On that occasion the reconciliation, though "impossible," took place, the lady sending, by way of olive branch, a pair of ruffles, which it was known she had begun to work before the quarrel.

The second rupture was final.

Hayley, who treats the matter with sad solemnity, tells us that Cowper's letter of farewell to Lady Austen, as she assured him herself, was admirable, though unluckily, not being gratified by it at the time, she had thrown it into the fire.
Cowper has himself given us, in a letter to Lady Hesketh, with reference to the final rupture, a version of the whole affair:--"There came a lady into this country, by name and title Lady Austen, the widow of the late Sir Robert Austen.

At first she lived with her sister about a mile from Olney; but in a few weeks took lodgings at the vicarage here.

Between the vicarage and the back of our house are interposed our garden, an orchard, and the garden belonging to the vicarage.