princess; upon which the famous Nathaniel Lee has likewise written a tragedy. This play met with a very favourable reception from the public.-We must not here omit two anecdotes which happened the first night of the representation. Mr. Thomson, it seems, made one of his characters address Sophonisba in the following words! O! Sophonisba, Sophonisba Oh! Upon which a smart wit from the pit immediately cried out, Oh! Jamie Thomson, Jamie Thomson Oh! However ill-natured this critic might be, in interrupting the action of the play for the sake of a joke; yet it is certain that the line ridiculed does partake of the false pathetic, and should be a warning to tragic poets to guard against the swelling style; for, by aiming at the sublime, they are often betrayed into the bombast. This line, however, has been since changed by our author for one less exceptionable. As Mr. Thomson could not but feel all the emotions and solicitudes of a young author the first night of his play, he wanted to place himself in some obscure part of the house, where he might see the representation to the best advantage, without being known as the poet. He accordingly seated himself in the upper gallery. But such was the power of nature in him, that he could not help repeating the parts along with the players; and would sometimes whisper to himself, "Now such a scene is to open;" by which he was soon discovered to be the author, by some gentlemen, who could not, on account of the great crowd, be situated in any other part of the house. After an interval of about nine years, Mr. Thomson exhibited to the public his second tragedy, called Agamemnon. Mr. Pope acted a very friendly part to Mr. Thomson on this occasion. He not only wrote two letters in its favour to the managers, but honoured the representation the first night with his presence; which, as he had not been for some time at a play, was considered as a very great instance of esteem. The profits arising from this play were very considerable; and afforded him a very seasonable supply after he had lost his office by the death of Lord Talbot, and was still out of place. In the year 1739, Mr. Thomson offered to the stage his tragedy of Edward and Eleonora; but, for political reasons, it was forbid to be acted. The favour of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, was, in this one instance, of some prejudice to our author. For though this play contains not a line which could justly give offence; yet the ministry, still sore from certain pasquinades, which had lately produced the stage-act; and as little satisfied with that Prince's political conduct, as he was with their management of the public affairs, would not risk the representation of a piece written under his eye, and they might probably think by his command. This refusal drew after it another; and in a way which as it is related, was rather ludicrous. Mr. Patterson, a companion of Mr. Thomson, afterwards his deputy, and then his successor in the general-surveyorship, used to write out fair copies for his friend, when such were wanted for the press, or for the stage. This gentleman likewise courted the tragic-muse; and had taken for his subject the story of Arminius, the German hero. But his play, guiltless as it was, being presented for a licence, no sooner had the censor cast his eyes on the hand-writing in which he had seen Edward and Eleonora, than he cried out away with it! and the author's profits were re duced to what his bookseller could afford for a tragedy in distress. By the command of his Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, Mr. Thomson, in conjunction with Mr. Mallet, wrote the Masque of Alfred, for the entertainment of his Royal Highness' court at his summer residence. This piece with some alterations, and the music new, has been since brought upon the stage by Mr. Mallet, in the year 1751. Mr. Thomson's next dramatic performance was his Tancred and Sigismunda, acted with applause in the year 1745. The plot is borrowed from a story in the celebrated romance of Gil Blas: the fable is very interesting; the characters are few, but active; and the attention is never suffered to wander. This succeeded beyond any other of Mr. Thomson's plays; and, from the deep romantic distress of the lovers, still continues to draw crowded houses. The success of this piece was indeed insured from the first, by Mr. Garrick and Mrs. Cibber's appearing in the principal characters; which they heightened and adorned with all the magic of their never-failing art. This was the last play Mr. Thomson published, his tragedy of Coriolanus being only prepared for the theatre, when a fatal accident robbed the world of one of the best of men, and best of poets that ever lived in it. He had always been a timorous horseman ; and more so, in a road where numbers of giddy or unskilful riders are continually passing; so that when the weather did not invite him to go by water, he would commonly walk the distance between London and Richmond, with any acquaintance that offered; with whom he might chat, and rest himself, or perhaps dine by the way. One summer evening being alone, in his walk from town to Hammersmith, he had over-heated himself, and, in that condition, imprudently took a boat to carry him to Kew; apprehending no bad consequence from the chill air on the river, which his walk to his house, at the upper end of Kewlane, had always hitherto prevented. But, now, the cold had so seized him, that next day he found himself in a high fever, so much the more to be dreaded that he was of a full habit. This, however, by the use of proper medicines, was removed, so that he was thought to be out of danger; but the fine weather having tempted him once more to expose himself to the evening dews, his fever returned with violence, and with such symptoms, as left no hopes of a cure. Two days had passed before his relapse was known in town. At last, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Reid, with Dr. Armstrong, being informed of it, posted out at midnight to his assistance; but, alas! came only to endure a sight of all others the most shocking to nature, the last agonies of their beloved friend. This lamented death happened on the 27th day of August, 1748. His testamentary executors were, the Lord Lyttleton, whose care of our poet's fortune and fame ceased not with his life; and Mr. Mitchell, a gentleman equally noted for the truth and constancy of his private friendships, and for his address and spirit as a public minister. By their united interest, the orphan play of Coriolanus was brought on the stage to the best advantage. The profits arising from this play, and from the sale of manuscripts, and other effects, more than satisfied all demands; so that a very handsome sum was remitted to his sisters in Scotland. My Lord Lyttleton's prologue to this piece was admired as one of the best that ever had been writ ten. The best spoken it certainly was. Mr. Quin was the particular friend of Mr. Thomson; and when he spoke the following lines, which are in themselves very tender, all the endearments of a long acquaintance rose at once to his imagination, while the tears gushed from his eyes. "He loved his friends, (forgive this gushing tear, « He loved his friends with such a warmth of heart, "Such generous freedom, such unshaken zeal; The beautiful break in these lines had a fine effect in speaking. Mr. Quin here excelled himself: nor did he ever appear so great an actor, as at this instant when he declared himself none. Mr. Thomson's remains were deposited in the church of Richmond, under a plain stone, without any inscription. It was not till the year 1762, that the noble design was proposed, to erect for him a funeral monument in Westminster Abbey. In order to defray the necessary expense of this undertaking, Mr. A. Millar published by subscription, a splendid edition of our author's works in 4to, the entire profits of which he cheerfully dedicated to this purpose. And it was further proposed that any remaining sum, after paying all expenses, should be remitted to his relations. This generous publication met with deserved encouragement. His present Majesty, her Royal Highness the Princess Dowager of Wales, his Royal Highness the Duke of York, and the principal nobility and gentry in Great-Britain, appear among the list of subscribers. Nor must we omit taking notice that Madam Bontems, who has obliged the world with a translation of the Seasons into her own language, (a translation equally faithful and elegant) desired likewise to be a subscriber to this edition of Mr. Thomson's works. It was, however, unlucky, that by a well-intended, though illjudged parsimony, the execution of this work was com |