which was pronounced by many critics the greatest poem of the period.  The main characteristics of his style are its simplicity, its sympathy with nature and with ordinary life, and its unaffected devotional accent.  But Cowper is now appreciated more for his incomparably delightful epistles to his friends than for his poetry.  Few letters in our language can compare with these for incisive but kindly and gentle irony; innocent but genuine fun; keen and striking acumen, and tender melancholy.  Cowper died on April 25, 1800.

To the Rev. John Newton

Olney, January 13, 1782.  I am rather pleased that you have adopted other sentiments respecting our intended present to Dr. Johnson.  I allow him to be a man of gigantic talents and most profound learning, nor have I any doubts about the universality of his knowledge; but, by what I have seen of his animadversions on the poets, I feel myself much disposed to question, in many instances, either his candour or his taste.

He finds fault too often, like a man that, having sought it very industriously, is at last obliged to stick it on a pin’s point, and look at it through a microscope; and I could easily convict him of having denied many beauties, and overlooked more.  Whether his judgement be in itself defective, or whether it be warped by collateral considerations, a writer upon such subjects as I have chosen would probably find but little mercy at his hands.

To the Rev. William Unwin

I say amen, with all my heart, to your observations on religious characters.  Men who profess themselves adepts in mathematical knowledge, in astronomy, or jurisprudence, are generally as well qualified as they would appear.  The reason may be that they are always liable to detection should they attempt to impose upon mankind, and therefore take care to be what they pretend.  In religion alone a profession is often taken up and slovenly carried on, because, forsooth, candour and charity require us to hope the best, and to judge favourably of our neighbour, and because it is easy to deceive the ignorant, who are a great majority, upon this subject.

Let a man attach himself to a particular party, contend furiously for what are properly called evangelical doctrines, and enlist himself under the banner of some popular preacher, and the business is done.  Behold a Christian! a saint! a phoenix!  In the meantime, perhaps, his heart and his temper, and even his conduct, are unsanctified; possibly less exemplary than those of some avowed infidels.  No matter—­he can talk—­he has the shibboleth of the true Church—­the Bible in his pocket, and a head well stored with notions.

But the quiet, humble, modest, and peaceable person, who is in his practice what the other is only in his profession, who hates a noise, and therefore makes none; who, knowing the snares that are in the world, keeps himself as much out of it as he can, is the Christian that will always stand highest in the estimation of those who bring all characters to the test of true wisdom, and judge of the tree by its fruit.