The Seasons by James Thomson
According to the Patrick Murdoch’s Life of the Author that preceded my edition of James Thomson’s The Seasons, autumn was Thomson’s favorite time of the year. We share that in common. I enjoyed reading his four poems that touched on physical, mental and spiritual moments throughout the year. The edition I read was in a beautiful binding and it used the 1746 edition of the text, the last one revised by the author before his death.
Thomson’s word choices and phrasing can slow down the modern reader, and some contemporary reviewers felt he needed to say things more simply. But, there are joyful moments throughout each section. I delighted in his description of the joy post-harvest in autumn (lines 1213-1223) and the pleasures of reading in winter (431-439). In spring, true love blossoms (1113-1125) and in summer, sleep is something that shouldn’t be overdone as there is so much life to live (67-80).