and the event, much beyond all expectation, so answered his confidence, by his recovery; that I could not but think there was something peculiar in it.

"On his recovery, this man for a time went on very well: but afterwards he gave up all attention to religion, and became very wicked: and, when I reminded him of what has been now related, he treated the whole with indifference; not to say, with profane contempt. But I have since learned, from very good authority, that, after I left that part of the country, he was again brought under deep conviction of sin; recollected and dolefully bemoaned his conduct towards me, and with respect to his dream; and became a decidedly religious character: and, if this be true, his case certainly furnishes a most striking instance, as of the force of human depravity, so also of the long-suffering and tender mercy of our God. I believe he is still living at Stoke Goldington.

"After Mr. Newton had left Olney about a year, his predictions concerning his successor were amply verified: for, having embroiled himself with the parishioners, and acted in such a manner as to incur public rebuke from the Archdeacon at the visitation, the curate, at length, in a pettish letter to the Earl of Dartmouth, patron of the living, threatened to relinquish his charge. He probably did not mean to be taken at his word; but his Lordship, communicating with the vicar, his implied resignation of the curacy was admitted, and a deputation, including some of the persons who before opposed my succeeding Mr. Newton, was sent to me, earnestly requesting me to accept the vacant situation. I felt great reluctance to comply, hesitated for some time, and went to London to consult those ministers with whom I had any acquaintance. They all considered it as my duty to accede to the proposal; which I accordingly did. But, as soon as the late curate of Olney knew that I was appointed, and had in consequence resigned Ravenstone, he applied to the vicar, and was accepted as my successor there! Had I foreseen this, I should not have consented to remove to Olney: for I knew that he had still many admirers in that place, and I was at first full of sad apprehensions as to the effect of his smooth and soothing doctrines, on my Ravenstone people. But I could now do no more than pray, Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithopel into foolishness!-for I considered a more sagacious opposer than the visible one, as the author of this measure.--A tempo

rary confusion and vexation, almost beyond description, ensued: but it was not long before all terminated creditably and comfortably.

For

"The curacy of Olney was only £30 a year and a house, with rather better surplice fees than at Ravenstone. that curacy I had received £40 a year, and some assistance which I could not expect to retain; and, as before observed, I lived rent-free at Weston: so that the change which I now made was not, in the first instance, to my secular advantage. The people of Olney, however, had been accustomed to raise a subscription for Mr. Newton, without any solicitation; and the managing persons promised to do the same for me. But discontent soon arose: the leading characters did not act: others did not come forward: and I was decidedly averse to soliciting any party: so that for a year and a half I received less than my former income. I was often greatly straitened, and sometimes discouraged: but. I persevered in every service at the church to which the people had been accustomed, and which was practicable, though it was much more than could be demanded. In particular, I continued the weekly lecture, though very poorly attended.

And here I would mention, that, after I decidedly embraced my present views of the gospel, and of the Chris. tian ministry, I constantly preached two weekly lectures, one in each of my parishes, without any remuneration. My congregations were small but very select: at Ravenstone, on an average, not more than forty; afterwards at Olney, (though that town contained about two thousand five hundred inhabitants,) seldom above fifty or sixty; and at Weston, often under thirty. Yet I have reason to think that these services were peculiarly blessed to others, and they were specially comfortable to my own soul. Most of my few hearers I considered as my children; and I gave them, with much feeling and affection, many very particular instructions, cautions, and admonitions, which I could hardly have introduced into addresses to more general congregations, and for which the one, or perhaps two sermons on the Lord's day did not allow sufficient time. Were I now situate in a village or neighborhood, in which twenty or thirty people would probably attend, I certainly should preach a constant week-day lecture, even to so small a company.* In this respect, I think, many pious ministers,

* In fact, my father did so at Aston during a great part of the year.

esteeming it hardly worth while to preach to a few, forget the ¿vxaípws, àxaípws, of the apostle,* and lose a most important opportunity of edifying their little flock in their most holy faith. They preach the gospel on the Sunday, at large; but they do not attend to our Savior's words, teaching them (their converts) to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

"Notwithstanding difficulties, I, in one way or other, supported my credit at Olney. But I was here surrounded with numerous and most distressed poor persons, for whom Mr. Newton's more abundant resources, derived from affluent friends, had enabled him to do considerable things:† and this added to my embarrassment. They were sensible, however, of my different situation, and I must say expressed satisfaction and thankfulness for the far more scanty aid which I could afford them.

"After I had been at Olney about a year and a half, Lady Austen, having come to visit her sister, who was married to the Rev. Mr. Jones, curate of the adjacent village of Clifton, proposed to take my first floor, and some other accommodation which I could conveniently spare: and she accordingly became an inmate at the vicarage. This added £10 a year to my income, and saved me some expences."

It appears from Cowper's letters as published by Mr. Hayley, that Lady Austen entered upon her lodgings at the vicarage in the autumn of 1782, soon after the birth of my father's fifth child. This child, a son, lived only six months. It was born with a mark upon the face, extending over one eye, which turned to a sore, and "after several distressing weeks" ended in mortification. Its death I find thus announced by Mr. Cowper, writing to Mr. Newton, February 8, 1783. "Mr. S-'s last child is dead. It lived a little while in a world of which it knew nothing, and is gone to another, in which it is already become wiser than the wisest it has left behind. The earth is a grain of sand, but the interests of man are commensurate with the heavens."My father says of it, writing to a friend, "He was a great

* "In season, out of season." 2 Tim. iv, 2.

"Be hospitable, said Mr. Thornton, and keep an open house for such as are worthy of entertainment: help the poor and needy: I will statedly allow you 2007. a year and readily send whatever you have occasion to draw for more-Mr. N. told me, that he thought he had received of Mr. Thornton upwards of 3000l. in this way, during the timə he resided at Olney."-Life of Newton, by Cecil.

Vol. III. Let. 69.

sufferer, and we had in him a great and needful trial; but the issue was mercy. We have, I trust, three in heaven,

and have cause for thankfulness."

I find from the letter just quoted, that, soon after this event, my father visited his relations in Lincolnshire, and derived much satisfaction from his journey. "I found my friends more cordial, and more disposed to give me a patient hearing than I expected, and some of them treading the ways of the Lord; others somewhat hopeful. I had a door of utterance opened unto me beyond expectation, and returned home full of sanguine hopes that some good would be done by my journey. This, it seems, was more than my poor foolish heart could bear: there needed some bitter to counteract all this sweet. Therefore my wise and kind physician (having in mercy brought me home first,) immediately discerning the danger, applied the remedy: and I am very base if I do not heartily thank him for it."This remedy was a severe attack of his asthmatic complaint "with several relapses."

He proceeds in his narrative; "After Lady Austen had been with me for a short time, she learned the circumstances respecting the subscription promised, but not raised for me: and she found that several of the inhabitants were disposed cheerfully to contribute, if any one would collect their contributions. In consequence, she herself, together with her brother-in-law, Mr. Jones, without my solicitation or knowledge, undertook to set the business forward. And from this time a regular subscription was raised, small indeed in itself, and compared with what it had formerly been, but sufficient to be a great relief to me and to lay me under obligations, which, I fear, I never was able to compensate in the manner most agreeable to my desires and prayers. "In the vicarage-house at Olney, during Lady Austen's residence there, most of those events which are recorded in the life of Cowper, as pertaining to this period, occurred. Here the Task was imposed and undertaken. Here 'John Gilpin' was told as a story, in prose, and the plan formed of giving it circulation in verse. Some things in the published account are not very accurately stated, as I know, who saw the springs which moved the machine, and which could not be seen by a more distant spectator, or mere visitant.-After some time the cordiality between Mrs. Unwin and Mr. Cowper, on the one part, and Lady Austen, on the other, was interrupted; and my lodger suddenly left me, to my no small regret."

During her continuance at Olney, Mr. Hayley observes, the three friends "might be almost said to make one family, as it became their custom to dine always together, alternately in the houses of the two ladies;" and it was in order to facilitate this constant intercourse, that a door was opened in the vicarage garden wall towards the back of Mr. Cowper's premises.

"After Lady Austen left Olney," my father says, "I was induced to receive into my family a young lady from London, of the name of Gines, afterwards married to John Barber, Esq. This proved, I trust, an important event, in the best sense, to her, and through her to her family; as well as eventually to myself. She continued with me about two, years, till my removal to London, and during the latter part of the time she was joined by her younger sister, subsequently the wife of the late Rev. Stephen Langston, Recter of Little Horwood, Bucks.

"When I published the 'Force of Truth,' I had never attended to any controversies concerning church government, or any kindred subjects. I found myself a minister of the establishment, and, as I saw no sufficient reason to relinquish my station, I was satisfied that it was my duty to retain it. But, soon after, the controversy concerning baptism," whether it should be administered to infants, or only to adults professing faith, "fell in my way; and, for some time, I was almost ready to conclude, that the anti-pædobaptists were right. This gave me great uneasiness: not because I was solicitous whether, in the search after truth, I were led among them or elsewhere; but because I feared being misled; and deprecated following my publication with a further and needless change, which might bring discredit upon it.-Many, very many prayers, accompanied with tears, did. I pour out on this subject. I read books on both sides of the question, but received no satisfaction. I became even afraid of administering baptism, or the Lord's Supper. But I said to myself, He that believeth shall not make haste: I must retain my station, till I have taken time to examine the subject fully: and I must in the mean time do what retaining that station requires.'-It is remarkable that, in this instance alone, my wife appeared greatly distressed in the prospect of my changing my sentiments.-At length I laid aside all controversial writings, and determined to seek satisfaction on this question, as I had on others, by searching the scriptures and prayer. I was no less time