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His natural zeal and industry, aided by the wisdom and learning of these able tutors, acquired him early notice and distinction at the University-Ile was, in fact, the model which was perpetually held up for the emulation of the young nobility and gentlemen who were the cotemporaries of his studies, and when he was admitted master of arts, more respect was paid to his personal merits, than to the ordinary qualifications usually required for that degree.

On leaving the university Mr. Pitt entered himself a student of Lincoln's Inn, and after going through the regular course of legal study, he was called to the bar; and afterwards became a member of that honourable and learned society He likewise went once or twice upon the western circuit, and appeared as junior counsel in several causes. But he was destined to fill a far higher station in the country than any which could possibly be attained through the channel of the law.

In the 22d year of his age he was returned at the general election in 1780, for the borough of Poole, in Dorsetshire, as one of its representatives in parliament. He immediately joined the party with which his father had acted, and which had distinguished itself by its opposition to the American war, and to the measures of Lord North's administration. His first speech in the House of Commons was delivered on Mr. Burke's motion for a financial reform, when he completely justified the anticipations of the public, from the care which had been bestowed upon his education, from the distinction he was known to have acquired in his studies, and from the splendid talents of his father, which he was born to support, and which he was ambitious to emulate.

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administration which succeeded to that of Lord North. No; he kept aloof, young as he was, froin an unprincipled coalition which courted his assistance, and the lustre of his splendid talents, even in his youth. So early did he display the firmness and integrity of his mind. But when on the death of the Marquis of Rockinghain, lord Shelburne (afterwards the marquis of Lansdowne) came into power, Mr. Pitt accepted the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer. This office he resigned on the 31st of March 1783, when lord Shelburne was obliged to retire, to make way for the coalition ministry, consisting of lord North, Mr. Fox, and their respective friends.

That ministry, however, did not possess the confidence of either the sovereign or the people, and it therefore was soon dissolved, in consequence of which, Mr. Pitt, in less than twelve months obtained the situations of first lard of the Treasury, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, which placed him in the high situation of prime minister of Great Britain, at the early age of twenty-five years.

From that period the history of Mr. Pitt is no other than the history of the British Empire, and in a great measure the history of Europe. On setting out he found his situation peculiarly difficult and precarious, from the great strength of opposition in the House of Commons, from the numerous abuses which prevailed in all departments of the government, and above all from the low and embarrassed state of the finances of the country. But his powerful mind overcame them all; and by the wisdom and vigour of his measures public credit arose to an unexampled height, the opposition dwindled into an insignificant party, and Mr. Pitt was hailed as the saviour of his country. We pass over numerous acts of his ad. ministration from our necessarily

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confined limits; but it would be extremely unjust to omit noticing his virtuous and intrepid conduct, during the king's illness in 1788. On that trying occasion, the opposition roused all its energies, and collect ed many venal men around its standard, who were eager to worship the rising sun. But the prime minister stood in the gap with lord chancellor Thurlow, and warmly supported the cause of their king and constitution, for which they received the grateful praise of the nation.

When the revolution of France broke out, a new and portentous scene began to open, which required the utmost force of political wisdom, and political virtue to guard against. The same pernicious prin·ciples which distracted that unhappy country, were artfully disseminated in this. Freedom of speech and the freedom of the press gave but too wide a circulation to the destructive doctrines of equality and the rights of man.

The enthusiastic flame was communicated through all ranks, and to the remotest villages of the kingdom. To reason against the delusive doctrines was to incur the charge of being an enemy to freedom; and no man could venture to espouse the old and established principles of loyalty without being insulted.

Clubs were formed in every quarter, associations entered into for the propagation of the new lights, the kingdom was divided into departments, all the absurd phrases and appellations in the jargon of the French republic were eagerly adopted, large assemblies of men were gathered in the fields, and every thing tended to shew that, witho t some prompt and vigorous measures "on the part of government, the kmgdom was inevitably on the eve of a revolution.

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The government did exert itself; laws of valutary restraint were enacted, but not without violent opposition, some of the factious ringleaders were apprehended, by which means the kingdom was saved.

Through the whole of the long and eventful war in which this country was engaged against France, Mr. Pitt had to encounter not merely the usual force of parlia mentary opposition, but the inflamed feelings and misguided violence of the people.

The most artful and scandalous practices were adopted to render his measures, and his motives odious to the great body of the British nation. Nor is it to be wondered that in the time of heavy and burdensome expences incurred by a contest which presented but few of those brilliant successes which dazzle and please the vulgar, that the people should murmur. There were besides numerous circumstances which conspired to blacken the horizon and to fill the minds of even the best-disposed with apprehension and alarm. But though the premier was frequently reduced to situations of difficulty which would have shaken the firmness of most men, he stood towering above them with unexampled firmness, and perceived with a stedfast mind the clouds and thunder rolling at his feet.

In 1793 there was a dreadful shock given to commercial credit. Bankruptcies were multiplying daily; one brought on another, and it was impossible to calculate to what an extent the evil would go. In this exigency Mr. Pitt relieved the merchants by an issue of exchequer bills which he granted them by way of loan, on the security of their effects which were not convertible into money.

In 1797 a run took place upon the Bank which nearly exhausted all its disposable cash, and which threat

ened the most alarming consequences: when Mr. Pitt boldly issued an Order of Council to the Directors to suspend their payments in specie all the sense of Parliament should be taken, which prompt measure saved the credit of the bank.

The mutiny which broke out in the fleet a short time after in the same year, made too deep an impression on the mind of every man then living in the country ever to be forgotten. These were serious trials for a minister, yet the courage and coolness of Mr. Pitt never forsook him amidst them all, and by his prudence and promptness he prevented the calamity which men of no ordinary minds anticipated from the evils which had so alarmingly begun.

But one of the most important and glorious acts of his administration was that which preceded his retirement from office. In January 1799 he brought forward a plan for the union of Ireland with this country, and of placing the three kingdoms under one legislature.

He experienced a great deal of opposition to this measure, both in the British and Irish parliaments; but he was eventually successful in carrying it into effect.

Not long after this Mr. Pitt resigned the seals of office, and was succeeded by Mr. Addington, who concluded the Treaty of Amiens!

The short-liv'd peace produced a new war, and another change in the administration. In May 1804, Mr. Pitt accepted his former situation at the special request of the king. The events which have since happened are too recent and impressive to need relation or remark in this place.

A few months since Mr. Pitt finding himself debilitated, to which

state

perhaps intense application and unwearied anxiety materially contributed, went down to Bath., By too copious a use of the waters

he is said to have brought on so severe an attack of the gout, that acting upon an already weakened frame, it eventually broke up his constitution. As the meeting of parliament approached, he was anxious to appear in his place to explain and vindicate his conduct in the prosecution of the war, which it was naturally expected would be severely attacked. In that assembly, however, which he had so often astonished and delighted by his superior eloquence, he was destined to appear

no more.

His disorder increased, and on Tuesday morning (the 21st) the fever returned with such violence that it became necessary for the physicians to declare an opinion, and to acquaint Mr. Pitt himself with the danger. The Bishop of Lincoln, the oldest and dearest friend of Mr. Pitt, was called aside, and the following opinion was expressed to him-"He cannot live forty-eight hours-the disorder has now taken a mortal turn-he is not strong enough for medicine or any restora tive application. If he lingers a few days more it will be astonishing."

The Bishop of Lincoln now saw. the necessity of intimating the danger to Mr. Pitt; who expressed himself perfectly resigned to the Divine will; and with the utmost composure asked one of his physicians how long he might expect to live.

He then entered into a conversation with the Bishop upon religious subjects. He repeatedly declared, in the strongest terms of humility a sense of his own unwor◄ thiness, and a firm reliance upon the mercy of God, through the me rits of Jesus Christ. After this the Bishop of Lincoln prayed by his bedside for a considerable time, and Mr. Pitt appeared greatly composed by these last duties of reli gion. Mr. Pitt afterwards proceeded to make some arrangements and requests concerning his private af-.

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fairs, and declared that he died in peace with all mankind.

Early on Wednesday the earl of Chatham, and lady Esther Stanhope, his niece, went down, and about eleven o'clock he received the sacrament at the hands of the bishop "of Lincoln, who continued with him all night, and performed the melancholy office of closing the eyes of his illustrious pupil and friend.

On Monday the 27th, Mr. Lascelles brought forward a motion in the House of Commons, that an Address be presented to his Majesty, humbly praying, that he would be graciously pleased to cause the remains of the late Right Honourrable William Pitt to be interred at the public expence, and that a suitable monument and inscription to the memory of this illustrious and disinterested statesman be erected in the collegiate church of St. Peter, Westminster.

It was hardly to be expected that such a proposition would have met with any resistance; yet such was the fact, and though all parties con curred in giving to Mr. Pitt's memory the meed of praise, some persons carried their political enmity to such a pitch as to vote against the motion.

It was, however, carried by a majority of an hundred and sixtyeight, a circumstance highly honourable when it is considered that no hopes of favour could have operated upon the minds of any of the persons who gave so just a mark of respect to the memory of the greatest statesman that ever adorned the annals of this or any other country.

Of a mortification, in his 59th year, the Rev, Robert Holmes, D. D. rector of Stanton, in the county of Oxford, canon of Salisbury and Christ Church, and dean of Winchester. He was born of an ancient family in Hampshire, and

was educated at Winchester school, from whence he removed to New College, Oxford, where he procceded M. A. 1774; B. D. in 1787: and D.D. in 1786. He was ap pointed professor of poetry on the death af Mr. Thomas Warton, in 1790; and first published a Sermou on the resurrection of the Body deduced from that of Christ, and illustrated from the Transfiguration, 1777, 4to: the Bampton Lectures in eight Sermons, 1782, 8vo; Divinity Tracts, 8vo. 1788; Alfred, an Ode, with six Sonnets the same year, in 4to; an Ode on the Encania, on the Installation of the Duke of Portland, in the Chancellorship of Oxford, in 1791; a Fast Sermon before the House of Commons, in 1796, 4to; a Latin Epistle to Bishop Barrington, in 1795, folio, respecting the collation of the MSS. of the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament, which he had begun seven years before, and which occupied his attention till his death, with a specimen of the MS. of Genesis, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, in blue and silver capitals of the second or fifth centuries. The delegates of the University Press agreed to allow him 407. ayear for three years, on exhibiting to them his Collations annually, to be deposited in the Bodleian Library, and when the whole should be finished, to the University Press at his expence, and for his benefit, or of his assigns, if he should live to complete his Collations, Or, if... · left imperfect, they are to be at the discretion of the delegates, they.. undertaking to promote the finishing of them to the best of their power, and to publish them when finished, allowing to his assigns a just proportion of the profits." Thus encouraged and aided by a handsome annual subscription, he printed the whole of the Pentateuch, in 5 volumes folio, price twelve gui

neas, at the rate of three for each volume being subscribed for one copy. Among the subscribers were the late archbishop of Canterbury, eighteen English and two Irish bishops, nineteen deans, the university of Oxford for twelve copies, the university of Cambridge three copies, Trinity college, Dublin, for two, university of Glasgow, one; 14 colleges at Oxford, those of King's at Cambridge, and Eton, and Sion: the dukes of Portland, Grafton, and Marlborough; others of the nobility, and many of the clergy and laity-Sixteen annual accounts of the Collation of the MSS. and four of the publication, have been published, the subscription to which, last year, amounted to 31371. Having brought the publication of the Pentateuch to a conclusion, he last year edited the Prophecy of Daniel, according to Theodotion and the LXX, departing from his proposed order, as if by a presentiment of his end. In fifteen years 70001. had been expended on this great undertaking, the Collations of which are deposited in the Bodleian Library, to be published under the auspices of the delegates of the Clarendon Press.

The Rev. Henry Croft, D. D. Vicar of Gargrave, near Skipton, Yorkshire.

At Gateacre, the Rev. Robert Parke, Fellow of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and minister of Wayertree, near Liverpool, aged 38.

At Bath, in the 55th year of his age, the Rev. Charles Barton, M. A. Rector of St. Andrew, Holborn, He was the son of the late Rev. Dr. Barton, Dean of Bristol and Rector of St. Andrew, whom he succeeded in that living. See his character, page 57.

Dec. 2. At Kensington, Miss Smith, aged 18, the only surviving daughter of the Rev. Joseph Smith, Vicar of Melksham, Wilts.

At his house in Hoxton Square Shoreditch, the Rev. Charles Toulmin, late of Christ's College, Cambridge.

Lately, at a very advanced age, the Rev. Cadwallader Jones, Rector of St. Ives, in Cornwall, and formerly of St. John's College, Cambridge: B. A. in 1730.

January 4. Greatly regretted, the Rev. Matthew Thompson, Rector of Bradfield and Mistley, and one of the Justices of the Peace for the county of Essex. He was on that day invited to dine at H. Rigby's, Esq. Mistley Hall, and on rising to go into the dining-room was taken suddenly ill, and immediately expired. He has left a widow and eleven children to lament his loss.

At Kelston, in his 55th year, the Rev. Edward Hawkins, M. A. Rector of that place, and Vicar of Bisley, Gloucestershire.

The Rev. George Lefroy, Rector of Ashe in Hampshire, and of Compton in Surry.

The Rev. Richard Bethel, Rector of St. Peter's, Wallingford.

At Seddington, Herefordshire, the Rev. John Washbourn, D. D. one of the Senior Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford, and Rector of that parish.'

At the parsonage-house at Cottesbrooke, in Northamptonshire, of the gout in his head, the Rev. John Sanford, LL. B. more than twenty years Rector of that pa

rish.

At Yarmouth, Mrs. Turner, wife of the Rev. Richard Turner, minister of that parish. Her stedfast and unaffected Christian picty, her affectionate and unceasing attention to a numerous family, and her eagerness to relieve the wants of the poor and distressed, will long render her example instructive, and her memory beloved and revered.

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