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The Works of William Cowper: His life, letters, and poems, now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondence — John Shaqi

The Works of William Cowper: His life, letters, and poems, now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondenceCowper, William

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The Works of William Cowper: His life, letters, and poems, now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondence

Name: The Works of William Cowper: His life, letters, and poems, now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondence
Author: Cowper, William

Cowper, William

Cowper, William, 1731-1800; Cowper, William, 1731-1800 -- Correspondence; English poetry -- 18th century; Poets, English -- 18th century -- Biography; Poets, English -- 18th century -- Correspondence

Transcriber's note:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals.

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  THE WORKS

  OF

  WILLIAM COWPER.

  [Illustration:

  _Drawn from the Life by Romney 1782._      _W. Greatbach._

  WILLIAM COWPER.

  _BORN 1731 DIED 1800._]




  THE

  LIFE AND WORKS

  of

  WILLIAM COWPER.

  Complete

  In one Volume.

  [Illustration: J. L.      Harding W. Greatbach

  The House in which Cowper was born
  Berkhamstead.]

  London.
  WILLIAM TEGG & Co.




  THE WORKS

  OF

  WILLIAM COWPER:

  HIS LIFE, LETTERS, AND POEMS.

  NOW FIRST COMPLETED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF

  COWPER'S PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.

  EDITED BY THE

  REV. T. S. GRIMSHAWE, A.M., F.S.A., M.R.S.L.,

  VICAR OF BIDDENHAM, BEDFORDSHIRE;
  AND AUTHOR OF "THE LIFE OF THE REV. LEGH RICHMOND."

  WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

  LONDON:
  WILLIAM TEGG AND Co., CHEAPSIDE.
  MDCCCXLIX.

  LONDON:
  J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY.




PREFATORY REMARKS.


The very extensive sale of the former editions of the Works of
COWPER, in eight volumes, now comprising an issue of no less than
seventy thousand volumes, has led the publishers to contemplate the
present edition in one volume 8vo. This form is intended to meet
the demands of a numerous class of readers, daily becoming more
literary in taste, and more influential in their character on the
great mass of our population. At a period like the present, when
the great framework of society is agitated by convulsions pervading
nearly the whole of continental Europe, and when so many elements
of evil are in active operation, it becomes a duty of the highest
importance to imbue the public mind with whatever is calculated to
uphold national peace and order, and to maintain among us a due
reverence for laws, both human and divine. The faculty also and
taste for reading now exists to so great an extent, that it assumes
a question of no small moment how this faculty is to be directed;
whether it shall be the giant's power to wound and to destroy, or
like the Archangel's presence to heal and to save? Many readers
require to be amused, but it is no less necessary that they should
be instructed. To seek amusement and nothing further, denotes a
head without wit, and a heart and a conscience without feeling.
An author, if he be a Christian and a patriot, will never forget
to edify as well as to amuse. There are few writers who possess
and employ this happy art with more skill than Cowper. His aim is
evidently to interest his reader, but he never forgets the appeal
to his heart and conscience. It is strange if amidst the flowers
of his poetic fancy, and the sallies of his epistolary humour, the
Rose of Sharon does not insinuate its form, and breathe forth its
sweet fragrance. No one knows better than Cowper how to interweave
the sportiveness of his wit with the gravity of his _moral_, and

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Works of William Cowper: His life, letters, and poems, now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondence

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