HARRISON, WILLIAM, a writer much esteemed
and patronised by the literati of his time, was fellow
of New-college, Oxford, and had no other income than
40l. a-year as tutor to one of the duke of Queensberry's
sons. In this employment he fortunately attracted
the favour of Dr Swift, whose solicitations with Mr
St John obtained for him the reputable employment
of secretary to Lord Raby, ambassador at the Hague,
and afterwards earl of Strafford. A letter of his whilst
at Utrecht, dated Dec. 16. 1712, is printed in the
Dean's works. Mr Harrison, who did not long en-
joy his rising fortune, was dispatched to London with
the Barrier treaty; and died Feb. 14. 1712-13. See
the Journal to Stella, of that and the following day;
where Dr Swift laments his loss with the most unaf-
fected sincerity. Mr Tickel has mentioned him with
respect in his Prospect of Peace; in English Poets,
vol. xxvi. p. 113; and Dr Young in the beautiful
close of an Epistle to Lord Lansdowne, vol. liii.
p. 183. most pathetically bewails his loss. Dr Birch,
who has given a curious note on Mr Harrison's Letter
to Swift, has confounded him with Thomas Harrison,
M. A. of Queen's-college. In Nichols's Select Col-
lection are some pleasing specimens of his poetry;
which, with Woodstock-Park in Doddsley's Collection,
and an Ode to the duke of Marlborough, 1707, in
Dancombe's Horace, are all the poetical writings that
are known of this excellent young man; who figured
both as an humorist and a politician in the fifth vol-
ume of the Tatler, of which (under the patronage of
Bolingbroke, Henley, and Swift) he was professedly
the editor. See the Supplement to Swift.—There
was another William Harrison, author of The Pilgrim,
or the happy Convert, a Pastoral Tragedy, 1709.