James Thomson
In 1994 a curved metal bench, known as "Poet's seat", was installed at the north end of Pembroke Lodge Gardens, at a viewpoint overlooking Petersham Park in the area known as Poet’s Corner. Sculpted by Richard Farringdon, it is based on an idea by Jane Fowles who worked with LUC (Land Use Consultants.) The seat is inscribed with lines by James Thomson, the 18th century Scottish poet best known for writing the words to "Rule Britannia!" who, towards the end of his life, lived in Richmond.
At the north eastern end of Pembroke Lodge Gardens there is another memorial to Thomson, who died at Richmond in 1748. This is a black wooden board, originally installed in 1851 as two boards attached to trees near Pembroke Lodge stables. A version of the present board was erected in 1895 by the Selbourne Society. The board has a poem about Thomson by the writer and historian John Heneage Jesse.
Lines from Thomson’s best-known poem, "The Seasons", are inscribed on King Henry’s Mound.
Read more about this topic: Richmond Park, Plantings and Memorials
Famous quotes containing the words james and/or thomson:
“Write about winter in the summer. Describe Norway as Ibsen did, from a desk in Italy; describe Dublin as James Joyce did, from a desk in Paris. Willa Cather wrote her prairie novels in New York City; Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn in Hartford, Connecticut. Recently, scholars learned that Walt Whitman rarely left his room.”
—Annie Dillard (b. 1945)
“But chief to heedless flies the window proves
A constant death; where gloomily retired,
The villain spider lives, cunning and fierce,
Mixture abhorred! Amid a mangled heap
Of carcases in eager watch he sits,
O’erlooking all his waving snares around.”
—James Thomson (1700–1748)