THOMAS BLACKLOCK, the blind poet and divine, was born at Annan, Dumfriesshire, November 10, 1721. Before he was six months old he was deprived of his sight by the smallpox. As he grew up his father, a poor bricklayer, educated him at home, and read to him instructive and entertaining books, particularly Spenser, Milton, Pope, Prior, and Addison. The blind boy became enthusiastically fond of poetry, his special favourites being Allan Ramsay and Thomson. He began to compose poetry when he was twelve years of age, and one of his early pieces is preserved in the collection published after his death. When twenty years old some of his poetical compositions came under the notice of Dr. John Stevenson, an eminent physician of Edinburgh, who kindly invited him to that city, with the benevolent design of improving his genius by a liberal education. Young Blacklock arrived in Edinburgh in 1741, and after attending a grammar-school for a short time he was enrolled as a student at the university, where he remained until the breaking out of the rebellion, when he retired to the residence of a sister in Dumfries. ing one of his trial discourses an old woman who sat on the pulpit stairs inquired whether he was a reader of his sermons. "He canna be a reader, for he's blind," responded her neighbour. "I'm glad to hear't," rejoined the old wife; "I wish they were a' blin'." In 1746 Blacklock published at Glasgow a volume of his poems, which was reprinted with additions in 1754 and 1756. The last edition attracted the attention of the Rev. Joseph Spence, professor of poetry at Oxford, who wrote an account of Blacklock's life and writings, with the design of introducing his name and character to the English public. The parishioners of Kirkcudbright having refused, on account of his blindness, to acknowledge him as their pastor, a lawsuit was commenced, which after two years was compromised by Blacklock retiring upon a moderate annuity. He then removed to Edinburgh, and added to his income by receiving as boarders into his house a number of young gentlemen, whom he assisted in their studies. This system he continued until 1787, when age and increasing infirmities compelled him to give it up. In 1766 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Marischal College, Aberdeen. "The Graham," a heroic ballad in four cantos, was published in 1774, but was excluded from Mackenzie's collection of his works, as being inferior to his other poems. At the close of the civil commotions Blacklock returned to Edinburgh, and pursued his studies at college for six years longer. He was licensed as a preacher of the gospel in 1759, and three years afterwards married the daughter of Mr. Johnston, a surgeon in Dumfries. The year of his marriage he was presented to the Dr. Blacklock was one of the first to apprechurch-living of Kirkcudbright, although at ciate the genius of Robert Burns; and it was the time labouring under the loss of eye- owing to a letter from him to the Rev. Dr. sight. It is related that when he was preach-Laurie, minister of Loudoun, that Burns in 66 November, 1786, relinquished the design of accomplishments," continues the same writer, leaving his native land for Jamaica, and re- he added a taste for music, and he excelled solved to try his fortune in Edinburgh. On in singing the melodies of his country. I have his arrival in the metropolis the doctor treated heard him often bear a part in a chorus with him with great kindness, and introduced him much judgment and precision. His knowledge to many of his literary friends. Blacklock of the scientific part of music was by no means died at Edinburgh, July 7, 1791, and was inconsiderable." buried in the ground of St. Cuthbert's chapel of ease. A monument was erected to his memory, with a Latin inscription written by his friend Dr. Beattie. In 1793 a quarto edition of his poems, with a memoir by Henry Mackenzie, was published in Edinburgh. In addition to his poems Dr. Blacklock wrote several theological treatises; an ingenious and elegant article on "Blindness" for the Encyclopedia Britannica; and two dissertations, entitled "Paraclesis, or Consolations deduced from Natural and Revealed Religion," one of them original, the other translated from a work ascribed to Cicero. "In his person," says Alexander Campbell, “Dr. Blacklock exceeded not the middle size, but his erect posture gave an air of dignity mingled with perfect simpli- | city; and a peculiar involuntary motion, the effect of habit, added not a little to interest the beholder, as it usually accompanied the glow of his feelings in conversation." "To his Of Dr. Blacklock, of whom it was said that he never lost a friend or made a foe, Robert Heron remarks:-"There was, perhaps, never one among all mankind whom you might more truly have called an angel upon earth. He was guileless and innocent as a child, yet endowed with manly sagacity and penetration. His heart was a perpetual spring of overflowing benignity; his feelings were all tremblingly alive to the sense of the sublime, the beautiful, the tender, the pious, and the virtuous. Poetry was to him the dear solace of perpetual blindness; cheerfulness even to gaiety was, notwithstanding that irremediable misfortune, long the predominant colour of his mind. In his latter years, when the gloom might otherwise have thickened around him, hope, faith, devotion, the most fervent and sublime, exalted his mind to heaven, and made him maintain his wonted cheerfulness in the expectation of a speedy dissolution." ODE TO AURORA ON MELISSA'S BIRTH-DAY.1 Of time and nature eldest born, And chase from heaven night's envious shade, And hail Melissa's natal day. Of time and nature eldest born, The hours to draw thy chariot wait; 1 Of this ode Mackenzie says:-"A compliment and tribute of affection to the tender assiduity of an excellent wife, which I have not anywhere seen more happily conceived or more elegantly expressed."-ED. But, as thou lead'st the radiant sphere, So when through life's protracted day, So shall his heart no more repine, Blessed with her rays, though robbed of thine. ABSENCE. Ye rivers so limpid and clear, Who reflect, as in cadence you flow, All the flow'rs on your margins that grow! How blest on your banks could I dwell, Ye harvests, that wave in the breeze, Were Margret with me to admire! Then the harvest would glitter, how gay, How majestic the mountains aspire! In pensive regret whilst I rove, The fragrance of flow'rs to inhale; Nor odours nor harmony please If anxious to flatter my woes, Or the languor of absence to cheer, Her breath I would catch in the rose, Or her voice in the nightingale hear. To cheat my despair of its prey, What object her charms can assume! How harsh is the nightingale's lay, How insipid the rose's perfume! Ye zephyrs that visit my fair, Ye sunbeams around her that play, Does her sympathy dwell on my care? Does she number the hours of my stay? First perish ambition and wealth, First perish all else that is dear, Ere one sigh should escape her by stealth, Ere my absence should cost her one tear. When, when shall her beauties once more This desolate bosom surprise? Ye fates! the blest moments restore When I bask'd in the beams of her eyes; When with sweet emulation of heart, Our kindness we struggled to show; But the more that we strove to impart, We felt it more ardently glow. BENEATH A GREEN SHADE. Beneath a green shade a lovely young swain Rude winds wi' compassion could hear him complain, Yet Chloe, less gentle, was deaf to his strain. How happy, he cried, my moments once flew, Ere Chloe's bright charms first flash'd in my view! Those eyes then wi' pleasure the dawn could survey; Nor smiled the fair morning mair cheerful than they. Now scenes of distress please only my sight; Through changes in vain relief I pursue, But see, the pale moon, all clouded, retires; THE WEDDING-DAY. One night as young Colin lay musing in bed, "Should Heaven bid my wishes with freedom implore One bliss for the anguish I suffered before, Blessed be the approach of my wedding-day! For happiness dawns with my wedding-day." But Luna, who equally sovereign presides mind: O fate, could a wife prove so constant and kind! "Why was I born to a wedding-day! Cursed, ever cursed, be my wedding-day." day. Ye bachelors, warned by the shepherd's distress, Be taught from your freedom to measure your bliss, Nor fall to the witchcraft of beauty a prey, For soon the shades of grief shall cloud The sunshine of thy days; And cares, and toils, in endless round Soon shall thy heart the woes of age ANNA. Shepherds, I have lost my love. Left my flock, my pipe, my crook, Never shall I see them more, All the joys of life are o'er, From gladness changed to mourning. Whither is my charmer flown, Shepherds, tell me whither? Ah, woe for me! perhaps she's gone, For ever and for ever! IMPORTANCE OF EARLY PIETY. In life's gay morn, when sprightly youth With vital ardour glows, And shines in all the fairest charms Which beauty can disclose; Deep on thy soul, before its pow'rs TERRORS OF A GUILTY CONSCIENCE. Cursed with unnumbered groundless fears, TOBIAS G. SMOLLETT. BORN 1721 DIED 1771. TOBIAS GEORGE MOLLETT, an eminent historian, novelist, and poet, was born in Dalquburn House, near the village of Renton, Dumbartonshire, in the year 1721. His father dying while he was very young, his education was undertaken by his grandfather Sir James Smollett. After completing his rudimentary studies at the neighbouring school of Dumbarton, he was sent to the University of Glasgow, where he studied medicine. His wish came the most popular novel of the age; and this was followed in 1751 by "The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle." This was also very successful, and was translated into French. Having obtained the degree of M.D. he settled at Bath, with the intention of practising medicine, but not meeting with success he returned to London, and assumed the character of a professional author, working for the booksellers in the various departments of compilations, translations, criticisms, and miscellaneous essays. In 1753 he published the "Adventures of Count Fathom," followed in 1755 by his translation of Don Quixote. The version of Motteux is now generally preferred to that of our author, though Smollett's is marked by his characteristic humour and ver was to be a soldier, but he was opposed in this Returning to London in 1746, Smollett's feelings of patriotism led him to write the beautiful and spirited poem of "The Tears of Scotland," describing the barbarities committed in the Highlands by the English forces under the command of the "Butcher Cumberland" after the battle of Culloden. He originally finished the poem in six stanzas; when, some one representing that such a diatribe against the government might injure his prospects, he sat down and added the still more pointed invective of the seventh stanza: "While the warm blood bedews my veins, The same year Smollett published "Advice," a satirical poem, in the manner of Juvenal; and about the same time composed the opera of "Alceste," which, in consequence of some ill-timed satires on Rich the manager, shared the same fate as his tragedy of "The Regicide." In 1748 appeared "The Adventures of Roderick Random," which soon be This task finished, Smollett set out on a visit to his native land. His fame had preceded him, and his reception by the literary magnates of Scotland was cordial and flattering. He was also gratified by meeting his surviving parent on arriving at Scotston in Peeblesshire, where his mother resided with her daughter Mrs. Telfer. It was arranged that he should be introduced as a gentleman who was intimately acquainted with her son. The better to support his assumed character he endea voured to preserve a very serious countenance, approaching to a frown; but while his mother's eyes were rivetted with the instinct of affection upon his countenance, he could not refrain from smiling; she immediately sprang from her chair, and throwing her arms around his neck, exclaimed, "Ah! my son, my son!" She afterwards told him that if he had kept his austere looks and continued to gloom, she might have been deceived; but "your old roguish smile," she added, “betrayed you at once." On his return to London Smollett undertook the editorship of the Critical Review, and was soon afterwards convicted of a libel on Admiral Knowles, one of the commanders at Carthagena; sentenced to pay a fine of £100, and to be confined in prison for three months. During his incarceration he composed the "Adventures of Sir Launcelot Greaves." His "History of England from the earliest times to the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle," in four quarto vols., was published in 1758, and is said to have been |