Page:Our Hymns.djvu/328

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308 OUR HYMNS :

the excitement of launching new books, artel the variety of a correspondence generally literary and sometimes religious. Amongst his correspondents with whom he often communicated were Robert Southey and Charles Lamb, and he had occasional communications with Mrs. Heman, the Hewitts, Sir John Bowring, Byron, and Sir Walter Scott, In 1824, the poet s moderate income received a little addition from the interest of 1,200, a sum presented to him, as a mark of esteem, by Joseph John Grurney and a few other members of the Society of Friends; and, in 1846, he received from the Queen an annual pension of 100, on the recommendation of Sir Robert Peel. After some indications of failing health, he died, almost suddenly, on the 19th of February, 1849.

In 1812, Bernard Barton published his first volume of poems, called " Metrical Effusions." In 1818, he published by sub scription, " Poems by an Amateur." A volume of his "Poems," published shortly after in London, having gained the approval of the "Edinburgh Review," reached a fourth edition in 1825. In 1822 he sent forth his " Napoleon," which he dedicated and presented to George the Fourth.

Between 1822 and 1828 he published five volumes of verse, and during this period injured his health by his excessive appli cation. His "Poetic Vigils" appeared in 1824, and his "Devotional Verses, founded on Select Texts of Scripture," in 1827.

After that period he wrote less, but continued to contribute to annuals. In 1836 he published a volume of collected frag ments, and in 1845 came out his last volume, " Household Verses," which he got permission to dedicate to the Queen.

Bernard Barton s versification is easy and good, his diction tasteful an,l refined, his sentiment high in its moral tone, and he is not without pathos and beauty. He follows, though at a distance, his admired model, Cowper. Jeffrey justly pronounced him " a man of a fine and cultivated, rather than of a bold and original mind."

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