come and a well-air'd bed at St. Alban's. I shall always esteem myself particularly happy in Mr. Gough's acquaintance. Believe me, my dear Sir, it will give me a real pleasure to hear from you at any time, as it will furnish me with a fresh opportunity of assuring you I am your sincere friend, &c. JOHN COWPER." "DEAR SIR, Corpus Christi College, Jan. 11, 1758. "I am sincerely obliged to you for the letter you was so good as to send me some time since. You should have heard from me much sooner; but I have for some time past been unfortunately engaged in a piece of University exercise, vulgo dict. an Act, with Mr. Martin of Caius College, Mr. Brathwaite of St. John's, and Mr. Lade of Bene't-an entertaining piece of intelligence, no doubt, to a man who is regaling himself with the elegancies of polite literature at Enfield. I have slept my winter away at Corpus Christi College, and propose sleeping my summer away in different parts of the habitable globe-at St. Alban's, at London, at Hartingfordbury, and at York. Haistwell and I are two bright suns, that set in clouds of fumigation every night. The transactions of the day, and the absur dities of our Society, furnish us with ample fund for conversation, at a time when you, we suppose, are carried in some delightful dream to the Rivulets of Helicon, or the little Hills of Pindus. Nothing very clever in the literary way. A little Poem called 'Avon' has its merit. An honourable Sizator, of great merit, gallantry, and esprit, is rusticated for a twelvemonth. I shall be extremely glad to hear from you whenever it is not inconvenient to you to write. You may be assured that I shall be here till the Commencement. JOHN COWPER." "DEAR SIR, Corpus Christi College, Nov. 26, 1758. "I am quite ashamed of not having answered your last fayour much sooner, but have lately been particularly engaged; notwithstanding which, ingenuity and candour will oblige me to own that my natural indolence, which men of your diligence can know nothing of, has been the principal cause of my omission. "Touching those editions of Demosthenes which you are pleased to make honourable mention of, I will not give you the trouble of procuring any for me. It will be time enough to seek after books of that nature, when I have rendered myself a pretty competent master of the Italian language. Since I had the pleasure of seeing you, I have made a purchase of Leland, whom I like extremely. You have heard (no doubt) that the Republic of Letters is in great expectation of a good edition of Theocritus from Mr. Warton, the Poetry Professor. His plan is, to give us a correct text, with critical and explanatory notes. The Muses weep your absence, and beg that you will come and spend a fortnight or two in the shady bowers of Granta. Fumigations as usual. I keep in the Schools on Tuesday, De Land Caprina. J. COWPER." "DEAR SIR, Corpus Christi College, April 1, 1759. Many thanks for your congratulatory epistle. I have lately been particularly engaged about a declamation, which I sported last Thursday in the Law Schools before a tremendous " audience. audience*. Mr. Sheridan has been down to pay us a visit, and met with a very favourable reception. No less than one hundred and ninety subscribers. I hear he had one hundred and eighty at Oxford, and three hundred in Town. He gave us an introductory oration in the Senate-house, at which I was present, and cannot say that I at all approved of his composition; it was insipid to the last degree. When do you pay another visit to Corpus Christi? We are impatient to see you. Haistwell and Forster both in college. Sharp † puffs as usual. Weston is going to publish a course of Sermons upon Ridicule. He preaches the last this afternoon at St. Mary's. In the publication, they are to be thrown into the form of Essays. JOHN COWPER." "DEAR GOUGH, Corpus Christi College, Oct. 5, 1762. "Your seal was brought home last night; I like the impression extremely: and if you will favour me with a letter soon, I will send it according to your direction, for that which you gave me I have both lost and forgot. The College speaks highly in praise of your late benefaction, I mean, the 'Ammianus Mar cellinus.' I wish you have not forgot the Paris edition of Catullus. Let me just hint to you, that it will travel down very safely by the Fly. I have often complained that modesty stood in my way but am sure of having conquered it this bout. Your old friend Mr. Goodall is going to be gathered to his fathers, and there are several candidates for the place. I have purchased a stud, an absolute Bucephalus, and ride out every day. Do you do the same. Haistwell is gone into the North. JOHN COWPER." "Dear Gough, Bene't College, Oct. 13, 1762. Stephens § does not seem inclinable to make a new seal, and indeed the fault seems to lie on both sides. Touching the Lion passant gardant, he was misled by Masters's History, which makes it only passant. As to the crest, if you can send down any impression, or so describe the boar's head, spear, &c. as to answer the same purpose, I will carry him the seal again, and he will try to set every thing right if possible. JOHN COWPER." "DEAR GOUGH, Corpus Christi College, Jan. 9, 1763. "That you may not think I have turfed it, to speak in the Newmarket phrase; nor, in that of the Poets, that I have crossed the Styx, and admitted ad eundem in some College of Elysium; I send you this letter, attended by the compliments of the season: and at the same time have the honour to inform you, that Mr. *This declamation is what he made after having obtained one of the Chancellor's Gold Medals for Classical Learning a short time before-an exercise always required from the successful Candidate. The Rev. John Sharp, Fellow of Bene't College (B. A. 1749; M. A. 1753; B. D. 1761; D. D. 1766), was noticed for an odd custom he had of holding his breath, and puffing up his cheeks, as well in company, as when walking in the streets. They were published under the title of "The Safety and Perpetuity of the British State, under the Influence of Political and Religious Zeal. Being the Substance of several Discourses preached before the University of Cambridge during the late Rebellion and present War. By W. Weston, B. D. Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, 1759," 8vo. § An ingenious artist both in stone and metal engraving, at that time living at Cambridge. 002 Stephens, Stephens, upon mature deliberation, determines not to furnish you with another seal upon the terms proposed in your last. All that he consents to is, to make another for the same money, and to allow you some small matter for the last. If you like this proposal, he shall finish one for you with all possible expedition. As to my own omission in not writing to you sooner, I lie entirely at your mercy, and will submit to any punishment you please to inflict, but that of not hearing from you soon. JOHN COWPER." DEAR COWPER, Winchester Street, Jan. 28, 1763. "I ask your pardon a thousand times for having so long delayed answering yours; but, that you may not think I have slipt into the arms of the Thames while I too venturously skimmed o'er his hoary face (to speak at once in the language of the Poets and the Season), I will tell you plainly, that, fearing you had, as before, lost the true blazoning of my arms, and so might be prevented from communicating my final determination to Mr. Stephens, I was unwilling to write till I had it in my power to send you a second copy. Once more be so obliging as to set him to work on a new seal, as blazoned in the opposite page, which you may put into his hands. If he errs now, you must pronounce him unpardonable: I wish he could totally erase the crest of the first, even though a small hollow remained, as it would make the seal of some use. Pray ask him the expence of a copper-plate of the same arms, to put into books. Let me again intreat you to favour me with your sense of the Hebrew Inscription I sent you, if you have not lost it, or are not frozen up among the floating ice of the Targums of Jonathan and Onkelos, the Jerusalem and Babylonish Talmuds. Have you seen W. Green's* Translation of the Psalms? If not, I can procure you one. "DEAR GOUGH, R. GOUGH." Feb.... 1763. "As it is now become tolerable weather for a man to write in, I proceed to answer your last favour; and first let me begin with the Hebrew Inscription, which contains nothing more than names of the three brothers who lived in the house, Isaac, Devid, and Solomon. The last word I take to be the proper name, or rather the name of the family. So much for Rabbinical matters. I have set Stephens to work upon your second seal. The price of engraving a coat of arms to put in books, is from ten or twelve shillings to one guinea. I can think of hardly any academical news. Granchester + living not yet disposed of. It lies between Hook and Temple. I suppose you have seen Scot's Prize Poem, and eke Mason's Elegies; and, to crown all, I suppose you have seen the last Cambridge Collection§. J.CowPER." "A new Translation of the Psalms from the Hebrew Original, with Notes, critical and explanatory. To which are added, a Dissertation on the last prophetic Words of Noah. By William Green, M. A. Rector of Hardingham in Norfolk, and late Fellow of Clare Hall, in Cambridge. 1763," 8vo.-He was B. A. 1737; M. A. 1747. A village near Cambridge; the living is in the gift of Bene't College. D. D.), both at that time Fellows of the College. On the death of the late, and accession of the present King. " DEAR "DEAR COWper, "When you were lately in town, why did not you call on me? Haistwell, whom you have not initiated into the mysteries of Masonry, sets out for France to-morrow, and proposes to return a perfect pattern of the politesse, gaieté de cœur, et bel esprit, for which that neighbouring Nation, now united to us by a sincere and everlasting peace, is so renowned. I hope soon to hail you Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. R. GOUGH." "DEAR GOUGH, Bene't, May 10, 1763. Winchester Street, April 27, 1763. "" Have you heard from Haistwell? I intend writing to him shortly. Morritt has been here, and shewn me a letter which he received from him, in which he gives an exceeding good account of his Travels, though not quite so good as Lady Wortley Montagu. I set off for Yorkshire the first week in August. The Bishop is expected here next Tuesday. JOHN COWPER." Enfield, Oct. 24, 1766. "DEAR COWPer, "If you could without inconvenience procure me access to the Magdalen College Library, to consult the contents à mon aise, which you attempted last summer without success, I meditate a speedy flight to Cambridge. Your answer by return of post will oblige yours sincerely, R. GOUGH." Sunday Morning, Oct. 26, 1766. "DEAR GOUGH, "Upon the receipt of yours, I immediately dispatched a letter to Mr. Purkis, the Tutor of Magdalen, who assures me that you shall have all access to the Library so far as is consistent with the rules of it. In examining the Books, you are allowed to consume one Century; but in viewing the Prints, it is usual to have some Fellow of the Society with you. J. CowPER." July 17, 1768. "DEAR GOUGH, "I am obliged to you for your good wishes touching our friend Apollonius. At present, little or nothing has been done, for I can't even get an Hoelzlinus's edition to interleave. If your Friend who is going abroad is a true lover of the Greek Muses, and can make collating MSS. a matter of entertainment and diversion, I could wish to indulge his appetite, and will acknowledge his services in the best manner I am able: if not, there is no harm done, and we must only throw in occasionally a little more conjecture. If you should meet with 'Peirson's Verisimilia' in any of your walks, pray secure it. There is a good deal of matter, I believe, in it relative to my purpose. I am greatly obliged to you for your information, and in return will cheerfully undertake the office which you intend to honour me with. If you have any observations either critical or explanatory to communicate, you may depend upon it that they shall receive all the respect that is due to the person from whom they come. I am rejoiced to hear of Mons. Broutier's good fortune, and heartily wish him success in his undertaking. J. COWPER." "DEAR SIR, Bene't, Sunday Evening, March 26, 1769. "I am extremely obliged to you for Peirson's Verisimilia.' Apollonius returns many thanks for your kind wishes, and is * Dr. John Green, Bishop of Lincoln, then Master of the College; see vol. I. p. 226. sorry sorry that the indolence of his Taylor makes it impossible for him to appear at present in a new suit. The time, however, may come, when he will have it in his power to pay his respects to you in such a habit as becomes an old Grecian. In the mean while, if you can contribute any thing to the ornament of his drapery, he will esteem it no small obligation. I have applied to Mr. Colman* about the room you mention, and am commissioned to inform you, that there is only one, upon a ground floor, which we can promise you the use of with any degree of certainty. If you have no objection to its situation, you may depend upon having it. The room itself is a good one, and will certainly at such a time be much more comfortable than any private lodging. "I give you much joy upon the success of your very elaborate and learned work; and am, with the profoundest respect and veneration both for Antiquity and Antiquaries, JOHN COWPER." "DEAR GOUGH, Bene't College, Sept. 21, 1769. "The mystery of the book may be easily cleared up. During my abode in London the last time (when we dined together at the London Tavern) Matthews the Bookseller, without my knowledge, procured the last part of the History of Northamptonshire;' in consequence of which, we were obliged to return the other, not wanting a duplicate. I have been extremely ill of a fever, so ill as to be almost given over; but I am, thank God, tolerably well recovered. I was taken ill in Wales. You have been very good in taking so much trouble with 'Apollonius:' I am much obliged to you for it, and am only sorry there are no more readings. I am at all times, dear Gough, yours, &c. JOHN COWPER." Bene't College, Oct. 26, 1769. "DBAR GOUGH, : "I am much obliged to you for reminding me of my negligence; but the truth is, it never once entered into my head that I had not answered your last favour and indeed I can. hardly be persuaded even at this time that I did not.-Be this as it may, since the letter never reached your hands, I must desire you to accept my best acknowledgments for the trouble you have taken in collating Apollonius. My thanks too attend you for your kind offer of future assistance. The books arrived safe, and your letter to Bobby† was delivered safe into his hands. He has desired us to subscribe for Mr. Hutchins's History of the County of Dorset.' We are desirous of doing this upon our own account; but are the more inclined to it, as we find it is a work which you are willing to promote. As no subscriptions are taken in at this place, we should esteem it a particular favour if you would lay down a guinea for us at Mr. Sandby's, or Mr. Millar's: and I (as Bursar of the Old House) do hereby promise to be responsible for the money. Remember me to Haistwell when you see him, and believe me your very sincere friend, JOHN COWPER." Fellow, and afterward Master, of Ben'et College; see vol. VI. p. 618. LETTERS |
