Cowper appears to have been one of her brother's converts; the book alluded to in the preceding letter was Pearsall's Meditations, and it gave her cousin an occasion of writing to her, which was all that he had waited for; for the renewal of intercourse with his friends was a point on which he was peculiarly sensitive. He says to her, “ My friends must excuse me if I write to none but those who lay it fairly in my way to do 80. The inference I am apt to draw from their silence is, that they wish me to be silent too 37.5

In this letter he says, "Your brother Martin has been very kind to me, having written to me twice, in a style which, though it was once irksome to me, to say the least I now know how to value. I pray God to forgive me the many light things I have both said and thought of him and his labours. Hereafter I shall consider him as a burning and shining light, and as one of those who, having turned many to righteousness, shall shine hereafter as the stars for ever and ever. So much for the state of my heart: as to my spirits, I am cheerful and happy, and having peace with God, have peace within myself. For the continuance of this blessing, I trust to Him who gave it; and they who trust in Him shall never be confounded." The lady in whose house he lived, was, he says, so excellent a person, and regarded him with a friendship so truly Christian, that he could almost fancy his own mother restored to life again, to compensate to him for all the friends he had lost, and all his connexions broken.

His correspondence with Mrs. Cowper became as frequent now as it had been with Lady Hesketh, and except when the Unwins were mentioned, it was wholly of a religious character: "I thank God," he says, "that I have those among my kindred to whom I can write without reserve my sentiments upon this subject, as I do to you. A letter upon any other subject, is more insipid to me than even my task was when a schoolboy; and I say not this in vain glory,-God forbid! but to show you what the Almighty, whose name I am unworthy to mention, has done for me the greatest of sinners. Once he was a terror to me, and his service, oh what a weariness it was! Now I can say, I love Him and his holy name, and am never so happy as when I speak of his mercies to me

38 >>

At this time he had many anxious thoughts about taking 37 March 11, 1766. 38 Sept. 3, 1766.

orders. "I believe," said he, "every new convert is apt to think himself called upon for that purpose; but it has pleased God, by means which there is no need to particularize, to give me full satisfaction as to the propriety of declining it. Indeed, they who have the least idea of what I have suffered from the dread of public exhibitions, will readily excuse my never attempting them hereafter. In the mean time, if it please the Almighty, I may be an instrument of turning many to the truth in a private way, and hope that my endeavours in this way have not been entirely unsuccessful 40. Had I the zeal of Moses, I should need an Aaron to be my spokesman."

Mrs. Cowper had inquired particularly concerning the manin which he passed his time. He replied, "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 inhabitants of Huntingdon. We refuse to take part in them, or to be accessaries to this way of murdering our time, and by so doing have acquired 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 eight and nine; till eleven, we read either the Scripture, or the sermons of some faithful preacher of those holy mysteries; at eleven we attend divine service, which is performed here twice every day; and from twelve to three we separate, and amuse ourselves as we please.

39 To Mrs. Cowper, Oct. 20, 1766.

40 In the Memoir which Mr. Greatheed "revised, corrected, and recom mended," it is said, "The usefulness to which he alludes in this passage, was no less than the conversion of almost all Mr. Unwin's family. The consequent alteration of their conduct excited the surprise and displeasure of their former intimates, whose round of amusements had long been undisturbed by appearances of genuine godliness. They regretted that a man of Mr. Cowper's accomplishments should have been spoiled for society by religion, and still more, that his delusion should have infected a family so extensively connected as Mr. Unwin's with the polite inhabitants. That connexion was soon dissolved: and their resentment of the change vented itself in a calumny, to which a gross ignorance of the principles of Christian friendship afforded the sole support."

In the same narrative it is stated that Mrs. Unwin "had been remarkable for gaiety and vivacity; but that she soon notwithstanding, fully entered into Mr. Cowper's religious views, and discovered a change of character that was far from being agreeable to her fashionable acquaintance." This is altogether inconsistent with Cowper's own account, which has been faithfully incorporated in the text.

S. C.-1.

K

During that interval, I either read, in my own apartment, or walk, or ride, or work in the garden. We seldom sit an hour after dinner, but, if the weather permits, adjourn to the garden, where, with Mrs. Unwin and her son, I have generally the pleasure of religious conversation till tea time. If it rains, or is too windy for walking, we either converse within doors, or sing some hymns of Martin's collection, and by the help of Mrs. Unwin's harpsichord, make up a tolerable concert, in which our hearts, I hope, are the best and most musical performers. After tea we sally forth to walk in good earnest. Mrs. Unwin is a good walker, and we have generally travelled about four miles before 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 hymns, or a sermon, and last of all the family are called to prayers. I need not tell you, that such a life as this is consistent with the utmost cheerfulness; accordingly we are all happy, and dwell together in unity as brethren. Mrs. Unwin has almost a maternal affection for me, and I have something very like a filial one for her, and her son and I are brothers. Blessed be the God of our salvation for such companions, and for such a life, above all for a heart to like it."

The last of his letters, during this part of his life, to Lady Hesketh, gives a striking description of the neighbourhood, and of his own state of mind.

MY DEAR LADY HESKETH,

Jan. 30, 1767.

I am glad you spent your summer in a place so agreeable to you. As to me, my lot is cast in a country where we have neither woods nor commons, nor pleasant prospects: all flat and insipid; in the summer adorned only with blue willows, and in the winter covered with a flood. Such it is at present: our bridges shaken almost in pieces; our poor willows torn away by the roots, and our haycocks almost afloat. Yet even here we are happy; at least I am so; and if I have no groves with benches conveniently disposed, nor commons overgrown with thyme to regale me, neither do I want them. You thought to make my mouth water at the charms of Taplow, but you see you are disappointed.

My dear cousin! I am a living man; and I can never reflect that I am so, without recollecting at the same time that I have infinite cause of thanksgiving and joy. This makes every place delightful to me, where I can have leisure to meditate upon those mercies by which I live, and indulge a vein of gratitude to that gracious God, who has snatched me like a brand out of the burning. Where had I been but for his forbearance and long-suffering? even with those who shall never see his face in hope, to whom the name of Jesus, by the just judgement of God, is become a torment instead of a remedy. Thoughtless and inconsiderate wretch that I was! I lived as if I had been my own creator, and could continue my existence to what length, and in what state I pleased; as if dissipation was the narrow way which leads to life, and a neglect of the blessed God would certainly end in the enjoyment of Him. But it pleased the Almighty to convince me of my fatal error before it indeed became such; to convince me that in communion with Him we may find that happiness for which we were created, and that a life without God in the world, is a life of trash, and the most miserable delusion. Oh how had my own corruptions, and Satan together, blinded and befooled me! I thought the service of my Maker and Redeemer a tedious and unnecessary labour; I despised those who thought otherwise; and if they spoke of the love of God, I pronounced them madAs if it were possible to serve and to love the Almighty Being too much, with whom we must dwell for ever, or be for ever miserable without him.

men.

Would I were the only one that had ever dreamed this dream of folly and wickedness! but the world is filled with such, who furnish a continual proof of God's almost unprovokeable mercy; who set up for themselves in a spirit of independence upon Him who made them, and yet enjoy that life by his bounty, which they abuse to his dishonour. You remember me, my dear cousin, one of this trifling and deluded multitude. Great and grievous afflictions were applied to awaken me out of this deep sleep, and, under the influence of divine grace, have, I trust, produced the effect for which they were intended. If the way in which I had till that time proceeded had been according to the word and will of God, God had never interposed to change it. That He did is certain; though others may not be so sensible of that interposition, yet I am sure of

it. To think as I once did therefore must be wrong. Whether to think as I now do be right or not, is a question that can only be decided by the word of God; at least it is capable of no other decision, till the great day determine it finally. I see, and see plainly, in every page and period of that word, my former heedlessness and forgetfulness of God condemned. I see a life of union and communion with him inculcated and enjoined as an essential requisite. To this, therefore, it must be the business of our lives to attain, and happy is he who makes the greatest progress in it. This is no fable, but it is our life. If we stand at the left hand of Christ while we live, we shall stand there too in the judgement. The separation must be begun in this world, which in that day shall be made for ever. My dear cousin! may the Son of God, who shall then assign to each his everlasting station, direct and settle all your thoughts upon this important subject. Whether you must think as I do, or not, is not the question; but it is indeed an awful question, whether the word of God be the rule of our actions, and his spirit the principle by which we act. Search the Scriptures; for in them ye believe ye have eternal

life.

This letter will be Mr. Howe's" companion to London. I wish his company were more worthy of him, but it is not fit it should be less. I pray God to bless you, and remember you where I never forget those I love.

:

Yours and Sir Thomas's affectionate friend,

WM. COWPER.

Here the correspondence with Lady Hesketh appears to have ceased he could take no pleasure at this time in any other strain, and she probably thought that it was dangerous for him to dwell constantly upon this. But to Mrs. Cowper he continued to write; and from what he says to her, it may be inferred that for the reason assigned he had dropped the communication with his more beloved cousin. "To find42," he says, "those whom I love clearly and strongly persuaded of evangelical truth, gives me a pleasure superior to any this world can afford me. Judge then, whether your letter, in which the body and substance of a saving faith is so evidently

41 Probably some work of Howe's which he was sending to Lady Hes42 March 11, 1767.

keth.