GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

LIFE.

THOMAS CAMPBELL, though born and bred in Scotland, Campbell's can scarcely be called a Scottish poet, for there is little in his poetry to remind us that he was a Scotsman at all. Like his literary predecessors-Dryden, Pope, and Goldsmith-he was essentially a Londoner, but a Londoner who never lost his early memories of mountain moorlands and braeside wild flowers.

school life.

Campbell was born in Glasgow, July 27th, 1777, the Childhood and eighth son and youngest child of a family of eleven. His parents both belonged to the Campbell clan, though not otherwise related. His father was a retired and somewhat unsuccessful merchant, the son of a Scottish laird-Alexander Campbell, of Kirnan, near Inverarayand was a devout follower of the Kirk.

Campbell's home life was of the type immortalized by Burns in his Cottar's Saturday Night, without, however, being at all strait-laced. His father was, indeed, somewhat too easy-going; never used the rod, a peculiarity which impressed Tom Campbell with a life-long gratitude; and left to his wife the main burden of domestic discipline and household economy. The family hearth was brightened with intellectual and cultivated company, professors of the University being frequent visitors. Among these were the celebrated Adam Smith and Dr