He wished to
accept the post, but was told he must stand an examination at the
bar of the House of Lords.
This was more than his nervous sensitive nature could bear.
Rather than face the trial he decided to die. Three times he
tried to kill himself. Three times he failed. Then the darkness
of madness closed in upon him. Religious terrors seized him, and
for many months he suffered agonies of mind. But at length his
tortured brain found rest, and he became once more a sane man.
Then he made up his mind to leave London, and all the excitements
of a life for which he was not fit, and after a few changes here
and there he settled down to a peaceful life with a clergyman and
his wife, named Unwin. And when after two years Mr. Unwin died,
Cowper still lived with his widow. With her he moved to Olney in
Buckinghamshire. It was here that, together with the curate,
John Newton, Cowper wrote the Olney hymns, many of which are
still well loved to-day. Perhaps one of the best is that
beginning--
"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Pages:
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847