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HRISTOPHER PITT, of whom whatever

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I fhall relate more than has been already publifhed, I owe to the kind communication of Dr. Warton, was born in 1699 at Blandford, the son of a phyfician much esteemed.

He was, in 1714, received as a fcholar into Winchefter College, where he was distinguished by exercises of uncommon elegance; and, at his removal to New College in 1719, prefented to the electors, as the product of his private and voluntary studies, a compleat verfion of Lucan's poem, which he did not then know to have been tranflated by Rowe.

This is an instance of early diligence which well deferves to be recorded. The fuppreffion of fuch a work, recommended by fuch uncommon circumstances, is to be regretted. It is indeed culpable, to load libraries with fuperfluous books; but incitements to early excellence are never fuperfluous, and from this example the danger is not great of many imitations.

When

When he had refided at his College three years, he was prefented to the rectory of Pinpern in Dorfetshire (1722), by his relation, Mr. Pitt of Stratfieldsea in Hampshire; and, refigning his fellowship, continued at Oxford two years longer, till he became Master of Arts (1724).

He probably about this time tranflated Vida's Art of Poetry, which Triftram's fplendid edition had then made popular. In this tranflation he diftinguished himself, both by its general elegance, and by the skilful adaptation of his numbers, to the images expressed; a beauty which Vida has with great ardour enforced and exemplified.

He then retired to his living, a place very pleafing by its fituation, and therefore likely to excite the imagination of a poet; where he paffed the reft of his life, reverenced for his virtue, and beloved for the foftness of his temper and the eafinefs of his manners. Before ftrangers he had fomething of the fcholar's timidity or diftruft; but when he became familiar he was in a very high degree chearful and entertaining. His general benevolence procured general refpect; and he paffed a life placid and honourable, neither too great for the kindness of the low, nor too low for the notice of the great.

At what time he compofed his mifcellany, published in 1727, it is not cafy nor neceflary to know: thofe which have dates appear to have been very early productions, and I have not obferved that any rife above mediocrity.

The fuccefs of his Vida animated him to a higher undertaking; and in his thirtieth year he publifhed a

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verfion

verfion of the first book of the Eneid. This being, I fuppofe, commended by his friends, he fome time afterwards added three or four more; with an advertisement, in which he reprefents himself as tranflating with great indifference, and with a progrefs of which himfelf was hardly confcious. This can hardly be true, and, if true, is nothing to the reader.

At last, without any further contention with his modefty, or any awe of the name of Dryden, he gave us a complete English Eneid, which I am forry not to fee joined in the late publication with his other poems. It would have been pleafing to have an opportunity of comparing the two beft tranflations that perhaps were ever produced by one nation of the fame author.

Pitt engaging as a rival with Dryden, naturally obferved his failures, and avoided them; and, as he wrote after Pope's Iliad, he had an example of an exac, equable, and fplendid verfification. With thefe advantages, feconded by great diligence, he might fuccessfully labour particular paffages, and escape many errors. If the two versions are compared, perhaps the refult would be, that Dryden leads the rea der forward by his general vigour and fprightliness, and Pitt often stops him to contemplate the excellence of a fingle couplet; that Dryden's faults are forgotten in the hurry of delight, and that Pitt's beauties are neglected in the languor of a cold and liftlefs perufal; that Pitt pleafes the criticks, and Dryden the people; that Pitt is quoted, and Dryden read.

He did not long enjoy the reputation which this great work defervedly conferred; for he left the world VOL. IV.

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in

in 1748, and lies buried under a ftone at Blandford, on which is this infcription:

In memory of

CHR. PITT, clerk, M. A.
Very eminent

for his talents in poetry;
and yet more

for the univerfal candour of
his mind, and the primitive
fimplicity of his manners.
He lived innocent,

and died beloved,

Apr. 13, 1748,
aged 48.

ΤΗΟΜ.

THOMSON.

AMES THOMSON, the fon of a minifter well efteemed for his piety and diligence, was born September 7, 1700, at Ednam, in the fhire of Roxburgh, of which his father was paftor. His mother, whose name was Hume, inherited as co-heirefs a portion of a fmall eftate. The revenue of a parish in Scotland is feldom large; and it was probably in commiferation of the difficulty with which Mr. Thomson fupported his family, having nine children, that Mr. Riccarton, a neighbouring minifter, difcovering in James uncommon promifes of future excellence, undertook to fuperintend his education, and provide him books.

He was taught the common rudiments of learning at the fchool of Jedburg, a place which he delights to recollect in his poem of Autumn; but was not confidered by his master as fuperior to common boys, though in thofe early days he amufed his patron and his friends with poetical compofitions; with which however

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