The fountain in its source

The fountain in its source. Jeanne Marie Guyon* (1648-1717), translated by William Cowper*(1731-1800).  Jeanne Marie Bouvières de la Mothe Guyon’s Poésies et Cantiques Spirituels  was published in 1722, following her death in 1717. Cowper’s attention was drawn to it by his friend William Bull, the evangelical rector of Newport Pagnell. This one (Volume 4 Cantique 81) began ‘La fontaine dans sa source’. The translation had two stanzas:   The fountain in its source,  No drought of summer fears; The farther it pursues its course,  The nobler it appears.   But shallow cisterns yield  A scanty, short supply; The morning sees them amply fill’d,  At ev’ning they are dry. Cowper sent a fair copy of...