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the man whose legal talents formed the basis of the minifter's plan of conduct.

In 1793 he was made Attorney-general; and while in this poft, he has profecuted, perhaps, more men for libels, than ever fell to the lot of any two of his predeceffors!

The part he took during the ftate trials at the Old Bailey will never be forgotten; for after a wonderful difplay of candour, he laboured through a speech of nine hours to convict a man of a crime of which the length of his own oration alone was a strong prefumptive proof of innocence.

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He now ftands as the most likely candidate for the feals; and fhould any thing happen to remove the prefent Chancellor, during Mr. Pitt's continuance in power, he will, in all probability, fucceed him.

DUKE OF NORFOLK

CHARLES HOWARD, Efq. of Grayftock, in Cumberland, a collateral branch of that noble family, fucceeded to the title of Norfolk in 1777, on the death of Edward, the ninth duke; and his fon, the prefent Duke, then affumed the appellation of Earl of Surrey.

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In 1767, while Mr. Howard, he married a Mifs Mary Ann Coppinger, of Ballyvolaue, in Ireland, who died foon after, in childbed, and, in 1771, he received the hand of Mifs Frances Scudamore, daughter of C. F. Scudamore, Efq. of Home Lacey, in Herefordshire, by the repudiated Duchefs of Beaufort, with whom he got a large fortune; but by neither of them has he any children. This laft la dy, indeed, has been in a very melancholy ftate of mind for many years, and lives retired at one of his Grace's feats. The Duchefs is celebrated for the fmart repulfe fhe is faid to have given the amorous Duke of Queensbury a few years fince.

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Some time previously to his acquifition of the title, Lord Surrey had renounced the errors of the Romish church, in which he had been bred, and was of course eligible to fit in either house of parliament. Accordingly, at the general election in 1780, he was returned for Carlifle, in oppofition to the interest of Sir James Lowther. As foon as his lordship took his feat, he joined the party of opposition, and with it laboured to stem the torrent arifing from the encreasing influence of the crown, until the complete defeat of the minister, in 1782. It is well known that the North adminiftration having clung faft to their places, Lord Surrey gave notice in the House of Commons of a motion which would effectually remove them; but the premier anticipated the disgrace, by de claring "that he was no longer minifter."

In the change which foon after took place, his lordship was appointed Lord-lieutenant of the west riding of the county of York, and under the coalition ministry he was nominated a lord of the treasury.

When the Shelburne ministry came in, Lord Surrey opposed them, and joined the coalition; and when that party was driven from power, he still efpoufed their cause.

He now became a member of the fociety for conftitutional information, took an active part in the business of parliamentary réform, and attended public meetings when that queftion was brought forward; on this account he has been charged with inconsistency, as he is known to be as deeply concerned in the traffic in boroughs as any nobleman of this age; but he has always folemnly affured his friends, that he is ready to facrifice every species of influence of that kind, and fupport a meliorated fyftem, which he holds to be effentially neceffary for the preservation of the conftitution.

On the death of his father he fucceeded to his title and feat in the Houfe of Lords, and there, as before, has uni formly fupported the popular caufe.

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His friendship for Mr. Fox has ever been fteady and invariable, and to this alone may be attributed his late difmiffion. At a late annual meeting, to commemorate the return of his friend for the city of Weftminster, the Duke is faid to have given the old Whig toaft of Our Sovereign, the Majefty of the People." In the memory of fome of the youngeft men now living, this has been repeatedly drunk without offence; and why any exception fhould at prefent be taken at it, remains to be explained. The fact, however, is, that the Duke of Norfolk was dif miffed from his lord lieutenancy, and from the command' of a regiment which he had trained with the utmost care,' while he had alfo generously refigned the emoluments derived from it, to increase the comforts of his favourite corps.

Report has whispered that his grace was greatly affected by these marks of royal displeasure; but he furely could not be hurt by the lofs of nominal influence or diftinction,, although it may readily be fuppofed, that to be torn from a fet of men with whom he had lived in the habits of friendship for many years, would undoubtedly give him pain. But, if any thing could tend to produce additional chagrin, it must be to see a man with whom he had been in the habits of acting with cordiality for fo many years, pluming himself in his fpoils, and ftooping to a minister whofe conduct he had reprobated.

The duke, as a bon vivant, is furrounded by those who are capable of keeping " the table in a roar," and his hofpitalities at Home-Lacey are in the first style of magnifi

cence.

As an orator, he poffeffes an easy delivery, and evinces a mafculine understanding; but he never attempts any of those rhetorical flourishes which captivate the ear, without laying hold of the understanding.

His grace has been known to perform many generous actions. He kept the place of fecretary to the Earl Mar

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fhal vacant for a confiderable time after the death of poor Brooks, until, as he faid, he could find fome one worthy to fill it, although earnestly folicited by many for the appointment. Mr. Dallaway having published his ingenious book on the science of heraldry, the Duke directly bestowed the office on him, unasked.

His father had about him when he died a great number of perfons of the catholic persuasion, who, on the loss of their patron, concluded they would be difmiffed by his protestant fucceffor; but he generously directed that their tipends and allowances fhould be paid them, as in the lifetime of his predeceffor.

JOSEPH TOWERS, L. L. D.

THIS gentleman has diftinguished himself in the annals of patriotifm, in the republic of letters, and in the pulpit of the diffenters: he was not, however, intended for a divine; Dr. Towers, like his great precursor and friend, Dr. Franklin, having been originally bred a printer.

At a very early period of his life, from a fincere conviction, obtained by reading-that great bane of all tyranny, civil and ecclefiaftical!-he became firmly attached to the principles of liberty, both in refpect to church and state; and no man has been more zealous in behalf of the freedom of his country, and of mankind. This favourite idea has, indeed, been always warmly cherifhed by the sectaries in general, and they must be allowed to have fanned the facred flame, and kept it alive in the nation, during the most alarming and critical periods.

After his call to the miniftry, Dr. T. was chofen paftor of the congregation of protestant diffenters at Highgate; this occurred in 1774; and in 1778 he was nominated morning-preacher to the diffenters at Newington-green. In the latter of thefe officers he fucceeded the worthy,

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pious, and amiable Dr. Price, who had been appointed to the congregation at Hackney. He continued, however, to officiate at Newington-green, in the afternoon, for fome years; and his collegue and himfelf feemed perfectly agreed relative to all the leading points in polítics and religion.

On the 4th of November, 1788, being the completion of a century from the revolution, that event was celebrated with great folemnity; and the doctor, at the requeft of a committee, delivered what may be termed a civic fermon on the occafion, which was liftened to with great attention, and printed afterwards at the request of the ftewards.

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While the Society for Conftitutional Information flourifhed, the name of Dr. Jofeph Towers ftood confpicuous among the moft active of its members, He had been ballotted for in 1782, and continued to act with it until 1794, when the books and papers were feized by order of government, and the fecretary taken into cuftody. On the 13th of June, of the fame year, the doctor received an order to attend the Privy Council on the day following, which he accordingly obeyed; and was examined relative to the proceedings of a club which boafted of the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Richmond, the Earls of Effingham and Derby, Sir William Jones, Mr. Sheridan, Drs. Price, Kippis, John Jebb, Mr. Erfkine, &c. &c. among its affociOn this occafion, Dr. T. although vifibly depreffed by the yellow-jaundice, evinced great firmnefs, and was difmiffed without being obliged to give bail, at the voluntary interceffion of a dignified clergyman then fitting as a member of the board, and who is fuppofed to have been the prefent Archbishop of Canterbury.

⚫ates.

On the establishment of the fociety called "The Friends of the People," he was alfo voted a member.*

The

*This fociety was founded in the year 1792, under the name of "The Society of the Friends of the People, affociated for the purpose of obtaining a Parliamentary Reform."

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