268 
HARE. 
published an account of them. It was to divert his 
thoughts, while labouring under one of those fits of 
mental depression which so frequently obscured this 
gentleman’s faculties, that he applied himself to the 
taming and educating of his hares ; and we shall 
gladly avail ourselves of the particulars he has left 
behind him, though more than necessary for our 
purpose. In the year 1774 he took a leveret under 
his protection, which some of his neighbours’ chil- 
dren had at first carefully cherished, but afterwards 
neglected. As it was soon known in the parish that 
Mr. Cowper was pleased with his charge, his neigh- 
bours were not backward in bringing others ; so that 
in a short time he had as many leverets offered him 
as would have stocked a paddock. He undertook 
the care of three, whom he distinguished by dif- 
ferent names, and immediately set about building 
them huts for their accommodation. They soon be- 
came perfectly tame : in the day-time they had the 
range of a hall, and at night retired each to his own 
bed, never intruding into that of another. 
Mr. Cowper speaks of the engaging manners of 
one of his harmless companions in the following 
words : — “ Puss grew presently familiar, would leap 
into my lap, raise himself upon his hinder feet, and 
bite the hair from my temples. He would suffer 
me to take him up and to carry him about in my 
arms, and has more than once fallen fast asleep upon 
my knee. He was ill three days ; during which 
time I nursed him, kept him apart from his fellows 
that they might not molest him, (for, like many 
