THE LIFE OF THOMSON. For the life of Thomson, the world is obliged to Dr. Murdoch, who was his intimate friend, and wrote from perfonal knowledge. Some inaccuracies in the narrative of Dr. Murdoch have been corrected by Shiels, and some defects supplied by the masterly pen that has lately enriched our national stock of criticism and biography. Mr. Bofwell has inferted in his life of our great poetical biographer, some information which he had obtained from Thomfan's relations, for his ufe, but of which he had neglected fully to avail himself. The Earl of Buchan, with a laudable enthusiasm to celebrate the memory of a poet who is juftly accounted an honour to his country, has collected several additional particulars of his life, and has intermingled his information with some valuable letters, and poetical compositions, which were not previoufly communicated to the public. These are the authorities upon which most of the following facts are ftated. James Thomfon was born at Ednam, near Kelso, in Roxburghshire, September 11. 1700. His father was minifter of Ednam, in the prefbytery of Kelso, and afterwards of Southdean, in the prefbytery of Jedburgh, in that county, and much refpected for his piety and diligence in the discharge of his paftoral duties. His mother, Beatrix Trotter, was daughter and coheirefs of Mr. Trotter, a fmall portioner of land at Foggo, in Berwickshire, and equally amiable by her piety, which was enlivened by fingular fervour of imagination, and by the focial and domestic duties. The difficulty with which his father supported his family, having nine children, occasioned his rémoval to Southdean, the falary of which, though not large, was more adequate to his expences than that of Ednam. After the fettlement of his father at Southdean, he was fent to the school of the neighbouring town of Jedburgh, where he was taught the common rudiments of learning. In the progress of his education, he was not diftinguished among his fchool-fellows by any remarkable fupcriority of parts. Although he was not confidered by his master as fuperior to common boys, he obtained notice by his genius, even in his boyish years. Mr. Riccalton, minister of the neighbouring parish of Hobkirk, a man of taste and learning, discovered his early propenfity to poetry, encouraged his first poctical effays, and corrected his performances. According to Lord Buchan, he was occafionally invited to spend the vacation of the school at the country feat of Sir William Bennet of Chefters, the most accomplished country gentleman in that part of Scotland, and was alfo favourably noticed by Sir Gilbert Elliot of Minto, afterwards Lord Juftice Clerk. The late Hon. Mrs Selby of Pafton, in Northumberland, informed the present writer, that he was likewise a frequent visitor at Crailing, the seat of her father Lord Cranston. Thus encouraged, he began, at an early age, to amuse himself and his friends with poetical compofitions; with which, however, he fo little pleased himself, that on every new-year's day he threw into the fire all the productions of the foregoing year. From the fchool, he was removed to the University of Edinburgh; where he was not more diftinguished among his fellow-students than he had been among his school-fellows. By the time when he went to College, he had probably begun to confider himself as intended by nature for a poet. The confcious dignity of genius, therefore, would teach him to disdain those studies in which he could not excel: And thus, the contempt of his clafs-fellows, and the encouragement of his poetical friends, would equally confpire to confirm his predilection for poetry, and to prompt him to renewed ef forts in poetical composition. 4 In the fecond feffion of his attendance at the University, his studies were interrupted by the fudden death of his father. He was fummoned home to receive his dying benediction; but came too late. This circumftance contributed to increase his forrow, and his filial piety was expreffed on this mournful occafion in inftances of conduct which his furviving relations afterwards delighted to recollect. His mother, now raifing upon her little eftate what money a mortgage could afford, removed with her family to Edinburgh; and he renewed the prosecution of his studies. As it was the wifh of his friends, that he should embrace the clerical profeffion, he entered upon the ftudy of theology, which he prosecuted without distinction or expectation, till, at the usual time, he performed a probationary exercise, by explaining a pfalm. His diction was so poetically fplendid, that Mr. Hamilton, the professor of divinity, repreved him for speaking language unintelligible to a popular audience; which fo difgufted him with his theological purfuits, that he seems to have foon after this incident, refolved to betake himself more entirely to the cultivation of poetry. About that time, elegant literature began to be cherished and cultivated in the University; and a poetical club, called "The Athenian Society," had ventured to publish a collection of poems, intituled, "The Edinburgh Mifcellany," furnished chiefly by Callander, Symmers, and Mitchell, young men of great promife, and of Thomson's acquaintance. What share Thomson had in "the Edinburgh Mifcellany," cannot now be known; but it is probable he was a contributor, as well as Mallet, who was then afpiring to poetical compofition; and with whom he contracted an early intimacy, which improved with their years, undisturbed by ny cafual mistake, envy, or jealousy on either side. A fimilarity of tafte and of pursuits, connected him alfo in habits of early intimacy with Paterfon, the tranflator of Paterculus, Malcolm, author of the Treatife on Music, and Murdoch, afterwards a clergyman of the church of England, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and the biographer of his youthful companion. About this time he is faid to have received particular attention from the family of Baillie of Jervifwood, to which he was introduced by the relations of his mother; and Mr. Bofwell informs us, that he lived for fome time in the family of Lord Binning, as tutor to the prefent Earl of Ha. dington. Some verfes of his, addreffed to one of that family, for the ufe of fome books, are, Lord Buchan believes, ftill preferved, "as a specimen of his infantine genius." Having laid afide all thought of the clerical profession, and addicted himself to the study of poetry, in which he reasonably hoped to attain high eminence, he easily discovered that the only tage on which a poet could appear with advantage, was London; where merit might foon become confpicuous, and would find friends, as foon as it became reputable, to befriend it. It may be fuppofed, therefore, that he eagerly received any fhadow of encouragement, however flight, which was held out to him; when Lady Grizzel Baillie, his mother's friend, advised him to try his fortune as a poet in London, and promised him some countenance and affistance. Accordingly, in the autumn of the year 1725, he embarked at Leith for London, bedewed with the tears of his affectionate mother, the recollection of which produced, on her death, which happened not long after, the unpremeditated, but beautiful verfes to her memory in the collection of Lord Buchan On his arrival in London, he found his way to Mallet, his fellow collegian, then tutor to the fons of the Duke of Montrofe; to whom he showed his Winter, written at first in detached pieces, or occafional deferiptions, who advised him to form them into one connected piece, and get it printed immediately. He had recommendations to several perfons of diftinction, particularly to Mr. Forbes, afterwards Prefident of the Court of Seffion, then attending his duty in parliament, who, having seen a specimen of his poetry in Scotland, received him kindly, and introduced him to several of his friends; among whom was Aikman the painter, who was equally ready in affifting him with the kind ofFices of friendship. He obtained likewife the notice of Hill, whom, being friendless and indigent, and glad of kindnefs, he courted with every expreffion of fervile adulation, The reception he met with, wherever he was introduced, encouraged him to risk the publication of his Winter; which for fome time could find no purchafer, till at laft Mr. Millan was perfuaded by Mallet to buy it at a low price. It was published in 1726, with a preface, dedication to Sir Spencer Compton, and recommendatory verfes by Hill, Mallet, and a Lady, whose fictitious name was Mira," once," fays Dr. John fon, "too well known." It was not, immediately upon its appearance, eagerly received by the readers of poetry, and Mr. Millan had, for fome time, reafon to regret the expence of publication; till, by accident, Mr. Whateley, a man of taste and learning, happening to caft his eye upon it, was fo delighted, that he ran from place to place celebrating its excellence: By degrees, it gained upon the public; and edition after edition was printed and fold. The dedication, however, attracted no regard from Sir Spencer Compton to the author, till Hill awakened his attention, by some verses addressed to Thomson in one of the newspapers, which cen fured the great for their neglect of ingenious men. Thomfon then obtained his notice, and a pre fent of twenty guineas. As foon as Winter was published, he fent a copy of it to Mitchell, his brother poct, who, not liking many parts of it, returned him the following couplet: Beauties and faults fo thick lie fcatter'd here; To this Thomfon answered extempore. Why all not faults, injurious Mitchell, why Finding other judges more favourable, he did not fuffer himself to £nk into defpondence. Every day brought him new friends. He had been introduced to Pope; and, among others, Dr. Rundle, afterwards Bishop of Derry, fought his acquaintance, and found his qualities fuch, that he recommended him to the Lord Chancellor Talbot. In 1727, he published his Summer, which he would have dedicated to Lord Binning; but the fame kindness which had at first disposed his Lordship to encourage him, determined him to refuse the dedication, which was, by his advice, addressed to Mr. Dodington, afterwards Lord Melcombe, a man who had more power to advance the reputation and fortune of a poet. The fame year, he published his Poem, facred to the Memory of Sir Ifaac Newton, whom he was enabled to praise with due intelligence, by the fcientific information of his friend Mr. Gray. It was accompanied by Britannia, a poetical invective against the ministry, whom the nation then thought not forward enough in refenting the depredations of the Spaniards. In 1728, he published his Spring, with a dedication to the Countess of Hertford, afterwards Duchefs of Somerset, by whom he was invited to spend a fummer at Lord Hertford's country feat. Autumn, the season to which the Spring and Summer are preparatory, ftill remained unfung, and was delayed till he published his works, collected in 4to, 1730. Autumn was addressed to Mr. Onflow. The fame year, he brought on the tage at Drury-Lane, the tragedy of Sophanifba, which raised fuch expectation, that every rehearsal was dignified with a splendid audience, collected to anticipate the delight that was preparing for the public. It was observed, however, that nobody was affected, and that the company rose as from a moral lecture. It had upon the ftage no unusual degree of fuccefs. There is a feeble line in the play: Oh, Sophonifba! Sophonifba, Oh! This gave ocion to a waggifh parody: Oh, Jemmy Thomfon! Jemmy Thomfon, Oh! which, for a while, was echoed through the town. Dr. Johnfon was told by Savage, that, of the prologue to Sophonisba, the first part was written by Mallet. Not long afterwards, he was, by the influence of Dr. Rundle, fent to travel with the Honourable Charles Talbot, eldest son of the Chancellor, with whom he visited most of the courts in Europe, and returned with his views greatly enlarged, not of exterior nature only, and the works of art, but of human life and manners, and of the conflitution and policy of the feveral ftates. In the fecond feffion of his attendance at the University, his studies were interrupted by the fudden death of his father. He was fummoned home to receive his dying benediction; but came too late. This circumftance contributed to increase his forrow, and his filial piety was expressed on this mournful occafion in inftances of conduct which his furviving relations afterwards delighted to rein infances of c collect. His mother, now raifing upon her little eftate what money a mortgage could afford, removed with her family to Edinburgh; and he renewed the profecution of his studies. As it was the wifh of his friends, that he should embrace the clerical profeffion, he entered upon the study of theology, which he prosecuted without distinction or expectation, till, at the usual time, he performed a probationary exercise, by explaining a pfalm. His diction was fo poetically splendid, that Mr. Hamilton, the profeffor of divinity, repreved him for speaking language unintelligible to a popular audience; which fo difgusted him with his theological pursuits, that he seems to have foon after this incident, refolved to betake himself more entirely to the cultivation of poetry. About that time, elegant literature began to be cherished and cultivated in the University; and a poetical club, called "The Athenian Society," had ventured to publish a collection of poems, intituled, "The Edinburgh Miscellany," furnished chiefly by Callander, Symmers, and Mitchell, young men of great promife, and of Thomfon's acquaintance. What share Thomfon had in " the Edinburgh Mifcellany," cannot now be known; but it is probable he was a contributor, as well as Mallet, who was then afpiring to poetical compofition; and with whom he contracted an early intimacy, which improved with their years, undisturbed by any cafual miftake, envy, or jealoufy on either fide. A fimilarity of taste and of pursuits, connected him alfo in habits of early intimacy with Paterfon, the tranflator of Paterculus, Malcolm, author of the Treatise on Mufic, and Murdoch, afterwards a clergyman of the church of England, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and the biographer of his youthful companion. About this time he is faid to have received particular attention from the family of Baillie of Jervifwood, to which he was introduced by the relations of his mother; and Mr. Bofwell informs us, that he lived for fome time in the family of Lord Binning, as tutor to the prefent Earl of Ha. dington. Some verfes of his, addreffed to one of that family, for the ufe of fome books, are, Lord Buchan believes, ftill preferved, "as a specimen of his infantine genius." Having laid afide all thought of the clerical profeffion, and addicted himself to the study of poetry, in which he reasonably hoped to attain high eminence, he easily discovered that the only stage on which a poet could appear with advantage, was London; where merit might foon become confpicuous, and would find friends, as soon as it became reputable, to befriend it. It may be fuppofed, therefore, that he eagerly received any fhadow of encouragement, however flight, which was held out to him; when Lady Grizzel Baillie, his mother's friend, advised him to try his fortune as a poet in London, and promised him some countenance and affiftance. Accordingly, in the autumn of the year 1725, he embarked at Leith for London, bedewed with the tears of his affectionate mother, the recollection of which produced, on her death, which happened not long after, the unpremeditated, but beautiful verfes to her memory in the collection of Lord Buchan On his arrival in London, he found his way to Mallet, his fellow collegian, then tutor to the fons of the Duke of Montrofe; to whom he showed his Winter, written at first in detached pieces, or occafional deferiptions, who advised him to form them into one connected piece, and get it printed immediately. He had recommendations to feveral perfons of distinction, particularly to Mr. Forbes, afterwards President of the Court of Seffion, then attending his duty in parliament, who, having seen a specimen of his poetry in Scotland, received him kindly, and introduced him to several of his friends;" among whom was Aikman the painter, who was equally ready in affifting him with the kind ofFices of friendship. He obtained likewife the notice of Hill, whom, being friendlefs and indigent, and glad of kindness, he courted with every expreffion of fervile adulation, The reception he met with, wherever he was introduced, encouraged him to rifk the publication of his Winter; which for fome time could find no purchafer, till at laft Mr. Millan was perfuaded by Mallet to buy it at a low price. |