side-dish-just before noticed in the scandalous chronicle of the day of an unwelcome intruder from the head of some royal cook. The great popularity of these and similar productions soon placed Peter on the road to fame and fortune. In 1792, if not earlier, the produce of his pen enabled him to effect a considerable purchase in the funds; and next year he secured an annuity for life of 250l., in a mode which presents itself as a delightfully effective moral retribution upon the grantors. The undue enjoyment of the good things of this life, among which, in the Doctor's estimation, old pine-apple rum occupied a prominent position, had brought on an asthmatic complaint, which threatened to carry the patient off forthwith. Messrs. Robinson, Golding, and Walker thereupon, with an eye to a good thing, repaired to the supposed moribund, and got him to transfer the copyright of his past works to them for an annuity of 250l., which included the refusal of his future compositions of the same class; a stipulation rather matter of form, as these sly dogs fancied, than any thing else, for it was quite clear that the poor Doctor could not last another month. He did, however, last for twenty-six years after that; and though his Muse served him till within two years of his death, it was, after this arrangement, with intervals, which became longer and longer. The booksellers, perfectly disgusted, tried to set aside the bargain into which their innocence had been entrapped; but law and equity sided with poetry, and Messrs. Walker and Co. had dolorously to dole out payment, quarter after quarter, year after year, till the deceiver died. Nay, more, each trimestrial affliction was exacerbated to them by the bitter jocosities of Peter, who was wont, on such occasions, liberally to give them in a gratuitous sneer for themselves. These sarcasms at length became so intolerable to Walker and Co., being of a nature not saleable, that a friend had to receive the money.

In 1795, Wolcot, who had from early youth practised drawing, and even essayed oils, had a series of his landscapes engraved in aqua-tinta by Alkin, and published them, with poetical allusions, under the title of Picturesque Views. They are full of spirit.

Towards the close of his life, Wolcot, in addition to his other physical infirmities, was afflicted with blindness; under the pressure of which he withdrew almost entirely from society, passing, indeed, most of his time in bed, where, as he said, "he had only a few ounces of blanket to support, instead of having, as when up and in motion, to carry a load of eleven or twelve stone." He died, January 14, 1819, at Montgomery's Cottage, Somers Town, in which he had resided for many years; and was buried in the churchyard of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, close, at his own request, to the remains of Butler, whose genius he greatly admired. The bulk of his property went to an only sister, for he had never been married. His poems fill five octavo volumes. Though almost entirely on topics of the day, there are many of them that even now afford entertainment, from their keen observation and humorous exposition of those incidents to human nature which are of all time.

EDWARD THOMPSON.

(1738-1786.)

Edward Thompson was son of a merchant at Hull, in Yorkshire, where he was born about 1738. He was educated at Beverley, under the Rev. Mr. Clarke; and thence removed to Hampstead, under the care of Dr. Cox. He early embraced a maritime life, and in 1750 sailed on a voyage to Greenland. In 1754 he was engaged on board an Indiaman, and became what is called " a guinea-pig;" though other accounts say that he went to the East Indies with Sir Peter Dennis, on board the Dorsetshire, and was in the memorable action off Quiberon Bay. By his Sailors' Letters it appears he was at Madras, Ceylon, and Bengal, of which he has given descriptions, that show the accuracy of his observation and the cultivation of his talents. In 1755 he returned to England; where, in November, we find him on board the Stirling Castle in the Downs. In 1756 he sailed from Portsmouth to New York, and thence to Antigua; and arriving the following year in England, he was promoted to be a lieutenant, and appointed to the Jason, which was sent over to Embden with Brudenell's regiment to reinforce the garrison. In 1758 he sailed in the Dorsetshire to Lisbon; and in 1759, cruising between the Bay of Biscay and the chops of the Channel, was engaged in Hawke's celebrated battle with Conflans. In 1761 he sailed in the Bellona.

The peace that ensued left his active mind at leisure to cultivate literature. A poem of a temporary nature procured him the acquaintance of Churchill, whose Whig principles he strenuously cherished. At this time he lived in a small house in Kew Lane. In 1764 he produced a poem called The Soldier, which was well received. He then retired for some time to Scotland, where he meditated a professional work, which he never executed.

In 1765 he published The Courtezan, a poem, 4to, and The Demirep, a poem, 4to. In 1767 he produced his Sailors' Letters, written during his voyages in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, from 1754 to 1769. In 1769 he commanded the Tartuffe cutter, off the coast of Scotland. He had during this period written many political and dramatic pieces, which recommended him to the notice of Garrick ; and Garrick, through his intimacy with Sir Edward Hawke, procured him a master and commander's warrant in 1771; and in the following year, Sir Peter Dennis, commanding in the Mediterranean, made him post in the Niger. But before this he had edited the works of Oldham, 3 vols. 1771; a collection of fugitive pieces called The Court of Cupid; and a collection of bon mots, under the title of Aristophanes. In 1773 he brought forth The Fair Quaker, or the Humours of the Navy, a comedy, 8vo; and in 1776 and in 1777 fitted for the stage two other pieces, not published.

In 1788 he

In 1773 he began, in concert with Mr. John M‘Millan, the Westminster Magazine. In 1777 he edited the works of Paul Whitehead, and in the same year the works of Andrew Marvel. edited a collection of fugitive pieces called The Muse's Mirror. But as soon as the war broke out with France, he was called away

from these peaceful occupations, being appointed in 1778 to the command of the Hyana. He was in Rodney's famous action off Cape St. Vincent, of which he brought home the intelligence; and was soon afterwards appointed commander of an expedition against Demerara, which, with Berbice and Essequibo, surrendered without opposition. He afterwards convoyed home a fleet of merchantmen from St. Eustacius. At the end of the war he was stationed on the coast of Africa.

In 1785 he was appointed commander of the Grampus, and sent again to the coast of Africa, where he caught a fever, and died aboard that ship, Jan. 17, 1786; an event which filled his crew with universal lamentation, as they considered him a brave and skilful commander, a friend and a father.

But the merits by which Captain Thompson will be best known to posterity are his sea-songs, which are still on every sailor's lips; more especially those three beautiful and affecting compositions, beginning "Loose every sail to the breeze," "The topsail shivers in the wind," and "Behold upon the gallant wave."

JAMES MACPHERSON.

(1738-1796.)

James Macpherson was born at Kingushe, Invernesshire, in 1738. Being intended for the Church, he went through the requisite course of education at Aberdeen. At the age of 20 he produced an heroic poem, called The Highlander,—a most abortive attempt. After leaving the University, he was for a time usher in the school of Ruthven, whence he removed to the family of Mr. Graham, of Balgowan, in the capacity of tutor. It was while attending his pupil (afterwards Lord Lynedoch) at the baths of Moffat that he showed to Mr. John Home, the author of Douglas, with whom he became acquainted there, the manuscript of what purported to be translations of Fragments of Ancient Gaelic Poetry, still handed down, from father to son in the Highlands, by oral descent, and which he characterised as at once replete with energy and with pathos. Mr. Home took the matter up zealously; and by his influence Macpherson was enabled to publish a small volume of sixty pages, entitled Fragments of Ancient Poetry, translated from the Gaelic or Erse language. The publication excited such attention in Scotland, that a subscription was actually effected to enable the translator of these interesting national monuments to make a tour in the Highlands, and collect further materials. The result, in 1762, was Fingal, an ancient epic poem in six books; in 1763, Temaa, another epic poem in eight books; and in both instances a sale which brought infinite joy to the soul of Ossian's representative, who is said to have netted 1200l. from these productions. Indeed it is not surprising that the works should sell well. As Mr. Chambers observes, the possibility that, in the third or fourth century, among the wild remote mountains of Scotland, there existed a people exhibiting all the high and chivalrous feelings of refined valour, gene