Finding Aid
William Cowper, Mary Unwin, and John Newton collection
William Cowper
Manuscripts
Ms. poem "Homer-Iliad" 6 line holograph fragment of translation beginning "As when a lion in some pasture slays...". Endorsed on verso by John Johnson, Yaxham Parsonage, May 7, 1825.
Ms. poem "To Dr. Austin from Mr. Cowper" . 14 line holograph poem on verso of extra leaf tipped in after front fly leaf of his Poems ( catalogued as B12576).
Ms. poem "To Dr. Austin" 8 line holograph poem, signed W.H. on recto of extra leaf tipped in after front fly-leaf of his Poems (catalogued as B12576).
Transcripts of "Adelphi" and of "A narrative of the memorable conversion of the Rev. John Cowper Late Fellow of Bennet College Cambridge. Written by his brother William Cowper Esqr" in the hand of Rev. John Newton. 56 pages, 8 octavo copybook. Note: The "Adelphi" is in shorthand. These copies were possibly done in the 1760s.
Correspondence:
A.L.S. Mary Unwin to Mrs. John Newton.
October 7, 1773. Letter of association interest.
A.L.S. William C. Unwin to Robert Smith
March 1, 1786. Letter of association interest.
A.L.S. William Cowper to... 23 November, 1791.
John Newton
Autograph manuscript of the unfinished memoir of William Cowper. Quarto, 16 pages followed by 24 blank leaves, dated at beginning 30 August [1800], contemporary marbled paper wrappers. This fragmentary memoir was composed at Southampton during the summer of 1800. Newton was able to complete only sixteen pages before forced to break off due to ill health and old age. Newton borrowed extensively from Cowper's own memoir (later published 1816) and added details of his own memories. Brief extracts of the present manuscript were published by Josiah Bull John Newton (1868) and are marked with pencil in the text, probably by Bull. The remainder, the great majority of the text, is unpublished.
Notes on the Gospel of St. John: Autograph manuscript, unsigned, full page, large folio [14 by 9 1/2 inches], undated. Fine condition.
"The Jews at this time expected the Messiah, and being struck with the venerable austerity of his manners, suspected that John was He."
Newton correspondence:
ALs. 16 December 1788 to Mr. Morris, with typed transcript
ANs Presentation inscription take from copy of Life of Grimshaw
ANs to Lady Catharine Murray, accompanied by engraved portrait
Description of Huntingdon Library microfilm
MS. Poems on various occasions, with autograph corrections in two places by Cowper. 2 vols. small 4 octavo, half vellum and boards. MS. is mainly in hand of Mr. Vaughan Johnson, friend of Cowper.
HM 12587 Poems 1781-1793. p.13, 17 have corrections in Wm. Cowper's hand; p.105 to 134 are entirely in Cowper's hand and were bound up separately. This set of pages follows the balance of HM 12587.
HM 12588 Poems 1773-81
Note: No reproduction permitted without permission from the Huntingdon Librarian.
