19. At Islington, in his 76th year, Charles Coote, esq., D.C.L., an advocate in Doctors' Commons. For some years he edited the "Critical Review," at a time when Dr. Southey, the late Mr. Pinkerton, D'Israeli, and other eminent men, were contributors to it. His first original publication was the "Elements of the Grammar of the English Language," 1788. He next wrote a "History of England, from the earliest dawn of record to the Peace of 1793;" which appeared in nine volumes at different times from 1791 to 1797; to which he afterwards added another volume, bringing down the history to the Peace of Amiens, in 1802. About the beginning of the present century he published a History of the Union with Great Britian and Ireland." In 1804 appeared his "Lives of English Civilians." The following are the rest of his works :In 1815, he published the " History of Ancient Europe. "Graii Elegia sepulchralis cultu Græco donata ;" 1794. "Life of Julius Cæsar;" 1796. 12mo. "History of the Union of the Kingdoms." "A Continuation to Russell's History of Modern Europe, from 1763 to the Pacification of Paris, in 1815;" two vols. 1818. The same, continued to 1825; Lond. 1827. "A Continuation of Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History by Maclaine, to the 18th century;" six vols. 8vo. 1811. "History of Ancient Europe; with a Survey of the most important Revolutions in Asia and Africa: being a third volume of Russell's Ancient Europe. 1815.

:

21. At his residence on the banks of the Yarrow, aged 63, Mr. James Hogg, "the Ettrick Shepherd." He was born in Ettrick Forest, by his own account, on the anniversary of the natal day of Burns, Jan. 25th, 1772, and was the second son of Robert Hogg and Margaret Laidlow. His father was a Shepherd, "time out of mind;" and having acquired, by long savings, some little pro perty, he entered, shortly after James's birth, upon a farming speculation, which in a few years reduced himself and family to absolute beggary. James, who was at this time about six years of age, had, during his father's brief prosperity, attended a neighbouring school; but the misfortunes with which his family were now beset, made it necessary for him the next year to go out to service as a cow. herd, in which situation he continued till the age of fifteen, when he

rose to the more honourable grade of a shepherd's boy. Three years after this (in 1790) he entered the service of Mr. Laidlaw, of Black House, with whom he remained until the year 1800. It was at this place he first read the Life and Ad ventures of Sir William Wallace, and "Allan Ramsay's Gentle Shepherd;" and in 1796, he first felt the inspiration of the Muse. He tells us, "I had no more difficulty in composing songs then, than I have at present," that is in the latter part of his life. "But then the writing of them-that was a job! I had no method of learning to write than by following the Italian alphabet, and although I always stripped myself of coat and vest, when I began to pen a song, yet my wrist took a cramp, so that I could rarely make above four or six lines at a sitting." About this time he first heard of Robert Burns, who died in 1796, and, with the greatest interest, compared that poet's early history with his own. His ambition was immediately roused. He applied himself with redoubled energy to the art of balladwriting, though his first published effort, "Donald Macdonald," did not appear till 1801. Several amusing anecdotes relating to this particular ballad have been recorded by the poet, in a volume of his songs recently published. The author's name was, at the time of its production, little known and less inquired into. Mr. Hogg's first prose essay, called "Reflections on a view of the Nocturnal Heavens," was written in 1801, and was the labour of a week. In 1802, he contributed to Sir Walter Scott's "Border Minstrelsy." Encouraged by the success of that undertaking he directly set about collecting and remodelling some traditionary ballads which were published by subscrip tion in a volume called "The Mountain Bard." From this work, and another on the "Cultivation of Sheep," (both which appeared in 1807), he realized about three hundred pounds. Intoxicated with success, he took a farm, which proved beyond his ability to cultivate; and after struggling with fortune for a few years, his means and credit were entirely exhausted. In Feb. 1810, "in utter desperation," he made a resolution to adventure his remaining stock of poetry at Edinburgh; but here he had much difficulty with the booksellers, who would run no risk in publishing his ballads on their own account.

At last

Mr. Constable agreed to print an edition, and share the profits with the author, but the speculation turned out badly. The work was called the "Forest Minstrel," and consisted of the poet's early songs, most of them " very different." He next started (1810-11) a periodical paper, entitled "The Spy," for which his little knowledge of society, and very poor education by no means fitted him. The publication lasted about a twelvemonth, but did not gain him any credit. In 1830, Mr. Hogg again made a trial of his poetic powers, and in a few months planned and executed "The Queen's Wake." By this work he obtained upwards of two hundred pounds; the greater part of which, however, was, a short time after, lost by the failure of his publisher, Mr. Goldie, who at the time of the catastrophe, had already a third edition in hand. It was on this occasion he first became acquainted with the late Mr. Blackwood, who was one of Mr. Goldie's assignees, and by his assistance a considerable part of Mr. Hogg's money was in the end preserved. Shortly after appeared a fourth, and even fifth edition of the " Queen's Wake." But he was still miserably poor, when the late Duke of Buccleugh, kindly allowed him to occupy his farm "The Altrive Lake," near the poet s native spot, rent free. Mr. Hogg's next poetical production, which appeared in 1816, was "Madoc of the Moor." The "Pilgrims of the Sun," another poem published in London by Mr. Murray, quickly followed, and met with moderate success. The "Brownie of Bodsbeck," a prose tale, appeared in 1818. His next undertaking was the "Jacobite Relics of Scotland," containing the songs, airs, and legends, of the House of Stewart, but notwithstanding the title, many of the relics were his own. It was about the same time 1819-20 that his "Winter Evening Tales" made their apppearance. In 1820, he married. Having now about a thousand pounds, he was again induced to incur the risks of agricultural pursuits, and again fell into difficulties, his losses in 1822 amounting to upwards of two thousand pounds. This induced him once more to try his fortune as an author, and in a few months was written and published "The Three Perils of Man," a Border Romance, by which he realized about one hundred and fifty pounds, and the next year followed "The Three Perils of Woman," a similar work, VOL. LXXVII.

which produced a like sum. In 1824, Mr. Hogg published anonymously a book of "horrors," called "Confessions of a Sinner," which sold tolerably well; and in the next year appeared "Queen Hynde." The "Shepherd's Calendar," a series of tales which had originally appeared in Blackwood's Magazine, was in 1829 presented to the public in a collected form; and, in 1831, he published a pretty little volume, containing some of his earlier and best songs, with a kind of running commentary, critical and biographical. In 1832 was produced the first volume of an intended series of traditionary stories, collected among the Altrive peasantry, and entitled "Altrive Tales." The publication was to have extended to about twelve volumes, but was stopped by the failure of his publishers, Messrs. Cochrane and Co. Shortly after this," A Queer Book" made its appearance, containing twenty-six miscellaneous poems, some of which had appeared in Blackwood. In the course of the year 1834, he astonished the world by the publication of a volume of "Lay Sermons," which contain much sound good sense. In 1834, likewise, appeared his "Domestic Manners of Sir Walter Scott."

22. At Twickenham, in the 77th year of her age, Miss Letitia Matilda Hawkins, a lady known to the literary world by various productions.

23. At Badminton, Gloucestershire, after a severe and painful illness, in his 68th year, the most noble Henry Charles Somerset, sixth Duke of Beaufort.

24. Aged 69, the right hon. Eleanora Maria, dowager lady Clifford.

26. At Hampstead, aged 71, William Woods, esq. He was appointed assistant inspector of the Post-office in 1791, and soon after became deputy.

6 15 91

3,998 1 11

1,709,462 11 4