able oppofition, which left no exertion untried to reconcile the court and the country, by advising measures which have ranged every moderate and good man on the fide of parliament and the throne, and thus have weakened the republican and French factions which had now become fo powerful. Thefe efforts were, unfortunately, not fuccessful. Instead of conciliating, adminiftration continued to exafperate; and fcorning to refort to lenitives, applied the most powerful cauftics: for every measure of moderation, or conceffion, which was propofed by Mr. G. and his party, one of feverity and coercion was substituted, until the cabinet ultimately arrived at military law, and free quarters! At that critical moment, Mr. G. who could no longer hope, by his prefence in the fenate, to ferve his country, feceded; and at the close of the parliament published a very eloquent and fpirited addrefs to his former constituents, accounting for his past conduct, and formally declining to accept of a feat in the legislature.

Such are the leading facts which have marked the life of one who, whatever may be thought of him by his oppoments, while the fever of politics continues to agitate the human mind, will have his merits and defects examined fairly by pofterity, and, in all probability, be acknowleged by them as a great man.

As to his private life, it has paffed on in a smooth manner, marked equally by the practice of every conjugal and domeftic virtue, living when not engaged on public duty, at his delightful feat at Tinehinch, where he spends hist time in ftudy, amidft his family, in the enjoyment of the fociety of a few felect friends, and in acts of humane munificence to the indigent of his neighbourhood; he has four children, two boys and two girls, the eldest boy was born in 1785.

In private life, Mr. G. difplays manners that are in a high degree pleafing. Wit he feems not to poffefs, and he has a caft of mind too lofty for humour; but if he does not "fet the table in a roar," or dazzle with the radiance of

fancy,

fancy, he diffufes over the convivial hour the mild charms of good-humour, and softens fociety with unassuming gentleness.

In converfation he appears to great advantage; for, with a mind well stored with useful learning, and converfant on every topic which occurs, he has a felicity of expreffion, which communicates his meaning in the most concise and impreffive manner: he is not argumentative, but when an argument is inftituted, his opinions are urged with great modesty, but with great ftrength, and when victor in the conteft, he generously relinquishes the field to the vanquifhed.

Of Mr. G's political opinions, the complexion may be known from the measures which he has fupported, and the tenor of his parliamentary conduct. As they have ftruck the mind of the writer, they appear to be strongly monarchical, and arifiocratical only fo far as our conftitution requires them to be; at the fame time leaning towards a perpetuity of union between the two countries, and yet decidedly adverfe to the existence of any British influence in Ireland diftinct from that which the union of the two crowns on the head of a British prince renders indifpenfable. That he fhould, therefore, be connected with a fociety of men whofe aim was feparation from England, and the establishment of an Irish Republic, feems, in the highest degree, improbable. The luftre of his name, however, has fuffered a temporary eclipfe; and fo fhort-lived is municipal gratitude, that it has actually been expunged from a city which he has rendered flourishing. At the very fame time it was ftruck from the lift of privy counsellors.

As a public fpeaker, Mr. G. ranks in the highest class. In his speeches there is a grandeur, which marks a mind of a fuperior order, and enforces at once, reverence and admiration. On every fubject which he treats, he throws a radiance that enlightens without dazzling; and while it affifts the judgment, delights the imagination. His fryle is always peculiar, for it varies its character with the occa

fion. At one time close and energetic, it concentrates the force of his argument, and compels conviction; at another diffufe, lofty and magnificent, it applies itfelf to every faculty of the mind, charms our fancy, influences our will, and convinces our understanding. At all times his manner is animated with a pleasing warmth, which renders it impoffible to hear him without intereft; but, on fome occafions he exerts a power which is irrefiftible. Prostitution, under its influence, forgets for a moment the voice of the minister, and place, pension, aud peerage, have but a feeble hold even of the moft degenerate.

To the excellence of his ftyle he does not add the graces of action; it is forcible indeed, and fometimes expreffive, but it is feldom elegant, and never pleafing. For invective, to which Mr. G. has fometimes deigned to have recourfe, his manner is better adapted than to the fedatenefs of cool difquifition; and yet invective is not that in which he principally excels: he is more fitted by nature, and happily the fituation he has filled has more frequently called him, to defend the right of nations, and to pourtray the hopes, the fears, the expectations of a magnanimous people, than to defcend to a wordy conteft with individuals; though, when that contest has been inftituted, the weapons of Mr. G. have been found sharp, if not polished, and capable of inflicting, wounds which refufe to be healed.

SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH.

THE great Admiral Howard, who lived in the reign of King Henry the eighth, was wont to fay, that "a certain portion of madnefs was neceffary to enter into the compofition of an English feaman." We know not whether this affertion ought to be admitted in its full extent; yet the

fact

fact is, that fome of our moft celebrated naval characters have obtained renown for deeds which appear to cold-blooded men to favour of defperation, as well as of valour.

It is not our intention to detract from any man's merits, who has been, or is now, engaged in the fervice of his country, either by fea or land; but we are forced to fay, that our admiration is not fo much excited by those dazzling exploits which please the populace, as by the more fteady and extenfive operations of fuch magnanimous, but prudent commanders, who are rather bent upon general good, than romantic adventures. Each, however, has his portion of merit; and he who hazards his person with alacrity, in behalf of the country for which he fights, muft always claim our respect.

*

Sir William Sydney Smith was born in the metropolis, A. D. 1764. His father was a captain in the army, and his mother the daughter of Mr. Wilkinson, a merchant of great eminence in the city. This match was so hostile to Mr. Wilkinson's fentiments, that he not only discarded Mrs. Smith in his life-time, but at his death left his whole fortune, which was very confiderable, to his other daughter, the prefent Lady Camelford.

The subject of the prefent notice was educated under Dr. Knox, at Tunbridge-fchool; and at an early age was put on board a man-of-war, which profeffion he had adopted for himself. He rose rapidly, and at the age of fixteen was

fifth

*Captain Smith was aide-de-camp to Lord George Germaine, at the battle of Minden, and was examined as an evidence on his trial. His teftimony on that occafion is faid to have faved the life of his protector.

Having encountered fome obloquy, in confequence of his zeal, the Duke of Dorset, who was greatly attached to his younger fon, Lord George, very properly took captain S. into favour; and, among other gifts, prefented him with a grant of land at the foot of Dover caftle, on which he has built a whimsical houfe. Some adjoining apartments are excavated from the rock, and the kitchen, &c. are roofed with boats. There is a tower, called "Sir Sydney's look-out;" and the writer of this has been informed, that his father, who is a ftaunch methodist, has lately erected a chapel there.

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fifth lieutenant of the Alcide of feventy-four guns. He was made poft-captain in 1783, at which time the restoration of peace prevented him from exercifing his active spiit in the fervice of his country.

When the war broke out between Ruffia and Sweden in the year 1788, Captain Smith obtained permiffion from the English government to enter into the navy of the latter power, by which he was honoured with a diftinguished command.

During this conteft, he gave fuch fatisfaction to the court of Sweden by his important fervices, that the honour of knighthood was conferred upon him; which, however, has not been confirmed by his own fovereign.

On the termination of that war, he returned to his native country, and soon after set out on his travels through various parts of Europe.

When hoftilities broke out between England and France, he was in Italy; and on Lord Hood's getting poffeffion of Toulon, Captain Smith went thither and volunteered on board the British fleet. In the fubfequent evacuation of that place, he was entrusted with the dangerous, but important, fervice, of fetting fire to the fhips, dock-yards, and arfenal, which he performed with fuch astonishing skill, boldnefs, and fuccefs, as to call forth the warmest encomiums from Lord Hood in his account of that tranfaction to the admiralty.

On his return to England, he had the command of the Diamond frigate beflowed on him, with which he greatly annoyed the enemy on their own coaft, and made feveral important and valuable captures. He had afterwards some other frigates put under his direction, as commodore; with which fquadron he performed fome effential fervices, particularly in attacking a French convoy at Herqui, where he landed and demolished the fortifications. At one time Sir Sydney went with his fingle frigate into Breft harbour, and having reconnoitered the ftate of the enemy's fhips, came out to fea without fufpicion. He was enabled to do this

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