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 42l. 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 Stafford. A letter of his whilst at Utrecht, dated Dec. 16. 1712, is printed in the Dean's works. Mr Harrison, who did not long enjoy 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 unaffected 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. lii. p. 185, 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 Collection are some pleasing specimens of his poetry; which, with Woodstock-Park in Dodley's Collection, and an Ode to the duke of Marlborough, 1707, in Duncombe'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 volume 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.