Brown Thomas

Brown, Thomas, miscellaneous writer, was born in 1663 at Shifnal, Salop. He left Christchurch, Oxford, somewhat suddenly, through his irregularities, and perhaps also on account of his clever application of Martial's epigram, "Non amo te, Sabidi," etc., to the Dean of Christchurch, Dr. Fell. Brown rendered it thus: -

"I do not love thee, Dr. Fell,
The reason why I cannot tell;
But this I know, and know full well,
I do not love thee, Dr. Fell."

He came to London, where he made a precarious livelihood by writing poems of a satirical nature, pamphlets, letters, etc., witty, it is true, but coarse and scurrilous. He led a licentious life, Which terminated in 1704, and he was interred in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, near his friend, Mrs. Aphra Behn.