And now the life from which his had for so many years been fed, itself
began to fail. Mrs. Unwin was stricken with paralysis; the stroke was
slight, but of its nature there was no doubt. Her days of bodily life
were numbered; of mental life there remained to her a still shorter
span. Her excellent son, William Unwin, had died of a fever soon after
the removal of the pair to Weston. He had been engaged in the work of
his profession as a clergyman, and we do not hear of his being often at
Olney. But he was in constant correspondence with Cowper, in whose
heart as well as in that of Mrs. Unwin his death must have left a great
void, and his support was withdrawn just at the moment when it was
about to become most necessary.
Happily just at this juncture a new and a good friend appeared. Hayley
was a mediocre poet, who had for a time obtained distinction above his
merits. Afterwards his star had declined, but having an excellent
heart, he had not been in the least soured by the downfall of his
reputation.
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