The Life of William Cowper

who intends to publish it with annotations; (3) The manuscript Life of Teedon, by William Soul, of Olney, written in 1848. The influence of Newton, Unwin, Lady Hesketh-any you will-over Cowper was as nothing compared with that of Samuel Teedon, the self-opinionated and infatuated schoolmaster of Olney; (4) The Ledger and Day-books of Dr. George Grindon, of Olney, who married Miss Green, Lady Austen's niece. These contain folios upon folios devoted to Mrs. Unwin, for Mr. Grindon attended her almost all the time she was at Olney and Weston; and there are scores of allusions to "W. Cowper, Esq.," "W. C., Esq.," and "Mr. Cowper." These books, and especially the Day-book for 1784 and 1785, have enabled me to lay some curious and interesting facts before the reader; (5) The Diary of the Rev. Abraham Maddock, containing most important references to Cowper, with whom Mr. Maddock was acquainted. It covers the period from 1765 to 1771the time during which least has been known about the poet. This valuable manuscript, portions of which were printed in the Kettering Leader for 1889, is in the possession of H. Gough, Esq., of Redhill; (6) The Parish Registers of Olney, which have certainly never been consulted before by a biographer of Cowper; (7) Other sources too numerous to mention, for I have made inquiry in every direction that seemed at all likely to lead to fresh information. Two new poems are given, to wit, "A Thunder Storm" and "Heu quam remotus." Whether they are strictly new, is not of much importance, for they will, I have not the least doubt, be new to the reader.

Neither of them is to be found in any collection of Cowper's poems. The first has been printed only at the private press of the Rev. W. Barker, of Hastings ; the second appeared in one of the editions of Cowper's Autobiography. (For further information respecting them, see sections 46 and 54.)

The facts given about Cowper's two protégés likewise throw interesting light upon his life. How many people, I wonder, are aware that he had any protégés at all that he brought up, educated, and cared for two children, a boy (Dick Coleman) and a girl (Hannah Willson). The second was treated almost as a daughter. Southey refers to the boy, but does not give his name; he refers to the girl, but he was ignorant of her story. During half Cowper's life the first protégé was an anxiety to him, and the second added more trouble than any one else to his declining years. The reader, however, will find something new on almost every page, and the facts are dealt with-as unfortunately many in Southey are not-in chronological order.

In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to many ladies and gentlemen who have rendered me assistance, and particularly to Henry Gough, Esq., of Redhill, for innumerable valuable notes and suggestions; W. J. Harvey, Esq., of Champion Hill, for notes from Teedon's Diary; the Rev. J. Barham Johnson (son of "Johnny of Norfolk "), Dial House, Norwich; Rev. H. B. Johnson, Lullington Parsonage, Frome; the Venerable Archdeacon Vesey, for notes on Huntingdon; Rev. M. Atkinson, Huntingdon; Sir Peniston Milbanke, for notes and kindness at Eartham;

Lady Hesketh, of Easton Neston, for genealogical notes concerning the "Worshipful and auncient familie of the Heskaythes of Ruffourd"; the late lamented Rev. S. S. Lewis, M.A., of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, for notes about the poet's brother John; the Rev. J. Tarver, Filgrave; Professor Hales, King's College, London; R. F. Sketchley, Esq., Librarian, Dyce and Forster Libraries, South Kensington Museum; F. Grindon, Esq., Olney, for use of his grandfather's account books and permission to photograph relics; Rev. J. P. Langley, Olney, for permission to examine the registers; J. Palmer, Esq., J. Garrard, Esq., W. Swannell, Esq., Mrs. Higgins, of Turvey Abbey, and Mrs. Welton, of Olney, for permission to photograph relics; Mr. T. T. Coles, of Olney, for loan of books; Miss Bull, of Streatham Hill, London, for notes from Newton's Diary; Miss Bessie Wright, Margery Hall, Forest Gate; Mr. G. Loosley, Berkhamsted ; Mr. Robert Gibbs, Aylesbury; Mr. A. E. Gibbs, of St. Albans; the late Rev. W. Barker, Hastings; and the kind correspondent who signed himself "J. M."