304
NOTES AND QUERIES. [* s. v. APRIL 21, woo.
me ever since I knew you." Through the sad-
ness which followed, Lady Hesketh rendered
cheerfully all the help she could, and, when
Cowper died without having made a will,
fulfilled the office of administratrix, and
raised the monument to his memory over his
last resting-place.
Towards the summer of 1797 Cowper's bodily health appeared to improve, and he courageously went on with the revisal of Homer. It is remarkable that one of the distinguishing features in his mysterious malady was that he was able to continue his work, much of which was done in times of depression and increasing nervous excitement. On the 20th of March, 1799, he wrote his last poem, 'The Castaway.' In August he translated it into Latin, and in December he removed to Dereham. In March, 1800, he was visited by Mr. Rose; his decline became more and more visible, and by the 19th of April the weakness of the sufferer liad alarmingly increased. Dr. Johnson said all he could to comfort him, but " the dark- ness of delusion still veiled his spirit." At five in the morning of Friday, the 25th, he became insensible, and in the afternoon, just before five, he passed away in so mild and gentle a manner that the precise moment was not known ; but as his four faithful friends looked upon the face of the dead, they saw that it was all calmness and composure, mingled, as it were, with holy surprise. He was buried in St. Edmund's Chapel, in the Church of East Dereham, on Saturday, the 2nd of May. There he rests until all mysteries shall be revealed. Meanwhile we, his countrymen, regard him with a personal love far beyond the admiration we have for "his genius, for we know that among all England's illustrious dead there is not one who has left us a brighter example of faith- fulness to friends, patience and submission under suffering, and entire self-sacrifice than the poet Cowper.
The first query in reference to Cowper in Notes and Queries is in the number for July 12th, 1851, when C. A. asks why the name is generally pronounced Cooper. On the 26th, R. VINCENT replies that he can state decidedly that the poet himself pronounced it as it was spelt. On the 23rd of August, MR. W. D. COOPER writes that the poet's family was originally of Stroode, in Slinfold, Sussex, not Kent, as stated by Lord Campbell (' Lives of the Chancellors,' vol. iv. p. 258) :
- The first person who altered the spelling was
John Cooper of London, father of the first baronet, and he probably adopted the spelling in affectation of the Norman spelling; the family having in those
days been styled Le Cupere, Caper, and Coupre in
Norman- French, and Cuparius in Latin, as may be
seen by the grants made to Battle Abbey. All the
Sussex branches continued the spelling of Cooper
until the time of Henry Cowper of Stroode, who
died 1706. In Lord Campbell's ' Lives of the Chan-
cellors ' the first letter is signed 'William Cooper.'"
On the 3rd of July, 1852, H. W. S. T. suggests that the subject should be treated scientifically :
" By a reference to the coat-armour of the various families of Cooper, Couper, and Cowper, as gathered from the pages of Burke, it will at once be seen that the. same bearings are interchangeably used by all of them, with only slight variations the resem- blance being sufficiently distinct to mark a common origin. The paternal coat of the ennobled name of Cowper, I would further remark, bears in some of its features a strong affinity with the arms of the ' Coopers' Company of London."
On the 21st of August appears a reply from EARL COWPER, in which he says he does not think the question one merely of antiquity, but of philology :
" True, it is an old question, for I find it referred to in a MS. dated 1742, but there both the spelling and pronunciation of Cowper, as different from Cooper, are maintained."
EARL COWPER adds :
" And this is my own opinion. I hold the name to be Scotch, and not English ; it is derived from the verb to cowp, (etymologically) the same as Eng. cheapen, and Germ. Kaufen, from which come Chapman, Kaufmann, and these are synonymous with Cowper.
" In accordance with this view we have a tradi- tion that our family is of Scottish origin.
"As regards the pronunciation, analogy and convenience favour a different one for Cooper, and this is favoured by usage also, so far as those who bear the name are concerned, and they ought to have an opinion in the matter. But doubtless the confusion will continue, for the more common and closely similar name of Cooper is sure to dictate to its leas frequent neighbour, but not kinsman, Cowper."
On the 29th of January, 1853, MR. GEORGE DANIEL relates that when a boy, during his midsummer holidays of 1799, while on a visit to the Deverells in Dereham, Norfolk, he was taken to the house of an ancient lady " to pay his respects to her, and to drink tea " :
"Two visitors were particularly expected. They soon arrived. The first, if I remember rightly (for my whole attention was singularly riveted to the second), was a pleasant-looking, lively young man very talkative and entertaining ; his com- panion was above the middle height, broadly made, but not stout, and advanced in years. His coun- tenance had a peculiar charm, that I could not resist. It alternately exhibited a deep sadness, a thoughtful repose, a fearful and an intellectual fire, that surprised and held me captive. His manner was embarrassed and reserved. He spoke but little. Yet once he was roused to animation ; then his voice was full and clear. I have a faint recollection that I saw his face lighted up with a
