Clavis.24 But he "equipped himself better for this immense journey" when he revised the work a task which was performed with so much diligence, that the first copy bore very little resemblance to the second all the way through. "You must not," said he, "imagine that I had been careless and hasty in the first instance. In truth, I had not; but in rendering so excellent a poet as Homer into our language, there are so many points to be attended to, both in respect of language and numbers, that a first attempt must be fortunate indeed, if it does not call loud for a second."

Transcribing was, of all occupations, that which Cowper disliked the most; he called it "slavish work." He had no such dislike to the business of revising and correcting his verses; of this, indeed, he was never weary in his translation, except when he was called upon to alter any thing upon the suggestion of another person; then, indeed, it became the most irksome of all employments. A gentleman, whom Mr. Unwin wished to become a subscriber, desired to see a specimen of the version. "I thank you," said Cowper to his friend,25" for all that you have said and done in my cause, and beforehand for all that you shall say and do hereafter. I am sure that there will be no deficiency on your part. In particular, I thank you for taking such jealous care of my honor and respectability when the Mann you mentioned applied for samples of my translation. When I deal in wine, cloth, or cheese, I will give samples; but of verse, never. No consideration would have induced me to comply with the gentleman's demand, unless he could have assured me that his wife had longed." This, however, was more livelily than considerately said, and it was not long before he thought it prudent to depart from such a resolution.

mind with images which time effaces, produce ambiguity in diction, and obscurity in books. To this open display of unadulterated nature it must be ascribed, that Homer has fewer passages of doubtful meaning than any other poet either in the learned or in modern languages. I have read of a man who, being, by his ignorance of Greck, compelled to gratify his curiosity with the Latin printed on the opposite page, declared that, from the rude simplicity of the lines literally rendered, he formed nobler ideas of the Homeric majesty, than from the labored ele. gance of polished versions."— Life of Pope.

24 To Mr. Hill, April 5, 1786.

25 Dec. 31, 1785

Lady Hesketh had been the means of renewing the communication between Cowper and their kinsman, the General. For this purpose she made use of her cousin's works. "You did perfectly well, my dear," said Cowper, "to make Task take the lead of his elder brother, when their attendance on the General was in question. The first volume is a Confession of my Faith, concerning which he will probably not feel himself greatly interested; but the second, giving some account of my manner of life, together with other diverting matters, may possibly please him. I shall be glad if it should, for I know him to be a man of excellent taste; but at the same time do not expect him to say much." By her advice Cowper wrote to the General, being assured 26 by her that through all their years of estrangement he had never withdrawn his pecuniary assistance. The letter, though "of pretty handsome length," merely contained an explanation of his motives for undertaking the translation, and an application for his interest in procuring subscribers. The General wished to have a specimen sent him. Cowper, remembering how scornfully he had rejected a former application of the same purport, declined at first; but presently repented, and blamed himself the more when Lady Hesketh sent him a copy of the General's note to her, of which he and his publication were the chief subject, and in which his kindness was strongly expressed.

The fault was soon repaired, and he apologized for it thus to his "dearest cousin : :: 27 "To tell you the truth, I began to be ashamed of myself that I had opposed him in the only two measures he recommended, and then assured him that I should be glad of his advice at all times. Having put myself under a course of strict self-examination upon this subject, I found at last that all the reluctance I had felt against a compliance with his wishes proceeded from a principle of shamefacedness at bottom, that had insensibly influenced my reasonings, and determined me against the counsel of a man whom I knew to be wiser than myself. Wonderful as it may seem, my cousin, yet is it equally true, that although I certainly did translate the Iliad with a

26 See vol. i. p. 134.

27 Jan. 16, 1786.

design to publish it when I had done, and although I have twice issued from the press already, yet do I tremble at the thought, and so tremble at it, that I could not bear to send out a specimen, because, by doing so, I should appear in public a good deal sooner than I had purposed. Thus have I developed my whole heart to you, and if you should think it at all expedient, have not the least objection to your communicating to the General this interpretation of the matter. I am vexed, and have been these three days, that I thwarted him; but, as I told you, I have still my gloomy hours, which had their share, together with the more powerful cause assigned above, in determining my behavior. But I have given the best proof possible of my repentance." The portion which he selected was part of the interview between Priam and Achilles, in the last book. "I chose," said he, "to extract from the latter end of the and as near to the close of it as possible, that I might encourage a hope in the readers of it, that if they found it in some degree worthy of their approbation, they would find the former part of the work not less so; for if a writer flags any where, it must be when he is near the end." 28 Thus it is that authors are sometimes apt to refine upon the effect which their compositions may produce upon the readers, not considering how little consideration they themselves bestow upon things in which they have no particular in

terest.

poem,

"The General and I," said he to Lady Hesketh, "having broken the ice, are upon the most comfortable terms of correspondence. He writes very affectionately to me, and I say every thing to him that comes uppermost. I could not write frequently to any creature living, upon any other terms than these. He tells me of infirmities that he has, which make him less active than he was; I am sorry to hear that he has any such. Alas! alas! he was young when I saw him, only twenty years ago!" 29 Cowper had reached that time of life, in which, upon looking back, twenty years seem but as yesterday.

He was not inclined to submit his manuscript to any 29 Jan. 31, 1786.

28 To Mr. Bagot, Jan. 15, 1786.

one for criticism, having felt the inconvenience in the case of his first volume. When Lady Hesketh advised such a measure, he replied, "My cousin, give yourself no trouble to find out any of the Magi to scrutinize my Homer. I can do without them; and if I were not conscious that I have no need of their help, I would be the first to call for it." Johnson, however, when the specimen, which had been sent to the General, came to his hands on its return, sent with it some notes thereon by a critic, whose name he did not mention, but to whom, as a man of unquestionable learning and ability, he, and the General also, wished Cowper to submit his manuscript. Pleased with the knowledge and sagacity which the remarks displayed, and not displeased with their temper, though it promised that severity of animadversion would not be spared when occasion should be found for it, he consented to let the manuscript be submitted to this unknown critic. And being in a complying mood, he assented also to Lady Hesketh's desire, that Maty should see one of the books; Maty had asked her leave to mention it in the next number of his Review, in which he was about to express his approbation of the Task. "This," said Cowper, "pleases me the more, because I have authentic intelligence of his being a critical character in all its forms acute, sour, and blunt; and so incorruptible withal, and so unsusceptible of bias from undue motives, that, as my correspondent informs me, he would not praise his own mother, did he not think she deserved it."30

-

"But let Maty," said he, "be the only critic that has any thing to do with it. The vexation, the perplexity that attends a multiplicity of criticisms by various hands, many of which are sure to be futile, many of them ill-founded, and some of them contradictory to others, is inconceivable, -except by the author, whose ill-fated work happens to be the subject of them. This also appears to me self-evident, that if a work have passed under the review of one man of taste and learning, and have had the good fortune to please him, his approbation gives security for that of all others qualified like himself. I speak thus, my dear, after

having just escaped from such a storm of trouble, occasioned by endless remarks, hints, suggestions, and objections, as drove me almost to despair, and to the very verge of a resolution to drop my undertaking forever. With infinite difficulty I at last sifted the chaff from the wheat, availed myself of what appeared to me to be just, and rejected the rest, but not till the labor and anxiety had nearly undone all that Kerr had been doing for me. My beloved cousin, trust me for it, as you safely may, that temper, vanity, and self-importance, had nothing to do in all this distress that I suffered. It was merely the effect of an aların that I could not help taking, when I compared the great trouble I had with a few lines only thus handled, with that which I foresaw such handling of the whole must necessarily give me. I felt beforehand, that my constitution would not bear it."

Johnson's friend proved to be Fuseli; and Cowper, though at first sadly teased by him, soon, when they understood each other, saw reason to think that he might have gone the world through before he could have found his equal in an accurate and familiar acquaintance with the original. Fuseli, though the most caustic of men, was greatly pleased with the translation, and it is said to have derived considerable advantage from his remarks. But Maty, not a little to the vexation and surprise of Lady Hesketh, declared against it, and Cowper was hurt by his animadversions; they appeared to him unjust in part, and in part ill-natured ; "and yet," says he, "the man himself being an oracle in every body's account, I apprehended that he had done me much mischief. Why he says that the translation is far from exact, is best known to himself, for I know it to be as exact as is compatible with poetry; and prose translations of Homer are not wanted." 31 Colman also made some remaks upon the specimen, "prompted," said he, "by my zeal for your success, not, Heaven knows, by arrogance or impertinence. On the whole I admire it exceedingly, thinking it breathes the spirit and conveys the manner of the original; though, having here neither Homer nor Pope's Homer, I cannot speak precisely of particular

31 May 8, 1786.