BY

WILLIAM COWPER,

OF THE INNER TEMPLE, ESQ.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

Sicut aquæ tremulum labris ubi lumen ahenis
Sole repercussum, aut radiantis imagine lunæ,
Omnia pervolitat late loca, jamque sub auras
Erigitur, summique ferit laquearia tecti.

Virg. Æn. vii.
So water, trembling in a polish'd vase,
Reflects the beam, that plays upon it's face;
The sportive light, uncertain where it falls,
Now strikes the roof, now flashes on the walls.

VOL. II.

i LONDON:
STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY A. WILSON,

FOR J. JOHNSON AND CO.
F. C. and J. Rivington ; Law and Whitaker; Longman and Co.,

Cadell and Davies, Black, Parry, and Co.; J. Black; John
Richardson ; James Richardson; J. Hatchard ; Sherwood,
Neely, and Jones; R. Scholey; J. Booker ; Suttaby and Co.
Sharp and Hailes; Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy; Gale, Curtis,
and Fenner; T. Hamilton ; Cowie and Co.; and John Robin
son: and for Robinson, Son, and Holdsworth, Leeds,

ADVERTISEMENT.

The history of the following production is briefly this : A lady, fond of blank verse, demanded a poem of that kind from the author, and gave him the Sofa for a subject. He obeyed; and, having much leisure, connected another subject with it; and pursuing the train of thought, to which his situation and turn of mind led him, brought forth at length, instead of the trifle which he at first intended, a serious affaira Volume.

In the Poem on the subject of Education, he would be very sorry to stand suspected of having aimed his censure at any particular school. His objections are such, as naturally apply themselves to schools in general. If there were not, as for the most part there is, wilful neglect in those who