The British Musical Biography

[E] Thomson, George, collector and editor,
born at Limekilns, Fife, March 4, 1757.
Secretary to the Board of Trustees for the
Encouragement of Arts and Manufactures in
Scotland, 1780. He died at Leith, February
18, 1851. Published " A Select Collection of
original Scottish airs for the voice, to each of
which are added introductory and concluding
Symphonies and accompanyments for the
pianoforte, violin, and violoncello [by Pleyel,
Kozeluch, Haydn, and Beethoven, vol. titles
differ], with select and characteristic verses
by the most admired Scottish Poets...."
London [1793-1841], 6 vols: v. 1,1793; 2,
1798 ; 3, 1799 ; 4, 1802 ; 5, 1818-1826 ; 6,
1841. Collection of the Songs of Burns, Sir
Walter Scott, and other eminent lyric poets,
ancient and modern, united to the select
melodies of Scotland, and of Ireland and
Wales, with symphonies and accompani-
ments for the pianoforte, by Pleyel, Haydn,
and Beethoven, etc London, 1822, 6 vols.

[+] Select Collection of original Welsh airs,
adapted for the voice, united to characteristic
English poetry, with introductory and con-
cluding symphonies [by Haydn, Beethoven,
etc.], London, 1809, 3 vols. Select collection
of original Irish airs, united to characteristic
English poetry, with symphonies and accom-
paniments for the pianoforte, violin, and
violoncello, composed by Beethoven, London,
1814-16, 2 vols. Twenty Scottish melodies,
added in 1838-39 to G. Thomson's new edition
of the Melodies, Edinburgh, 1839.

[+] Thomson was an enthusiastic musician,
and frequently gave musical parties and
nances in his house His neighbours objected
to the noise, and under cover of a new police
act, Thomson was proceeded against and an
injunction was obtained against him in the
police courts. This case gave rise to a con-
troversy to which Thomson contributed two
pamphlets — " Statement and review of the
recent decision of the judge of police in
Edinlmrgh, authorizing his officers to make
domiciliary visits in private families, and to
stop dancing," Edinburgh, 1807 ; and a four-
page " Postcript " on the same subject.

entry id: 411-R-9