13 



tablet, in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey : 



" Optimo Viro Gulitlmo Mason, M. A. 



" Poetse, si quis alius, culto, casto, pio, sacrum." 



This town, shortly after the birth of Mason, 

 produced another poet, though of a different des- 

 cription, in Commodore EDWARD THOMPSON, the 

 son of a Hull merchant, and well known in the 

 Navy by the appellation of " Rhyming Thomp- 

 son" He was born in the year 1738, and was 

 a Brother of the Trinity-House at this port. 

 The Rev. Richard Warner, in his " Literary 

 Recollections," recently published, relates, on 

 the authority of an old naval officer, who sailed 

 with Capt. Thompson, " that his popularity in 

 " the service was almost unparalleled, from the 

 " sweetness of his temper and benevolence of his 

 " nature."* The following extract from a letter 

 of his to Mr. Woodhouse, of which the original, 

 dated 12th November, 1774, is now in the hands 

 of a gentleman of this town, makes it appear 

 probable that it was, at that time, his intention to 

 offer himself as a candidate, at the ensuing 

 election, for the representation of his native 

 town in Parliament : he says " I find you have 

 " had the devil to pay on your election. Let 

 " who will play the devil, I am determined to 

 " stand the next time. I lost the Borough of 



Vol. 1. p. 173, in notd. 



