The Letters and Prose Writings: II: Letters 1782-1786

A model of editorial tact, thoroughness, and clarity. Not only does it greatly enlarge the canon of Cowper's prose, it provides at every point, unobtrusively and economically, exactly what the reader needs: a chronology of Cowper's life at the beginning of each volume, brief introductory characterizations of the volume as a whole and of Cowper's individual correspondents during the relevant period, precise textual information, concise annotation, lists of letters included and of those known to be missing, a fine index...indispensable.