the press. It attracted the attention of the most exalted personages in the kingdom; and many of the most eminent literary characters concurred in bestowing the meed of approbation upon its author. His domestic affairs were greatly improved by the various presents which he received from those who were emulous to reward the exertion of talents under such untoward circumstances, and, conjoined with the profits derived from the sale of the work, enabled him to emerge from the obscurity of his former situation, and to remove to a small house near the Shepherd and Shepherdess, in the City Road. One of the greatest pleasures, however, resulting to Bloomfield from the printing of The Farmer's Boy, was the opportunity of transmitting a copy to his mother; which he did immediately after its publication.
In the year 1802 he published a second volume of poems, under the title of Rural Tales: these added considerably to his reputation:—his familiar representations of nature giving a charm to his poetry that renders it attractive to every class of readers. A third volume, bearing the appellation of Wild Flowers, has very recently been published, and will be found to possess an equal degree of merit with his former productions.
