1 791' EULOGY OF THOMSON. _ 203 



Of Johnfon's criticifm on the poem of Thomfcn en- 

 titled Liberty, I lliall fay nothing : but I am forry to 

 be obliged to own that Britain, efpccially Scotland, 

 knows but too little of the Liberty that Thomfon cele- 

 brates ! 



Of the elegance of Thomfon's manners and tafle, I 

 fliall give you a fpecimen in a letter of his to Lord 

 Lyttleton, and of his heart in two to Mr Rofs, and 

 with thefe I will truft the efFeft of my encomium to 

 your own reflections. 



Thomfon to Mr Lyttleton. 



« Dear Sir, " London^ July 14, 1743. 



" I had the pleafure of your's fome polls ago, and 

 have delayed anfwering it hitherto, that I might be able 

 to determine when I could have the happinefs of wait- 

 ing upon you. 



. " Hagley is the place in England I moft defire to 

 fee ; I imagine it to be greatly delightful in itfelf, and 

 I know it to be fo to the higheft degree by the compa- 

 ny it is animated with. Some reafons prevent my 

 waiting upon you immediately ; but if you will be fo 

 good as to let me know how long you defign to flay in 

 the country, nothing Hiall hinder me from pafhng three 

 weeks or a month with you before you leave it. 



" As this v/ill fall in autumn I Ihall like it the bet- 

 ter, for I think that feafon of the year the moft pleafing, 

 and the mod poetical ; the fpirits are not then diffipatcd 

 with the gaiety of fpring, and the glaring light of ium- 

 mer, but compofed into a ferious and tempered joy. 



" The year is perfect. In the mean time I will go on 

 with correcting the Seafons, and hope to carry down 

 jnore than one of them with me. 



" The Mufes, whom you obligingly fay I fliall bring 



long with me, I fliall find with you \ — the Mufes of 



the great flmple country, not the little fine-lady Mufes 



of Richmond Hill. I have lived fo long in the noife, 



C c 2 



