Noiseless, an atom, and an atom more,
Disjoining from the rest, has, unobserv'd,
Achiev'd a labour, which had far and wide,
By man perform'd, made all the forest ring.

Embowell'd now, and of thy ancient self Possessing nought, but the scoop'd rind, that seems An huge throat, calling to the clouds for drink, Which it would give in rivu'lets to thy root; Thou temptest none, but rather much forbidd'st The feller's toil, which thou could'st ill requite. Yet is thy root sincere, sound as the rock, A quarry of stout spurs, and knotted fangs, Which, crook'd into a thousand whimsies, clasp The stubborn soil, and hold thee still erect.

So stands a kingdom, whose foundation yet Fails not, in virtue and in wisdom laid, Tho' all the superstructure, by the tooth Pulveriz'd of venality, a shell

Stands now and semblance only of itself!

Thine arms have left thee. Winds have torn

them off

Long since, and rovers of the forest wild,

With bow and shaft, have burnt them. Some have left
A splinter'd stump, bleach'd to a snowy white;
And some, memorial none where once they grew.
Yet still life lingers in thee, and puts forth

Proof not contemptible of what she can,
Even where death predominates. The spring
Finds thee not less alive to her sweet force,
Than yonder upstarts of the neighb'ring wood,
So much thy juniors, who their birth receiv'd
Half a millennium since the date of thine.

But since, although well qualify'd by age
To teach, no spirit dwells in thee, nor voice
May be expected from thee, seated here
On thy distorted root, with hearers none,
Or prompter, save the scene, I will perform
Myself the oracle, and will discourse
In my own ear such matter as I may.

One man alone, the father of us all, Drew not his life from woman; never gaz'd, With mute unconsciousness of what he saw, On all around him; learn'd not by degrees,

Nor ow'd articulation to his ear;

But, moulded by his Maker into man

杯

At once, upstood intelligent, survey'd
All creatures, with precision understood
Their purport, uses, properties, assign'd
To each his name significant, and, fill'd
With love and wisdom, render'd back to Heav'n
In praise harmonious the first air he drew.
He was excus'd the penalties of dull

Minority. No tutor charg'd his hand

With the thought-tracing quill, or task'd his mind With problems. History, not wanted yet,

Lean'd on her elbow, watching Time, whose course, Eventful, should supply her with a theme ;

1 To Mrs. Courtenay. Manner of spending his time at Ear-

tham; epitaph on Fop,

2 To the Revd. Mr. Hurdis.

invitation to Eartham,

On the death of his sister;

Aug. 25..1

Aug. 26.. 4

Aug. 26.. 7

3 To Lady Hesketh. Improvement in his health; his portrait

by Romney,

4 To the same. On the beautiful scenery of Eartham; regrets

on leaving it,.

Cowper's return to Weston,

5 To W. Hayley, Esq. Account of his journey,

...Sept. 9..10

....12

Sept. 18..13

.....Sept. 21..14

6 To the same. Same subject; visit to General Cowper ;

to Mr. Rose, &c.

7 To the same: His spirits sink on the approach of winter,

Oct. 2..17

8 To the same.. Full of affectionate regard; on Hayley's
verses to Dr. Austen,

...Oct. 13. 19

9 To J. Johnson, Esq. Regret for his absence; on a sonnet

to Romney,

.Oct. 19. 21

10 To the same. Moral reflection on sitting for a picture,

Oct. 22..22

11 To W. Hayley, Esq. Difficulty of exertion; sonnet to
Romney,
....Oct. 28..23

12 To S. Rose, Esq. Compliment on his professional industry;

hopes of future success,

Nov. 9..26

Letter.

Page!

13 To J. Johnson, Esq. Difficulty in commencing his Milton,

lowness of spirits,

14 To W. Hayley, Esq. same subject,

15 To J. Hill, Esq. Politics of the day,

Nov. 20. 28

Nov. 25.30

..... Dec. 16..31

Dec. 26. 34

16 To W. Hayley, Esq. On his confinement in consequence

of his translating Milton,

...

1793.

17 To the same.

On the arrival of Mr. Hayley's picture,

Jan. 2..36

18 To the same. On the death of a friend, ........ Jan. 29. .38

19 To S. Rose, Esq. His translation of Homer, .... Feb. 5..40

20 To Lady Hesketh. TORYISM of Lady Hesketh and Mrs.

Rose,

Feb. 10..41

21 To S. Rose, Esq. On the Analytical Review of his Homer,

Feb. 17..42

22 To the Revd. Mr. Hurdis. Professorship of poetry; dis-

coveries in natural history,

. Feb. 22. 44

23 To W. Hayley, Esq. His dream respecting Milton, Feb. 24..46

24 To the Revd. W. Bagot. Republicans of France, Mar. 4..49

25 To Mr. T. Hayley. On Mr. T. Hayley's strictures on his

Homer,

Mr. T. Hayley's Letter to Cowper,

26 To W. Hayley, Esq. Revisal of his Homer,

March 14.50

......54

March 19..56

27 To S. Rose, Esq. Revised translation of Homer, March 27 ··58

28 To J. Johnson, Esq. Mr. Johnson's resolution to take

holy orders,

April 11..60

29 To W. Hayley, Esq. On the notes to his Homer, April 23..62

30 To the Revd. W. Bagot. On the death of those we love,

May 4..63

31 To S. Rose, Esq. On the notes of his Homer, ....May 5..64

32 To Lady Hesketh. TORYISM of Lady Hesketh,

33 To W. Hayley, Esq. Distribution of his time,

May 7..67

May 21..68