qualities of a musical ear, flowing numbers, Feeling, Piety, poetic Imagery, and Animation, a taste for the picturesque, a true sense of the natural and pathetic, Force of Thought, and Liveliness of Imagination, which were in common between Thomson and this Author. And these are qualities which whoever has the eye, the heart, the awakened and surrounding intellect, and the diviner sense of the Poet, which alone can deserve the name, must possess.

But, with these general Characters of true Poetry, "The Farmer's Boy" has, as I have said, a character of its own. It is discriminated as much as the circumstances and habits, and situation, and ideas consequently associated, which are so widely diverse in the two Authors, could make it different. Simplicity, sweetness, a natural tenderness, that molle atque facetum which HORACE celebrates in the Eclogues of VIRGIL, will be found to belong. to it.

I intend some farther and more particular CRITICAL REMARKS on this charming Performance. But I now pass to the Account of the Author himself, as given me by his Brother:-a Man to whom also I was entirely a stranger :-but whose Candour, good Sense, and brotherly Affection, appear in this Narrative; and of the justness of whose

Understanding, and the Goodness of his Heart, I have had many Proofs, in consequence of a corre spondence with him on different occasions which have since arisen, when this had made me acquainted with him, and interested me in his behalf.

In writing to me, Mr. GEORGE BLOOMFIELD, who is a Shoemaker also, as his Brother, and lives at BURY, thus expresses himself.

"As I spent near five years with the Author, from the time he was fourteen years and a half old till he was turned of twenty, the most interesting time of life (I mean the time that instruction is acquir'd, if acquir'd at all), I think I am able to give a better account of him than any one can, or than he can of himself: for his Modesty would not let him speak of his Temper, Disposition, or Morals.

"ROBERT was the younger Child of GEORGE BLOOMFIELD, a Taylor, at HONINGTON †. His Father died when he was an infant under a year

* The Dates are corrected since the earlier Editions by the farther recollection of Mr. G. and R. BLOOMFIELD.— C. L.

+ This village is between Euston and Troston, and about eight miles N. E. of Bury. There are three other sons; George, Nathaniel, and Isaac: and two Daughters. C. L.

old. His Mother, ELIZABETH, the daughter of THOMAS MANBY, was born at Brandon, 1736. She was a schoolmistress, and instructed her own children with the others. He thus learn'd to read as soon as he learn❜d to speak.

Though the Mother was left a Widow with six small Children, yet with the help of Friends she manag'd to give each of them a little schooling.

"ROBERT was accordingly sent to Mr. RODWELL †, of Ixworth, to be improved in Writing: but he did not go to that School more than two or three months, nor was ever sent to any other; his Mother again marrying when ROBERT was about seven years old.

"By her second Husband, JOHN GLOVER, she had another family ‡.

* Our Author was born, as his mother has obligingly informed me, 3 Dec. 1766. C. L.

+ This respectable Man is senior Clerk to the Magistrates of the Hundred of BLACKBOURN, in which Honington is situated, and has conducted himself with great propriety in this and other public employments. C. L.

I have seen Verses by Mr. R. BLOOMFIELD on the Death of this half-brother, which strongly manifest the affectionate Disposition of the Writer, and are among other proofs of his early poetic Genius. C. L.

"When Robert was not above eleven years old, the late Mr. W. AUSTIN, of SAPISTON *, * took him. And though it is customary for Farmers to pay such Boys only 1s. 6d. per week, yet he generously took him into the house. This reliev'd his Mother of any other expense than only of finding him a few things to wear: and this was more than she well knew how to do.

"She wrote therefore," Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD 'continues, "to me and my brother NAT (then in London), to assist her; mentioning that ROBERT was so small of his age that Mr. AUSTIN said he was not likely to be able to get his living by hard labour."

Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD on this inform'd his Mother that, if she would let him take the Boy with him, he would take him, and teach him to make shoes and NAT promis'd to clothe him. The Mother, upon this offer, took coach and came to LONDON, to Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD, with the Boy: for she said, she never should have been happy if she had not put him herself into his hands.

"She charg'd me," he adds, as I valued a Mother's Blessing, to watch over him, to set good

* This little village adjoins to HONINGTON. C. L.

Examples for him, and never to forget that he had lost his Father." I religiously confine myself to Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD's own words; and think I should wrong all the parties concern'd, if in mentioning this pathetic and successful Admonition, I were to use any other. He came from Mr. AUSTIN'S 29 June, 1781 *.

Mr. G. BLOOMFIELD then lived at Mr. Simm's, No. 7, Pitcher's-court, Bell-alley, Coleman-street. "It is customary," he continues, “in such houses as are let to poor people in London, to have light Garrets fit for Mechanics to work in. In the Garret, where we had two turn-up Beds, and five of us work'd, I receiv'd little ROBERT.

"As we were all single Men, Lodgers at a Shilling per week each, our beds were coarse, and all things far from being clean and snug, like what Robert had left at SAPISTON. Robert was our man, to fetch all things to hand. At Noon he fetch'd our Dinners from the Cook's Shop: and any one of our fellow workmen that wanted to have any thing fetch'd in, would send him, and assist in his work and teach him, for a recompense for his trouble.

* This date of his coming to Town is added by Mr. BLOOMFIELD himself. C. L.