careless exafperation, ended in a fever that put an end to his life, August 27, 1748. He was buried in the church of Richmond, without an inscription; but a monument has been erected to his me mory in Westminster-abbey.

Thomson was of ftature above the middle fize, and more fat than bard be feems, of a dull countenance, and a grofs, unanimated, uninviting appear ance; filent in mingled company, but chearful among felect friends, and by his friends very tenderly and warmly beloved.

He left behind him the tragedy of Coriolanus, which was, by the zeal of his patron Sir George Lyttelton, brought upon the ftage for the benefit of his

family, and recommended by a Prologue, which Quin, who had long lived with Thomfon in fond intimacy, spoke in fuch a manner as fhewed him to be, on that occafion, no actor, The com mencement of this benevolence is very honourable to Quin; who is reported to have delivered Thomfon, then known to him only for his genius, from an arreft, by a very confiderable prefent; and its continuance is honourable to both; for friendship is not always the fequel of obligation. By this tragedy a confiderable fum was raised, of which part difcharged his debts, and the reft was remitted to his fifters, whom, however removed from them by place or condition, he regarded with great tenderness,

as

as will appear by the following Letter, which I communicate with much pleafure, as it gives me at once an opportunity of recording the fraternal kindnefs of Thomson, and reflecting on the friendly affiftance of Mr. Bofwell, from whom I received it.

"I thought you had known me bet"ter than to interpret my filence into a

decay of affection, efpecially as your "behaviour has always been fuch as "rather to increase than diminish it.' “Don't imagine, because I am a bad "correfpondent, that I can ever prove

"an unkind friend and brother. I muft

"do myself the justice to tell you, that

my affections are naturally very fixed

"and conftant; and if I had ever rea"fon of complaint against you (of which

46

by the bye I have not the leaft fha"dow), I am confcious of fo many de"fects in myself, as difpofe me to be not a little charitable and forgiving.

"It gives me the trueft heart-felt "fatisfaction to hear you have a good "kind husband, and are in easy con"tented circumftances; but were they

otherwife, that would only awaken and heighten my tenderness towards you. As our good and tender-hearted parents did not live to receive any "material teftimonies of that highest "human

"human gratitude I owed them (than "which nothing could have given me

"equal pleasure), the only return I can

"make them now is by kindness to "those they left behind them: would "to God poor Lizy had lived longer, "to have been a farther witness of the "truth of what I fay, and that I might have had the pleasure of seeing once more a fifter, who fo truly deferved my esteem and love. But fhe is hap

Py, while we must toil a little longer "here below: let us however do it “chearfully and gratefully, fupported "by the pleafing hope of meeting yet "again on a fafer fhore, where to recol"lect the ftorms and difficulties of life "will not perhaps be inconfiftent with

"that