmness to throw off his anxiety, and return to than a religious zeal.” “A man that loves me, the world again. It was at this period that he if he sees me in an error, will pity me, and calmly helped forward bis restoration by taking care of endeavour to convince me of it, and persuade the tame hares which he has made so celebrated. me to forsake it: if he has great and good news

When he was so far restored as to be able toto tell me, he will not do it angrily, nor in heat write, Mrs. Unwin, with a judgment which does and discomposure of spirit.”. We fear that her honour, urged him to employ his mind upon Cowper was guilty of some violations of his own poetical subjects; and as this had always been excellent rule, and he was ready afterwards to a favourite pursuit, without his being aware of acknowledge it: when a friend applied the phrase the richness and variety of his powers, he was" multa cum bile" to the tone of those poems, he easily induced to make the exertion. He made confessed that in some respects it was just. All a beginning early in life, and one or two speci- this only serves to prove what was forcibly stated mens, preserved by Hayley, show the same by an old English divine, that religious zeal, vigour of thought and expression which distin- though a sweet Christian grace no doubt, is guish his later writings. Table Talk was the “exceedingly apt to sour.”

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Though the immediate success of his first His literary undertakings, thus far, had not volume was not great, it was sufficient to en-been of a kind which exacted severe labour; courage one who never had a very exalted they were sufficient to engage and interest, but opinion of his own powers; and having at this not to tax and exhaust his mind. But when he time a new and animated companion, Lady found the benefit of being employed, he seems Austen, who had much influence over him, and to have thought, that it would be well to put used it to induce him to write, he commenced a himself under a necessity for exertion; he therenew poem, The Task, which was completed and fore undertook the gigantic enterprise of transgiven to the world in 1785. This work was at lating Homer, and thus, in avoiding the danger once successful, and placed him at the head of of doing too little, ran headlong into the danger all the poets of the day. But all the while that of doing too much. He thought, like the rest of he was thus fortunate in gaining reputation, he the world, that Pope had not succeeded; but he was a prey to his constitutional melancholy, be- ascribed his failure to his moving in the fetters lieving himself unfit to engage in religious exer- of rhyme; and it does not seem to have occurred cises, and entirely cut off from the hope of sal- to him, that no translation, however exact and vation. A domestic incident, too, tended to de- worthy of the original, could ever equal the destroy the happiness which he might have re-mands of scholars or the imaginations of the ceived from his literary fame. He was obliged unlearned. This enterprise was not fortunate to give up the society of Lady Austen, in de- in any point of view. It rather wearied than ference to the feelings of Mrs. Unwin, who felt employed him; it added nothing to his literary herself eclipsed by this new companion. Mrs. fame, and when it was completed it left a vacancy Unwin has been generally condemned for this of mind, in which, having neither strength for jealousy, as if it proceeded from a narrow mind; labour nor power to live without it, he was open but there are several circumstances to be taken at once to the attacks of his depression. These into view. It does not appear, that she ever were deferred for a time by various literary plans complained of the ascendency of Lady Austen. which he formed; but in 1794, the cloud settled Cowper perceived that she was dispirited, and upon his mind, and it remained in eclipse to the for this there was sufficient reason. She felt last.

unscriptural character of the first papers, and to recom- where his services may occasionally be exerted usefully for mend that, in all future importations, she should take care the preservation of human life. Yet, did I wrong him in to order those which came from the same press; Davis, of the judgment of charity, when I saw his quick eye kindle Paternoster Row.

with the gale, as he watched the stormy horizon? Was I ui You think, then, they will have as much goodness in wrong when, as he went in the early dawn and dusk each them as the old ones sir ?"

evening, while I was there, to a hill a little higher than the “• As much, certainly; and I should imagine more, my rest, with his spy-glass, I thought his feelings and my own good woman, if you would only be guided by the good ad- -on discerning that a vessel had, during the night, struck vice which is given in that paper.'”—pp. 131-136. some of the numerous rocks which abound hereabouts, or

The Archdeacon's waggery is admirable, and was on her way to do so-might be of a very different the more so that it is perfectly innocent. Per character? This man is only a sample of many whom I haps, however, the most touching information

saw on this part of the coast.”- pp. 143-146. to be found in this volume, is connected with the It would not be easy to find a parallel to this shipwrecks that are so frequent on the coast of account, in point of sadness, simplicity of narraNewfoundland. At the cabin at Burnt Islands, tion, or tender charity on the part of the narrain which the author staid, “the playthings of tor, who is so afraid lest he wrong the hardy the children were bunches of small patent desk wrecker. and cabinet keys, which had been picked up

We are not without snatches of information from wrecks." Beautiful China plates, which which exhibit the Archdeacon as one feelingly had been washed ashore, were ranged upon alive to the beauties and the wonders of natural shelves alongside of the most common ware, and objects. For instance, he speaks of those very a fine huckabac towel, marked L. C. D., was beautiful birds, called by the people of Newfoundgiven to him to dry his hands, which had been land •lords and ladies, " and then introduces supplied from a wrecked vessel in which there the name of Mr. Audubon, who visited the island had been several ladies.

along with some pupils, some time ago, with de

served admiration, whose works, it appears, he “To some hearts those letters, doubtless, would renew a has perused. At St. George's Harboursad period of anxicty, which preceded the intelligence of the melancholy certainty of a sad bereavement. I could

" One person presented me with a piece of thick birch not look at this relic of a toilet, now no more required, tree, which had been cut through by the beaver near a without emotions of deep interest, although I had no clue bearer house, which was in the neighbourhood. The lung by which I could attach recollections of brilliant

teeth of these animals are sharp as chisels, and somewhat

prospects early blighted, or pious faith exemplified in death to these curved at the end : through this formation they are enabled three letters. Indeed, the scenes and circumstances, the to scoop the wood away at cach incision, and trees, thick very people by whom I was surrounded, roused within me as the body of a stout man, are cut down by them in an a train of decply melancholy sensations. My host may

incredibly short period, if they are in the way of their beahave been a humane man; his conduct to me was that of ver path. They have the instinct too, so to cut them, as genuine hospitality; but it had been his frequent employ that they may fall in any direction they wish, and not lie ment at intervals, frum his youth till now, to bury wreck- across their path. The tree, of which this is a part, having ed corpses, in all stages of decomposition. There had fallen inconveniently, had been cut through a second time. been washed on shore here, as many as three hundred, and It is a good specimen, therefore, of their ingenuity, as it an hundred and fifty on two occasions, and numerous in shews the marks of their labour at each end. Near the others. This sad employment appeared to have somewhat same beaver house, froin which this was taken, a tree which blunted his feelings. I would not do him injustice—the the beaver had cut through, had so fallen that it rested bare recital of such revolting narratives, • quorum pars against a neighbouring tree. On visiting the beaver house magna fuit,' unvarnished as such tales would naturally be, a few days after the first falling of the tree, my informant in the simpler expression of a fisherman, might give an, ap. dearly for the protection it had afforded the condemned

found that the supporting tree had, in the meantime, paid pearance of a want of feeling, which nature may not have denied to him, and of which the scenes and occupations of one. It had been itself eut through, so that it offered now his life may not have wholly divested him. I remember no obstacle to their plans of improvement.”—pp. 164, 165. well my expressing my reluctance to allow him to disinter The Archdeacon has even a taste for sport as a delicate female foot, the last human relic, which the well as for adventure. One night he voluntarily waves, or the wild cats, or the fox, or his own domestic dog, joined some people who went out to spear trout had deposited in the neighbourhood of his cabin. He had and eels in the salmon fisheries, being highly recently picked it up close to his door, and had buried it in gratified with the midnight occupation. A rude his garden, and was very anxious to be allowed to shovel Hambeau made of bunches of birch bark was away the lingering snow, that he might indulge me with a placed at the bow of the canoe, where a man sight of it

. I suppose my countenance may have betray- stood with a cleft pole of a certain description, ed some feeling of abhorrence, when he said, “ Dear me, with which he dexterously and alternately imSir, do let me; it would not give me any concern at all: 1 pelled the vessel and speared the fish, that were have had so much to do with dead bodies, that I think no either bewildered or attracted by the light. Four more of handling them, than I do of handling so many hundred trout, the author says, were thus taken codfish! I have said, that I believe him humane; yet in the canoe in which he was, some of them of a wrecks must form his chief inducement to settle in a place size that a salmon net would have taken them. so barren and bleak, and to live through the winter out Six of them weighed twenty-two pounds. We upon the shore as he does, contrary to the usual habit of must not pass unnoticed the Archdeacon's testithe people, which is to retire into the woods until late in mony to the sagacity of Newfoundland dogs, the spring. But humanity might prompt a man to live especially as the account is connected with a man

6

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at Gale's Harbour, of whom honourable mention latter than are at present available, they may is made.

fast merge into a state similar to that in which u I staid here at the house of a French Canadian, whose the South Sea Islands. This interesting Journal,

the first missionaries found the inhabitants of simple recital of the efficacy of his prayers, in a certain indeed, is intended to enforce an appeal which season of inminent peril at sea, and intimate acquaintance he is now making, as we learn from the Dedicawith the Scriptures, which he knew just sufficient of Eng. lish to read in our tongue, pleased me very much. Within tory Letter, through the agency of his dear a few days of my leaving his house, the courage and hu.wife," who has come to England for the purpose

Fanny,” as he characterizes his “ Missionary manity of this man of faith were called into exercise by showing that she is of a kindred spirit and the appearance in his neighbourhood, of a boat with a por- character with the excellent Archdeacon. The tion of the exhausted crew from a wrecked vessel in her. The breakers made it impossible that the people in the boat which the fair ambassadress is to urge in this

more immediate desire which he expresses, and should effect a landing; he leaped into the sea at the peril of his life, to give them a rope : a favourite dog, which I country, is that assistance may be obtained for had admired while there, was with him ; and on the boat's church in St. John's, the sum of two thousand

the erection of an additional Protestant episcopal swamping, when Miessau swam with one man in his pro: pounds being required. Hitherto, it appears, tection, his faithful dog seized another to draw him to the the island has been altogether indebted to the shore. The south-wester cap, however, which the drown. ing seaman wore, on which the dog had seized his hold, - Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in came off in the water

, and the dog nut observing the dimi: Foreign Parts," for its church institutions, its nution in the weight of his burden, was proceeding to the clergy, and till recently all its schools—the au

thor being one of the Society's servants, and shore with the cap alone, when the sailor seized the tail of

without doubt a most exemplary missionary. the dog, and so was towed to shore. The master of

We cannot for a moment suppose that his apthe wrecked vessel, who was one of the boat's crew, was some hours elapsed before he became conscious of any with the English religious public. taken in a state of insensibility into Miessau's house, and peal, so supported as it is by the whole current

of the Journal, and the zeal of his lady, can fail thing which was passing around him. This late instance, which I have quoted above, of the sagacity of the dog of Newfoundland, may be classed with many of the same kind, which I have heard well authenticated, and indeed

From the Monthly Review. have witnessed many since my residence in the island. An old dog is now living at Jersey Harbour, near Harbour The Life and Works of William Cowper.-By Briton, in Fortune Bay, which has exhibited, in many in

Robert SOUTHEY, Esq. L. L. D. London: Bald. stances, a degree of sagacity which will hardly be credited. win and Cradock. 1836. He has been known to assist in carrying on shore some light spars, which the captain of a vessel in the harbour Since the times are favourable to an impartial desired him to carry to the land wash, that a boat's crew estimate of the merits of this distinguished man, might be spared the trouble of carrying them. Another we cannot help regarding it as a signal calamity dog belonging to the same wharf has, as a volunteer, or that he should have fallen into the hands of Mr. upon invitation, assisted him in his work for a time; but Robert Southey. The whole work consists of has left his work in the middle of his second turn, swim- shreds and patches, taken partly from the writming to shore without his spar: when the first dog has ings of Cowper, and partly from the biographies quietly swam to shore with his own turn, and then sought and criticisms of others, strung together with a the runaway dog, and given him a sound threshing, and want of skill which does much to destroy their used to him other arguments of a character so significant charm. Hayley's Life, it is true, was made up and convincing, that the runaway has returacd to his work, in the same way; but then Cowper's letters were and quietly persevered in it, till the spars which had been new, and Hayley was wise enough to know, thrown over-board, were rafted to the shorc by the sagacious that to permit Cowper to be his own historian animals."--pp. 150, 153.

would give the work a surprising attraction.

But now, when those who would read a new biOur author speaks pointedly of a marked dis-ography are already familiar with his letters and similarity between the settlers who have de history, the biographer must adopt a different scended from Jerseymen, Frenchmen, Irish, course, and one which requires higher qualificaScotch, and English people; nay, of a remarka- tions. He must, to be sure, set down the incible difference between the manners of the same dents of Cowper's life, but this is a trifling part races, when only separated by what seems an of his duty. He must tell us what Cowper was, inconsiderable space; in some spots a population and show how far circumstances tended to make which is sadly degenerated may be found to be him what he was; he must explain to us the nathus contrasted with one that has gained by ture and spirit of his mind, and the strength and being removed from the mother country. He weakness of his heart; he must show us what speaks also in high terms of the character of that mysterious affection was, before which he some of the Indians, whom he heard speak with sometimes bowed down in infant helplessness, horror and disgust of the profligacy of the whites. while at other times, he threw it off like dust He says he met with more feminine delicacy in from the eagle's wing. In short, a biographer, the wigwams of the Micmac and Canokok In-worthy of the subject, must do much which Mr. dians, than in the tilts of many of his own people; Southey never thought of doing, and if he had, and he expresses his fears, that unless some far- would not have been able to do. ther means be taken for the improvement of thel The first biographer of Cowper, Hayley, was