THOMAS, an eminent English poet in the 17th century, was born in Northamptonshire 1605. He was educated at Westminster and Cambridge, and very early distinguished for his excellent genius; for at about nine or ten years of age he wrote the History of the Incarnation of our Saviour in verse. His subsequent writings established his character, and gained him the esteem and friendship of some of the greatest men of that age, particularly of Ben Johnson, who adopted him one of his sons in the muses. He died in 1634, and was honourably interred. He wrote, 1. The Muses Looking-glass, a comedy. 2. Amyntas, or the Impossible Dowry, a pastoral, acted before the king and queen. 3. Aristippus, or the Jovial Philosopher. 4. Randolph, The Conceited Pedlar. 5. The Jealous Lovers, a comedy. 6. Hey for Honesty, down with Knavery, a comedy; and several poems.

RANDOM shot, in Gunnery, is a shot made when the muzzle of a gun is raised above the horizontal line, and is not designed to shoot directly or point blank. The utmost random of any piece is about ten times as far as the bullet will go point-blank. The bullet will go farthest when the piece is mounted to about 45° above the level range. See GUNNERY and PROJECTILES.