The Life, and Posthumous Writings, of William Cowper, Esqr. 4 Volume Set

Successors such as Wordsworth and Coleridge admired yet overshadowed William Cowper (1731–1800). Troubled by mental instability, he retreated from both the legal profession and the woman he had hoped to marry, seeking out a quiet existence in the country. In spite of his struggles, he made a translation of Homer's Iliad, produced a considerable body of poetry, and maintained many epistolary contacts. This four-volume biography, compiled by his friend and fellow poet William Hayley (1745–1820), appeared between 1803 and 1806, bringing together selected letters and unpublished poems to illuminate Cowper's personal and literary life. Volume 1 (1803) contains Hayley's narrative, interspersed with Cowper's letters from 1765 to 1791. Volume 2 (1803) contains letters from the period 1791–4, with further biographical remarks. Volume 3 (1804) includes letters offering frank opinions of contemporary literary figures, notably Samuel Johnson. Volume 4 (1806) provides supplementary material, chiefly additional letters and amendments to the previous volumes.