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 appeared in Fraser's, all Thomson's important poetical work from 1860 to 1875 appeared in Bradlaugh's National Reformer. In spite of the unusual power and beauty of some of the poems—the exquisite "To Our Ladies of Death" was published as early as 1863—his work attracted little notice until 1874, when "The City of Dreadful Night" appeared. The critics were roused by this poem, and many appreciative notices followed its publication.

In spite of the measure of recognition awarded him, Thomson's life, at best an unequal struggle with poverty and melancholy, grew more and more burdensome. Apart from the precarious paths of such journalism as his pronounced views left open to him, he had no settled way of gaining a livelihood. After leaving the army, in 1862, be had for some time held a Clerkship in Bradlaugh's office. In 1872 he visited America in the capacity of Secretary to a short-lived mining company, and in the following year he spent two months in Spain: as Special correspondent of The World-our own World—during the Carlist rebellion. But toward the end of his life his contributions to such periodicals as would accept his work were his chief support, and that he was but poorly paid is shown by the following: In 1875, owing to an unfortunate disagreement with Bradlaugh, he ceased to contribute to The National Reformer. For the next six years his main dependence was a trade journal called Cape's Tobacco Plant—a trade journal with literary tendencies, however, for Thomson's writings for it included articles on Ben Jonson, Rabelais, John Wilson, James Hogg, and Walt Whitman, and Mr. Dobell tells us that Thomson probably, earned as much from his contributions to The Tobacco Plant as from all his other literary work put together. Still, these were hard years for him. In 1879 he writes: "I can still but barely manage to keep head above water—sometimes sinking under for a bit". The words off praise which had greeted his masterpiece had not found sufficient echo to encourage the unfortunate author, now all but ready to give up the battle. For "seven songless years" he wrote no verse, only breaking silence shortly before his death, when through the kind offices of Mr. Dobell two volumes or his poems found a publisher in the liberal-minded firm of Reeves & Turner, and met with a favorable reception. The powerful "Voice from the Nile," which gives its name to the