a gentleman of Radnorshire, who had been long acquainted with him :

"An answer to a note from Tripeaux and Co. my stationers in London, addressed - To Mr. Justice Hardinge, if living; or his executors, if dead.'

"Messrs. Tripeaux,

What was feared by you,

Alas! the melancholy circumstance is true,
That I am dead—and more afflicting still
My legal assets cannot pay your bill;

The thought of which makes me quite broken-hearted,
For insolvent-I this earthly life departed.

Messieurs, I'm your's, without one single farthing
For executors and self

GEORGE HARDINGE."*

LIST OF MR. HARDINGE'S Works.

1. Speech delivered at the Bar of the House of Lords, against Mr. Fox's East India Bill, Dec. 16, 1783. 8vo.

2. Letters to Ed. Burke, Esq., in which are contained Enquiries into the Constitutional Existence of an Impeachment against Mr. Hastings. 8vo. A third edition published in 1791. N. B. To the second edition is added An Answer to Major Scott's Charge of Illiberality to Mr. Hastings. 3. Remarks on Malone's Life of Dryden.

Felix.

By Minutius

4. The Essence of Malone, or the Beauties of that fascinating Writer, extracted from his immortal work, entitled "Some Account of the Life and Writings of John Dryden." 8vo.

N. B. Two editions.

5. The Filial Tribute, a Collection of short Poems on the Death of his Mother.

* On enquiry at the proper place, it was discovered that this bill has been long satisfied.

6. The Russian Chiefs, an Ode, written on the expulsion of the French from Moscow.

7. A Copy of Verses to Charles Manning, Esq. on account of the Monument executed by him to the Memory of Captain Hardinge, R. N.

9. A Charge to the Grand Jury at Presteigne, in the County of Radnor, April 11. 1805.

10. An Address to Mary Morgan, convicted April 11.1805, for the Murder of her Bastard Child.

11. A Speech as Counsel for the Hundred, at Warwick, 1792.

12. Another Essence of Malone, or the Beauties of Shakespeare's Editor. 1807.

MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE OF JOHN COAKLEY LETTSOM, M. D.

LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, LONDON; A FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, EDINBURGH; A FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND EDINBURGH; A FELLOW OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES; A FELLOW OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY; A FELLOW OF THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY; A FELLOW OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY.; PHYSICIAN EXTRAORDINARY OF THE CITY OF LONDON LYING-IN HOSPITAL, AND OF THE GENERAL AND FINSBURY DISPENSARIES; A DOCTOR OF LAWS, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSSETS; HONORARY MEMBER OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETIES OF PHILADELPHIA, MANCHESTER, AND PRESTON; OF THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, BATH; AND OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, MONTPELIER; VICE-PRESIDENT OF A NUMBER OF CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS, EX-PRESIDENT OF THE MEDICAL, AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL, SOCIETY OF LONDON.

THE life of this celebrated philanthropist is intimately connected with many of the public men, and national institutions of the present day. It exhibits, benevolence as a marked and prominent feature, accompanied, as usual, perhaps, with some

few of those slight shades and imperfections inseparable from human frailty. Yet, in consequence of his demise, charity has lost one of her most zealous and successful advocates; our literary and 'medical societies, a generous benefactor; and the sick-poor, a physician, whose gratuitous labours, and kind attentions, served to smooth the pillow of care, as well as of disease, and tended to render even death itself less terrible.

John Coakley Lettsom was by birth a Creole; and his mother having produced two children at the same time, he happened to be one of these. This event took place in the month of December, 1744, in an island in the Atlantic ocean, forming part of the West Indian cluster, situate between the tropics, in 18 degrees of north latitude, and 63 degrees of west longitude. It is considered as dependent on Tortola, which is itself insignificant, both in point of size and produce; and, had it not been for the reputation of this gentleman, it is more than probable that the name of Little Vandyke would never have reached Europe. Here, in a small wooden tenement, shaded by a stately tamarind tree, his infant hammock was suspended; while his wants were supplied by the attentions of a female negro.

His father appears to have been a planter; but, as the Virgin Islands do not produce sugar, it is probable that, like the inhabitants of Barbuda and Anguilla, he employed the few slaves possessed by him in raising Indian corn and provisions, together with cattle for the supply of the richer settlements, and such European vessels as touched there. As to his family, we have been told that his paternal ancestors came originally from Letsom, or rather Ledsom, according to the text of Domesday, a little village in Cheshire. His mother appears to have been related to Sir Cæsar Coakley, an Irish baronet, some of whose immediate relations, leaving their native country in the time of Cromwell, sought for refuge and subsistence in the neighbouring isles.

It is well known that the means of education between the tropics, are scanty and inefficient; that proper schoolmasters are wanting; that the benefits of example and rivalship are unknown; and that the horrid scene of slavery, together with

the cruel punishments, constantly submitted to the inspection of youth, would at once harden their hearts, and corrupt their morals. As a matter of course, therefore, the children of all who can afford the expense, are sent home, as it is called, from the English colonies, at a very early period of life, for the benefit of instruction.

Accordingly, at the age of six, young Lettsom was brought to England; and his religion, his profession, and all his future fortunes, seem to have originated from a very trifling circumstance for happening, on his arrival here, to disembark at one of the out-ports, he was immediately noticed by Mr. Samuel Fothergill, a member, and also a preacher of some celebrity, in the Society of Friends, who instantly took a lively interest in the fate of this stranger. Accordingly, he received the boy into his house, and, at his recommendation, he was sent to the academy of Mr. Thomson, who resided in his own neighbourhood, at Warrington. Here he formed first an acquaintance, and then a friendship, with the nephew of his schoolmaster, afterwards known as a physician in London, which continued during the term of half a century, and was only terminated by death.

On the demise of the elder Mr. Lettsom, his son, finding himself arrived at that age when the law permits a minor to choose his guardian, he, of course, selected Mr. Fothergill for that purpose; and, it being now time to think of some profession, he was placed as an apprentice with Mr. Abraham, afterwards Dr. Sutcliff, then an apothecary at Settle in Yorkshire, with a view to medical practice.

After obtaining some notion of pharmacy there, he was sent to London, with proper recommendations, to several persons of eminence, and more especially to the celebrated Dr. John Fothergill, then a physician of great celebrity, whom he seems for many years to have looked up to both as a friend and a model. At his recommendation, he became first a constant attendant at, and then resided as a dresser in, St. Thomas's Hospital. In this latter situation, he exhibited the most commendable industry; for he willingly undertook the duties of