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cheerfulness and genial , though simple elegance , lived James Thomson . Sensibly alive to all the beauties of nature , he painted their images as they rose in review , and poured the whole profusion of them into his inimitable Seasons . Warmed with intense
devotion to the Sovereign of the universe , its flame glowing through all his compositions , animated with unbounded benevolence , with the tenderest social sensibility , he never gave one moment ' s pain to any of his fellow-creatures , save by his death , which happened at this place on the 22 d of August ,
1748 . " From this haunt of the Muses the gardener took us to a large summerhouse , in a corner of which was another table belonging to Thomson , on which he is said to have finished the
Seasons . It had a capacious drawer , but the whole was old and decayed , having been formerly in the open alcove , and of course was affected by the humidity of the atmosphere . It was small and oblong in form , like a chamber dressing-table , having nothing either in its construction or
workmanship that entitled it to attention . On opening the drawer , our servant , looking at the table with curious eyes , asked whether Thomson had left any of his writings there ? Such relics would have been precious . Were this the case , assuredly no traces would be found at nearly the termination of a revolving century .
The grounds , though not large , are kept in admirable order , enriched and adorned with curious trees from the most distant parts of the world . Amongst other choice exotics , the acacia and sassafras trees , with the silver cedar and the lofty cedars of
JUebanon , excited our admiration . It is a paradisiacal spot . The poet is said to have here listened by the hour to the song of the nightingales in Richmond gardens . Delicious indeed were our recollections of the Bard . Being a fine summer ' s morning , when every object is beauty to the eye , and every sound music to the ear , his conclusion of the Hymn to the Seasons rushed upon my mind :
j cannot go Where Universal Love smiles not around , Sustaining all yon orbs and all their amns—
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From seeming evil , still educing ' good ; And better thence again , and better still In infinite progression . But I lose ' Mysel in Him , in light ineffable : ^ Come then , impressive silence , muse his praise !
At this distance of time , seventyfour years ago , it is impossible to ascertain the particulars of Thomson's dissolution . All now known is , that the poet , walking from London to Kew , took boat at Hammersmith , and caught cold , when a fever produced a fatal termination . He lies buried in
Richmond Church , where the Earl of Buchan has fixed up a small brass plate , with a glowing eulogium to his memory . It is remarkable that Gil ^ bert Wakefield , who is also interred here , came by his death in a
similar manner , during the autumn of 1801 . Having been to visit his brother , the Vicar of Richmond , he was returning to his house at Hackney , when the heat , combined with the fatigue of the walk , induced a fever , which ended in his dissolution .
Neither Thomson nor fvahefield had attained the fiftieth year of their age . Both possessed classic minds ; the one smitten with the love of ancient , the other of modern song , whilst in their writings they both advocated the liberties of mankind .
What a delightful spot is Richmond ! The window of our cottage looked down to the silver Thames flowing at the foot of the garden : Strong without rage—without o v erflowing , full !
Along its surface every day rushes the bustling steam-boat , speeding away under a dingy canopy of smoke to its assigned destination , with innumerable pleasure-parties flitting to and fro in every direction , whose bands of music reverberate throughout the surrounding scenery . The stately City Barge , ( the Maria Wood , so called ot
out of compliment to the Lady Alderman Wood , for it was built during his Mayoralty , ) passes and repasses twice or thrice a-week , its gay streamers waving in the air , freighted with a motley group of citizens in their holyday dress r cmncing merrily with every symptom of gaiety . In front of v& room where I sat . are spread out tae
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532 Dr . J . Evans ? s ?* isU to the House of Thomson , the Poet .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1822, page 532, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2516/page/12/
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