poet.

"Spring" was published next year, with a dedication to the Countess of
Hertford, whose practice it was to invite every summer some poet into
the country, to hear her verses and assist her studies. This honour was
one summer conferred on Thomson, who took more delight in carousing with
Lord Hertford and his friends than assisting her ladyship's poetical
operations, and therefore never received another summons.

"Autumn," the season to which the "Spring" and "Summer" are preparatory,
still remained unsung, and was delayed till he published (1730) his
works collected.

He produced in 1727 the tragedy of Sophonisba, which raised such
expectation that every rehearsal was dignified with a splendid audience,
collected to anticipate the delight that was preparing for the public.
It was observed, however, that nobody was much affected, and that the
company rose as from a moral lecture. It had upon the stage no unusual
degree of success. Slight accidents will operate upon the taste of
pleasure. There is a feeble line in the play:--

"O Sophonisba, Sophonisba, O!"

This gave occasion to a waggish parody--

"O, Jemmy Thomson, Jemmy Thomson, O!"

which for a while was echoed through the town.

I have been told by Savage, that of the prologue to Sophonisba, the
first part was written by Pope, who could not be persuaded to finish it;
and that the concluding lines were added by Mallet.

Thomson was not long afterwards, by the influence of Dr. Rundle, sent to
travel with Mr. Charles Talbot, the eldest son of the Chancellor. He
was yet young enough to receive new impressions, to have his opinions
rectified and his views enlarged; nor can he be supposed to have wanted
that curiosity which is inseparable from an active and comprehensive
mind. He may therefore now be supposed to have revelled in all the
joys of intellectual luxury; he was every day feasted with instructive
novelties; he lived splendidly without expense: and might expect when he
returned home a certain establishment.

At this time a long course of opposition to Sir Robert Walpole had
filled the nation with clamours for liberty, of which no man felt the
want, and with care for liberty which was not in danger. Thomson, in his
travels on the Continent, found or fancied so many evils arising from
the tyranny of other governments, that he resolved to write a very long
poem, in five parts, upon Liberty. While he was busy on the first book,
Mr. Talbot d