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neral vigour and sprightliness, and Pitt often ftops 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 listless perufal; that Pitt pleases the criticks, and Dryden the people; that Pitt is quoted, and Dryden read,

He did not long enjoy the reputation which this great work deservedly conferred; for he left the world in 1748, and lies buried un der 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,

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THOMSON.

7

THOMSON.

AMES THOMSON, the son of a

JA

minister well esteemed for his piety and diligence, was born September 7, 1700, at Ednam, in the shire of Roxburgh, of which his father was paftor. His mother, whose name was Hume, inherited as co-heirefs a portion of a small estate. 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 minister, discovering in James uncommon promises of future excellence, undertook to fuperintend his education, and provide him books.

He

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