erty; "the acclamations of the Old Bailey reverberated from the farthest shores of Scotland, and a whole people felt the enthusiastic transports of recovered freedom." Holcroft continued his efforts in the cause of constitutional reform without farther molestation.

The remainder of Holcroft's life was passed in arduous literary labor. He visited Hamburg and Paris, where he made researches in various departments of letters. In the latter capital he remained about two years, and subsequently published an elaborate work concerning it, which enjoys a high position in literature. He was methodical and industrious, and accomplished great tasks with ease and completeness. His mental activity was extraordinary-so excessive, at times, that it interfered with his general health; but his intellect remained unimpaired to the last, and he died in March, 1804, in his sixty-ninth year. The life of Thomas Holcroft is calculated (we quote his own words) "to excite an ardent emulation in the breasts of youthful readers, by showing them how difficulties may be endured, how they may be overcome, and how they may at last contribute, as a school of instruction, to bring forth hidden talent."

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD,

who has been described as the "most spiritual shoemaker that ever handled an awl," was born in the county of Suffolk, England, in the year of freedom, 1776. His parents were in extremely poor circumstances, and at an early age his father died. To provide the means of support for herself and children, Mrs. Bloomfield opened a small school in the village, and it was under her roof that Robert gained most of the knowledge he possessed. For a few months he went to an academy of a better kind, but a single quarter was probably the extent of his course.

When Robert was eleven years of age he went to live with his uncle, Mr. Austin, a reputable farmer, who treated him kindly, but paid him no wages. His mother supplied him with clothes so long as she was able, but was at length compelled to look to two elder sons, who were shoemakers in London, to assist her. She accordingly wrote to them upon the subject, and it was at length resolved that Robert should go to London, where one brother promised to initiate him into the mysteries of St. Crispin,

and the other to clothe and support him until he was able to gain his own living. The mother was pleased with this arrangement, and made a pilgrimage to great smoky London in order to place her darling boy in the custody of his elder brothers. She charged them, as they valued a mother's blessing, to set good examples for him, and "never to forget that he had lost his father."

The brothers were in humble circumstances, and lodged and labored in a little garret, which served them for every purpose. "As we were all single men lodgers at a shilling per week, our beds were coarse, and all things far from being clean and snug, like what Robert had been accustomed to at home. Robert was our man to fetch all things to hand. At noon he brought our dinners from the cook-shop, and any one of our fellow-workmen that wanted to have any thing brought in would send Robert, and assist in his work, and teach him, as a recompense for his trouble. Every day, when the boy from the public house came for the pewter pots, and to learn what porter was wanted, he always brought the yesterday's newspaper. The reading of this newspaper we had been used to take by turns, but, after Robert came, he mostly read for us, because his time was of the least value." The task was an agreeable one, but not unattended with difficulty. The little fellow tumbled across words which he had never read before, and which bothered him immensely. His brother George took compassion on his perplexity, and bought a Dictionary, for which he paid the enormous sum of fourpence. Robert soon became master of its contents, and was able to read the newspaper without impediment. He was considered so good that the workmen got books for him to read to them. "I, at this time," says George Bloomfield, "read the London Magazine, and in that work about two sheets were set apart for a review. Robert seemed always eager to read this review. Here he could see what the literary men were doing, and learn how to judge of the merits of the works which came out, and I observed that he always looked at the Poet's Corner. One day he repeated a long song which he had composed to an old tune. I was much surprised that he should make such smooth verses, so I persuaded him to try whether the editor of our paper would give them a place in the Poet's Corner. He succeeded, and they were printed." After this success he contributed a number of pieces to the same magazine, and felt all the exaltation which a young author may be expected to expe

rience under such circumstances. His mind seemed to act with redoubled activity, and his powers increased with every fresh effort, as the true literary mind is sure to do.

Shortly after this Robert changed his lodgings, and was thrown into the society of a man of the name of Kay, who, being a reader himself, possessed several books, among which were "The Seasons," ," "Paradise Lost," and some novels. The first was Robert's especial delight, and he perused and reperused it until he had it nearly by heart. It was to this work that he was indebted for his idea of the "Farmer's Boy," a poem to which Bloomfield owes his reputation. In his eighteenth year he paid a visit to his native place, and the tutored eye of the poet discovered new beauties in the scenes which had surrounded him from youth, and which came back to him with a freshness and vigor indescribable. He returned to London, and subsided for a while into his usual occupations. He made an arrangement with the landlord of his brothers, who was also a shoemaker, and became his apprentice. Not only did he apply himself diligently to the duties of his station, but with some enthusiasm. He became an excellent workman, and worked hard for many years. His amusements were

reading, music, and the composition of verses.

Being now in a position to marry, he selected an appropriate helpmate and removed to Coleman Street, where, in the garret, he followed his trade, as one among many journeymen. There, amid the din of hammers and voices, the noise and confusion of thoughtless men, the jokes and sneers of the illiterate, Robert Bloomfield composed his great poem, the "Farmer's Boy." Having no facilities for writing, he composed and remembered about six hundred lines before he put a single word to paper. At length the manuscript was finished, and the author, palpitating with anxiety, commenced his tour of the publishers, but no one would undertake its publication. The obscurity of the author and the length of the poem alike contributed to this result. The editor of the "Monthly Magazine" gives the following account of Robert's visit to his office: "He brought his poem to our office, and, though his unpolished appearance, his coarse handwriting, and wretched orthography afforded no prospect that his production could be printed, yet he found attention by his repeated calls, and by the humility of his expectations, which were limited to half a dozen copies of the Magazine. At length, on his name being

mentioned where a literary gentleman, particularly conversant in rural economy, happened to be present, the poem was finally examined, and its general aspect excited the risibility of that gentleman in so pointed a manner, that Bloomfield was called into the room, and exhorted not to waste his time and neglect his employment in making vain attempts, and particularly in treading on ground which Thomson had sanctified. His earnestness and confidence, however, led the editor to advise him to consult his countryman, Mr. Capel Lofft, to whom he gave him a letter of introduction. On his departure, the gentleman present warmly complimented the editor on the sound advice which he had given the poor fellow, and it was naturally conceived that an industrious man was thereby likely to be saved from a ruinous infatuation."

Undismayed by this cold treatment, Bloomfield hurried off with his manuscript to Mr. Lofft. That gentleman took the trouble of examining the poem, and did not throw it down with disgust when he came to a badly-spelled word (stumbling-blocks of a very frequent kind in Bloomfield's manuscript). Mr. Lofft declared the poem to be eminently worthy of publication, and exerted himself in procuring a publisher so successfully, that Messrs. Vernor and Hood purchased the manuscript for fifty pounds. Bloomfield was astonished. He had offered it to the Monthly Magazine for five or six copies of that cheerful publication. The poem made its appearance in due time, and achieved an immediate success. Several editions were issued in rapid succession, and in a short time upward of twenty-five thousand copies were disposed of. The publishers behaved generously to the author (considering that he had no farther claim upon them), and presented him with a check for £200. In addition to this, he received much kindness from persons in position. The Duke of Grafton presented him with a life annuity of a shilling a day, and obtained for him a situation in a government office; but ill health compelled him to relinquish it, and return to an avocation to which his constitution had become better accustomed. Subsequently he made an unsuccessful effort to establish himself in the bookselling business. By this failure he lost the little money he had accumulated, and was reduced to poverty. Continued ill health added to his distress, and for many long years he dragged out a sickly existence, "as miserable," says Professor Wilson, "as the exist