burne, when that nobleman was at the head of affairs, though he held the chancellorship during his fhort-lived administration.

On the entrance of the coalition junto into power, his lordship refigned his fiation with becoming dignity: the feals were put in commiffion: but he refumed them again when that firange monster was driven out by the united voice of the people.

Few men, while occupying that high poft, have gained fuch a degree of popularity as Lord Thurlow; and it ought to be observed, that the times in which he has lived have been extremely critical, and that he has had to encounter many events of a very difficult and arduous nature.

The most remarkable period in his life, and that upon which his future biographer will have to dwell with the greatest complacency, is the epoch of the king's illness. No fituation could be more trying; and certainly no man ever conducted himself in a trying fituation with greater fortitude or wifdom. His integrity on that occafion was, indeed, confpicuous; and he had the rare fatisfaction of receiving for his reward, the grateful acknowledgments of both prince and people at the fame time. His fpeeches on the Regency queftion, will ever remain upon record as the moft precious memorials of unfhaken rectitude; and that declaration which, in a manner, may be faid to have electrified the Houfe of Peers, "When I forfake my king in the hour of his distress, may my God forfake me!" ought to be engraven upon his monumcnt,

After having acted with Mr. Pitt, ever fince that gentleman came into office, till the prefent eventful war, a marked difference of opinion in the cabinet at length rendered the refignation of one or other of thefe ftatefmen unavoidable. Accordingly Lord Thurlow delivered up the great feal, in a manner, and in terms that affected his royal patron very forcibly. Doubtlefs his Majefty could not but recollect, at that moment, the fervices which the ex-chancellor had rendered him in the awful feafon when he was, as it were, fhut out from focicty, and oppreffèd with the moft fevere of human maladies!

From that time, Lord T. has contented himfelf with enjoying the otium cum dignitate, in his retirement at Dulwich. But though he has withdrawn himfelf from the prefent miniftry, he has not petulantly joined the phalanx of oppofition. His mind is fuperior to party connexion, which, at the best, is but a mean kind of bondage. While in office, he preferved an independent fpirit, and was always ready to exprefs his diflatisfaction at the meafures of his colleagues in power; and now that he has no fhare in the government, he is equally free in reproving or commending either minifters or their opponents.

His great characteristics are fteadinefs, uniformity, and inflexibility, which often proceed to a length that, in others, would be termed obftinacy. No man can fhake him from his purpose, when his opinion is once fixed. With this fpirit of determination, is, however, united a powerful principle of integrity. In all the fituations which he has filled, he has conducted him.

felf

felf in fuch a manner that no enemy can find an occafion to faften any fufpicion upon him. Though a ftranger to gentleness of voice or manner, he poffeffes a large and very liberal mind. In the difpofal of preferments, his chief regard ever was to merit; and he has been often known to refift the influence of his minifterial affociates, in order to bring in thofe whom he fuppofed to be better qualified for the vacant offices.

As a public fpeaker, he poffeffes great powers; and though devoid of the more winning graces which fteal their way to the heart, he carries home conviction to it, by a felect arrangement of words, a dignity of utterance, a clofe and logical mode of argument, and a fingular expreffiveness of countenance.

With fuch qualifications, and fuch virtues, not to poffefs fome failings would be more than falls to the lot of humanity. Thofe of his lordship arise entirely from a defect in his early education, and from the peculiar caft of his mind. Juvenile habits and indifcretions are rarely fo altered in more advanced life, as not to leave fome tincture of their influence, unless in very flexible difpofitions alone,

Lord Thurlow's character is replete with integrity and liberality; and therefore a few imperfections may the more reasonably be excufed.* Coarse language,

at

One of the most learned men of the prefent day, perhaps, dipped his pen in the gall of party prejudice, when he drew the following character of his lordship under the name of Novius: "Minas poffumus contemnere vocémque fulmineam Thrafonici iftius Oratoris τῷ τὰς ἐφρᾶς κυανέας ἐπηρκότος, cujus vulticulum, uti

Noviorum

at times, is faid to escape him; and fome facetious barrifters have pretended to observe an oath quivering on his lips, while fitting at Lincoln's Inn; but the unmannerly

Noviorum iftius minoris, ferre poffe fe negat quadruplatorum genus omne et fubfcriptorum. Quid enim? truculentus femper incedit, tetérque, et terribilis afpectu. De fupercilio autem ifto quid dicendum eft? annon reipublicæ illud quafi pignus quoddam videtur? annon fenatus illo, tanquam Atlante cœlum, innititur.

"Ferunt profectò Novium in fumma feritate effe verfutiffimum, promtúmque ingenio ultra Barbarum.' Quod fi demferis illi aut σφοδρότητα quanta in Bruto fuit, aut πικρότητα vere Menippeam, aut pocne expérτa propriam et fuam, facilè eidem juris nodos legúmque ænigmata ad folvendum permiferis.

"Fervido quodam et petulanti genere dicendi utitur, eodémque, nec valdè nitenti, nec planè horrido. Solutos irridentium cachinnos ita commovet, ut lepores ejus, fcurriles et prorfus veteratorios diceres. Omnia loquitur verborum fanè bonorum curfu quodam incitato, itémque voce, qua ne fubfellia quidem ipfa defiderant pleniorem et grandiorem. In adverfariis autem lacerandis ita caufidicorum figuras jaculatur, ita callida et malitiofa juris interpretatione utitur, ita furere et bacchari folet, ut fæpe mirere tam alias res agere optimates, ut fit penè infano inter difertos locus.

"Fuit ei, perinde atque aliis, fortuna pro virtutibus. Didicit autem à Muciano, fatis clarum effe apud timentem, quifquis timeatur. Corpore ipfe ingens, animi immodicus, verbis magnificus, et fpecie inanium magis quám fapientia validus, studia ap fe optimatium illexit, eámque adeptus eft auctoritatem, quæ homini novo pro facundia effe poffet. Scilicet, quæ bonis Titio, Seioque turpiffima forent, Novium noftrum maximè decent, fiquidem è fubfellis elapfus de tribunali nunci pronuntiet, et ex præcope aionum factus fit inftitor eloquentiæ fenatoriæ. Quam igitur in civitate gratiam dicendi facultate Q. Varius confecutus eft, vaftus homo atque fœdus, eandem Novius intelligit, illa ipfa facultate, quamcunque habet, fe effe in Senatu confecutum

"Ellum,

unmannerly stranger has never been allowed to escape, though his unwilling retention doubtlefs excited a painful emotion.

His lordship was never married, but he has feveral natural children.

Although he rents a houfe, and maintains a regular establishment, in St. James's-fquare, yet he never fleeps in town; but retires inftantly from the Houfe of Peers to his refidence, near Dulwich, in Surrey.

Lord Thurlow has fecured for his nephew, the patent place of clerk of the Hanapar, vacant by the death of the late Lord Northington.

THE MARQUIS CORNWALLIS.

THE fubject of this memoir has acted with fuccefs in the character of a fiatefman as well as that of a foldier. Like the Roman confuls of old, he has received and difpatched ambaffadors; he has declared war, and granted peace. He fought for the prefervation of an empire in America; he retained and enlarged the British dominions in Afia; and in Europe, he has humbled the enemics of his country,

"Ellum, confidens, catus:

Cùm faciem videas, videtur effe quantivis pretî:

Triftis feveritas ineft in voltu, atque in verbis fides."

"Of that orator, who carries menace and terror in his brow, we think the eloquence Thrafonic, and defpife its loudeft thunders; whose afpect, like the younger Novius, repels all underlings and petitioners," &c.

and,