The Works Of William Cowper - Poems: Vol Vi.

THE WORKS WILLIAM COWPER POEMS. EDITED BY THE REV. To S. GRIMSHAWE, A. RZ RECTOR OF BUKTON, NOILTHAMFTONSHIRP,, AND VICAR OF HIDDENHAM, BEDFORDSHIRE, AUTHOR OF THE LIFE OF THE REV. LEOH RICHMOND. WITH AN ESSAY ON THE GENIUS AND POETRY OF COWPER, BY THE REV. J. W. CUNNINGHAM, A. M. VICAR OF HARROW. VOL. VI.- ON THE GENIUS AND POETRY OF COWPER. IN presenting to the public the first Complete Edition of the Works of Cowper, it is thought desirable to prefix to the Poetical volunles a short dissertation on his Genius and Poetry. It is true that criticisms abound which have nearly the same object. It is true also that some of these criticisms are of a very high order of excellence. But perhaps their very number and merit supply a reason for adding at least one to the catalogue. The observations of the different Reviewers are scattered over so large a number of volumes, and these volumes are lnanv of them, either of so expensive or so ephemeral a character, that an essay which en vi ON THE GENIUS AND deavours to collect these criticisms into a focus, and present them at once to the eye of the reader, is far from superfluous. And the present critique pretends to little more than the accomplishment of this object. The writer is not ashamed to profit from the labour and genius of his predecessors in the same course, and to let them say for him, what he could not say so well for himself. With this apology for what might otherwise be deemed a work of supererogat, ion, we enter upon the proposed undertaking. And here we must begin by observing that it is impossible not. to be struck ., with certain peculiarities in the history of Cowper, as connected with his poetical productions. Although, as it has been truly said of him--cc born a poet, if ever there was one,-thinking and feeling upon all occasions as none but a poet could, expressing himself in verse with almost incredible facility, it does not appear that Cowper, between the ages of fourteen and thirty-three, produced anyc