perfon, he is tall, and though now an old man, he is ye florid, erect, and handfome.

RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN FOSTER,

SPEAKER OF THE IRISH HOUSE OF COMMONS.

IF the poffeffion of a strong and correct understanding, much general knowledge, and a profound acquaintance with the commercial, manufacturing, and agricultural interefts of his native country, constitute a just ground to refpect, it is due to Mr. Fofter; for undoubtedly one more able, in point of intellect, or better informed in the very important inftances we have mentioned, is not to be found among the public men of Ireland.

John Foster is the fon of the late Anthony, Lord Chief Baron Fofter. He received his education at the univerfity of Dublin, where he was contemporary with the late excellent and accomplished Chief Baron Burgh. In Michaelmas term, 1766, he was called to the Irish bar, while his father, the Chief Baron, was yet on the bench. To Mr. Fofter, law was but a nominal profeffion; he applied himself to other studies, and no doubt had higher pursuit in view, than the humble fituation of a labouring barrister, or even the more dignified one of a puifné judge. He accordingly turned his mind towards statistical enquiries; and in the moft dry and difficult occupations, perhaps, in which the human mind can be employed, he made a proficiency to which he now owes his elevation to the most honourable office which a commoner can fill, R 2

Mr.

Mr. Fofter was returned to ferve in parliament for theboroughof Dunleer at the age of nineteen, was fhortly after called to the bar and at the fucceeding general election was returned for the county of Louth, which he has fince continued to reprefent. On the laft election, he was called on by the citizens of Dublin but declined in confequence of the handsome manner he has always been returned to parliament by Louth. He foon became as

confpicuous for talents, as for knowledge. At that time, indeed, it was lefs difficult to become eminent in an Irish House of Commons than at prefent, because the field for exertion being narrow, much talent, comparatively fpeaking, was not called forth; but in any affembly of legiflators, this man was qualified to fhine; and in that of Ireland, the manly wifdom of his fyftem of corn laws, a system which he began to form shortly after his coming into parliament, will give long celebrity give to his name. From being unable to fupply twothirds of her people with bread, in 1770, in confequence of the operation of Mr. Fofter's plan, his country has not only become equal to 'feed her inhabitants without lying at the mercy of other nations, but actually to export grain to the amount of 200,000l. annually.

After the agriculture of the country, the next great object of Mr. Fofter was the Linen manufacture, and this has derived, from his zeal and intelligence, nearly equal bènefit with agriculture itself. His attention to it has been unremitted; and the regulations, from time to time, introduced by his advice, have not only greatly encreased the quantity manufactured and exported, but fecured to Irith linens, in foreign countries, a character which muft, for many years, operate powerfully in their favour.

During the very period in which Mr. Fofter was rendering to Ireland benefits fo important, his name was not merely

merely odious, but even execrated among the populace, at least the populace of the metropolis. This is not much to the credit, of popular feeling; but there are some circumstances which may account for the fact, notwithstanding that they certainly cannot justify it.

Although Mr. Fofter was thus laudably employed in advancing the agriculture and manufactures of the country, he was always friendly to the establishing the independence of the legislature, and abrogating the unjust restrictions, by which Great Britain had fettered the commerce of Ireland. At that time, too, the manufacturers of the capital were either ftarving for want of employment, or kept alive by eleemofynary contributions. Protecting duties for these famifhed artifans were called for, and Mr. Fofter oppofed them with all his powers. It was natural that the hungry fhould hate the man who thus declared his hoftility to measures which was hoped would give them bread. The remote operation of laws, however wife, the bulk of the nation could not forefee; and even if they could forefee, it would not relieve the preffure of prefent want, or enable the famishing workman to fatisfy the falls of nature.

Whatever Mr. Foster's merits, therefore, might be, the populace, reafoning from what was obvious, instead of what was remote, looked on him with deteftation; his having declared an opinion against the utility of promoting. Silk manufacture, was another caufe which raised him a host of enemies. This prejudice continued for feveral years.

In 1784, Mr. Fofter was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer; an office, for which his comprehenfive and methodical mind, added to his extenfive knowledge of the refources of the country, admirable fitted him. In 1785 be, however refigned the Chancellorship, on being chofen fpeaker

t

fpeaker of the Houfe of Commons, in which dignified fituation he has fince continued. At the commencement of the late parliament, the friends of Mr. W. B. Ponsonby made a powerful effort in fupport of his pretenfions to the chair; but they were unable to counteract that influence which the experience, talents, and information of Mr. Fofter defervedly gave him. He was accordingly chosen then by a large majority; and by the present Houfe of Commons, he was elected without oppofition, moft of the popular members having feceded.

The duties of this high office are discharged by him with great ability. Deeply read in the law and privileges of parliament, no incident occurs in which he is not able to guide the conduct of the house, while his punctuality, love of order, and good tafte, give facility to business, and a decorous elegance to legiflative arrangements.

As a politician Mr. Fofter feems to have acted steadily upon one principle, that of promoting, to the utmost of his power, the interefts of Ireland, fo far as those interests did not interfere with any of the interefts of Great Britain. Where a competition could exift, he was faid to have uniformly been fwayed by the latter one, but the noble ftand which he has made to defend the liberty and independence of Ireland against the British minifter feems to have given the lie to that affertion and proves him to have been actuated by a fpirit of genuine and enlightened patriotifm.

In private life, Mr. Fofter is eafy and affable; difplaying the manners of a gentleman. His ftyle of living is magnificent, and his relifh for improving infatiable, in this purfuit he has expended large fums of money, and his taste and judgment is unequalled, his plantations at Collon in the county of Louth are not inferior to any in Ireland, Mrs. Fofter was created Baronefs Oriel in

1790, and Viscountefs Ferrard in 1797.

CHARLES

CHARLES BURNEY, MUS. D. F. R.S.

THIS gentleman, whose celebrity is equally great in the literary and the mufical world, is a native of Shrewsbury, and was born in 1726. He received the rudiments of his education at the free grammar school of that town, and completed it at the public school of Chefter. At the latter place he commenced his mufical studies, under Mr. Baker, organist of the cathedral, who was a pupil of Dr. Blow.

He returned to Shrewsbury about the year 1741, and continued the study of mufic, under his half-brother, Mr. James Burney, who was an eminent organist and teacher of music in that town,

In 1744 he met with Dr. Arne at Chefter, who perceiving his talents to be refpectable, prevailed upon his friends to fend him to London. He continued to profit under the inftructions of that celebrated mafter full three years. In 1749, he was elected organift of St. Diones back-church, Fenchurch-street, with an annual falary of only thirty pounds; and the fame year was engaged to take the organ-part at the new concert established at the King's-arms, Cornhill, inftead of that which had been held at the Swan tavern, burnt down the year before. At this time he composed for Drury-lane theatre the following musical pieces, viz. Robin Hood, a comic opera by Mofes Mendez; and Queen Mab, a pantomime; which Last had astonishing fuccefs, being played every winter for nearly thirty years.

Being in an ill state of health, which, in the opinion of his phyficians, indicated a confumption, he was prevailed spon to retire into the country. Accordingly he went to

Lynn