ANECDOTE OF COWPER. 61 and the utmost powers the art is susceptible of. Most of his subjects were furnished by his native city and the adjacent scenery, particularly his celebrated representation of the cattle-market at Dort, and the square where the troops exercised his works are much sought after, and preserved as great curiosities; and yet, though now so highly prized, they fell into so much disrepute, that not many years since, a large collection of his best pictures sold for eight guineas apiece, so uncertain is the opinion and taste of the public. "He that depends Upon your favours, swims with fins of lead, "And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye! Trust ye? "With every minute you do change a mind, "And call him noble that was now your hate; Coriolanus, Act I. Even our immortal Cowper experienced the severity of popular caprice. So diffidently did he think of his abilities, that he offered his first poems to his publisher, reserving only as a remuneration, a few copies to present to his friends, from an apprehension that his works might produce rather loss than profit. These productions were, on their first appearance, very rudely handled by most of the reviewers, and nearly the whole of the copies lay like so much waste paper for a long time in the bookseller's shop. 62 INTERPOSITION OF PROVIDENCE. Some time afterwards, not wholly discouraged by this mortifying neglect, he presented through the hands of a friend, his manuscript copy of that divine poem, "The Task," upon the same terms, the merit of which, dispelled the folly or ignorance of the town, as the rays of the sun pierce through and absorb the mist, and Cowper took high rank amongst the living great men of his century: the fame of "The Task" brought into light his former discarded productions, and their sale has ever since continued to augment the wealth of his bookseller, the venerable and much respected Johnson. The following very interesting and extraordinary circumstance occurred at Dort in the year 1785, which is still the frequent narrative of the young and old of that city, who relate it with mingled sensations of awe and delight, as an interposition of Divine Providence in favor of a widow and her family of this city. This woman, who was very industrious, was left by her husband, an eminent carpenter, a comfortable house with some land, and two boats for carrying merchandize and passengers on the canals. She was also supposed to be worth about ten thousand guilders in ready money, which she employed in a hempen and sail-cloth manufactory, for the purpose of increasing her fortune and instructing her children (a son and two daughters) in useful branches of business. INTERPOSITION OF PROVIDENCE. 63 One night about nine o'clock, when the workmen were gone home, a person dressed in uniform, with a musquet and broad sword, came to her house, and requested a lodging: "I let no lodgings, friend," said the widow, "and besides, I have no spare bed, unless you sleep with my son, which I think very improper, on account of your being a perfect stranger to us all." The soldier then shewed a discharge from Diesbach's regiment (signed by the Major, who gave him an excellent character), and a passport from Compte Maillebois, governor of Breda. The widow, believing the stranger to be an honest man, called her son, and asked him if he would accommodate a veteran, who had served the republic thirty years with reputation, with part of his bed. The young man consented; the soldier was accordingly hospitably entertained; and at a seasonable hour withdrew to rest. Some hours afterwards, a loud knocking was heard at the street door, which roused the soldier, who moved softly down stairs, and listened at the hall door, when the blows were repeated, and the door almost broken through by a sledge, or some heavy instrument. By this time the widow and her daughters were much alarmed by this violent attack, and ran aimost frantic through different parts of the house, exclaiming "Murder! Murder!" The son having joined the soldier with a case of loaded pistols, 64 INTERPOSITION OF PROVIDENCE. and the latter screwing on his bayonet and fresh priming his piece, which was charged with slugs, requested the women to keep themselves in a back room out of the way of danger. Soon after the door was burst in, two ruffians entered, and were instantly shot by the son, who discharged both his pistols at once. Two other associates of the dead men immediately returned the fire, but without effect, when the intrepid and veteran stranger, taking immediate advantage of the discharge of their arms, rushed on them like a lion, ran one through the body with his bayonet, and whilst the other was running away, lodged the contents of his piece between his shoulders, and he dropped dead on the spot. The son and the stranger then closed the door as well as they could, reloaded their arms, made a good fire, and watched till day-light, when the weavers and spinners of the manufactory came to resume their employment, who were struck with horror and surprize at seeing four men dead on the dunghill adjoining the house, where the soldier had dragged them before they closed the door. The burgomaster and his syndic attended, and took the depositions of the family relative to this affair. The bodies were buried in a cross-road, and a stone erected over the grave, with this inscription: "Here lie the re"mains of four unknown ruffians, who deservedly lost "their lives, in an attempt to rob and murder a worthy INTERPOSITION OF PROVIDENCE. 65 "woman and her family. A stranger who slept in the house, "to which Divine Providence undoubtedly directed him, "was the principal instrument in preventing the perpetra"tion of such horrid designs, which justly entitles him to "a lasting memorial, and the thanks of the public. John "Adrian de Gries, a discharged soldier from the regiment "of Diesbach, a native of Middleburgh in Zealand, and upwards of seventy years old, was the David who slew two of these Goliaths, the rest being killed by the "son of the family. In honorem, a gratitudine ergo, 66 Dei optimi maximi, pietatis et innocentiæ summi pro"tectoris, magistratus et concilium civitatis Dortrechiensis "hoc signum poni curavere, xx. die Nov. annoque salu"tis humanæ, 1785." The widow presented the soldier with one hundred guineas, and the city settled a handsome pension on him for the rest of his life. K |