compared to the presence of God-a long eternity is not worth thinking of without this. I regret,' he says,

my mis-spent time when I was in the country, in not speaking more about religion and our dear Redeemer. I see my folly now it is too late.' September 15, He takes notice of indisposition of body by spitting of blood; at this time he heard Mr. Ivimey, from Matt. xxiv. 44, Be ye also ready;' and observes, whilst so many are constantly taken away on the right hand and on the left, that we shall be soon waited upon with this message: "The master is come and calleth for thee;' and, as though he predicted his approaching dissolution, he farther adds, 'If you do not understand what I mean, I will tell you: I intend the messenger death: let us not put this day far from us. Excuse my being so plain with you; though I hope I am not addressing those that never felt the love of Jesus.' Then, though he felt something of a godly jealousy, he says of himself, 'I was a

ters? Remember the advice we mised blessing, and it is an enjoy had from a dying mother, who taught ment that I ever long after in the us in the ways of the Lord, To my presence of my heavenly friend, who shame, I had forgotten her instruc- is making intercession at the right tions, but the Lord has been pleased hand of God.' Then he asks his to answer her prayers on my behalf.' family, Have you ever felt the inJuly 7. I am glad to hear that my fluence of his Holy Spirit? if you father and brothers are attentive to have, you will join with me in saythe gospel; O that we may all fol- ing it is like spending the days of low our dear parent, and our bro-heaven on earth. What is to be ther and sisters, that are gone before us. May we stand fast in that dear Redeemer, who has supported them through death, and given to them eternal life. O what a joyful thing to meditate upon friends gone before, whom we soon hope to meet again. I can but admire the condescension of Jehovah in saving such a rebel as me, the vilest of the vile, who was dead in trespasses and sins, fast bound in Satan's chains: but the blessed Redeemer has broken these, and set the prisoner free. O trust him, my dear brother and parent; O that we, though separate, may meet together at a throne of grace, to adore the Lord that was slain for sinners. He has given such a rebellious sinner as me encouragement to come to him, and I desire to praise him, that I have found his mercies sure; though sometimes Satan tempts me, yet I know in whom I have trusted, that he will not leave me, nor forsake me; sometimes my heart is cast down with doubts and fears, and from what I feel of its vileness am almost led to despair; but Jesus is pleading for me in the court above, and, whilst I was yet in despair, he sent his blessings down, and my sorrow turned to joy.' He then mentions Hymn 82, Book 2, Dr. Watts, from which, it seems, he derived much comfort. I lately heard a most delightful subject from Rev. vii. 9, which called to my remembrance, that my mother, and brothers, and sisters were there among the multitude, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. This was joyful to me, but what must it be to them in the heavenly courts above.' August 2. He writes, after hearing a sermon from Psalm cxv. 12, The Lord hath been mindful of us, he will bless us: I hope,' says he, I have tasted of the pro

was

as

professor a long time before I was a possessor; but blessed be his holy name, he called me from darkness to light, and to him be all the glory; and if he has not enlightened you all, I hope he will, in his mercy, call you as seemeth good in his sight. At this time he intimated to his friends, his intention of coming to Ingham for the benefit of his health; and feeling so sudden a change in his mortal frame, he says, 'How uncertain is health and life: this is like a message from the Most High, "Be ye also ready, for ye know not at what hour the Son of man cometh." I heard a sermon last Sabbath, from these words: "There remaineth a rest for the people of God." May we ever be watching and praying, that when death comes, we may be welcomed to the over

feel is right, the Lord sees fit that it should be so, it is for the best, all is good that comes from the Lord.' How sweet such peace must be with death in view! 'How kindly,' he would say, 'the Lord is dealing with me; since my weakness is increased, the enemy of souls is not permitted to molest or disturb me; O praise the Lord for his goodness, his mercy endureth for ever.' Finding bis disorder rapidly increasing, his sister asked him if he had a wish to know how it might terminate; his answer was, 'Nature feels inclined to live, but I can say, the Lord's will be done; I am happy, I am resigned; I cannot fear, or doubt, while there are so many precious promises.' When his weak

lasting rest, where sin and Satan | sball trouble us no more.' November 4. He mentions his safe arrival in London again, after his visit into the country for the benefit of his health, and said, that he considered himself a little better.' In a letter, dated January 2, 1823, which seems to be the last, before he returned again to Ingham, he says to his friends, 'I at present appear near my grave; yet some one of you may go first. Such thoughts as these ought to dwell upon the mind, espccially at the entering on another year; we may be taken away before its close. Do not think that these thoughts will make you melancholy. If you have hope in Jesus Christ, they will operate quite the reverse, and lead us to consider that dyingness was extreme, and his breathing is but the beginning of life with all true Christians.'

complained of during his affliction, was the loss of his Sabbaths, these he highly prized, and took much delight in the Lord's service, and nothing, when in health, could possibly divert his mind from this subject; till the last fortnight of his life he would not allow any one of the family to deprive themselves of going to the house of God; and when he could not help himself, he said, I am sorry to deprive you, but as it must be the case, sit down, read and sing; I love singing the praises of God, but I cannot sing now, have lost my voice.

I

very difficult, be said to those present, I cannot talk with you, but "His weakness was very great I enjoy sweet meditation; O blessduring his affliction, and he could ed, lovely Jesus! he is indeed very converse but little. In one inter-precious. The only thing that he view that I had with him, he observed, What a mercy he had not then to begin to think about his soul's concerns.' And often he would say, What a mercy that so sinful and unworthy a creature as I am should be made a partaker of grace; grace that is rich, sovereign, and free. He might have justly cut me off in my sins, and where would my poor soul have been. O praise him that I am spared. I desire to praise him, but cannot do it sufficiently: my prayers are weak; I am unworthy, and altogether unholy but in Jesus I have a rich and almighty friend; through his media-But yet I'll sing of Jesu's lovely tion I have access to the Father; Christ has undertaken my cause, and will, I am sure, carry it on; I shall be made perfect in him, and possessed of power to praise him aright, when I reach his heavenly courts.' Patient resignation marked his character, though he felt much pain, which he seldom noticed, unless when his friends, who perceived it by his looks, said, you feel much pain? Yes, I do; but my heavenly Father will give me strength to bear it; he will not lay more upon me than he will enable me to bear. At another time he said, 'It is good to be afflicted, every pain I

6

name,

When all things else decay."

Almost when nature dropt he would be raised in bed, supported by pillows, to join in family prayer, for, said he, I love to join in this, and have much to be thankful for.' Just before his affliction he mentioned his desire of church communion with the Lord's people, or church militant on earth; but instead of this he has joined the church triumphant in heaven! Now, after such a living and dying testimony from this amiable youth, is there any that will say, there is nothing

in the religion of Jesus to recom-lips sercised with many fears, at

Review.

Private Correspondence of William Cowper, Esq. with several of his most intimate Friends. Now first published from the Originals in the Possession of his Kinsman, John Johnson, LL.D. Rector of Yaxham with Welborne, in Norfolk. In two Volumes, London. *WITH the name of Cowper, has long been associated, in the mind of every person of reading, reflection,

melancholy and enthusiasm, while | It was in their nature to range

pacing the walks, the woods, the fields, which were once frequented by him, who still appears the presiding genius of the place-and where, in every breeze, is to be heard the gentle and heavenly whisperings of a spirit, that seems, though departed, to be for ever there?

through the boundless wilderness of fancy; but they possessed none of the roses of Sharon, or the Lilies that grow in the valley of humiliation, with which to scatter it over, and to diffuse a heavenly sweetness around. This was the appropriate work of a Christian poet, and a Christian poet exclusively.

But, in addition to the consideration of moral incapacity, there was, no doubt, a prevalent feeling amongst them, analogous to the sentiment we have already cited from our most celebrated biographer and critic, that the union of poetry and devotion was incongruous, if not impossible-that, as the poet became didactic, he would become prosaic-and that, consequently, to secure his fame, he must sink his morality. To the pulpit and the presidential chair he thought it enough to teave the inculcation of

The fact is, that Cowper, by a rare-perhaps unique, combination of qualities, created a new era in the poetic history of England; and, by practically disproving the assertion of Dr. Johnson, in his Life of Watts, that "all devotional poetry is unsatisfactory,” not only raised a | monument to his own fame, but presented a useful example, which has since, in a few instances, been successfully imitated. Generally speaking, poetry had, previously to his time, been resorted to, either as an amusement only, or as a means of attracting admiration. The sub-religious principles, and, virtuous ject of the song was considered as conduct; his appropriate task was indifferent; it was never deemed to amuse the imagination, But, in to be the medium of communicat- what respect there is any thing in ing solid instruction, or ministering the nature of devotion to unfit for to improvement. The heart was out poetry, it is difficult to conceive. In of the question, the imagination only, some forms and modes of religion, or chiefly, was to be gratified: it undoubtedly, there is an antipoetic was evidently the ambition of the tendency: inasmuch as they milipoet to be celebrated, not to be tate against the exercise, and totaluseful; from Chaucer to Pope, and ly prevent the expansion, of the from Pope onwards, this was the mental faculties. Superstition holds universal aim. In most of the the intellectual powers beneath her eminent poetical writers of past leaden sceptre, in a state of base times, there existed no moral bias, subjection, or, at best, in a condition no disposition to do good; because of listless quiescence; and,certainly, there existed no personal sense of where fear, rather than love is the the importance, and no just idea of predominant impression, it cannot the real nature of religion. Had be anticipated that we should find piety been, as in the case of Cow- much of the playfulness of fancy, per, the pillar around which the or many of the brilliant corruscawreathed flowers of poetry were tions of genius. Religion, however, twined, their fragrance would in- properly understood, has nothing deed have been delightful; and counteracting in its nature, so far as thus supported, they would never we can perceive, to the inspirations have withered, or fallen to the earth. of poetry; but, on the contrary, is But,as the individuals in question did adapted to elevate it to a higher not themselves possess the principle tone, to give it a more impassioned that could alone have imparted to character, to replenish it with a their compositions a religious charac- richer feeling. Like the solar beam, ter, and, therefore, a practical utility, it not only affords light, but heat; it was to be expected they should diffusing a sacred illumination over expatiate only in the regions of the the mind, and kindling the purest imagination, and speak a language fervours, and imparting a vivifying intelligible to the meaner passions. influence to the heart. We appre

devotion as an elementary ingredient of poetry. To which we say, that the question is not whether

of religion, but whether they are incompatible-whether the latter disqualifies for the former, and, like a leaden weight, prevents her soaring

hend that the misconception to which we allude, has arisen from the too glaring fact, that poets have not been religious men. From ob-poetry may not exist independently serving, that the highest operations of genins have not been generally connected with religion, it has been too hastily inferred, that they could not be associated-that there exist-on expanded wings into regions of ed, and does exist, a natural anti- lofty and splendid description. It pathy and variance, and that they is not for a moment to be disputed, can never be brought into actual that there has been much genuine contact, or steady co-operation. poetry, where there has been no reBut, when it is considered, that, ligion; but it is absolutely denied, in general, the first order of minds that the latter has any tendency to that have been imbued with reli- introduce discord amongst the hargion, have rather made religious monies of song, or to stupify the discussion, or instructive discourse, conceptions of a vivid and excnrthe business of their lives, than sive imagination. Our decided conpoetry, treating the latter as an in-victionis, that, had the gifted indiviferior pursuit, and, at best, an ele- dual just mentioned, been decidedly gant accomplishment: and that, pious, even he would have carried therefore, their attention has been poetry to a yet sublimer elevation devoted to another line of study and than he has ever attained-devocomposition than that which would, tion would have given the finishing with their feelings and capacities, touch to his descriptive paintings, have produced a poet; and, when it and cast a more glowing and heais recollected, that, out of the few venly light over the beauteous religious men of superior talent creations of his inimitable fancy. that have, in any considerable de- We know well that we shall be grce concerned themselves about taken for Goths and Vandals, for the poetry, they have all, or nearly all, comparison; but still, in defiance of succeeded-witness Milton, Watts, the common sentiments of the and Young)-and, when it is ob- world, we will avow our impression, served, that poetry is actually allied that there are passages in the Lyrics to devotion, both in their brightest of Watts, glowing in all the effulmanifestations in the inspired strains gence of piety, which equal, if they of David, Isaiah, and others-surely do not surpass, in pathos and subthe argument is in favour of the limity, some even of the favorite possible alliance of poetry with re- descriptions of Byron-but, it must ligion, rather than against it; and, never be forgotten, that they rein fact, the evidence goes to prove, quire a kindred feeling, in order to that, so far from the one being in-appreciate their value. The case compatible with the other, the flowers of poetry can only be expected to exhibit their richest colourings, and give forth their sweetest fragrance, in the regions of exalted piety.

We are aware, that a very plausible objection to this statement may be raised, by an appeal to certain celebrated names at present familiar to the British ear. It may be alleged, that the productions of such writers as Lord Byron, evince that poetic composition may be attained to an extraordinary perfection, independently of the quality for which we are pleading-without

VOL. XVI.

is simply this, and it is precisely what creates the difficulty of bringing the question to a positive decision-that very quality in devotional poetry, which renders it displeasing to minds unaffected by the great realities of religion, is exactly that which renders it, in our estimation,. additionally attractive - so that there will ever remain, in one class of critics, a prepossession for, and in another class a prepossession against, the quality adverted to, which, according to their respective feelings, will seem to deteriorate, or to improve, poetic composition. After all, the question before us

3 D