tten in the hurry of delight, and that Pitt's beauties are glected in the languor of a cold and listless perusal; that tt pleases the criticks, and Dryden the people; that Pitt quoted, and Dryden read.

.. He did not long enjoy the reputation which this great -.ork deservedly conferred; for he left the world in 1748, ad lies buried under a stone at Blandford, on which is is inscription:

In memory of

CHR. PITT, clerk, M.A.
Very eminent

for his talents in poetry;
and yet more

for the universal candour of

his mind, and the primitive
simplicity of his manners.

He lived innocent;

and died beloved,

Apr. 13, 1748,
aged 48.

From the same was sensei o Efinbuzi. Fir de la int resided waters vienus fter ded, a et al us muiden u te are of her mother, wie rased ayan ser inte estane, viat money i norgure could af el and, remoring with her family a Edinburgh, lived to set her son rung ints eminence.

The design of Thomson's friends was to breed him a minister. He lived at Edinburgh, as at school, with distinction or expectation, till, at the usual time, he per formed a probationary exercise by explaining a psalm. His diction was so poetically splendid, that Mr. Hamilton, the

* According to the Biographical Dictionary the name of Thomson's mother wwn Beatrix Trotter. Hume was the name of his grandmother. ED.

ofessor of divinity, reproved him for speaking language intelligible to a popular audience; and he censured one his expressions as indecent, if not profane".

This rebuke is reported to have repressed his thoughts an ecclesiastical character, and he probably cultivated, ith new diligence, his blossoms of poetry, which, howver, were in some danger of a blast; for, submitting his roductions to some who thought themselves qualified to riticise, he heard of nothing but faults; but, finding other adges more favourable, he did not suffer himself to sink nto despondence.

He easily discovered, that the only stage on which a Doet could appear, with any hope of advantage, was Lonlon; a place too wide for the operation of petty competition and private malignity, where merit might soon become conspicuous, and would find friends as soon as it became reputable to befriend it. A lady, who was acquainted with his mother, advised him to the journey, and promised some countenance, or assistance, which, at last, he never received; however, he justified his adventure by her encouragement, and came to seek, in London, patronage and fame.

At his arrival he found his way to Mr. Mallet, then tutor to the sons of the duke of Montrose. He had recommendations to several persons of consequence, which he had tied up carefully in his handkerchief; but as he passed along the street, with the gaping curiosity of a newcomer, his attention was upon every thing rather than his pocket, and his magazine of credentials was stolen from him.

His first want was a pair of shoes. For the supply of all his necessities, his whole fund was his Winter, which for a time could find no purchaser; till, at last, Mr. Millan was persuaded to buy it at a low price; and this low price.

a See the Life of Beattie, by sir William Forbes, for some additional anecdotes. ED.

mi ir some time. P 1: regret'; bat, by accide X= TIGHT, & mut ne vil mon among autan gan is et non it was so delighted = Sare a pace evening its exceller Casal tocmeż. Kerse, de pitre of Aaron H un, beng faces mi nèrent, and glad of ksi" Jest de Dret depression of service adulatio The was teacred as Spencer Compton, Ni

п

Depuri Sim am to the author: till Am El avimei us ca by some verses addressed Tamson mi pristei n the of the newspapers, VLC castrei de great for their neglect of ingecicas mi Tumsa del recived a present of twenty glines. Vica de gress is ken: 5 M2. HIZ :

- Imzia pat my last that co Saturday morni I was via sr Spencer Coatie A certain gentlem winch my deare, spoke to sin cacerning me; bis swer was the I mi never come near him. Then the teman par de gestion, if he desired that I should w on him: be retired, he did. On this, the genteng gave me an introdustry letter to him. He received in wat de commonly call a civil manner; asked m some com.acaciare questions; and made me a present tay gineas. I am very ready to own that the preset was arger than my perfirmance deserved; and sha ascribe it to his generosity, or any other cause, ratie than the merit of the address."

The poem, which, being of a new kind, few would ver

* W * X y Millan that the bocs lay a long time unsold at a stil. E.

- It was at this time that the school of Pope was giving way: addresses ne bead “njer nano ne heart, or the fancy; moral axioms and witty obse vacons, expressed a unious tumcers, and with epigrammatick teras the ime four, al the artices of a highly polished style, and the graces finished compositon, which had long usurped the place of the more sterty beances of the imagination and sentment, began irst to be lessened in the pubine estimation by the appearance of Thomson's Seasons, a work which const tated a new era in our poetry." Censura Literana, iv. 280.

ture at first to like, by degrees gained upon the publick; and one edition was very speedily succeeded by another.

Thomson's credit was now high, and every day brought him new friends; among others Dr. Rundle, a man afterwards unfortunately famous, sought his acquaintance, and found his qualities such, that he recommended him to the lord chancellor Talbot.

Winter was accompanied, in many editions, not only with a preface and a dedication, but with poetical praises by Mr. Hill, Mr. Mallet, (then Malloch,) and Mira, the fictitious name of a lady once too well known. Why the dedications are, to Winter and the other seasons, contrarily to custom, left out in the collected works, the reader may inquire.

The next year, 1727, he distinguished himself by three publications; of Summer, in pursuance of his plan; of a Poem on the Death of sir Isaac Newton, which he was enabled to perform as an exact philosopher by the instruction of Mr. Gray; and of Britannia, a kind of poetical invective against the ministry, whom the nation then thought not forward enough in resenting the depredations of the Spaniards. By this piece he declared himself an adherent to the opposition, and had, therefore, no favour to expect from the court.

Thomson, having been some time entertained in the family of the lord Binning, was desirous of testifying his gratitude by making him the patron of his Summer; but the same kindness which had first disposed lord Binning to encourage him, determined him to refuse the dedication, which was, by his advice, addressed to Mr. Dodington, a man who had more power to advance the reputation and fortune of a poet.

Spring was published next year, with a dedication to the countess of Hertford; whose practice it was to invite every summer some poet into the country, to hear her verses, and assist her studies. This honour was one summer conferred on Thomson, who took more delight in carousing with lord Hertford and his friends than assisting her lady

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