Dr Thomas, an ingenious divine and an elegant poet. He was archdeacon of Clogher, and the intimate friend of Pope, who published his works, with a copy of commendatory verses prefixed. He died in 1718, at the age of thirty-nine. "The life of Dr Parnell," says Johnson, "is a task which I should very willingly decline, since it has been lately written by Goldsmith, a man of such variety of powers, and such facility of performance, that he always seemed to do best that which he was doing; a man who had the art of being minute without tediousness, and general without confusion; whose language was copious without exuberance, exact without constraint, and easy without weakness. What such an author has told, who would tell again? I have made an extract from his larger narrative; and shall have this gratification from my attempt, that it gives me an opportunity of paying due tribute to the memory of a departed genius.

"To γας γενομένην Σαυτερον.

"The general character of Parnell is not great extent of comprehension, or fertility of mind. Of the little that appears, still less is his own. His praise must be derived from the easy sweetness of his diction. In his verses there is more happiness than pains; he is sprightly without effort, and always delights though he never ravishes; everything is proper, yet everything seems casual. If there is some appearance of elaboration in the Hermit, the narrative, as it is less airy, is less pleasing. Of his other compositions, it is impossible to say whether they are the productions of nature so excellent as not to want the help of art, or of art so refined as to resemble nature."