FIRST POETIC EFFUSION ON AMERICAN SOIL. 



173 



circumstances of my situation com- 

 pel me, I would not print it, even, 

 perhaps, during my life, I so much 

 doubt of its success." 



Such was that painful state of 

 fear and doubt experienced by the 

 author of the Jerusalem Delivered, 

 wiien he gave it to the world a 

 state of suspense, among the chil- 

 dren of imagination, of which none 

 are more liable to participate in 

 than the too sensitive artist. 



THOMSON AND QUIN. 



Thomson, the poet, when he first 

 came to London, was in very nar- 

 row circumstances, and was many 

 times put to his shifts even for a 

 dinner. Upon the publication of his 

 Seasons,one of his creditors arrested 

 him, thinking that a proper oppor- 

 tunity to get his money. 



The report of this misfortune 

 reached the ears of Quin, who had 

 read the Seasons, but never seen 

 their author ; and he was told that 

 Thomson was in a sponging-house 

 in Holborn. Thither Quin went, 

 and being admitted into his cham- 

 ber, " Sir, said he, " you don't know 

 me, but my name is Quin." Thom- 

 son said, that though he could not 

 boast of the honour of a personal 

 acquaintance, he was no stranger 

 either to his name or his merit, and 

 invited him to sit down. Quin then 

 told him he was come to sup with 

 him, and that he had already ordered 

 the cook to provide supper, which 

 he hoped he would excuse. 



When supper was over, and the 

 glass had gone briskly about, Mr. 

 Quin told him it was "now time to 

 enter upon business." Thomson 

 declared he was ready to serve him 

 as far as his capacity would reach, 

 in anything he should command 

 (thinking he was come about some 

 affair relating to the drama). " Sir," 

 says Quin, " you mistake me. I am 

 in your debt. I owe you a hun- 

 dred pounds, and I am come to pay 

 you." 



Thomson, with a disconsolate air, 

 replied, that, as he was a gentleman 

 whom he had never offended, he 

 wondered he should seek an oppor- 

 tunity to trifle with his misfortunes. 

 " No," said Quin, raising his voice, 

 " I say I owe you a hundred pounds, 

 and there it is;" and, suiting the 

 action to the word, immediately laid 

 a bank-note of that value before 

 him. 



Thomson, astonished, begged he 

 would explain himself. " Why," 

 says Quin, " I will tell you. Soon 

 after I had read your /Seasons, I 

 took it into my head, that, as I had 

 something to leave behind me when 

 I died, I would make my will. 

 Among the rest of my legatees, I 

 set down the author of the Seasons 

 for a hundred pounds ; and, this 

 day hearing that you were in this 

 house, I thought I might as well 

 have the pleasure of paying the 

 money myself, as order my execu- 

 tors to pay it, when perhaps you 

 might have less need of it ; and this, 

 Mr. Thomson, is my business." 



RIVAL REMEMBRANCE. 



Mr. Gifford to Mr. Haditt. 

 " What we read from your pen we re- 

 member no more." 



Mr. Haditt to Mr. Gifford. 

 " What we read from your pen we re- 

 member before." 



FIRST POETIC EFFUSION ON 

 AMERICAN SOIL. 



The Bangor Whig, in 1850, gave 

 the following statement, as derived 

 from the archives of the ancient 

 Historical Society in Boston : 



" The first poetic effusion ever 

 produced on American soil origi- 

 nated in a circumstance which was 

 h \ndsomely explained by one of the 

 full bloods of the Jibawa, or, as wo 

 call them, Chippewas. All those 

 who have witnessed the perform- 

 ances of the Indians of the far west, 

 recently in our city, must recollect 



