diffufive and defcriptive ftile produced declamation rather than dialogue.n.:

His friend Mr. Lyttelton was now in power, and, conferred upon him the office of furveyor-general of the Leeward Iflands; from which, when his deputy was paid, he received about three hundred pounds a year.

The laft piece that he lived to publish was the Castle of Indolence, which was many years under his hand, but was at laft finished with great accuracy. The first canto opens a fcene of lazy luxury, that fills the imagination.

He was now at eafe, but was not long to enjoy it; for, by taking cold on the water between London and Kew, he caught a disorder, which, with fome

care

24

1

careless exafperation, ended in a fever that put an end to his life, August 27, 1748. He was buried in the church of Richmond, without an infcription; but a monument has been erected to his me mory in Westminster-abbey.

Thomson was of ftature above the middle fize, and more fat than bard beSeems, of a dull countenance, and a grofs, unanimated, uninviting appearance; filent in mingled company, but chearful among felect friends, and by his friends very tenderly and warmly beloved.

He left behind him the tragedy of Coriolanus, which was, by the zeal of his patron Sir George Lyttelton, brought upon the ftage for the benefit of his family,

B 4

family, and recommended by a Prologue, which Quin, who had long lived with Thomfon in fond intimacy, spoke in fuch a manner as fhewed him to be, on that occafion, no actor. The commencement of this benevolence is very honourable to Quin; who is reported to have delivered Thomson, then known to him only for his genius, from an arrest, by a very confiderable prefent; and its continuance is honourable to both; for friendship is not always the fequel of obligation. By this tragedy a confiderable fum was raifed, of which part difcharged his debts, and the rest was remitted to his fifters, whom, however removed from them by place or condi tion, he regarded with great tenderness,

as

as will appear by the following Letter, which I communicate with much pleafure, as it gives me at once an opportunity of recording the fraternal kindnefs of Thomson, and reflecting on the friendly affiftance of Mr. Bofwell, from whom I received it.

66

Hagley in Worcestershire,

3

"October the 4th, 1747.

"My dear Sifter,

I thought you had known me bet❝ter than to interpret my filence into a "decay of affection, efpecially as your

behaviour has always been fuch as " rather to increase than diminish it. "Don't imagine, becaufe I am a bad "correfpondent, that I can ever prove"

5

an

"an unkind friend and brother. I must "do myself the juftice to tell you, that "my affections are naturally very fixed "and conftant; and if I had ever rea"fon of complaint against you (of which 66 by the bye I have not the leaft fha"dow), I am confcious of fo many de"fects in myself, as difpofe me to be "not a little charitable and forgiving.

"It gives me the trueft heart-felt "fatisfaction to hear you have a good "kind husband, and are in eafy con"tented circumstances; but were they "otherwise, that would only awaken "and heighten my tenderness towards you. As our good and tender-hearted 66 parents did not live to receive any "material teftimonies of that higheft "human