Spithead just before the mutiny. Here, by a little good management and minute attention, I kept my men from cheering with the others; and although I had daily communication in my barge with the Royal George, three days after the yard-ropes had been reeved, I punished two men, who had left their duty in the dock-yard. When I received orders for sea, not a moment's lapse of good order occurred; but having information that letters had been received, threatening a visit from the delegates, and punishment if my people did not join in cheering, &c. I called the ship's company together, informed them that I was ordered to proceed to sea; but that under the circumstances I was aware of, I should not do so till the night-tide, when I expected they would show their sense of the confidence I had in their good conduct by weighing with the utmost silence and despatch. The reply was by three hearty cheers (which I would then have gladly dispensed with), and careful obedience to my orders during the night; and I have reason to believe, that the good conduct of my ship's company aided the able management of * the commander of the part of the western squadron I immediately joined, in the preservation of good order at that critical period. I had the honour of letters of approbation from the Admiralty, both on account of our long stay in harbour without desertion, and preventing my ship's company from taking part in the mutiny; and after the ship's company had also received their Lordships' thanks, they sent me a letter full of expressions of gratitude for my having, as they termed it, 'steered them clear of the troubles so many of their brethren had been involved in." "

Το

Sir Charles was also an admirable correspondent. show the lively vigour of his mind, even in retirement, we subjoin part of a letter which he wrote to an intimate friend only about five months before the world closed on his

career:

"As the longest day of the year has just gone by, so have I about the same time passed over that usual limit of three

*Sir Edward Pellew.

score and ten, when the days may be said to shorten rapidly. I have, however, great cause for thankfulness, that I do not feel the weight of years, though I cannot omit their tale. You remark that your children, like the minute hand of a watch, remind of the comminution of time; with me, I may add, you the second-hand is moving, in my grandchildren. So silently, indeed, do days glide over us, that we were lately taken by surprise to find you had a son old enough for Westminsterschool; but we are already thinking of sending forth the eldest of the four Coodes, though I believe not out of the country.

* *

"You are of course aware that my nephew-in-law, Dr. Arnold, is making great progress with Thucydides; and I hope the pressure of Rugby may not interrupt the publication. I know not whether biremes, triremes, &c. ever engaged your attention; but Arnold has entered deeply into the matter, and I think made it clear, that the ancient ships had no longer oars than one man could carry on his shoulders; and that the terms which have been applied to several banks of oars, did not originally mean tier above tier; a Liliputian crew could not have used such Brobdignagian machines. A little work, by Howell, is curious on this subject. Some cases are, however, difficult to decide upon. The Portsmouth paper states, that whilst many are contending for the honour of having invented paddle-wheels, there exists a model or plan of a Roman galley thus fitted, and worked by oxen, in a large walking wheel! If, among your coins and medals, you can find a galley with more than one tier of oars complete, I shall be glad to be informed; though I suppose the Doctor has addressed you on that head. In my small collection I can find none such; what I have, show like a tier of short oars along the waist or waste; and in some, as the Felicitas of Hadrian, one or two sweeps on the forecastle and роор. I was obliged to neglect my coins even before I had tolerably arranged them, as I thought they injured my eyes, but these are now grown young again second childhood you will

say and I have thoughts of awakening the dormant pas

sion.

* *

-

"Your correspondence is a great treat to me, and raises my thoughts above mere mundane cogitations. It never was my good fortune to examine the wonders of the starry sky with a powerful instrument; but many a night have I gazed for successive hours, with my old Dollond's achromatic, on the distant Nebulæ of Orion, now rendered so superiorly important by what you relate of a new intruder into the trapezium. I have done this long before the enlarged ideas respecting similar appearances had been suggested; and I kept on gazing, in hopes that I should discover more and more; for it always seemed as if, by a clearer light, I could look through the blue expanse into more distant space, into the heaven of heavens, — if we may apply this expression to astronomical perceptions. It is long since my old Dollond was pointed at the sky, but the first clear night its direction will be guided by your interesting information. Your pearl has not been thrown where its price is not fully appreciated; and I am banished so far from even a chance of scientific converse, that the intelligence you have from time to time afforded me came as a deed of charity as well as an act of kindness. I should certainly have the highest enjoyment in seeing the stellar prospect with you, the wonders of which appear to accumulate in a progression peculiar to, and adapted to, the boundless space in which they occupy their comparative points; and I will not despair of that pleasure, though hope is not strong, as I can hardly expect that Lady Penrose will again resume her travelling. * * The experiments on the connection of galvanism and electricity with magnetism, must have been beautiful and curious: you remember I long ago told you that I thought we ought to consult the atmosphere for many of the laws of the latter."

Sir Charles continued to enjoy health and animation, even beyond his years, up to Christmas-day 1829, when he cheerfully joined some of the family in the good old custom of singing a carol; yet he was warned by a numbness in his

VOL. XV.

hands and arm of impending danger, and took precautionary measures. Alas! in vain on the 26th he was suddenly attacked, shortly after midnight, by a paralytic affection, which baffled medical art. Divine mercy was, however, so far extended, that although the blow was sufficiently severe to announce the coming crisis, it yet allowed him to prepare for the awful alternative. His voice, intellect, and countenance remained unchanged; and he was able to express his entire reliance on a Saviour's mediation. His worldly affairs were all in order, so that a few calm words sufficed for directions: he afterwards named and blessed his relations and friends, sent messages where he thought they would be useful or gratifying, and then contemplated his approaching dissolution with that calm tranquillity which is the most beneficial consequence of virtue.

On the Tuesday morning following, he fell into a kind of heavy sleep, from which he never more awoke, but expired on the 1st of January 1830, without a struggle. His remains were interred by the side of his beloved daughter, in St. Winnow's church-yard, followed by the heartfelt regrets of the neighbourhood. In him his acquaintances have lost a pleasing friend; the service an experienced officer; and the king a faithful, honest, and upright subject.

The materials for this memoir have been derived from "Marshall's Royal Naval Biography," and "The United Service Journal."

19

No. II.

THE RIGHT HON. GEORGE TIERNEY,

M. P. FOR KNARESBOROUGH.

MR. TIERNEY was the last of his school; the last remnant of the old English opposition; the last star of that memorable constellation of talent, comprehending the names of Burke, Fox, Sheridan, Windham, Whitbread, Romilly, and others, which, in days of yore, cast so dazzling a splendour over the parliamentary discussion of every question of high political and general interest.

He was of Irish descent; but was born at Gibraltar, on the 20th of March 1761. His father, whose name was Thomas, was a native of Limerick, and had been a merchant in London before he went to Gibraltar; where he became a prize agent, it being then war time. He thence, on or soon after the peace of 1763, removed to France, and lived at Paris in affluence for many years. While resident there he had a law-suit with the Earl of Shelburne, originating in money transactions between his Lordship and a Mr. M‘Lean, in which Messrs. Poachaud, the Parisian bankers, were also concerned. The result was, that the Earl was compelled to pay a large sum. It is believed that Mr. Thomas Tierney continued to reside in Paris until his death, which happened above forty years ago, never having returned to live in England. For this a reason has been assigned, as arising out of the situation he held at Gibraltar; but what the true cause was, it is now difficult to discover. Mrs. Tierney generally resided in or near London, their children were also brought up and educated in England. The subject of this memoir had an uncle of the name of James, of the firm of Tierney, Lilly,