SEASONS; BY JAMES THOMSON. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, The Life of the Author. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. BRAMBLES, A. MEGGITT, AND PLACE, GAINSBOROUGH. 1804, THE LIFE Of Mr. JAMES THOMSON. JAMES THOMSON, the son of a minister well efteemed for his piety and diligence, was born September 7, 1700, at Ednam, in the shire of Roxburgh, of which his father was paftor. His mother, whofe name was Hume, inherited as co-heirefs a portion of a small estate. The revenue of a parifh in Scotland is feldom large, and it was probably in commiferation of the difficulty with which Mr. Thomfon fupported his family, having nine children, that Mr. Riccarton, a neighbouring minister, discovering in James uncommon promises of future excellence, undertook to fuperintend his education, and provide him books. He was taught the common rudiments of learning at the school of Jedburgh, a place which he delights to recollect in his poem of Autumn; but was not confidered by his master as fuperior to common boys, |