The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Task and Other Poems, by William Cowper

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Title: The Task and Other Poems

Author: William Cowper

Posting Date: April 30, 2009 [EBook #3698]
Release Date: January, 2003
First Posted: July 24, 2001

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TASK AND OTHER POEMS ***

Produced by Les Bowler.

THE TASK AND OTHER POEMS

BY

WILLIAM COWPER.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION
THE TASK
BOOK I. THE SOFA
BOOK II. THE TIMEPIECE
BOOK III. THE GARDEN.
BOOK IV. THE WINTER EVENING.
BOOK V. THE WINTER MORNING WALK.
BOOK VI. THE WINTER WALK AT NOON.
THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN GILPIN.
AN EPISTLE TO JOSEPH HILL, ESQ.
TO MARY.

INTRODUCTION.

After the publication of his "Table Talk" and other poems in March,
1782, William Cowper, in his quiet retirement at Olney, under Mrs.
Unwin's care, found a new friend in Lady Austen. She was a baronet's
widow who had a sister married to a clergyman near Olney, with whom
Cowper was slightly acquainted. In the summer of 1781, when his first
volume was being printed, Cowper met Lady Austen and her sister in the
street at Olney, and persuaded Mrs. Unwin to invite them to tea. Their
coming was the beginning of a cordial friendship. Lady Austen, without
being less earnest, had a liveliness that satisfied Cowper's sense of
fun to an extent that stirred at last some jealousy in Mrs. Unwin.
"She had lived much in France," Cowper said, "was very sensible, and
had infinite vivacity."

The Vicar of Olney was in difficulties, with his affairs in the hands
of trustees. The duties of his office were entirely discharged by a
curate, and the vicarage was to let. Lady Austen, in 1782, rented it,
to be near her new friends. There was only a wall between the garden
of the house occupied by Cowper and Mrs. Unwin and the vicarage garden.
A door was made in the wall, and there was a close companionship of
three. When Lady Austen did not spend her evenings with Mrs. Unwin and
Cowper, Mrs. Unwin and Cowper spent their evenings with Lady Austen.
They read, talked, Lady Austen pl