first distinguished writer of this school was Thomson,
the son of a Scottish minister. He was born on the 11th of September,
1700, at Ednam in Roxburghshire. While a boy at school in Jedburgh, he
displayed poetical talent: at the University of Edinburgh he completed his
scholastic course, and studied divinity; which, however, he did not pursue
as a profession. Being left, by his father's death, without means, he
resolved to go to the great metropolis to try his fortunes. He arrived in
London in sorry plight, without money, and with ragged shoes; but through
the assistance of some persons of station, he procured occupation as tutor
to a lord's son, and thus earned a livelihood until the publication of his
first poem in 1726. That poem was _Winter_, the first of the series called
_The Seasons_: it was received with unusual favor. The first edition was
speedily exhausted, and with the publication of the second, his position
as a poet was assured. In 1727 he produced the second poem of the series,
_Summer_, and, with it, a proposal for issuing the _Four Seasons_, with a
_Hymn_ on their succession. In 1728 his _Spring_ appeared, and in the next
year an unsuccessful tragedy called _Sophonisba_, which owed its immediate
failure to the laughter occasioned by the line,

O Sophonisba, Sophonisba O!

This was parodied by some wag in these words:

O Jemmie Thomson, Jemmie Thomson O!

and the ridicule was so potent that the play was ruined.

The last of the seasons, _Autumn_, and the _Hymn_, were first printed in a
complete edition of _The Seasons_, in 1730. It was at once conceded that
he had gratified the cravings of the day, In producing a real and
beautiful English pastoral. The reputation which he thus gained caused him
to be selected as the mentor and companion of the son of Sir Charles
Talbot in a tour through France and Italy in 1730 and 1731.

In 1734 he published the first part of a poem called _Liberty_, the
conclusion of which appeared in 1736. It is designed to trace the progress
of Liberty through Italy, Greece, and Rome, down to her excellent
establishment in Great Britain, and was dedicated to Frederick, Prince of
Wales.

His tragedies _Agamemnon_ and _Edward and Eleanora_ are in the then
prevailing taste. They were issued in 1738-39. The latter is of political
significance, in that Edward was like Frederick the Prince of Wales--heir
apparent to the crown; and some of the passages are designed to streng