burgh the most useful course of theological study, and make either classical or mathematical learning for some time his principal pursuit; and that even if he did not graduate at one of the English Universities, (which was not then so much a sine quâ non as it is now,) but placed himself under a competent tutor, to qualify him for passing with credit a regular examination before the bishop or his chaplain, it was likewise absolutely requisite for his intentions to have been previously known, for a few years, to three at least of the neighbouring beneficed clergy; who, having had during that time ample opportunity of observing the excellence of his moral character, his strict attendance on the public services of the church, and his pious and irreproachable conduct, might with a good conscience sign his testimonials. The mention of these and other indispensable preliminaries, with the prospect of three years of hard study, must have startled the youthful poet, who had long indulged a passion for the drama, and who, on his arrival in London, expended every spare shilling in visiting the great theatres.

E.-Page xviii.

The Lady who encouraged Thomson to come to London. THIS was Lady Grisell Baillie, eldest daughter of Sir Patrick Hume, first Earl of Marchmont. Her second daughter was married to Charles Lord Binning, who resided at that time near Barnet. The casual expression of Murdoch has been much misunderstood: "This encouragement ended in nothing beneficial." With this unsuccessful issue that lady and her honourable connexions were not chargeable; the blame, if any, rested on Thomson himself. In his "Essay on the Life of Thomson," the Earl of Buchan observes: "That the lady, indiscreetly alluded to in the Life of Thomson, [by Murdoch,] should have encouraged him to try his fortune in London, is highly probable; but that she should have deserted him afterwards, agrees not with the nature of a spontaneous patronage. For, nothing is more natural to patrons, than the desire of seeing due attention paid to their recommendations, and following out

the objects of their protection to the attainment of honour that shall reflect on themselves." The truth of this remark will be seen in the brief detail of Thomson's history.

After his interview with Mr. Elliot, his inclinations toward the church received a check; but, when he had, like other young men of his age, spent some weeks in gaiety and dissipation with Mallet, his thoughts were powerfully recalled to the claims of the church, by the death of his mother, on the 10th of May, 1725. It has been erroneously supposed, that the frustration of Thomson's first hopes hastened the end of his widowed parent: but of this assumption not a tittle of evidence is in existence. His impassioned verses to her memory, written immediately after her decease, bear all the marks of frankness and sincerity; and his natural tenderness of spirit would, on such a mournful occasion, have been vented in the strongest expressions of vituperation against himself, had he been guilty of any misconduct by which her valuable life had been curtailed. Not the most distant allusion to such a cause for the lamented event, can be found in his own correspondence, or in that of his contemporaries. Besides, such a considerate matron, with the mental endowments which she is reported to have possessed, could not have felt any deep chagrin on account of her son's want of success in his first attempt, when she reflected that he had been separated from her only six weeks, two of which had probably been spent in the voyage coastwise.

Within a few weeks after the demise of her friend, Lady Baillie seems to have sent for Thomson, and to have procured a home for him in the house of her son-inlaw, Lord Binning, till she should be able to make some better provision for him; which, from the tenor of his correspondence, may be inferred to have been still in connexion with the church of England. In a letter to Cranstoun, dated "East Barnet, July 20th, 1725," he gives the following description of his situation and prospects, and announces his renewed resolution to become a consummate theologian:-"The severe affliction of my mother's death incapacitated me for entertaining my friend [Cranstoun

Now I am pretty much at ease in the country, ten miles from London, teaching Lord Binning's son to read; a low task, you know, not so suitable to my temper :--but I must learn that necessary lesson of suiting my mind and temper to my state. I hope I shall not pass my time here without improvement, the great design of my coming hither; and then, in due time, I resolve, through God's assistance, to consummate my original study of divinity: for, you know, the business of a tutor is only precarious and for the present. I approve every day, more and more, of your advice to your brother John, as to the direction of his study: if well pursued, it is as honourable, useful, and certain a method of living as one in his or my circumstances could readily fall into." [He must not indulge in] "contemptible notions of things at home, and romantic ones of things abroad. Perhaps I was too much affected that way; but I hope in the issue it shall not be worse for me." From the subsequent fragments of this letter we learn, that Cranstoun's brother, having previously chosen the profession of surgery, had recently abandoned it, and begun to direct his attention to divinity. Thomson proceeds: "Surgery is, as you cannot but know, the merest drug here in the world. Scotland is really fruitful of surgeons. They come here like flocks of vultures every day; and, by a merciful providential kind of instinct, transport themselves to foreign countries. The Change is quite full of them, where they peruse the ship-bills and meet the sea-captains. Pray let John know my sentiments in this matter; because, through a giddy discontent, I spoke too slightly to him of the study which he has now so happily espoused."

The patronage of Lady Baillie and her noble relations would have been highly important to Thomson, and conducive to his promotion in the profession which he had chosen, had he not been allured from it by the first glimpse of poetic success. His actual residence in Lord Binning's family extended only to nine months. But our poet at no subsequent period of his life evinced the least symptom of ingratitude toward his noble patrons; on the contrary, a year after he had left the hospitable mansion at East Bar

net, he solicited Lord Binning's permission to dedicate his poem of "Summer" to him; but his Lordship, with the kindest consideration for Thomson's benefit, declined the honour, and advised him to inscribe it to the Right Honourable George Bubb Dodington, one of the Lords of his Majesty's Treasury, who possessed far more powerful influence in the political world than himself. During his travels on the Continent with Lord Talbot's son, he appears to have maintained a confidential correspondence both with Lord Binning, and with the new patron whom his Lordship had recommended.

Nor did the warm patronage of the Baillie family cease with the death of the poet: Sir David Dalrymple, afterwards the celebrated Lord Hailes, and one of the prime favourites of Dr. Samuel Johnson, was cousin to Thomson's pupil; the latter of whom, after the death of his grandfather in 1735, succeeded to the family honours and estates, as the seventh Earl of Haddington. Himself a man of eminence in literature, Lord Hailes felt much interest in perpetuating the fair fame of a poet whose works he greatly admired, and which he considered honourable to the region of his birth. In consequence of his family-connexions, he was in possession of the most authentic information concerning his early history; and, at Johnson's request conveyed through Boswell, he made such communications to the aged biographer as were considered by him to be invaluable. He disabused his mind, and that of his fidus Achates, of many prejudices and erroneous impressions; furnished him with the best of those anecdotes which were afterwards admitted into his narrative; and induced him, in spite of his detestation of Thomson's whiggism and blank verse, to give a tolerably impartial character of the poet and his productions.

Other considerations might be offered, that would exonerate Lady Baillie from all blame respecting the nature of the early patronage which she extended to Thomson, and which, it is seen, was consistent, warm, and sincere, on the part of every branch of that noble family.

F.-Page xix.

The adverse Circumstances under which his "Winter" was written and published.

FROM Dr. Johnson's account of Thomson's condition on his arrival in town, it has been commonly believed that his poem on "Winter" was composed before he left Scotland:-"For the supply of all his necessities, his whole fund was his 'Winter,' which for a time could find no purchaser.” But this supposition is now proved to be incorrect. His valuable correspondence with Cranstoun, to whom he had been long accustomed to communicate every scrap of poetry which he wrote, casts new light on this part of his life. In a letter to this early friend, written towards the close of September, 1725, from East Barnet, he gives the following description of the state of his finances :-" When I came up here I brought very little money along with me, expecting some more up on the selling of Widehope,* which was to have been sold that day my mother was buried. Now it is unsold yet; but will be disposed of as soon as it can be conveniently done, though indeed it is perplexed with some difficulties. I was a long time here living at my own charges, and you know how expensive that is: this-together with the furnishing of myself with clothes, linen, one thing and another, to fit me for any business of this kind here-necessarily obliged me to contract some debts. Being a stranger here, it is a wonder how I got any credit : but I cannot expect it will be long sustained, unless I immediately clear it. Even now, I believe, it is at a crisis. My friends have no money to send me till the land is sold, and my creditors will not wait till then you know what the consequences would be. Now the assistance I would beg of you, and which I know, if in your power, you will not refuse me, is a letter of credit on some merchant, banker, or such like person in London, for the matter of Twelve Pounds, till I get my money upon the selling of the land, which I am at last certain of. If you would either give it

* A small estate in the parish of Marbottle, Roxburghshire, of which his mother and her sister, Mrs. Hume, were co-heiresses.

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