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England, he assisted his father in the manage- 

 ment of his business of a timber-merchant : 

 during that period he translated the celebrated 

 play of " the Stranger," which was sent to 

 London, and performed there for the first time at 

 Drury-Lane Theatre, on the 24th of March, 

 1 798, with great applause. Mr. Thompson soon 

 afterwards removed to Nottingham, where he 

 established himself as a timber-merchant, and 

 married : he there published his translations from 

 the German, of " Ildegerte, or the Queen of Nor- 

 way," in two volumes, 12mo. ; and "Adelaide 

 " of Wulfingen, a Tragedy." After a residence 

 of about two years at Nottingham, he retired to 

 the neighbouring village of Arnold, where he 

 turned his attention to the breeding of Merino 

 sheep, in consequence of a present having been 

 made to him by his late Majesty, King George 

 III., of a part of the royal flock, from Kew. 

 This new speculation being an unprofitable one, 

 and his mercantile pursuits failing, Mr. Thompson 

 went to London, and became an Author by pro- 

 fession : he embarked as the Editor of a periodical 

 publication, and soon attained to considerable 

 eminence in the literary world. In 1799, he 

 published the following translations from the 

 German, viz : three Dramas, entitled " La 

 "Perouse," "The Happy Family," and " The 



