[512] Dr. Warton (Joseph) head master of Winchester School upwards of thirty years, where he presided with high reputation; author of "Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope," and of an edition of the Works of Pope, in 9 vols. 8vo. He was brother to Thomas Warton, well known for his History of English Poetry. Died in 1800.
[513] Private correspondence.
[514] January was a season of the year, when the nervous depression under which Cowper laboured was generally the most severe.
[515] The poet's kinsman was made chaplain to Dr. Spencer Madan, the Bishop of Peterborough.
[516] These Odes proved to be forgeries. They were reported to have been found in the Palatine Library, and communicated to the public by Gasper Pallavicini, the sub-librarian. We have room only for the following:—
AD SALIUM FLORUM.
Discolor grandem gravat uva ramum;
Instat Autumnus; glacialis anno
Mox hyems volvente adiret, capillis
Horrida canis.
Jam licet Nymphas trepidè fugaces
Insequi, lento pede detinendas,
Et labris captæ, simulantis iram,
Oscula figi.
Jam licit vino madidos vetusto
De die lætum recinare carmen;
Flore, si te des hilarum, licebit
Sumere noctem.
Jam vide curas Aquilone sparsas
Mens viri fortis sibi constat, utrum
Serius lethi citiusve tristis
Advolat hora.
There is a false quantity in the first stanza, which affords presumptive evidence of forgery.
The title of the second Ode is, "Ad Librum Suum."
[517] Mrs Bodham was a cousin of Cowper's, connected with him by his maternal family, the Donnes.
[518] The manner in which Cowper speaks of his kinsman is uniformly the same—kind, affectionate, endearing.