The Argosy — page 296: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

William Cowper. : 275 swiftness, the gestures of her small, ringed hands talk nearly as much as her lips. No wonder these two women glance, now and then, at each other with something of suspicion and doubt in their eyes. There is such a contrast between them, and, moreover, they are both so plainly and exclusively occupied with the one thought of observing that man who stands there near the twining roses. The other gentleman of the group is of a very different stamp from him who absorbs the attention of the ladies. He has placed himself somewhat apart from the rest. His face is rugged and severe, though not without a certain degree of calm dignity ; his eyes are chiefly employed with the younger lady, but the gaze is not admiring; there is doubt and distrust in it. The party have been silent for a few minutes, when the eyes of the lady in the bright, gaily-tinted dress begin to sparkle and dance with mirth, and the sunshine of her smiles to grow more radiant than before. Then she begins to tell a story. Her words are full of animation which thrills through her voice, and the play of her features, and, indeed, her whole person, respond with pantomimic grace to her tale. The thoughtful countenance of the man standing near her first breaks into a passing smile, then all its muscles begin to quiver with suppressed amusement, then he bursts into a peal of ringing laughter. ‘The lady in the grey dress catches the infection, and begins to laugh softly too. ‘That other man, however, leaves the garden with a look of disapproval on his strongly-marked features. His departure is quite unnoticed by the remaining three, they are so wrapped up in the playful magic of the lady’s story. Lady Austin is telling Cowper the story of John Gilpin, and Mrs. Unwin cannot but laugh at it, though she and the lively lady are already not the very best of friends. John Newton thinks both the lady and her story frivolous, and goes away in contemptuous silence. All that night it is said that Cowper laughed at that tale, and next morning he wrote the ballad of ‘‘ John Gilpin,” which was, perhaps, more well-known in his own day than anything that came from his pen. ‘The wits in all the London coffee houses quoted it, and pretty actresses recited it with many a bewitching smile. To Lady Austin we owe another bit of Cowper’s best work. He was one day discussing with her a subject to write upon in blank verse. ‘‘ What shall I write upon?” he asked, a little wearily. “Oh, write upon this sofa,” cried the lively lady, making a little imperious motion towards the couch on which she was reclining, Mie was the origin-of “The Sofa” (‘The Task”), his task which she had set him. There is little doubt that Lady Austin had a very bright influence over Cowper ; but the rapidly-growing jealousy between her and Mrs. Unwin compelled Cowper to give up, in some measure, his close intimacy with her. Gratitude for Mrs. Unwin’s long-tried affection made him consult her wishes and feelings before anything else. connicloooks (CO)