MICKLE, William Julius, the translator of the Lusiad, was the son of Mr Alexander Mickle, a Scottish clergyman, who had formerly been a dissenting minister in London, an assistant to Dr Watts, and one of the translators of Bayle’s Dictionary. He was born in London about the year 1735, and educated by his father, after whose death he came to Edinburgh to reside with his uncle, who was a brewer there, and who admitted him into a share of his business; but not being qualified to succeed in this line, he went to London about the time of the conclusion of the war which began in 1755, with a view to procure a commission in the marine service. In this he was disappointed; but he introduced himself to the first Lord Lyttelton, to whom he sent one of his poems. From his lordship, however, he received no other favour than that of being admitted to several interviews, and encouraged to persevere in his poetical plans.

From the time of Mr Mickle’s arrival in London till the year 1765, it is not known how he employed his time, although it is probable that he was occupied in some branch [7:15:10]of the printing business; and in that year he engaged himself as corrector to the Clarendon press. From this time till 1770, he published several small pieces in prose and verse, which brought him into some notice; and he was likewise a frequent writer in the Whitehall Evening Post. When not more than seventeen years of age, he had read Gas-tara’s translation of the Lusiad of Camaens into French, and then projected the design of giving an English ver- .sion of that poem. This, however, he was prevented from executing by various avocations till the year 1771, when he published the first book as a specimen; and having prepared himself by acquiring some knowledge of the Portuguese language, he determined to apply himself entirely to the task of translation. With this view he quitted his residence at Oxford, and went to a farm-house at Forest Hill, where he pursued his design with unremitting assiduity till the year 1775, when the work was completed. During the time that Mr Mickle was engaged in this work, he subsisted entirely by his employment as corrector of the press; and on his quitting that employment he had only the subscriptions which he received for his translation to support him. But notwithstanding these difficulties, he adhered steadily to the plan he laid down, and completed his task in about five years.

When his work had been finished, Mr Mickle applied to a person of high rank, with whom his family had been connected, for permission to dedicate it to him. The permission sought was granted, and his patron honoured him with a very polite letter; but after receiving a copy, the latter did not think prop⅛r to take any notice of the author. The applause with which the work was received, however, soon banished from the author’s mind the disagreeable sensations which had been occasioned by the contemptuous neglect of his patron, as well as some severe criticisms which had been circulated concerning it. A second edition was prepared in 1778; and whilst he was meditating a publication of all his poems, he was appointed secretary to Commodore Johnstone, who had obtained the command of the Romney. In November 1779 he arrived at Lisbon, and was appointed by his patron joint agent for the prizes which were taken.

In June 1782 Mr Mickle married Miss Tomkins, daughter of the person with whom he had resided at Forest Hill whilst engaged in translating the Lusiad. Having received some fortune with this lady, and made a little money himself when in the service of Commodore Johnstone, he now enjoyed a comfortable independence. He afterwards fixed his residence at Wheatley, in Oxfordshire, where he died after a short illness, on the 25th of October 1788, leaving a son behind him. His poetry possesses considerable beauty, variety, and harmony of numbers. His life was without reproach; his foibles were few and inoffensive, his virtues many, and his genius respectable.