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William Thomson

Details

Birth Date 1746

Death Date 1817

Personal Name Thomson, William

Official Sites

DNB vol.56 says: "Of the numerous works written or edited by Thomson the chief are: 1. ‘Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa,’ 1782. 2. ‘The Man in the Moon,’ a satirical novel after the manner of Swift, 1783. 3. ‘History of Great Britain from the Revolution of 1688 to the Accession of George I,’ 2 vols. 4to, 1787, from the Latin manuscript of Alexander Cunningham (1654–1737) [q. v.] 4. ‘Memoirs of the War in Asia from 1780 to 1784,’ 2 vols. 1788. 5. ‘Appeal to the People on behalf of Warren Hastings,’ 1788. 6. ‘Mammuth, or Human Nature displayed on a grand scale, in a Tour with the Tinkers into the Central Parts of Africa,’ 1789. 7. ‘A Tour in England and Scotland by an English Gentleman,’ 1789, enlarged into ‘Prospects and Observations on a Tour in England and Scotland, by Thomas Newte, Esq.,’ 1791. 8. ‘Memoirs of Sergeant Donald Macleod,’ 1791. 9. ‘Travels into Denmark, Norway, and Sweden,’ by Andrew Swinton, 1792. 10. ‘Introduction to the Trial of Mr. Hastings,’ 1796. 11. ‘Memoirs relative to Military Tactics,’ 1805. 12. ‘Travels in Scotland by James Hall,’ illustrated, 1807.

Thomson also continued Goldsmith's ‘History of Greece;’ expanded in 1793 Buchanan's ‘Travels in the Hebrides;’ translated ‘Travels to the North Cape,’ from the Italian of Acerbi; compiled under the name of Harrison a commentary on the Bible; and edited ‘Narrative of an Expedition against the revolted Negroes of Surinam,’ by John Gabriel Stedman. A five-act tragedy, ‘Caledonia, or the Clans of Yore,’ appeared posthumously in 1818. Thomson prepared from 1790 to 1800 the historical part of Dodsley's ‘Annual Register.’ From 1794 to December 1796 he owned ‘The English Review,’ and largely furnished its contents. When he relinquished the ownership it was incorporated with the ‘Analytical Review’ [see Johnson, Joseph]. He also wrote for the ‘European Magazine,’ the ‘Political Herald,’ the ‘Oracle,’ and the ‘Whitehall Evening Post.’"