WILLIAM JULIUS, the celebrated translator of the Lufad, was the son of the reverend Alexander Mickle a Scottish clergyman, who had formerly been a dissenting minister in London, an affiant to the reverend Dr Watts, and one of the translators of Bayle's Dictionary. This gentleman having resided a few years in London, was presented to the church of Langholm in Scotland, where he married; and our author was one of the younger sons. He was born about the year 1735, and was educated by his father. In his early years his passion for poetry frequently discovered itself; though till the age of 13 he did not show any particular attachment to books. At that time having accidentally met with Spencer's Faery Queen, he became enamoured of his manner of writing, and instantly began to imitate him. After the death of his father, he came to Edinburgh to reside with an uncle who was a brewer there, and who admitted him into a share of his business; not being qualified to succeed in this line, he went to London about the time of the conclusion of the war which began in 1755, with a view to procure a commission in the marine service. Here he was disappointed; but introduced himself to the first Lord Lyttelton, to whom he sent one of his poems. From his Lordship, however, he received no other favour than being admitted to several interviews, and encouraged to persevere in his poetical plans.

So closely did our author cultivate the study of the muses, that before he was 18 years of age he had written two tragedies and half an epic poem; but all these were committed to the flames. The first of his poems which appeared in print was published in one of the Edinburgh magazines, and entitled, "On passing through the Parliament Close of Edinburgh at Midnight." This was afterwards inserted in A Collection of Original Poems by a Scotch gentleman, vol. ii. p. 137.

From the time of Mr Mickle's arrival in London till the year 1765, it is not known how he employed his time, though it is probable that he was employed in some branch of the printing business; and in 1765 he engaged himself as corrector to the Clarendon press. This year he published the Poem which first brought him into notice, entitled, "Pollio, an Elegiac Ode, written in the Wood near R—— (Rodlin) Caille," This was an elegy written on the death of his brother, which, previous to its publication, had been shewn to Lord Lyttelton, and received some corrections from him. The latter, in an epistle to the author, spoke of it as equal to any thing of the kind in our language. In 1767 he published a poem called "The Concubine, in two cantos, after the manner of Spencer," 4to; and in 1769 he published, "A Letter to Mr Harwood, wherein some of his evasive gloffes, false translations, and blundering criticisms, in support of the Arian Heresy, contained in his literal translation of the New Testament, are pointed out and confuted," 8vo: and next year he published "Mary Queen of Scots, an Elegy;" "Hengist and Mary, a ballad;" and "Knowledge, an Ode;" in Pearch's Collection of Poems. In 1770 he published "Voltaire in the Shades, or Dialogues on the Deistical Controversy," 8vo. The Elegy on Mary had been submitted to the judgment of Lord Lyttelton, who declined to criticise it, not for its deficiency in poetical merit, but from thinking differently from the author concerning that unfortunate princess.

About this time Mr Mickle was a frequent writer in the Whitehall Evening Post; but a more important work now engaged his attention. When no more than 17 years of age he had read Caftara's translation of the Lusiad of Camoens into French, and then projected the design of giving an English translation of it. From this, however, he was prevented by various avocations till the year 1771, when he published the first book as a specimen: and having prepared himself by acquiring some knowledge of the Portuguese language, he determined to apply himself entirely to this work. With this view he quitted his residence at Oxford, and went to a farm house at Forest-hill, where he pursued his design with unremitting assiduity till the year 1775, when the work was entirely finished.

During the time that Mr Mickle was engaged in this work, he subsisted entirely by his employment as corrector of the press; and on his quitting that employment he had only the subscriptions he received for his translation to support him. Notwithstanding these difficulties, he adhered steadily to the plan he had laid down, and completed it in about five years.

When his work was finished, Mr Mickle applied to a person of great rank, with whom his family had been connected, for permission to dedicate it to him. Permission was granted, and his patron honoured him with a very polite letter; but after receiving a copy, for which an extraordinary price was paid for the binding, he did not think proper to take any notice of the author. At last a gentleman of high rank in the political world, a firm friend to the author, and who afterwards took him under his protection, waited on the patron, and heard him declare that he had not read the work, but that it had been represented not to have the merit it was at first said to possess. The applause with which the work was received, however, soon banished from the author's mind those disagreeable sensations which had been occasioned by the contemptuous neglect of his patron, as well as some severe criticisms which had been circulated concerning it. A second edition was prepared in 1778, with a plate prefixed to it, executed by the celebrated artist Mor- tiner; on whom Mr Mickle wrote an epistle in 1779. This year also he published a pamphlet, entitled, "A Candid Examination of the Reasons for depriving the East India Company of its Charter, contained in The History and Management of the East India Company from its Commencement to the Present Time; together with some Strictures on the Self-Contradictions and Historical Errors of Dr Adam Smith, in his Reasons for the Abolition of the said Company," 4to. About this time some of his friends thought of recommending him to the king as deserving of a pension; but this scheme was never put in execution. Dr Lowth, bishop of London, would have put him into orders, and provided for him in the church; but this was not agreeable to our author's disposition. While he was meditating a publication of all his poems, in which he would most probably have found his account, he was appointed secretary to Commodore Johnstone, who had lately obtained the command of the Romney man of war. In November 1779 he arrived at Lisbon, and was named by his patron joint agent for the prizes which were taken. In this capital and its neighbourhood he resided more than six months, being everywhere received with every mark of politeness and attention; and during this period he composed his poem called "Almada Hill," which in 1781 was published in quarto. He collected also many particulars concerning the manners of the Portuguese, which he intended also to have published. During his stay at Lisbon the Royal Academy was opened; and Mr Mickle, who was present at the ceremony of its commencement, had the honour to be admitted a member under the presidency of Don John of Braganza, duke of La- oens. His presence being thought necessary in England to attend to the proceedings of the courts of law respecting the condemnation of some of the prizes, he did not accompany the Commodore in his last expedition, nor did he go any more to sea. In 1782 he published "The Prophecy of Queen Emma, an ancient Ballad lately discovered, written by Johannes Turgot- tus, prior of Durham, in the reign of William Rufus; to which is added by the Editor, an Account of the Discovery, and Hints towards a Vindication of the Authenticity, of the Poems of Offian and Rowley," 8vo.

In June this year Mr Mickle married Miss Tomkins, daughter of the person with whom he resided at For- est-hill, while engaged in translating the Lusiad. Having received some fortune with this lady, as well as made some money himself when in the service of Commodore Johnstone, he now enjoyed a comfortable independence. He afterwards fixed his residence at Wheatley in Oxfordshire, and devoted his time to the revision of his poetical works, which he proposed to publish by subscription. During the last seven years of his life he was employed in writing for the European Magazine. The Fragments of Leo, and some of the most approved reviews of books, in that periodical work, were of his production. He died after a short illness, on the 25th of October 1788, at Wheatley, leaving one son behind him. His poetry possesses much beauty, variety, harmony of numbers, and vigour of imagination: his life was without reproach; his foibles were few and inoffensive; his virtues many; and his genius very considerable.