458 
into) which the above incident. precipi- 
tated him? Surely the latter supposition 
is most agreeable to what we know of 
the nature of mental affections, yet we 
have only vague conjecture to confirm 
it. . Was not compunction for youthful 
irregularities, probably enhanced by the 
austerity of a gloomy religious system, 
the great predisposing cause? Is not this 
idea inculcated by the mention of an 
““ yndescribable load of religious de- 
' spondency,”’ which clouded his iaculties, 
while under the care of Dr. Cotton, at 
Saint Alban’s? . Pity if the delicacy of the 
biographer (which-isjindeed, one of his 
conspicuous features). has, ,in, this. in- 
stance, precluded the reader’s, instruc- 
tion! dee 
The “ reviving invalid,” after leaving 
Dr. Cotton’s, took up his residence at 
Huntingdon, where he soon became an 
inmate of the family of Unwin. This 
family possessed many qualities, which 
commanded both affection and esteem; 
but we cannot think that their opinions 
and mode of life were calculated to restore 
Cowper to that calm and reasonable state 
of mind, which might heal the remain- 
ing wounds of his spirit, and settle him 
in the equanimity of rational piety.— 
Notwithstanding his biographer speaks 
of the * lustre of comfort and delight,” 
which succeeded his first gloom, his let- 
ters to his relation, Mrs. Cowper, after 
being domesticated at Mr. Unwin’s, im- 
ply sentiments which would make the 
duration of this happy state very preca- 
rious. Of the manner in which he pass- 
ed his time with that. family, we shall 
copy his own account. 
« As to amusements, I mean what the 
world calls such, we have none: the place 
indeed swarms with them, and cards and 
dancing are the professed business of almost 
all the gentle mhabitants of Huntingdon. 
-—We refuse to take part in them, orto 
be accessaries to this way of murtherig 
our time, and by so doing have acquire 
the name of methodists. » Having! told you 
how we do not spend our time, I will next 
say how we do. >We breakfast commonly 
between ight-and nines till eleven, we read 
either the scripture, or the sermons of some 
faithful deeachiet of these holy ok see > at 
eleven we attend divineservice, which is.per- 
formed here twice every day, and from twelve 
to three we-separate,| and: amuse ourselves as 
we please.: During:that interval, 1 either 
yead in my owmapattment,ior walk, or ride, 
‘or work in the gardemsy We seldom sit.an 
hour after dinner, but if thefweather permits, 
adjourn to the gardeny where with Mrs. Un- 
BIQGRAPHY.. 0. sun ats: 
oa 
6 , oe 
win, and her son, I haye genarally the pleas 
sure of religions conversation till tea time! 
If it rains, or is too windy for. walking, we 
either converse Within dodrs, or sing’ some 
hymns of Martin’s collection, and by the help — 
of Mrs. Unwin’s harpsichord make up ‘a tos 
lerable concert, in which our heatts, 1 hope, 
are the best and most musical performers. 
After tea we sally forth to walk in good ear- 
nest. Mrs. Unwin is a good walker, and we 
haye gencrally travelled about four miles-be- 
fore. we see home again. _ When the days are 
short, we make this excursion in the former 
part of the day, between church time and 
dinner. “At night we read and converse as 
before, ‘till supper, !!and- commonly finish 
the evening either with hymis, or a: ser- 
mon, and last of alljthe family are, called to 
prayers." fs 
We trust we shall:not, by any judi- 
cious’reader, be reckoned hostile to the 
spirit of rational devotion, if we give it 
as Our opinion, thatssuch'a perpetual re- 
currence of the same ideas; and those, 
according to the system adopted by this 
class of religionists, chiefly of the awful, 
alarming, self-debasing kind, could noz 
fail of overwhelming such a mindas that | 
of Cowper, naturally prone to timid ap- 
prehension, and still infirm from the re- 
lics of late derangement. A philoso 
phical biographer, not shackled by the 
necessity or the inclination of acting the 
encomiast on every occasion, might have 
found:a fertile and interesting source. of 
reflection in the incidents of this period 
of Cowper’s life. Mr.Hayley, however; 
has ventured only once slightly to touch 
on the topic of devatignat excesses ; he 
has not even been warmed to any exprese 
sion .of indignant pity, on. the -circums 
stance of'Cowper’s falling under the di- 
rection, literary)as well as religious, of a 
person! who may deserve the epithet ofa 
“« benevolent and animated pastor ;” but 
certainly was not the man, in point:of 
education or abilities, to whom the cus- 
tody of a mind, rich in the stores ‘of 
learning, and animated with pure poetic 
fire, ought to have been. committed. oit 
appears that such a genius was suffered 
for years to discontinue all proper means 
of intellectual improvement,and to waste 
its efforts upon methodistical hymns; and — 
versions of the reveries of quietism) iv 
Mr. Hayley’s extremes caution upon 
this subject, is shown by his passibg over 
without remark, one of the.most-striking. 
exemplifications of that state of-réligious 
opinion; in which Cowper! had $ettled, 
and which was so manifestly instr 
tal in producing the dreadful’ despo 
4 
