Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

a bous Argos, that he and his people, transferring themselves thither from Ithaca, might have become his

ghbour. Had I the thousands with which some people are favoured, I would gladly build for the Chesters, not a city, which they would not want, but a house at least as good as that which Menelaus had designed for Ulysses, in the precincts of Weston Underwood, their non-residence here being the only defect in the situation."

The following year, as Cowper had hoped, afforded fresh opportunities of visiting his amiable friends at Chicheley Hall, and, as the Chesters and Throckmortons were friends, if he could not go in Lady Hesketh's carriage there was the chance of Mr. Throckmorton's. For example, the letter of the 17th of June begins, “Here am I, at eight in the morning, in full dress, going a visiting to Chicheley "—one of a strong party which filled two chaises-to wit, Mrs. Frog the elder, Mrs. Frog the younger, Mrs. Gifford, and the poet.

Among Cowper's penchants, one was for asking riddles, and in one of his letters he inquires of Mr. Bagot, Why is the winter like a backbiter? Because Solomon says that a backbiter separates between chief friends, and so does the winter; to this dirty season it is owing that I see nothing of the valuable Chesters, whom indeed I see less at all times than serves at all to content me."

143. Cowper's Dogs: Mungo, the Marquis, and Beau.

Two of Cowper's hares having died, and Puss, the survivor, being so decrepit through age that it promised very shortly to follow them, the poet, about 1782, had procured himself another favourite-namely, a dog called Mungo (already once referred to), whose heroism in defying the thunder forms the staple of the letter of July 27, 1785. The successor of Mungo was a dog called the Marquis, who, dying in September, 1787, was "succeeded by Beau." The dog Beau, celebrated in prose and song, obtained a place in his master's affections second only, if second, to the affectionate and patriarchal hare, Puss. Beau had been presented to the poet by two young ladies, Charlotte and Barbara, the daughters of Sir Robert Gunning, of Horton House, a mansion situated a few miles distant, and was a constant companion of him in his walks. We learn that Beau was "spotted liver-colour and white, or rather white and chestnut." "In the science of fetch and carry" he speedily became an adept, and took no less readily to the water. Bread he would beg for "with much importunity." "He is regularly combed," says the poet, "and his ears, which are remarkably handsome, are my own particular care. They gather burrs while he threads all the thickets in his way, from which I deliver them myself as soon as we get home." Though Beau had been taught to take to the water, his master never gave him "a forced washing," for he had noticed that dogs often washed get rheumatisms,

because they do not dry themselves by exercise, but lie down in their damp coats, which is hurtful to everything but a Highlander."

The feat of Beau, which is immortalized in the wellknown poem of "The Dog and the Water-lily," is thus referred to in the letter of June 27, 1788 : "Walking

the river side, I observed some water-lilies floating at a little distance from the bank. They are a large white flower, with an orange-coloured eye, very beautiful. I had a desire to gather one, and, having your long cane in my hand, by the help of it endeavoured to bring one of them within my reach. But the attempt proved vain, and I walked forward. Beau had all the while observed me very attentively. after toward the same place, I observed him plunge into the river, while I was about forty yards distant from him; and, when I had nearly reached the spot, he swam to land with a lily in his mouth, which he came and laid at my foot."

Returning soon

The incident occurred near Goosey Bridge, close to Olney. Another poem of which this dog is the subject is entitled "On a spaniel called Beau, killing a young bird," and bears date July 15, 1793.

Whether frisking amid the flags and rushes, or pursuing the swallows when his master walked abroad, or whether licking his hand or nibbling the end of his pen when in his lap at home, Beau ofttimes, like his predecessor, the hare, beguiled Cowper's heart of thoughts that made it ache, and forced him to a smile.

Cowper's letter of December 13, 1789, terminates with a paragraph which shows that Beau was in favour also with Lady Hesketh. It runs as follows:

"Received from my master, on account current with

Lady Hesketh, the sum of

head.

Witness my paw,

one kiss on my fore

BEAU, his mark."

144. Dr. Ash and Dr. Grindon.

Among Cowper's ailments was the formidable one of indigestion, which, however, he was able to cope with owing to the prescription in 1786 of Dr. Ash, of London, to whom his case had been represented by Lady Hesketh. Writing to his cousin on July 5, 1788, Cowper tells her that-" The soluble salt of tartar has been of such sovereign use to me, I have not ceased to take it since the time when Dr. Ash prescribed it, and believe myself indebted to it in a great degree for the measure of health that I have enjoyed ;" and on the 20th of December he speaks of having taken the soluble tartar daily for two years. If a variety of physicians could have put him right Cowper would certainly have got well. Few men, it may be assumed, consulted more doctors, or consumed more physic. While at Olney, and Weston, besides that of Dr. Ash, he had the benefit of the advice of Dr. Cotton (St. Albans), Dr. Grindon (Olney), Dr. Kerr (Northampton), and Mr. Gregson, to say nothing of the " Elliott's medicines" which he was constantly taking for the good of his eyes, and to the virtues of which he was convinced that he owed their preservation; but it is very possible that "Elliott's medicines" got credit for some of the benefits that in reality accrued from fresh air and plenty of exercise, though Cowper was not the

man to underrate the hygienic value of either. He would have quite agreed with Richard Jefferies that "It's indoors that kills people," for to his late friend Unwin, who was too sedentary, and who had complained that he could not walk, that he could not ride even without an object, Cowper once said (November 10, 1783): "Is not health an object? Is not a new prospect, which in most countries is gained at the end of every mile, an object? Assure yourself that easy chairs are no friends to cheerfulness, and that a long winter spent by the fireside is a prelude to an unhealthy spring. Everything I see in the fields is to me an object; and I can look at the same rivulet, or at a handsome tree, every day of my life with new pleasure. This, indeed, is partly the effect of a natural taste for rural beauty, and partly the effect of habit, for I never in all my life have let slip the opportunity of breathing fresh air, and conversing with nature, when I could fairly catch it. I earnestly recommend a cultivation of the same taste to you, suspecting that you have neglected it, and suffer for doing so.'

[ocr errors]

The ledger and day books of Dr. George Grindon, surgeon of Olney, contain scores of entries concerning Cowper, included, in most cases, in the account of Mrs. Unwin, and noted as "Mr. Cowper," "W. Cowper Esq.," "W. C., Esq.' Some are worthy of note. example, "Die Jovis, 18 Jany 87," there is booked to W. Cowper, Esq. :

[ocr errors]

"Tinct. Valer. Simplex 3 ii."

For

In common parlance, "Two ounces of simple tincture of Valerian," a medicine still in use for hysteria and

« ForrigeFortsett »