§  6.  The  progress  which  carried  our  national  taste  most  rapidly  from
the  correct  and  artificial  type  of  Pope  in  the  direction  of  the  real  sym-
pathies of  general  humanity  is  most  strongly  exemplified  in  the  writings
of  William  Cowper  (1731-1800).  He  is  eminently  the  poet  of  the
domestic  affections  and  the  exponent  of  that  strong  religious  feeling
which,  originating  in  the  revival  of  Evangelical  piety  gene>-ated  by  the
preaching  of  Wesley  and  Whitefield',  began  to  penetrate  and  modify  all
the  relations  of  social  life.  His  story  is  singularly  sad.  He  was  of
ancient  and  even  illustrious  race,  the  grandson  of  Lord  Chancellor
Cowper,  and  was  born  with  an  extremely  tender  and  impressionable
character.  After  being  cowed  by  bullying  at  a  private  school,  he  was
sent  to  Westminster,  and  afterwards  placed  in  an  attorney's  ofiice,  where
one  of  his  desk  companions  was  Thurlow,  afterwards  celebrated  as
Chancellor  for  his  sternness  and  political  bigotry;  and  here  he  acquired
some  knowledge  of  the  law,  though  he  was  destined  never  to  practise
it  as  his  profession.  His  early  life  was  frivolous  and  somewhat  dissi-
pated. Obtaining  the  nomination  to  a  comfortable  and  lucrative  post,
that  of  Clerk  of  the  Journals  to  the  House  of  Lords,  Cowper's  sensitive
and  morbid  disposition  was  so  terrified  at  the  idea  of  making  a  public
appearance,  that  he  fell  into  a  gloomy  despondency,  and  attempted  to
put  an  end  to  his  existence.  An  attack  of  madness  rendered  it  neces-
sary that  he  should  be  confined  in  an  asylum,  from  whence  he  was  after
some,  time  discharged,  with  his  intellect  restored  indeed,  but  with  his
sensitive  nature  so  deeply  shaken  that  any  active  career  in  life  had
become  an  impossibility.     Possessing  a  small  income,  and  assisted  >y


358  THE  DAWN  OF  ROMANTIC  POJ^TRT.    [Chap.  XIX.
