A POEM to the memory of the Right Honourable the Lord Talbot, late Chancellor of Great Britain. INDOLENCE: The CASTLE of INDOLENCE: an Allegorical VERSES Occafioned by the Death of Mr Aix- ODE. EPITAPH on Mifs STANLEY. To the Rev. Mr MURDOCH, Rector of Straddi fhall in Suffolk. A Paraphrafe on the latter part of the fixth Chap SONG. One day the God of fond Defire. 353 367 399 427 ib 428 $429 ib 431 ib 432 ib. 433 434 435 436 437 AN T is commonly faid, that the life of a good writer IT is best read in his works; which can scarce fail to receive a peculiar tincture from his temper, manners, and habits: the distinguishing character of his mind, his ruling paffion, at least, will there appear undisguifed. But however just this observation may be; and although we might fafely reft Mr Thomson's fame, as a good man, as well as a man of genius, on this fole footing; yet the defire which the public always fhews of being more particularly acquainted with the histo. of an eminent author, ought not to be disappoint; as it proceeds not from mere curiofity, but chiefly from affection and gratitude to those by whom they have been entertained and inftructed. ry ed To give fome account of a deceased friend is often a piece of justice likewife, which ought not to be refafed to his memory: to prevent or efface the impertinent fictions which officious biographers are fo apt to collect and propagate, And we may add, that the t VOL. I. circumstances A circumftances of an author's life will sometimes throw the best light upon his writings; inftances whereof we fhall meet with in the following pages. Mr Thomson was born at Ednam, in the shire of Roxburgh, on the 11th of September, in the year 1700. His father, minister of that place, was but little known beyond the narrow circle of his co-prefbyters, and to a few gentlemen in the neighbourhood; but highly refpected by them for his piety, and his diligence in the pastoral duty; as appeared afterwards in their kind offices to his widow and orphan family.. The Reverend Meff. Riccarton and Guflhart particularly, took a most affectionate and friendly part in all their concerns. The former, a man of uncommon penetration and good taste, had very early discovered, through the rudeness of young Thomson's puerile effays, a fund of genius well deferving culture and encouragement. He undertook therefore, with the father's approbation, the chief direction of his ftudies, furnished him with the proper books, corrected his performances, and was daily rewarded with the pleasure of feeing his labour fo happily employed. The other reverend gentleman, Mr Gußhart, who is still living, one of the minifters of Edinburgh, and fenior of the Chapel Royal, was no lefs ferviceable to Mrs Thomson in the management of her little affairs; which, after the decease of her husband, burdened as fhe was with a family of nine children, required the prudent counfels and assistance of that faithful and generous friend. Sir William Bennet likewife, well known for his gay humour and ready poetical wit, was highly delighted with our young poet, and used to invite him to pass the fummer-vacation at his country-feat; a fcene of life which Mr Thomson always remembered with particular pleasure. But what he wrote during that time, either to entertain Sir William and Mr Riccarton, or for his own amusement, he deftroyed every new-year's day; committing his little pieces to the flames in their due order; and crowning the folemnity with a copy of verses, 'in which were humorously recited the several grounds of their condemnation. After the ufual course of school-education, under an able master at Jedburgh, Mr Thomson was fent to the university of Edinburgh. But in the fecond year of his admission, his studies were for fome time interrupted by the death of his father; who was carried off so sud. denly, that it was not poffible for Mr Thomson, with all the diligence he could use, to receive his last blessing. This affected him to an uncommon degree; and his relations still remember fome extraordinary instances of his grief and filial duty on that occafión. Mrs Thomfon, whose maiden name was Hume, and who was co-heirefs of a fmall eftate in the country, did not fink under this misfortune. She confulted her friend Mr Gufthart; and having, by his advice, mortgaged her moiety of the farm, repaired with her family to Edinburgh; where the lived in a decent frugal manner, till her favourite fon had not only finished his academical course, but was even distinguished and patroni zed as a man of genius. She was, herself, a perfon of uncommon natural endowments; poffeffed of every focial and domestic virtue; with an imagination, for vivacity and warmth, fearce inferior to her fon's, and which raised her devotional exercises to a pitch bordering on enthufiafm. But whatever advantage Mr Thomson might derive from the complexion of his parent, it is certain he owed much to a religious education: and that his early acquaintance with the facred writings contributed greatly to that fublime, by which his works will be for ever diftinguished. In his firft pieces, the Seafons, we fee him at once affume the majestic freedom of an Eastern writer; feizing the grand images as they rife, clothing them in his own expreffive language, and preferving, throughout, the grace, the variety, and the dignity which belong to a just composition; unhurt by the stiffness of formal method. About this time, the study of poetry was become general in Scotland, the best English authors being univerfally read, and imitations of them attempted. Addifon had lately difplayed the beauties of Milton's immortal work; and his remarks on it, together with. Mr Pope's celebrated Effay, had opened the way to an acquaintance with the best poets and critics. But the most learned critic is not always the best judge of poetry; tafte being a gift of nature, the want of which, Aristotle and Boffu cannot fupply; nor even the study of the best originals, when the reader's. faculties are not tuned in a certain consonance to those of the poet and this happened to be the cafe with certain learned gentlemen, into whofe hands a few of Mr Thomson's first effays had fallen. Some inaccuracies of style, and those luxuriances which a young writer can hardly avoid, lay open to their cavils and cen fure; fo far indeed they might be competent judges: but the fire and enthusiasm of the poet had entirely efcaped their notice. Mr Thomfon, however, confcious of his own ftrength, was not difcouraged by this treatment; especially as he had fome friends on whofe judgment he could better rely, and who thought very differently of his performances. Only, from that time, he |
