English poet, celebrated for his translation of Virgil’s Aeneid; born in the year 1699. Having studied four years at New College, Oxford, he was presented to the living of Pimperne, in Dorsetshire, which he held during the remainder of his life. He had so poetical a turn, that whilst he was a school-boy he wrote two large folios of manuscript poems, one of which contained an entire translation of Lucan. He was much esteemed while at the university, particularly by the celebrated Dr. Young, who used familiarly to call him his son. Next to his translation of Virgil, Mr. Pitt gained the greatest reputation by his excellent English version of Vida’s Art of Poetry. This amiable poet died in the year 1748, without leaving, it is said, one enemy behind him. See also Literary Criticism.
