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its fuccefs has exceeded the moft fanguine expectations which were formed of it. The plan itself, now fufficiently known, it is unneceffary to explain minutely. But it is mentioned here, becaufe Dr Henry was accuftomed in the laft years of his life to fpeak of this inftitution with peculiar affection, and to reflect on its progrefs and utility with that kind of fatisfaction which a good man can only receive from "the labour of love and of good works."

their purpose, and to recoil on those who direct them. Dr Henry had many friends, and till lately had not difcovered that he had any enemies. But the author of the anonymous vindication was unknown to him, till the learned and refpectable Dr Macqueen, from the indignation excited by the confident petulance of the anfwer, informed him that the letter had been written by him. Thefe anecdotes are still remembered.

10

The progrefs of Dr Henry's work introduced him to more extenfive patronage, and in particular to the notice and efteem of the late Earl of Mansfield. That venerable nobleman, who was so well intitled to the gratitude and admiraiton of his country, thought the merit of Dr Henry's history fo confiderable, that, without any folicitation, after the publication of the fourth volume, he applied perfonally to his Majefty to beftow on the author fome mark of his royal favour. In confequence of this, Dr Henry was informed by a letter from Lord Stormont, then fecratary of itate, of His Majesty's intention to confer on him an annual penfion for life of 1ool. "confidering his diftinguifhed talents and great literary merit, and the importance of the very ufetul and laborious work in which he was fo fuccefsfully engaged, as titles to his royal countenance and favour." The warrant was iffued on the 28th of May 1781 ; and his right to the penfion commenced from the 5th of April preceding. This penfion he enjoyed till his death, and always confidered it as inferring a new obligation to perfevere fteadily in the profecution of his work." From the Earl of Mansfield he received many other teftimonies of esteem both as a man and as an author, which he was often heard to mention with the most affectionate gratitude. The octavo edition of his hiftory, publifhed in 1788, was infcribed to his Lordship. The quarto edition had been dedicated to

Not having been able to tranfact with the bookfellers to his fatisfaction, the first five volumes of his hiftory were originally published at the risk of the author. When the first volume appeared, it was cenfured with an unexampled acrimony and perfeverance. Magazines, reviews, and even newspapers, were filled with abufive remarks and invectives, in which both the author and the book were treated with contempt and fcurrility. When an author has once fubmitted his works to the public, he has no right to complain of the juft feverity of criticism. But Dr Henry had to contend with the inveterate scorn of malignity. In compliance with the ufual cuftom, he had permitted a fermon to be published which he had preached before the Society in Scotland for Propagating Chriftian knowledge in 1773; a compofition containing plain good fenfe on a common fubject, from which he expected no reputation. This was. eagerly feized on by the adverfaries of his Hiftory, and torn to pieces with a virulence and afperity which no want of merit in the fermon could justify or explain. An anonymous letter had appeared in a newspaper to vindicate the Hiftory from fome of the unjuft cenfures which had been publifhed, and af. ferting, from the real merit and accuracy of the book the author's title to the approbation of the public. An anfwer appeared in the courfe of the following week, charging him, in terms equally confident and indecent, with having the King. written this letter in his own praife. The The property of the work had hitherefforts of malignity feldom fail to defeat to remained with himself : but in April'

the gaiety of youth, long after his bodily ftrength had yielded to the infirmities of age; and even within a few days of his death, which he was every day expecting, he could mix anecdotes and pleafantry with the most serious discourse. No man could meet death with more equanimity, or with a fortitude derived from better fources. He mentioned his death easily and often, as an event which, in his fituation, was defireable; fenfible that from the exhausted state of his body he could no longer enjoy this world, or be useful in it; and expreffing in the most explicit terms his firm perfuafion of the great doctrines of Chriftianity, and the full expectation he derived from them of "life and immortality through Jefus Chrift our Lord.” His faculties were perfectly entire ; nor could any change be obferved in his converfation with his friends. He was never confined to bed, and conversed easily till within a few hours of his death. He had a ftrength of mind which falls to the lot of few; and Providence permitted him to preserve the full poffeffion of it.

1786, when an octavo edition was in tended, he conveyed the property to Meffrs Cadell and Strahan for the fum of 1000l.; referving to himself what still remained unfold of the quarto edi tion. Dr Henry had kept very accurate accounts of the fales from the time of the original publication; and after his laft tranfaction he found that his real profits had amounted in the whole to about 3,300l.; a striking proof of the intrinfic merit of a work which had forced its way to the public efteem, in fpite of the malignant oppofition with which the first volumes had to struggle. Dr Henry was naturally fond of fociety; and few men ever enjoyed fociety more perfectly, or were capable of contributing fo much to the pleasures of converfation. Notwithstanding his literary pufuits, he was always ready to make one in a party of his friends; and attached himself to pleasant and respect able companions wherever he found them, without any regard to the competitions or contrary opinions which unhappily fo often prevent worthy men from affociating. His extenfive knowledge, his cheerfulness and pleasantry, his inexhaustible fund of humour and anecdote, would have made him a diftinguished character among any defcription of men, although he had had no pretenfions as an author. His great extent of folid information gave a variety to his converfation, to which much was added by his talents for convivial pleafantry. He had a story or anecdote ready for every occafion, and adapted to every subject; and was peculiarly happy in felecting the circumftances which could render it interesting and pointed. If the fame narratives were fometimes repeated, a circumstance which was unavoidable, they fuch inftitutions the means of knowwere always feasoned with a new relifh; ledge may be obtained in remote fituaand even those who lived most with him, tions at a small expence, and are easily have feldom been in his company with circulated among the different orders of out hearing from him fomething which men and though his collection of books was as new to them as to ftrangers. was not a large one, he believed that His character was uniform to the end. the inftitution required only to be be He converfed with the ardour, and even gun under proper regulations, and

VOL. LVII.

A few days before his death he ex ecuted a deed, which he dictated himfelf, by which he difponed his collection of books to the magiftrates, town-council, and prefbytery of Linlithgow, as the foundation of a public library; under certain regulations and conditions, which he expreffed very diftinctly, and by means of which he flattered himself that a library might at last be created, which might contribute to diffufe knowledge and literature in the country. This idea had been fuggested to him by his experience in the public utility of libraries of this fort, which had been establifhed at Berwick and at Kelfo.

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might

might foon become confiderable if proper attention fhould be given to it. His intentions were certainly pure; and the rules he fuggefted well fuited to the defign. The magiftrates of Linlithgow have prepared a room, and curators for the management of the library have been chofen in terms of the deed. The public have reafon to to expect from them every thing by which they can promote the benevolent and refpectable intentions of the founder. He gave very minute directions with regard to his affairs, and even dictated a lift of his friends whom he

wifhed to be prefent at his funeral; and with conftitution quite worn out, died on the 24th of November 1790, in the feventy-third year of his age. He was buried in the church-yard of Polmont, where a monument is erected to his memory.

Dr Henry's perfonal virtues will not be foon forgotten. Among his friends he will always be remembered with tenderness: and his character as an author will be refpected by posterity, long after the events of his private life fhall become too diftant to be interesting.

CHARACTER OF LOUIS XVI.

BY MADAME ROLAND.

dom.

LEWIS XVI. behaved to his new and was the beft geographer in the kingminifters with the greatest appearance His knowledge of the names, of frankness and good nature. This and his application of them to the faces, man was not precifely what he was de- of all the perfons about the court to picted by thofe who took a pleasure in whom they belonged, as well as his vilifying him; he was neither the bru- acquaintance with the anecdotes pecutish blockhead, who was held up to the liar to each, had been extended to all contempt of the people; nor was he the individuals who had diftinguished the honest, kind, and fenfible creature, themselves in any manner during the whom his friends extolled to the skies. revolution; fo that it was impoffible to Nature had endowed him with ordinary prefent to him a candidate for any place, faculties, which would have done very concerning whom he had not formed an well in an obfcure ftation; but he was opinion, founded on particular facts. depraved by his princely education, and But Lewis XVI. without elevation of ruined by his mediocrity in difficult foul, energy of mind, or firmness of times, when his fafety could be effected character, had fuffered his views to be only by the union of genius and virtue. fill further contracted, and his fentiA common understanding, educated for ments to be twisted, if I may ufe the the throne, and taught diffimulation expreffion, by religious prejudices, and from the earliest infancy, has a great jefuitical principles. Elevated ideas of advantage in dealing with mankind. religion, a belief in God, and the hope The art of fhewing to each perfon only of immortality, accord very well with what it is proper for him to fee, is in philofophy, and fix it upon a broader him no more than a habit, the practice bafis, at the fame time that they comof which gives him the appearance of pose the best ornaments of the fuperability; but a man must be born an ideot ftructure. Woe to the legiflators who indeed to appear a fool in fimilar circum- defpife thefe powerful means, of infpiring ftances. Lewis XVI. had befides an the political virtues, and of preferving excellent memory, and an active turn the morals of the people! Even if they of mind; was never idle, and read a were illufions yet unborn, it would be great deal. He had also a ready recol neceffary to create and fofter them for lection of the various treaties exifting the confolation of mankind. But the between France and the neighbouring religion of our priefts prefents nothing nations; was well verfed in hiftory, but objects of puerile fear, and miserable

practices,

practices, to fupply the place of good and by fo doing only taught his people actions; and it fanctifies befides all the how to refift. Nothing remained for maxims of defpotifm which the autho- him but to facrifice one portion of his rity of the church calls in to its aid. authority with a good grace, that he Lewis XVI. was afraid of hell, and of might preferve in the other the means excommunication*: with fuch weakness of recovering the whole; but for want as this it was impoffible not to make a of knowing how to go about it, he turndefpicable king. If he had been born ed his attention to nothing but petty intwo centuries before, and his wife had trigues, the only kind familiar to the been a rational woman, he would have perfons chofen by hinfelf, and favoured made no more noife in the world, than by the Queen. He had, however, refo many other princes of the Capetian ferved in the conftitution fufficient means line, who have "fretted their hour of power and of happiness, had he known upon the stage," without doing either how to be content; fo that, wanting as much good or much harm.-But raifed he was in abilities to prevent its eftato the throne when the profligacy of blishment, he might still have been saved Louis XV.'s court was at the higheft, by his good faith, if after having acand when the diforder of the finances cepted it, he had fincerely endeavoured was extreme, he was led away by a gid- to promote its execution. But always dy woman, who united with Auftrian protefting, on the one hand, his inteninfolence the prefumption of youth and tion to fupport what he was undermining high birth, an inordinate love of plea- on the other, the obliquity of his profure, and all the thoughtleifhefs of a ceedings, and the fallacy of his conduct, light mind, and who was herself feduced first awakened diftruft, and at last exby the vices of an Afiatic court, for cited indignation. which he had been but too well prepared As foon as he had appointed patrioby the example of her mother.-Lewis tic minifters, he made it his fole ftudy XVI. too weak to hold the reins of a 'to infpire them with confidence; and government which was running to de- fo well did he fucceed, that for the first ftruction, haftened their common ruin three weeks, Roland and Claviere were by innumerable faults. enchanted with the good difpofition of

Lewis XVI. conftantly fluctuating the King. They dreamt of nothing between the fear of irritating his fubjects, but a better order of things, and flattered and the inclination of keeping them in themfelves that the revolution was at an awe, while incapable of governing them, end. "Good God !" I ufed to fay convoked the ftates-general inftead of to them, "every time I fee you set off retrenching his expences, and intro- for the council with that wonderful conducing order into his court. After fidence, it fecms to me that you are a having himself fowed the feeds, and bout to commit a folly." provided the means of innovation, he pretended to prevent it by the affectation of a power, against which he had eftablished a principle of counteraction,

What will our Chriflian readers think of Madame Roland for making it a ferious charge against Louis XVI. that he had the weknefs to be afraid of bell; or in other words that he fincerely believed in the doctrines taught by Chriftianity, that after death there is an accourt to be given of the actions of men in this life, followed by rewards and punishments?

"I affure you," would Claviere anfwer, "that the King is perfectly fenfible, that his intereft is connected with the obfervation of the new laws; he reafons too pertinently on the subject not to be convinced of that truth." "Ma foi," added Roland, "if he be not an honeft man, he is the greatest knave in the kingdom; it is impoffible to carry dif fimulation to fo great a length." As to me, I always replied that I had no faith in the love for the conftitution Tt 2 profeffed

profeffed by a man who had been brought up in the prejudices of defpotifm, and the habits of enjoyment, and whose recent conduct proved him wanting in both genius and virtue. My great argument was the flight to Varennes.

In the mean time, the King fuffered his minifters to confer, read the ga. zette, or the English newspapers in the original language, or elfe wrote a few letters. The fanctioning of decrees obtained more of his attention: he feldom gave his confent eafily, and never without a refufal; always declining to accede to the first request, and poftponing the matter to the next meeting, when he came with his opinion ready formed, though appearing to ground it upon the difcuffion. As to great political affairs, he often eluded their inveftigation, by turning the converfation to general topics, or to fubjects fuited to each particular perfon. If war was the question, he would talk of travelling; if diplomatic concerns were upon the carpet, he would relate the manners, or enquire into the local peculiarities of the country; or if the ftate of affairs at home were in difcuffion, he would dwell upon fome trifling detail of economy or agriculture. Roland he would queftion about his works, Dumouriez

concerning anecdotes, and fo on : the
council chamber was converted to a cof-
fee-room, where nothing was heard but
idle converfation; nor were any minutes
taken of the proceedings, nor was there
any fecretary to keep them. At the
end of three or four hours they broke
up, without doing any thing but figning
their names, and this was repeated three
or four times a week.-" Why 'tis
pitiable !" cried I out of all patience,
when, on Roland's return, I enquired
what had paffed-" You are all in good
humour, because you experience no
contradiction, and are treated with ci-
vility. You feem indeed to do what-
ever you please in your feveral depart-
ments; but I am terribly afraid that you
are duped-however the public bufinefs
is not at a stand-no, but much time is
loft; for in the torrent of affairs that
overwhelms you, I would rather fee
you employ three hours in folitary me-
ditation on the great interefts of the
ftate, than spend them in idle chat."
In the mean time the enemy were mak-
ing their difpofitions; for it had become
abfolutely neceffary to declare war, a
measure which was the fubject of an
animated difcuffion, and which the King
did not feem to take without extreme
repugnance,

INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF THE GOVERNMENT
AND PRESENT STATE OF RUSSIA.
CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 235.

IN attempting to change the inftitutions, and manners, and fpirit of a nation at least of fuch a nation as Ruffia, the only way you can proceed with fafety, or with a certainty of accomplifhing your end, is to proceed with extreme caution; to advance toward your object flowly; and to undermine gradually the prejudices and habits which length of time has confecrated in the minds of the people. The nation must be made to wish for a reformation before they will accept of one. Every one knows the reluctance with which the plans of Peter the Great, for the civilization and improvement of the peo

ple were received by the nation. Had Peter's genius been lefs fublime and impofing, or had his people been more closely united by a free communication, and a knowledge of the national temper, this great legiflator might have been known to the hiftorian only as filling up a blank in the barren annals of defpotifm, or at best as a prince who perifhed in the rafh, though generous attempt, to overcome nature, and imprefs the polifh of civilization on the barbarous manners of a favage people. The attempt which the Empress Elifabeth made to introduce a more regular administration of justice, and a better

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