Mr. Keate's life paffed without any viciffitudes of fortune: he inherited an ample eftate, which he did not attempt to increase otherwife than by those attentions which prudence dictated in the management of it. He was hofpitable and beneficent, and poffeffed the good will of mankind in a very eminent degree. For the last year or two, his health visibly declined; but on the day

SIR,

he died, he appeared to be fomewhat mended. His death was fudden, on the 27th of June 1797. He left one daughter, married in 1796 to John Henderfon, Eiq. of the Adelphi. At the time of his death, Mr. Keate was a Bencher of the Temple, and a very old Member of the Royal and Antiquary Societies, of both which he had been frequently elected one of the Council.

F, 14 May, 1776.

MY DEAR GODSON,

THOUGH the duty I engaged in at your font would not fuffer me to let you go into the world at large, and more eipecially into that dangerous path of it on which you are now entering, unaccompanied with the beft advice which my judgment and experience could fug. geft to me, yet I muft entreat you to confider thefe lines in the light in which they truly come to you; not as the formal precepts of my office; but as the free effufions of real and affectionate friend/hip: perhaps too, I may be able to speak with greater freedom upon fome points, than the relation a father bears, and the nature of Mr. A---'s office would permit him to do; particularly with regard to thofe allurements that are moft likely to feduce a young man. I know weil, that in your fituation you muft daily fall into temptations of this kind; nor fhall I be the man to question you feverely, whether you have upon all occafions refifted them; but remember this, my friend, that though a man may fall under them through weakness, he cannot boast of them but through wickedness. Let me intreat you therefore, never to fuffer the recollection of your own tranfgreffions to fit light upon your mind, or the frequent and familiar view of them in others to harden you against the principles of religion. The law of Chriftianity muft ever remain perfect, how imperfectly foever we are able to follow it; but above all, my dear James, avoid, deteft, and abhor

I. C.

common fwearers: it has often been matter of furprife to me, that Gentlemen of that profeffion, who are in general remarkable for the gracefulness of their addrefs and politeness of their behaviour, fhould ever be guilty of that vice, equally offenfive to good manners as to good morals. Be not afraid to tell thofe wretches who would prefume to laugh you out of your fears of it, that damnation is too tremendous a plague for a man who believes in God and a day of judgment to call down upon himself or others; and it is a folly for a man who does not, to talk of it.

Examine thefe men well, watch them, dive into them, but never give them your hand, or take them to your heart; for depend upon it, that he who daily defies his God, will one day or other deceive his friend. If ever you are tempted to exceed in wine, have at least the excufe of good company and incidental mirth to plead for it; let it never be with you the caufe, but the effect of occafional jollity.

With regard to women, you want not to be informed what is your first duty in this as well as other articles of morality; but let me add to it, that you should have efpecial care to avoid all connections that may diftrefs your own family, or dishonour another. Remember too, nay! have it continually in your thoughts, that chastity is as beautiful a flower in a woman's breast, aye, and as tender too, as courage, truth, or honour, in that of a man; and when once blafted, more irretrievably destroyed; fince death itfelf cannot wipe away the stain.

Another

Another point I would earnestly prefs upon you, which your father's noble behaviour toward you makes me think he cannot bring himself to infift much upon; that is oeconomy. I doubt not but you have at present a warm and thankful impreffion of the generous manner in which he anticipated your requeft, upon hearing only from another quarter that your wifhes led you to the army; and though this was far from being the walk of life that he meant to mark out for you, he voluntarily facrificed his own feelings to your inclinations; advanced a large fum of money for your commiffion and equipment; and the nature of your profeflion will annually demand his affiftance. Keep this, therefore, in conftant remembrance; and confider, that not only the liberality with which he has gratified your defires demands a return of prudence; but that your five brothers and fifters have a natural claim to an equal share of his fortune and attention : fo that, was he to exceed in the overBowing of his kindness to you, he would

be guilty of injuftice to them. There fore take courage at firft to say "No" to propofals of entertainment, or other expences, that are beyond the reach of your income: even those who are angry at your refufal will refpect you for it afterward; or if they do not, be affured, their good opinion is not worthy of your ambition. Above all, be open, ingenuous, fincere let no fear of confequences ever tempt you to deviate from the truth, or throw your veracity into queftion; as this is the foul of fociety in general, fo is it more especially of the military character-it is the throne of honour.

And now, my dear young friend, I have taken the liberty of speaking thus freely to you, may I flatter myself that you will not throw this letter afide; but condefcend to keep it by you, and sometimes look kindly upon it, at least as a well-intended token of that true affection I bear you, and the impulfe of a heart anxious for your welfare; and believe me to be, with perfect fincerity, your faithful friend, W. D.

HAIL! thou foftering nurfe of the wretched ; the divine accents of whofe tongue pour balm into the bleeding wounds of milery!-Thou, whom Poets have defined to be clad in bright etherial robes, and with eyes whofe luftre refembles the dew drop when brightened by the ray of Phoebus!-Thou, who leadeft Charity to the spot where Poverty, pinched by hunger, "bides the pelting of the pitilefs ftorm" of adverfity!--To thee, O Pity! I call; and may thy foft vibrations never be wanting to infufe in my breast the emotions of Philanthropy ! "Pity the misfortunes of a poor diftreffed Widow!" exclaimed a feeble voice to the bufy crowds as they paffed her : I turned round, and fixed my eyes on the fupplicant, who was clothed in rags, and Jay ftretched on the cold pavement. Her languid head was fupported on the palm of her right hand, while her left held out the remains of a hat, to receive the bounty of fome generous ftranger; a few grey hairs, fcattered around her temples, bespoke her faft advancing towards the laft ftage of life; and a tear that trickled down her furrowed cheek told me, in filent though expreffive language, that the journey had been a wearifome one:

Of the

yet, though on her countenance was visibly pourtrayed the traces of heavy care, never did the pallet of the graceful Corregio give to forrow a more refigned afpect than I traced in the features of this poor outcaft of fociety fhe was, to ufe the language of the Poet of Nature, "Patience fmiling at grief." many who paffed her, few, very few, feemed to feel the impulfe of pity, and deign to beltow the foftering boon of charity; and wilt thou too, Yorick (faid a fomething in my bofom as I furveyed the miferable object before me)-wilt thou, who hast so oft felt for the wants of thy fellow creatures more than thy own, refufe now thy fcanty pittance? No! a nobler fentiment than avarice now animates my feelings. I took out my purse, and threw the little it contained into the lap of the poor widow: her eyes, as the raifed them to me, feemed to beam with gratitude; but the inward tumults of her heart denied her utterance. "Never, faid I, refuming my walk, "may I think the purchase dear; if, by beftowing a few pence on the unfortunate, it enables me to place a fmile in their dejected features!" T. ENORT.

Borough, 2 May 1797.

THE

Th

O the labours of the Compiler of this Work we have been indebted for much amufement. From latent fources he has drawn interefting facts, which will aid not only the future biographer but the general hiftorian. The induftry and perfeverance that must have been exerted to have produced a collection fo multifarious excite our admiration, and the judgment fhewn in the choice of materials has great claims to our respect. The prefent Volume is announced as the boundary of the Compiler's plan *. Like the four which had been previously published, it exhibits traits of the most diftinguished Characters in the polished Nations of Europe: and with fuch fuccefs has the selection been made, that the reader is in a manner impelled (at least we found it fo) from article to article, till he reaches the end of the Volume, with scarcely the power to lay down the Book.

Light reading, indeed, it is; but clearly diftinguishable from that fpecies ufually fo denominated. Here, while the mind is recreated, the heart is improved, and the understanding informed. Whatever be the reader's difpofition or talent, he will here meet with a congenial companion. Politics, Ethics, and the Arts are occafionally the subjects of his page: if indeed we were allowed, from the features of the Work, to conjecture at the leading propenfity of the Writer, we should fuppofe the arts of Painting and Sculpture to occupy a high place in

Cadell and Davies. 1797.

his esteem. The enthusiasm, the verbum ardens, with which he speaks of Michael Angelo, of Raphael, of Reynolds, and of Fufeli, are undeniable teftimonies of a finely-formed tafte: and that the Compiler's heart is impreffible by thofe amiable fenfations which beft adorn our nature, let the reader judge after perufing the articles Mompesson, Fanfbawe, Montmorenci, &c. &c.

This, however, is rather fpeaking of the general conduct of the Work, than of the Volume more particularly under confideration.

Far from the ufual complaint of falling off being applicable to our Writer's Continuation or Supplement, the present Volume appeared to us even better calculated to afford entertainment to general readers (to thofe, we mean, whofe literary tafte is rather the gift of nature than the effect of culture), than were the Volumes which preceded it.

The Original Papers too are many and curious. Among thefe may be mentioned fome Letters addressed, toward the end of the last and beginning of the prefent century, to Dr. Charlett, Master of University College, Oxford, by Dr. Hickes, &c.; two from the excellent Dr. Hartley to his Sifter; three from Dr. Hough, Bifhop of Worcester; two from Mr. Addifon; a correfpondence between the late Lord Chatham and his illuftrious colleague Mr. Charles Townfhend; another between Voltaire and Sir William Chambers; a letter from Wil

liam

liam Penn, the legiflator of Pennsylvania, and others from Thomfon the poet to Lord Melcombe.

We have also, in this Supplement, a illuftrative of the very curious paper, unfhaken integrity of Judge Hales, in the reign of Queen Mary. This article we fhould have extracted; but it is of too great length for our purpose.

Our readers are not, from any thing we have faid of selection, to confider the labour of the Compiler as having been that of selection merely: he has the merit of much originality. Moft of the Anecdotes which he introduces are accompanied with appropriate remarks, either explanatory of the facts he relates, or illuftrative of the sentiments of the perfon under confideration.

The following reflections are welltimed. They occur under the article

"J. J. ROUSSEAU.

"THIS eloquent Writer was very much chagrined when he was not permitted by Voltaire's friends to add his Louis-d'or to thofe that had been collected for raising a ftatue to him whilft living at the Comedie Francaife at Paris. When his friends reprefented to him as a Philofopher their furprife at this, he replied, Mais, Meffieurs, je meurs de gloire. This paffion for glory and diftinction feems to have been the leading principle of his conduct. His literary career began in paradox; he took the wrong fide of a question long finçe fettled, and, flattered by the fuccefs of his efforts, he proceeded to his too famous 'Contrat Social, the political creed of a neighbouring Nation, who wish, like Mahomet, to propagate it with arms in their hands throughout Europe. Yet, as if confcious that what was merely a difplay of pernicious ingenuity in him might be taken as a ferious truth by others, he fays, in another place, In the mifery attendant upon human affairs, what thing is valuable enough to be purchased at the expence of the blood of our brethren? Liberty itself cofts too dear at that price. It is vain,' continues he, to attempt to confound liberty and independence: they are things fo different in themselves, that it is impoffible to unite them. When

every one acts as he pleases, he must often do what is unpleasant to others; and who can call that fituation a state of freedom. Liberty confifts lefs in having our own way, than in not being fubject to the will of others. It confifts, likewife, in being unable to fubmit the will of another person to that of one's own. Whoever has continually his own way cannot be free; and, in reality, to command is to obey.'

"He fays, in his Lettres ecrites de la Montagne:- After having, during the whole courfe of my life, been the panegyrift of a Republican form of Government; muft I, towards the end of it, bę obliged to confefs, that of all the Governments that exift, Monarchy is that in which there is the greatest regard paid to the true liberty of man?'

"Had Rouffeau, who was rather ca pricious than malignant, rather a man of no fixed principles than of bad principles, lived to have feen the pernicious effects of his paradoxes upon the happinefs of mankind in our time, he would have been the first to have execrated his own feductive talents, and to have broken that magical wand, which, though like that of Profpero it could fet the waters in a wild roar,' yet did not, like his, poffefs its more falutary power of allaying them."

On a fubject which nearly concerns the public health in populous cities, fome judicious remarks are adduced from the writings of

"CARDINAL DE BRIENNE,

ARCHBISHOP OF SENS *. "THIS Prelate was of a Ministerial family, had fome talents, was an elegant writer, and, like Vefpafian, he would have ever appeared dignus regnandi f non regnaffet-capable of the office of Prime Minister of a great kingdom had he never been placed in that arduous fituation.

"When Archbishop of Thouloufe, he diftinguished himself by his polished manners and elegant hofpitality. His Paftoral Letter against Burying in Churches is well written, and forcibly exposes that abuse, which, like the torment of Mezentius, conjoins the living with the

Anne of Austria. He They are very enterhad his arm shot off He was requested to retire to his for the fervice of my King.' He

dead