A poet and indefatigable prose-writer, Thomas Smibert was born in
Peebles on the 8th February 1810. Of his native town his father held for
a period the office of chief magistrate. With a view of qualifying
himself for the medical profession, he became apprentice to an
apothecary, and afterwards attended the literary and medical classes in
the University of Edinburgh. Obtaining licence as a surgeon, he
commenced practice in the village of Inverleithen, situated within six
miles of his native town. He was induced to adopt this sphere of
professional labour from an affection which he had formed for a young
lady in the vicinity, who, however, did not recompense his devotedness,
but accepted the hand of a more prosperous rival. Disappointed in love,
and with a practice scarcely yielding emolument sufficient to pay the
annual rent of his apothecary's store, he left Inverleithen after the
lapse of a year, and returned to Peebles. He now began to turn his
attention to literature, and was fortunate in procuring congenial
employment from the Messrs Chambers, as a contributor to their popular
_Journal_. Of this periodical he soon attained the position of
sub-editor; and in evidence of the indefatigable nature of his services
in this literary connexion, it is worthy of record that, during the
period intervening between 1837 and 1842, he contributed to the
_Journal_ no fewer than five hundred essays, one hundred tales, and
about fifty biographical sketches. Within the same period he edited a
new edition of Paley's "Natural Theology," with scientific notes, and
wrote extensively for a work of the Messrs Chambers, entitled
"Information for the People." In 1842, he was appointed to the
sub-editorship of the _Scotsman_ newspaper. The bequest of a relative
afterwards enabled him to relinquish stated literary occupation, but he
continued to exhibit to the world pleasing evidences of his learning and
industry. He became a frequent contributor to _Hogg's Instructor_, an
Edinburgh weekly periodical; produced a work on "Greek History;" and
collated a "Rhyming Dictionary." A large, magnificently illustrated
volume, the "Clans of the Highlands of Scotland," was his most ambitious
and successful effort as a prose-writer. His poetical compositions,
which were scattered among a number of the periodicals, he was induced
to collect and publish in a volume, with the title, "Io Anche! Poems
chiefly Lyrical;" Edinburgh, 1851, 12mo. An historical play from his
pen, entitled "Condé's Wife," founded on the love of Henri Quatre for
Marguerite de Montmorency, whom the young Prince of Condé had wedded,
was produced in 1842 by Mr Murray in the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, and
during a run of nine nights was received with applause.
Smibert died at Edinburgh on the 16th January 1854, in his forty-fourth
year. With pleasing manners, he was possessed of kindly dispositions,
and was much cherished for his intelligent and interesting conversation.
In person he was strong built, and his complexion was fair and ruddy. He
was not undesirous of reputation both as a poet and prose-writer, and
has recorded his regret that he had devoted so much time to evanescent
periodical literature. His poetry is replete with patriotic sentiment,
and his strain is forcible and occasionally brilliant. His songs
indicate a fine fancy and deep pathos.