certain and transient guest with me, but the joy with which I shall see and converse with you at Olney, perhaps, may make it an abiding one.

W. COWPER.

TO LADY HESKETH.

The Lodge, Nov. 10, 1787.

THE parliament, my dearest cousin, prorogued continually, is a meteor dancing before my eyes, promising me my wish only to disappoint me, and none but the king and his ministers can tell when you and I shall come together. I hope, however, that the period, though so often postponed, is not far distant, and that once more I shall behold you, and experience your power to make winter gay and sprightly.

I have a kitten, the drollest of all creatures, that ever wore a cat's skin. Her gambols are not to be described, and would be incredible, if they could. In point of size, she is likely to be a kitten always, being extremely small of her age; but time, I suppose, that spoils every thing, will make her also a cat. You will see her, I hope, before that melancholy period shall arrive, for no wisdom, that' she may gain by experience and reflection hereafter, will compensate the loss of her present hilarity. She is dressed in a tortoiseshell suit, and I know that you will delight in her.

Mrs. Throckmorton carries us to morrow in her chaise to Chichely. The event, however, must be supposed to depend on elements, at least on the state of the atmosphere, which is turbulent beyond measure. Yesterday it thundered, last night it lightened, and, at three this morning, I saw the sky as red as a city in flames could have made it. I have a leech in a bottle, that foretels all these

prodiges and convulsions of nature. No, not, as you will naturally conjecture, by articulate utterance of oracular notices, but by a variety of gesticulations, which here I Suffice it to say, have not room to give an account of. that no change of weather surprises him, and that, in point of the earliest and most accurate intelligence, he is worth all the barometers in the world. None of them all, indeed, can make the least pretence to foretel thunder

a species of capacity of which he has given the most unequivocal evidence. I gave but sixpence for him, which is a groat more than the market price, though he is, in fact, or rather would be, if leeches were not found in every ditch, an invaluable acquisition.

W. COWPER.

TO LADY HESKETH.

The Lodge, Nov. 27, 1787.

IT is the part of wisdom, my dearest cousin, to sit down contented under the demands of necessity, because they are such. I am sensible that you cannot, in my uncle's present infirm state, and of which it is not possible to expect any considerable amendment, indulge either us or yourself with a journey to Weston. Yourself, I say, both because I know it will give you pleasure to see Causidici mi* once more, especially in the comfortable abode where you have placed him, and because, after so long an imprisonment in London, you, who love the country, and have a taste for it, would of course be glad to return to it. For my own part, to me it is ever new; and though I have now been an inhabitant of this village a twelvemonth, and

* The appellation which sir Thomas Hesketh used to give him in jest, when he was of the Temple.

have, during the half of that time, been at liberty to expatiate, and to make discoveries, I am daily finding out fresh scenes and walks, which you would never be satisfied with enjoying some of them are unapproachable by you, either on foot or in your carriage. Had you twenty toes (whereas I suppose you have but ten), you could not reach them; and coach wheels have never been seen there since the flood. Before it, indeed (as Burnet says, that the Earth was then perfectly free from all inequalities in it's surface), they might have been seen there every day. We have other walks, both upon hill tops and in valleys beneath, some of which, by the help of your carriage, and many of them without it's help, would be always at your command.

On Monday morning last, Sam brought me word that there was a man in the kitchen, who desired to speak with me. I ordered him in. A plain, decent, elderly figure made it's appearance, and, being desired to sit, spoke as follows: "Sir, I am clerk of the parish of All Saints, in Northampton; brother of Mr. C. the upholsterer. It is customary for the person in my office to annex to a bill of mortality, which he publishes at Christmas, a copy of verses. You will do me a great favour, sir, if you would furnish me with one." To this I replied, " Mr. C. you have several men of genius in your town, why have you not applied to some of them? There is a namesake of yours, in particular, C, the statuary, who, every body knows, is a first-rate maker of verses. He surely is the man of all the world for your purpose.". -"Alas! sir, I have heretofore borrowed help from him, but he is a gentleman of so much reading, that the people of our town cannot understand him." I confess to you, my dear, I felt all the force of the compliment implied in this speech, and was almost ready to answer, perhaps, my good friend, they may find me unintelligible too for the same reason. But

on asking him whether he had walked over to Weston on purpose to implore the assistance of my muse, and on his replying in the affirmative, I felt my mortified vanity a little consoled, and, pitying the poor man's distress, which appeared to be considerable, promised to supply him. The waggon has accordingly gone this day to Northampton, loaded in part with my effusions in the mortuary style. A fig for poets, who write epitaphs upon individuals! I have written one, that serves two hundred persons.

A few days since I received a second very obliging letter from Mr. MHe tells me, that his own papers, which are by far, he is sorry to say it, the most numerous, are marked V. I. Z. Accordingly, my dear, I am happy to find, that I am engaged in a correspondence with Mr. Viz, a gentleman for whom I have always entertained the profoundest veneration, But the serious fact is, that the papers distinguished by those signatures have ever pleased me most, and struck me as the work of a sensible man, who knows the world well, and has more of Addison's delicate humour than any body.

The cook

A poor man begged food at the Hall lately. gave him some vermicelli soup. He ladled it about some time with the spoon, and then returned it to her, saying, "I am a poor man it is true, and I am very hungry, but yet I cannot eat broth with maggots in it." Once more, my dear, a thousand thanks for your boxful of good things, useful things, and beautiful things. Yours ever,

W. COWPER.

TO THE REV. JOHN NEWTON.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

March 29, 1784.

IT being his majesty's pleasure, that I should yet

have another opportunity to write before he dissolves the parliament, I avail myself of it with all possible alacrity. I thank you for your last, which was not the less welcome for coming, like an extraordinary gazette, at a time when it was not expected.

As when the sea is uncommonly agitated, the water finds it's way into creeks and holes of rocks, which in it's calmer state it never reaches, in like manner the effect of these turbulent times is felt even at Orchard-side, where, in general, we live as indisturbed by the political element, as shrimps or cockles, that have been accidentally deposited in some hollow beyond the water mark, by the usual dashing of the waves. We were sitting yesterday after dinner, the two ladies and myself, very composedly, and without the least apprehension of any such intrusion in our snug parlour, one lady knitting, the other netting, and the gentleman winding worsted, when, to our unspeakable surprise, a mob appeared before the window; a smart rap was heard at the door, the boys hallooed, and the maid announced Mr.Puss was unfortunately

let out of her box, so that the candidate, with all his good friends at his heels, was refused admittance at the grand entry, and referred to the back door, as the only possible way of approach.

Candidates are creatures not very susceptible of affronts, and would rather, I suppose, climb in at a window, than be absolutely excluded. In a minute, the yard, the kitchen, and the parlour were filled. Mr. Gadvancing toward me, shook me by the hand with a degree of cordiality, that was extremely seducing. As soon as he and as many more as could find chairs were seated, he began to open the intent of his visit. I told him I had no vote, for which he readily gave me credit. I assured him, I had no in

*His tame hare.