he commonly chose for such studies; fo that he would often be heard walking in his library till near morning, humming over, in his way, what he was to correct and write out next day. The amusements of his leisure hours were civil and natural history, voyages, and the relations of travellers, the most authentic he could procure: and, had his fituation favoured it, he would certainly have excelled in gardening, agriculture, and every rural improvement and exercife. Although he performed on no inftrument, he was paffionately fond of mufic, and would fometimes listen a full hour at his window to the nightingales in Richmond gardens. While abroad, he had been greatly delighted with the regular Italian drama, fuch as Metaftafio writes; as it is there heightened by the charms of the best voices and inftruments; and looked upon our theatrical entertainments as, in one respect, naked and imperfect, when compared with the ancient, or with those of Italy; wishing fometimes that a chorus, at least, and a better recitative, could be introduced Nor was his tafte less exquifite in the arts of paint ing, Sculpture, and architecture. In his travels, he had feen all the most celebrated monuments of antiqui ty, and the best productions of modern art: and studied them fo minutely, and with fo true a judgment, that in fome of his defcriptions, in the poem of Liberty, we have the master-pieces there mentioned placed in a ftronger light perhaps than if we saw them with our eyes; at least, more justly delineated than in any other account extant: fo fuperior is a natural taste of the grand and beautiful, to the traditional leffons of a common virtuofo. His collection of prints, and fome drawings from the antique, are now in the poffeffion of his friend, Mr Gray of Richmond-hill. As for his more distinguishing qualities of mind and heart, they are better reprefented in his writings, than they can be by the pen of any biographer. There,. his love of mankind, of his country and friends; his devotion to the Supreme Being, founded on the most elevated and just conceptions of his operations and providence, shine out in every page. So unboundedwas his tenderness of heart, that it took in even the brute creation: judge what it must have been towards his own fpecies. He is not indeed known, through his whole life, to have given any person one moment's pain, by his writings or otherwife. He took no part. in the poetical fquabbles which happened in his time; and was refpected and left undisturbed by both fides. He would even refuse to take offence when he justly might; by interrupting any personal story that was brought him, with some jest, or some humorous apology for the offender. Nor was he ever feen ruffled or difcompofed, but when he read or heard of fome flagrant inftance of injustice, oppression or cruelty : then, indeed, the strongest marks of horror and indig nation were visible in his countenance. These amiable virtues, this divine temper of mind, did not fail of their due reward. His friends loved him with an enthusiastic ardor, and lamented his un-. timely fate in the manner that is still fresh in every one's memory: the best and greatest men of his time honoured him with their friendship and protection; the applause of the public attended every appearance he made; the actors, of whom the more eminent were his friends and admirers, grudging no pains to do juftice to his tragedies. At prefent, indeed, if we ex cept cept Tancred, they are seldom called for; the simplicity of his plots, and the models he worked after, not fuiting the reigning tafte, nor the impatience of an English theatre. They may hereafter come to be in. vogue; but we hazard no comment or conjecture upon them, or upon any part of Mr Thomson's works; neither need they any defence or apology, after the: reception they have had at home, and in foreign languages into which they have been tranflated. We fhall only say, that, to judge from the imitations of his manner, which have been following him close, from the very first publication of Winter, he feems to have fixed no inconfiderable aera of the English poetry, ODE D E ON THE DEATH of MR THOMSON. By Mr COLLINS. The scene of the following ftanzas is fuppofed to ly on the Thames near Richmond. yonder grave a Druid lyes, Where fowly winds the stealing wave! The year's beft fweets fhall duteous rife II. In yon deep bed of whifp'ring reeds Then maids and youths fhall linger here, To hear the woodland pilgrim's knell. † The harp of Aeolus, of which fee a description in the Castle of Indolence. IV. Remembrance IV. Remembrance oft fhall haunt the shore When Thames in fummer wreaths is drest, And oft fufpend the-dashing oar, To bid his gentle spirit rest! V. And oft as Ease and Health retire To breezy lawn, or forest deep, The friend fhall view yon whitening * fpire, VI. But thou, who own'st that earthy bed, VII. Yet lives there one, whofe heedlefs eye. But thou, lorn stream, whofe fullen tide Whose cold turf hides the buried friend! And fee, the fairy valleys fade, Dun Night has veil'd the folemn view! Yet once again, dear parted fhade, Richmond church. X, The |