Pitt engaging as a rival with Dryden naturally observed his failures, and avoided them; and as he wrote after Pope's 'Iliad,' he had an example of an exact, equable, and splendid versification. With these advantages, seconded by great diligence, he might successfully labour particular passages, and escape many errors. If the two versions are compared, perhaps the result would be, that Dryden leads the reader forward by his general vigour and sprightliness, and Pitt often stops him to contemplate the excellence of a single couplet-that Dryden's faults are forgotten in the hurry of delight, and that Pitt's beauties are neglected in the languor of a cold and listless perusal- that Pitt pleases the critics, and Dryden the people- that Pitt is quoted, and Dryden read." He did not long enjoy the reputation which this great work deservedly conferred, for he left the world in 1748, and lies buried under a stone at Blandford, on which is this inscription: "In memory of CHR. PITT, clerk, M.A. Very eminent for his talents in poetry; for the universal candour of simplicity of his manners. Apr. 13, 1748, 6 Warton's translation [of the ‘Georgics'] may in many instances be found more faithful and concise than Dryden's; but it wants that elastic and idiomatic freedom by which Dryden reconciles us to his faults, and exhibits rather the diligence of a scholar than the spirit of a poet.-T. CAMPBELL: Specimens, p. 664. 7 Pitt's father translated the Plague of Athens,' in Creech's 'Lucretius' ('Spence by Singer,' p. 332). He had a brother also who was a poet. "I had an elder brother, Fellow of Wadham, who translated the first five books [of Milton] on his first going to Oxford, which upon the whole I believe were well executed, for he had a vast command of Virgil's phraseology, and could apply it very happily on some occasions."-PITT to Broome, the poet. Whoever is curious to know more about Christopher Pitt should turn to his letters in Hughes's Correspondence. THOMSON. 1700-1748. Born at Ednam in Roxburghshire - Educated at Edinburgh, and designed for the Church - Starts for London - His Poverty · Publishes his 'Winter,' Summer,' 'Spring,' and other Poems Writes for the Stage- Is made Tutor to the Son of Lord Chancellor Talbot - Visits Italy Made Secretary of the Briefs Loses his office at Lord Talbot's death- Patronized by the Prince of Wales and Mr. Lyttelton-Writes 'Agamemnon' and other Tragedies Publishes Liberty,' a Poem Death and Burial at Richmond in Surrey-Works and Character. JAMES THOMSON, the son of [the Rev. Thomas Thomson] a minister well esteemed for his piety and diligence, was born September 11, 1700, at Ednam, in the shire of Roxburgh, of which his father was pastor. His mother, whose name was Trotter, inherited as co-heiress a portion of a small estate." The revenue of a parish in Scotland is seldom large; and it was probably in commiseration of the difficulty with which Mr. Thomson supported his family, having nine children, that Mr. Riccaltoun, a neighbouring minister,3 discovering in James un 1 Johnson, following the first edition of Murdoch's 'Life,' had given the maiden name as Hume; but Murdoch discovered his error, and corrected it, as I have here corrected Johnson's. Compare Boswell to Johnson, June 18th, 1778. 2 Widehope, in Roxburghshire. 3 He was a poet himself. (See 'Gent.'s Mag.' for April 1853, p. 369.) "Nature delights me in every form. I am just now painting her in her most lugubrious dress for my own amusement, describing Winter as it presents itself. After my first proposal of the subject, I sing of Winter and his gelid reign, Nor let a rhyming insect of the Spring Of manly charms; to me, who court the shade, "Mr. Rickleton's poem on Winter, which I still have, first put the design into my head. In it are some masterly strokes that awakened me."-THOMSON to Cranston (cir. Sept. 1725). VOL. III. common promises of future excellence, undertook to superintend his education and provide him books. 6 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 considered by his master as superior to common boys, though in those early days he amused his patron and his friends with poetical compositions; with which, however, he so little pleased himself, that on every newyear's day he threw into the fire all the productions of the foregoing year. From the school he was removed to Edinburgh, where he had not resided two years when his father died, and left all his children to the care of their mother, who raised upon her little estate what money a mortgage could afford, and, removing with her family to Edinburgh, lived to see her son rising into eminence.1 5 The design of Thomson's friends was to breed him a minister. He lived at Edinburgh, as at school, without distinction or expectation, till, at the usual time, he performed a probationary exercise by explaining a psalm. His diction was so poetically splendid that Mr. Hamilton, the Professor of Divinity, reproved him for speaking language unintelligible to a popular audience; and he censured one of his expressions as indecent, if not profane. This rebuke is reported to have repressed his thoughts of an ecclesiastical character, and he probably cultivated with new diligence his blossoms of poetry, which, however, were in some danger of a blast; for, submitting his productions to some who thought themselves qualified to criticise, he heard of nothing but faults; but, finding other judges more favourable, he did not suffer himself to sink into despondence. He easily discovered that the only stage on which a poet could appear, with any hope of advantage, was London; a 4 His father died in 1720; his mother in 1725. The prescribed exercise was an illustration of the 10th section of the 119th Psalm. It was delivered in the Divinity Hall on the 27th October, 1724.CORNEY: The Seasons, with Life by Murdoch, p. vii. |