, a man of much literary industry, and known for half a century
, a man of much literary industry,
and known for half a century as a translator, was born in
1698. Of his early history we find no particulars recorded.
He appears to have been acquainted with Pope, and to
have been respected by that poet, doubtless, on account
of his amiable and inoffensive character, which procured
him, among the wits of that time, the name of the Lamb.
The only time he ever deviated from the gentleness of this
animal was when Cooke, the translator of Hesiod, abused
his poetry to his face. On this provocation Mr. Lockman
proved his relationship to the genus irritabile, by retorting, with a quickness not usual to him, “It may be so;
but thank God! my name is not at full length in the Dunciad.
” Mr. Lockman’s poetical talents were certainly not
very extensive, as the greatest part of his effusions are
only a few songs, odas, &c. written on temporary subjects, and set to music for Vauxhall and other places of
public entertainment. Mr. Reed, however, found two
pieces of the dramatic kind, both of them designed to be
set to music; but only the second of them, he thinks, was
ever performed, viz. 1. “Rosalinda, a musical drama,
1740,
” 4to. 2. “David’s Lamentations, an oratorio;
”
which we believe were not successful.