The Life and Works of William Cowper: The works of William Cowper. His life and letters by William Hayley; v. 6-8, The life of William Cowper. Poems

CONTENTS

OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.

Part the Second-continued.

EFFORTS for the abolition of the slave Trade

Wilberforce, the Liberator of Africa

Cowper's ballads on Negro slavery

The Negro's Complaint

The question why Great Britain should be the first to

sacrifice interest to humanity answered by Cowper

Lines from Goldsmith's

character

'Traveller," on the English

Exposition of the cruelty and injustice of the slave-trade,

by Granville Sharp

Proof of the slow progress of truth

Extracts from Cowper's poems on Negro slavery

Case of Somerset, a slave, and Lord Mansfield's judg-

ment

Final abolition of slavery by Great Britain, and efforts

making for the religious instruction of the Negroes 11

Probability that Africa may be enlightened by their

Cowper's lines on the blessings of spiritual liberty

Letter to Mrs. Hill, March 17, 1788. Thanks for a pre-

sent of a turkey and ham; Mr. Hill's indisposition;

inquiry concerning Cowper's library

With a

To the Rev. John Newton, March 17, 1788.

song, written at Mr. N.'s request, for Lady Balgonie

To the Rev. Walter Bagot, March 19, 1788. Coldness

of the spring; remarks on "The Manners of the

Great;" progress of his Homer

To Samuel Rose, Esq., March 29, 1788. He expresses
his wonder that his company should be desirable to
Mr. R.; Mrs. Unwin's character; acknowledges the
receipt of some books; Clarke's notes on Homer; al-
lusion to his own ballads on Negro slavery

To Lady Hesketh, March 31, 1788. He makes mention
of his song, "The Morning Dream;" allusion to Han-
nah More on "The Manners of the Great"
Character of and extracts from Mrs. More's work
To Mrs. King, April 11, 1788. Allusion to his melan-
choly, and necessity for constant employment; impro-
bability of their meeting

To the Rev. John Newton, April 19, 1788.

Remarks

on the conduct of government in regard to the Slavery
Abolition question

To Lady Hesketh, May 6, 1788. Smollett's Don Quix-
otte; he thanks her for the intended present of a box
for letters and papers; renewal of his correspondence
with Mr. Rowley; remarks on the expression, “As
great as two inkle-weavers"

To Joseph Hill, Esq., May 8, 1788. Lament for the loss
of his library; progress of his Homer

To Lady Hesketh, May 12, 1788. Mrs. Montagu and
the Blue Stocking Club; his late feats in walking
To Joseph Hill, Esq., May 24, 1788. Thanks for the
present of prints of the Lacemaker and Crazy Kate;
family of Mr. Chester; progress of Homer; antique
bust of Paris

To the Rev. William Bull, May 25, 1788. He declines

the composition of hymns, which Mr. B. had urged

him to undertake

PAGE

To Lady Hesketh, May 27, 1788. His lines on Mr.
Henry Cowper; remarks on Mrs. Montagu's Essay
on the Genius of Shakspeare; antique head of Paris;
remarks on the two prints sent him by Mr. Hill

To the same, June 3, 1788. Sudden change of the

weather; remarks on the advertisement of a dancing-

master of Newport-Pagnel

PAGE

To the Rev. John Newton, June 5, 1788. His writing

engagements; effect of the sudden change of the wea-

ther on his health; character of Mr. Bean; visit from

the Powleys; he declines writing further on the slave-

trade; invitation to Weston; verses on Mrs. Montagu 43

To Joseph Hill, Esq., June 8, 1788. On the death of
his uncle, Ashley Cowper

To Lady Hesketh, June 10, 1788. On the death of her

father, Ashley Cowper

To the same, June 15, 1788. Recollections of her father 49

To the Rev. Walter Bagot, June 17, 1788. Coldness of
the season; reasons for declining to write on slavery;
contrast between the awful scenes of nature and the
horrors produced by human passions

To Mrs. King, June 19, 1788. He excuses his silence
on account of inflammation of the eyes; sudden change
of weather; reasons why we are not so hardy as our
forefathers; his opinion of Thomson, the poet

313

To Samuel Rose, Esq. June 23, 1788. Apology for an

unanswered letter; providence of God in regard to the

weather; visitors at Weston; brevity of human life 56

To the Rev. John Newton, June 24, 1788. Difficulties

experienced by Mr. Bean in enforcing a stricter observ-

ance of the Sabbath at Olney; remarks on the Slave

Trade

To Lady Hesketh, June 27, 1788. Anticipations of her

next visit; allusion to Lord Thurlow's promise to

provide for him; anecdote of his dog Beau; remarks

on his ballads on slavery

The Dog and the Water Lily

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To Joseph Hill, Esq. July 6, 1788. He gives Mr. H.
notice that he has drawn on him; allusion to an engage-
ment of Mr. H.'s

To Lady Hesketh, July 28, 1788,

tion;

the lime-walk at Weston;

count of Five Hundred Living Authors"

To the same, August 9, 1788. Visitors at Weston;

motto composed by Cowper for the king's clock

PAGE

To Samuel Rose, Esq. August 18, 1788. Circumstances

of their parting; he recommends to Mr. R. to take due

care of himself in his pedestrian journeys; strictures on

Lavater's Aphorisms

Remarks on physiognomy, and on the merits of Lavater

as the founder of the Orphan House at Zurich. Note 71

To Mrs. King, August 28, 1788. He playfully guesses
at Mrs. K.'s figure and features
To the Rev. John Newton, Sept. 2, 1788. Reference to
Mr. N.'s late visit; his own melancholy state of mind;
Mr. Bean's exertions for suppressing public houses
To Samuel Rose, Esq., Sept. 11, 1788.
oak; lines suggested by it; exhortation against bash-
fulness

To Mrs. King, Sept. 25, 1788.

invitation to Weston