MRS THICKNESSE.

Jan. 20.-This lady, whose maiden name was Ford, was born on the 22d Feb. 1737, in the vicinity of the Temple, in a house afterwards inhabited by Chief-Justice Willes. Her father, Mr Ford, was intended for the bar, but having obtained the respectable and lucrative situation of Clerk of the Arraigns, he changed his views, and became a solicitor, equally celebrated for his eminence and his extensive practice. One of her uncles, Dr Ford, was physician to the queen, and another, Mr Gilbert Ford, was Attorney-General for the Island of Jamaica. Being an only child, the talents of Miss Ford were cultivated with the utmost care, and without regard to expense. The most eminent masters, both in the languages and in all ornamental accomplishments, were employed by her father in forming her mind and manners; and so completely had nature and inclination given her the power to profit by them, that it was no wonder she acquired the celebrity and admiration which always accompanied her. To great beauty of form, she united the sweetest temper and the most ready wit, wholly devoid of all personal severity. Introduced into the world of fashion, she soon became the ton; and Hone, the Sir Thomas Lawrence of his day, exhibited a picture of her in the character of a muse playing on a lyre. Some years afterwards, the celebrated Gainsborough painted a portrait of her in his best style. The grace of her movements was faultless, and her dancing drew from the polite and accomplished Lord Chesterfield several stanzas in its praise. In music she excelled, possessing an exquisite voice, replete with power, modulation, and expression. She also attained great skill in drawing and painting; and

even but a few weeks before her death, when in her 87th year, produced, without the aid of glasses, an admirable painting on white silk, as a bri dal present to a young lady of her acquaintance.

It is not surprising that, with these various perfections, Miss Ford was followed, caressed, and flattered. Her Sunday concerts, for sacred music, were attended by all the gay and fashionable world; and many persons of consideration condescended to assist in them. Among the latter were, the Earl of Kellie, Countess of Tankerville, Lord Dudley and Ward, Lord Bateman, Sir Charles Bingham, Marchioness of Rockingham, Governor Thicknesse (Miss Ford's future husband), &c. &c. Some of the ablest professors of that period, such as Dr Arne, Signors Tenducci and Passerini, Messrs Leoni, Saltero, Paxton, Burton, Froud, Baildon, &c., contributed their talents to this musical treat. Of all these companions of her youthful hours, there is not an individual who has not long been deposited in the silent grave.

Among the admirers by whom Miss Ford was at that time surrounded, was a nobleman, who was a constant visitor at her concerts. He was, indeed, old; but, at the same time, he was agreeable, gay, and rich. Notwithstanding he was then married to a Duchess Dowager, yet he still presumed to talk of love; and, as his lady was suffering under a malady deemed incurable, and which, soon after, actually put an end to her life, he was already looking out for a successor. Being enraptured with the person and talents of the fair subject of this memoir, he declared his passion, and offered to bind himself down, by the most sacred promises on the one hand, and by every legal obligation on the other, to make her his wife on the demise of his lady. This

coronet in expectancy had, however, no charms for Miss Ford, and she rejected the addresses of her noble suitor.

About this period, Miss Ford was invited to a theatrical entertainment at the hospitable mansion of the late Sir William Young, and was complimented by him and Lady Young with the nomination of the play. After be ing repeatedly urged by both, she at length fixed on "Romeo and Juliet," and consented to appear in the principal female character. On this occasion, Miss Ford certainly possessed advantages over most of her contemporaries. She had been taught to read by Sheridan, the father of Richard Brinsley; she was well acquainted with Garrick, whom she had often heard recite in private; and Mrs Cibber, with whom she lived on friendly terms, gave her lessons, to qualify her for shining on the stage. But poor Juliet, while rehearsing the balcony scene, had nearly been consigned to "the tomb of the Capulets;" for she fell from a screen placed on a table, and instead of a mimic death, ran no small risk of being buried in reality. Soon after, finding herself closely pressed by her father respecting some proposals for settling in life, Miss Ford came to the resolution of flying from the paternal mansion, and taking refuge in the house of a lady of quality of her acquaintance. Here she deemed herself secure from pursuit, but she was mistaken, for a warrant having been granted by Sir John Fielding, (whose very name at that time carried terror with it,) she was captured, and taken home. Here she was again strongly urged to consent to a union with the gentleman who was her father's favourite, and who was a West Indian, possessed of consider able estates in Jamaica. The idea, however, of marrying a man she could not love, and of being sent into exile

at a distance from all her friends, was of course intolerable to a young lady of sensibility. She accordingly eloped a second time, and, having taken a lodging at Kensington, for some time eluded all inquiry. In this situation, instead of resigning herself to melancholy, she determined to turn her talents to advantage, and by one bold effort, to render herself independent. As she had lived in habits of familiarity with the first nobility, she conceived the notion of rendering their patronage subservient to her scheme. She therefore hired the Opera-House for three nights only, and provided an excellent band of music. Nor was she disappointed in her expectation of support, for every one was eager to subscribe. But the undertaking had nearly been rendered abortive by her father. He was naturally indignant at his daughter's having left his house, and he was shocked at the idea that she should appear upon the stage, for any period, however short, or under any circumstances, however favourable.

He therefore

applied to the same magistrate who had before assisted him; and all the avenues to the Haymarket were occupied by Sir John Fielding's runners. By the active interposition, however, of some of Miss Ford's friends, and especially of the late Lord Tankerville, then an officer of the guards, this opposition on the part of the police was withdrawn.

The timidity incident to a first performance was much relieved by the universal kindness and support which Miss Ford experienced. Previous to her appearance, Prince Edward condescended to drink tea with her in the green-room; and, on her entrance, the audience received her with loud

bursts of applause. Thus encouraged, Miss Ford exerted herself, and sang with great power and sweetness, principally the compositions of Handel.

On the two succeeding nights the performance was repeated, with equal success; and the sum which Miss Ford thus derived from her personal talents, amounted to no less than fifteen hundred pounds.

Some relaxation, after such an exhausting effort, was indispensable; and Miss Ford accepted an invitation from her intimate friend, Lady Betty Thicknesse, and accompanied her Ladyship and Governor Thicknesse into Suffolk. While there, Lady Betty was delivered of a boy, of whom Miss Ford became the godmother. The mother herself did not long survive his birth. Governor Thicknesse, who was greatly affected with his loss, immediately left the spot where she died, consigning the care of his family to Miss Ford, who acted with such discretion and propriety, as to ensure his entire approbation on his return. Time, and change of scene, having abated his grief, Governor Thicknesse began to think that no one could better supply the place of his lady than her most intimate friend. After due courtship, finding the fair one "nothing loath," the wedding (which might be termed a public one, as upwards of 300 ladies and gentlemen were present on the occasion) took place on the 27th of September, 1762; and as the union was founded on reciprocal esteem, so it continued during thirty years with unbroken and uninterrupted felicity.

As Governor Thicknesse, from the loss of a Chancery law-suit, was involved in narrow circumstances, a great part of their time was spent in retirement in Wales, or on the Continent. The Governor died in her arms, in his carriage, while travelling near Boulogne in 1792. She was soon after arrested, and confined with many other English, in the convent of the Ursulines, and treated with great rigour; and being with others senten

ced to death, she, by her amiable manners and urgent prayers, procu red a few hours' delay before the intended execution, during which pe riod Robespiere himself and his associates were led to the scaffold; while herself, and the other intended victims, were saved by this circumstance. At length, after much suffering, she returned to her native country, and has, since that period, passed her life in peace and serenity, living with a much-attached and sincere friend, to the moment of her dissolution-she having departed this life on the 20th of January, 1824, with a firm reliance on the promises of her merciful Redeemer, and in full hope of a blessed resurrection. She fully retained to the last her admirable powers; her eyesight being as perfect as at 20; her hair luxuriant, and without a grey tress in it; her teeth, not one deficient, retaining their enamel and durability; and her mind active, studious, and playful; her arguments perspicuous and energetic; her wit brilliant, but never severe. Her mornings were to the last devoted to study; and many writings of a very late period of her life, and some on abstruse subjects, are left behind her. Her evenings found her generally surrounded by a small but select party of friends, all listening with delight to her lively anecdotes of past times, and enlivened by the constant sallies of wit on the daily occurrences passing before her; or receiving those lessons of instruction, which were so elegantly and unostentatiously given to them. Her ease and elegance of manner were not to be copied; her goodness of heart and liberality of spirit may; but a more perfect model of Christian humility and forbearance was never better exemplified than in the life and conduct of Mrs Thicknesse. She published, in two volumes, a work, called "The School

of Fashion," which had a prodigious run, being full of satirical truth upon some of the most fashionable characters of that day. She also published "Biographical Memoirs," in three or four volumes, of the most eminent females of the French nation; and, without a name, many tracts on religious and moral subjects. She conversed freely in Spanish, Italian, French, and German; but so perfectly devoid of all pedantry, that she was never known to protrude that knowledge in any circle which she honoured and graced by her society. With a liberality peculiar to herself, she once sang at a public concert at Bath, which was given for the purpose of raising a fund sufficient for the building of an hospital. An immense sum was raised by this procedure, which gave rise at her suggestion, and by this generous assistance of herself and others, to the present valuable foundation there, called the Casualty Hospital; thus she made her voice not merely subservient to pleasure, but to alleviate the miseries and accidents of human nature. She never was tired of well-doing; how many enmities has she subdued! how much anger has she dissipated! Peace, indeed, was in all her steps. She died as she had lived, bowing herself with all humility to the dispensations of Providence; cheerfully, it may be said truly, departing this life, surely trusting in the merits of her Redeemer, full of holy hope, and duly appreciating all the comforts of our holy religion. She was interred in the burying-ground at Paddington, on the 28th of January, the service having

been finely and impressively performed by the Rev. Basil Wood, and followed, at her own especial request, by her only son, Captain Thicknesse, royal navy, and three gentlemen, her long-tried and valued friends.

SIR JOHN ORde, Bart.

February 19.-In Gloucester-Place, aged 73, Sir John Orde, Bart. Admiral of the Red, and Vice-President of the Naval Charitable Society.

The family of Orde is of great antiquity, and has long possessed considerable landed estates in the counties of Northumberland and Durham. The subject of this memoir was the youngest son of the late John Orde, Esq. who lived chiefly at Morpeth, and acted for many years as a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant of the former county, by his second wife Anne, widow of the Rev. W. Pye, and was born at Morpeth, December 1752.*

He entered the navy in 1766; was made Lieutenant in 1773; was appointed to the Roebuck on the American station, where he remained till 1777, when he was removed to the Eagle, Lord Howe's flag-ship, as first Lieutenant.

He commanded the Zebra sloop of war, at the reduction of Philadelphia; and, May 19, 1778, was advanced to the rank of Post-Captain, in the Virginia of 32 guns, a frigate recently captured from the Americans. In the autumn of 1779, Captain Orde accompanied Commodore

Sir George Collier in the expedition up the Penobscot, which terminated in the capture or destruction of the whole of the rebel fleet in that river, consisting of eighteen ships and vessels of war; and the relief of Fort M'Lean, which had been closely besieged by the enemy.

In 1780, the Virginia assisted at the taking of Charlestown, where, after passing Sullivan's Island, Captain Orde served on shore in the command of a battalion of seamen, and was favourably noticed by Admiral Arbuthnot, in his official dispatches relative to that event.

He afterwards commanded the Chatham of 50 guns, and captured the General Washington, of 22 guns and 118 men. In 1781, Admiral Arbuthnot being recalled, Captain Orde conveyed him to England in the Roebuck, into which ship he had removed for that purpose. During the remainder of the war, he was employed in the North Sea, and on the coast of France.

In February 1783, the preliminaries of peace having been signed, Captain Orde was honoured with the appointment of Governor of Dominica, and Receiver of the Moneys arising from the sale of land in the ceded islands; and, on the 27th July, 1790, the dignity of a Baronet was conferred upon him.

At the breaking out of the French Revolution, Sir John solicited and obtained permission to resign his govern. ment, and to resume the active duties of his profession. He was immediately appointed to command the Victorious, and soon afterwards the Venerable, of 74 guns, attached to the Channel Fleet. From the latter he removed into the Prince George, a second-rate, and continued in her until June 1, 1795, when he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral.

In the beginning of 1797, Sir John

Orde assumed the command at Ply. mouth during the absence of the Port Admiral, the late Sir Richard King. On this service he continued until the close of the disgraceful mutiny in the month of May; soon after which, he hoisted his flag on board the Princess Royal, of 98 guns, and joined the fleet under the orders of Earl St Vincent on the Mediterranean station.

In November following, the RearAdmiral was sent by his lordship, with the command of a squadron of eight sail of the line, and a proportionate number of frigates and sloops, to blockade the port of Cadiz.

There he continued till relieved by Sir W. Parker, in January 1798; and was sent back on the same service, after that officer had been compelled to leave his station by superior force. This service, though certainly not the most splendid, was not the least arduous, especially during the winter months, when Sir John principally conducted it. The position necessarily taken by the blockading squadron was embayed. In the port of Cadiz there were about twenty sail of the line, with some frigates, kept apparently in constant readiness to put to sea, which threatened on one side; whilst, on another, the squadron was liable to attack from the Toulon fleet, unchecked in its operations, and known to be preparing for some important expedition.

On Earl St Vincent resuming the immediate command off Cadiz, the Rear-Admiral received his thanks in the following words :-" You have shown uncommon ability and exertion in preserving your position during the late unpleasant weather, and I very much approve every step you have taken."

Not long after this, Sir J. Orde was much mortified at finding an officer (Sir H. Nelson) junior to himself, just arrived from England, selected