Cowper was a man of kind and gentle character, a lover of nature in her milder aspects, and especially fond of animals. As one of the forerunners of the so-called Romantic movement in English poetry, his name is significant. Though at his best in work of a descriptive or satiric kind, he was also gifted with a subtle humor which appears frequently in many short tales and ballads. A good biography of Cowper is that by Goldwin Smith in the English Men of Letters Series. THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN GILPIN (Page 1) The story of John Gilpin was told to Cowper by his friend, Lady Austen, who had heard it when a child. The poet, upon whom the tale made a deep impression, eventually turned it into this ballad, which was first published anonymously in the _Public Advertiser_ for November 14, 1782. It became popular at once, and is to-day probably the most widely known of the author's works. It is written in the conventional ballad metre, and preserves many expressions characteristic of the primitive English ballad style. [1] 3. =Eke=; also. [2] 11. =Edmonton= is a suburb a few miles directly north of London. [3] 16. =After we.= John Gilpin's wife does not hesitate to sacrifice grammar for the sake of rime. [4] 23. =Calender=; one who operates a calender, a machine for giving cloth or paper a smooth, glossy surface. [5] 39. =Agog=; eager. [6] 44. =Cheapside= was one of the most important of the old London streets. [7] 49. The =saddletree= is the frame of the saddle. [8] 115. =Carries weight.= The bottles seem to resemble the weights carried in horse races by the jockeys. [9] 133. =Islington=, now part of London, was then one of its suburbs. [10] 152. =Ware= is a town about fifteen miles north of London. [11] 178. =Pin=; mood. [12] 222. =Amain=; at full speed. [13] 236. =The hue and cry=; a term used to describe the rousing of the people in pursuit of a rogue. ROBERT BURNS