e been unsuccessful in his suit to a
Miss Romilly, a niece of Sir Samuel Romilly; and this rejection it was
which first stung him into rhyme and rambling; for, in order to deaden
his feelings, he traversed the north of England, Scotland, and parts of
the Continent. His first production consisted of fourteen sonnets,
published in 1789, and was followed the same year by "Verses to John
Howard." In 1790, he reprinted these and various other pieces written in
the interval, and in 1798 they were reproduced with illustrations. They
became so popular, that by the year 1805 they had reached a ninth
edition.

Almost every year from 1798 till the end of his life, Mr Bowles was
adding to his works new poems of various merit. In 1798, appeared his
"Coombe Ellen, and St Michael's Mount;" in 1799, "The Battle of the
Nile;" in 1801, "The Sorrows of Switzerland;" in 1803, "The Picture;" in
1805, the "Spirit of Discovery;" in 1806, "Bowden Hill;" in 1815, "The
Missionary of the Andes;" in 1822, "The Grave of the Last Saxon;" in
1823, "Ellen Gray;" in 1828, "Days Departed;" in 1833, "St John in
Patmos;" and in 1837, a volume entitled "Scenes and Shadows of Days
Departed, a Narrative;" besides "The Village Verse-book," a very popular
selection of simple poetry.

The events of this gentleman's private and professional life were of no
particular interest. Having entered holy orders, he resided for many
years as curate in Donhead St Andrew, in Wilts, where he remained till
1804, when he was appointed vicar of Bremhill--a situation which he
continued to fill till the end of his long life. In 1792, he was
presented to the vicarage of Checklade, in Wiltshire, which he resigned,
after an incumbency of five years, on receiving another presentation to
the rectory of Dumbleton, Gloucestershire. This living he retained till
his death, although he never resided at either Dumbleton or Checklade.
In 1804, through Archbishop Moore, he was made vicar of Bremhill, and,
the same year, prebend of Stratford in the cathedral church of
Salisbury. In 1828, he was elected canon-residentiary. He had, in 1818,
been appointed chaplain to the Prince Regent. He resided constantly at
Bremhill for twenty-five years. After he was elected canon, however, he
abode partly, and in the latter years of his life principally, in the
town of Salisbury. In 1797, he married Magdalene, daughter of the Rev.
Charles Wake, D.D., prebendary of Westminster, and grand-daughter of
Archb