The poet's family was originally of Stroode in Slinfold, Sussex, not Kent, as Lord Campbell (_Lives of the Chan._, vol. iv. p. 258.) states, and spelt their names Cooper. The first person who altered the spelling was John Cooper of London, father of the first baronet, and he probably adopted the spelling in affectation of the Norman spelling; the family having in those days been styled Le Cupere, Cuper, and Coupre in Norman-French, and Cuparius in Latin, as may be seen by the grants made to Battle Abbey. The pronunciation was never changed. All the Sussex branches continued the spelling of Cooper until the time of Henry Cowper of Stroode, who died 1706. In Lord Campbell's _Lives of the Chancellors_ (p. 259.) the first letter is signed "William Cooper."
_Cowper._--There is an affectation in the present day for pronouncing words, not only contrary to established usage, but in defiance of orthography. The Bar furnishes one example, and "polite society" the other. By the former, a judge on the bench is called, instead of "My _Lord_" and "His _Lordship_," "My _Lud_" and "His _Ludship_;" and in the latter, _Cowper_ is metamorphosed into _Cooper_. Now, I fancy that "My _Lord_" is a vast deal more euphonious than "My _Lud_" and _Cowper_, as Shakspeare has it, "becomes the mouth as well" as _Cooper_. We don't speak of getting milk from the _coo_, but from the _cow_; and _Cow_ being the first syllable of the poet's name should not be tortured into _Coo_, in compliment to a nonsensical fastidiousness, whoever may have set the example. As _Cowper_ the poet has been hitherto known, and by that name will be cherished by posterity. John Kemble, the great actor, I remember, tried to alter the pronunciation of _Rome_ to _room_, and was laughed at for his pains, though he had the authority of a pun of the bard's own for the change: "Old _Rome_ and _room_ enough." But Shakspeare was but an indifferent punster at the best, as is proved by Falstaff's refusing to give a _reason_ on compulsion, even though "_reasons_ were as plentiful as blackberries;" corrupting _raisin_ into _reason_, for his purpose, which is as far-fetched as any instance of the kind on record, I think. But I digress, and beg pardon for running so away from the _cow_.