stimulated the industry of its conductors, as they must have used extraordinary exertion to complete the present portion of their undertaking. It was indeed to be expected that when the design of the work should be duly known and appreciated, new sources of information would be opened to them; a larger and more varied supply of biographical materials would be communicated; and thus they would be enabled satifactorily to complete their yearly labours with the punctuality essential to a periodical publication. By a faithful discharge of their duty as biographers, a duty on some occasions equally delicate and difficult, they have ensured resspect and invited confidence; and by a humane and tender regard to the memory of departed worth they have established a just claim to one of the first requisites in private history, the testimony of surviving relations and friends. This charitable justice to the dead, tends to confirm the expectations of the living; and in reference to the manly and generous spirit in which these obituary records are delivered, those eminent persons who are now verging towards the close of their mortal career, may adopt the language of Queen Katherine to her gentleman-usher:

"After my death, I wish no other herald,
No other speaker of my living actions
To keep mine honour from corruption,
But such an honest chronicler......"

The present volume, consisting of memoirs of celebrated persons who have died in 1817-1818, exhibits an appalling bill of mortality. Within that period the unsparing hand of death has laid low a multitude of victims in every class of society, from the throne to the cottage:-statesmen, warriors, divines, judges, jurists, politicians, and men of letters; individuals who have acquired distinction by their actions, their writings, or even their eccentricities, severally occupy a niche in this literary mausoleum. To survey such an assemblage excites at first a solemn and mournful feeling; yet strange as it may seem, this annual volume yields a more varied fund of amusement than most of the periodical productions of the day. Each memoir is a little novel full of incident and vicissitude, or exhibiting traits of character which are the more striking

because their originals are fresh in recollection; many of them exhibit examples of an old age of wealth and honours, attained after half a century of toilsome exertion; and the few which have a tragic termination, while they afford an impressive moral in themselves, throw into bright relief the livelier parts of the miscellany.

As a fair specimen of these memoirs we may select a passage or two from the life of one of the most persevering and successful Statesmen that have appeared in the present reign, a personage designated, we believe, as well by his familiar friends as by his political opponents, by the plain appellation of "OLD GEORGE ROSE*." The following is the account given of his early career.

"How, when, in what manner, and in what capacity the future Treasurer of the Navy entered into his Majesty's service on board the fleet, is not at present distinctly known. Certain it is, that be was still very young; but it is not at all probable, as has been asserted by some,

that it was in the humble station of steward. It is most likely, indeed, that, as is the board the first ship in which he embarked, case at the present day, he was received on under the appellation of captain's clerk. This obviously and necessarily leads to the higher department of purser; and as the subject of this memoir was always a man of equal punctuality and dispatch, we doubt not when once he attained this step, then the object of his highest ambition, that he performed all its duties with becoming propriety. While in this latter station, he rendered himself known to the old Earl of Sandwich, who then presided at the Admiralty Board, and in his own

person, united the two singular and discordant qualities, of an aptitude for business with an unaccountable passion for pleasure and dissipation. This nobleman was his first official patron, and had he but continued under his immediate protection, there is no doubt but he would in due time have obtained some respectable employment at one of the public Boards ap

pertaining to this department.

"He himself appears, however, to have thought otherwise, for we soon after find him occupying a situation + at Whitehall,

most probably through the influence of Lord Marchmont. Here his habits of regularity proved highly serviceable; and he was no sooner appointed to the superintendance of the public records, than he undertook the arduous task of selecting, arranging, and placing them in due order. The new keeper accordingly commenced, and persevered in his Herculean labours, until at length, he had bundled, ticketed, and placed in alphabetical arrangement, all and every document appertaining to his department. Formerly a search was found difficult, if not impossible, amidst an undigested mass of public papers, laid carelessly on shelves, or loosely and negligently scattered in the apartments. But when he had once finished his operations, the Treasury, or any other Board, was no longer at a loss; for, on the title of any document being transmitted, the original was immediately produced, without hesitation and without delay. Such a sudden change occasioned favourable impressions, and at length recommended Mr. Rose to the notice of Lord North, then Premier, who, during the course of the American war, was frequently obliged to recur to a variety of obsolete dispatches, sometimes at the instigation of his political adversaries, and not unfrequently for his own justification.

"Nor did Mr. Rose's exertions remain long unrewarded. In 1767, a new field opened for the display of his unwearied and indefatigable industry. He was at that period appointed to superintend a work of no common magnitude, the completion of the Journals of the House of Lords, in thirty-one folio volumes! task which would have appalled other men, ouly furnished new wings to his activity; and it must be allowed, that this immense, labourious, and expensive operation was conducted in such a manner, as to reflect credit on that court of Parliament, which by its votes first enjoined, and afterwards liberally paid for its accomplish

ment.

"From this period, Mr. Rose was constantly employed by nearly all succeeding ministers, with an exception of Mr. Fox, and at length rose so high in the favour of his Sovereign, after becoming a senator, as to have obtained the invidious appellation of one of the King's friends.'

"It ought not to be here forgotten, that when the Earl of Shelburne, at the conclusion of the American War, became Premier, he found Mr. Rose a very useful assistant in a subordinate capacity. Soon after his retreat, the administration of which Mr. Pitt was the head, no longer considered him as a clerk, but as a coadjutor. Although both he and his countryman Mr. Dundas were doubtless of GENT. MAG. December, 1819.

different political sentiments from those at first professed by this young, able, and ambitious Minister, yet they soon perceived, that his talents and his eloquence, superadded to the name and exploits of his father, were calculated to produce no small degree of effect in the councils, as well as fortunes of the nation which had given him birth. They accordingly harnessed themselves to his triumphant car, and willingly sang Io Paans before it. The consequences are well known. They were both admitted into the cabinet; both obtained high and lucrative offices, while one of them actually was ennobled, and the other doubtless might have exhibited his coronet also, had it been an object of his ambition!

"The rise of Mr. Rose was now equally rapid and secure. On the disgrace of the Coalition administration, he had readily obtained a seat in parliament; while his appointment to the important office of joint secretary to the treasury in 1784, rendered him acquainted with all the affairs of the state; in short, with all the Arcana Imperii.

"Great and increasing wealth, the produce of commendable economy and unceasing application, at length rendered an investment in land a desirable acquisition. He had by this time married a lady, connected with Dominica, by whom he had several children; and as Mrs. Rose's sisters lived at Southampton, perhaps a residence in the vicinity of that town was originally selected; but be this as it may, the house and estate of Cuffnells in the same county, finely situate in the bosom of the New Forest, and in the immediate neighbourhood of that element on which he had passed his earlier days, were now purchased. This proved a most fortunate speculation, as it led to a permanent and indissoluble connexion with the borough of Christchurch, while his son, when grown up, aspired to and obtained a moiety of the representation for Southamp

ton.

greatly depressed by the American War, assumed a more flourishing aspect. His love of order, his attention to details, his regularity and sober habits, extended from the Treasury to the Long-room; and all the public Boards, were kept on the alert by his vigilance and industry.

"But his labours were not confined to his official duties alone. Mr. Rose extended them to other objects, and these too, of a most delicate and difficult nature. It was he who animated a large portion of the inhabitants of Westminster, to oppose the re-election of Mr. Fox for that city; it was he who contrived to keep up the contest, and continue the scrutiny, until all parties were wearied with the trouble and expense. On this occasion, he had the celebrated John Horne Tooke for a coadjutor, of whom he conceived a high opinion, and was ever after accustomed to speak of his talents and integrity with respect."

The memoir concludes with a portraiture of his character, which appears to be delineated with great caudour and impartiality.

"In private life, Mr. Rose is said to have displayed many amiable qualities, and we never hear of his having absorbed either his time or his fortune in that spe cies of profusion, so unjustly dignified with the name of hospitality; or in that love of wine which endeavours to veil its disgusting excesses, under the appellation of conviviality.

"As a man of business, he was indefatigable, being both early and late at his desk, and consequently, an invaluable acquisition to any Administration. While other members of the Cabinet retired to enjoy their pleasures, he withdrew to his office, where he arranged and prepared every thing for the succeeding day. No man of his time was more intimately acquainted with the trade and manufactures of this country, the assistance they wanted from the State, or the resources which might be derived from them in return. As a member of parliament, he proved highly serviceable to the publick on a variety of occasions. In him, the new and excellent system of Savings Banks, found an active friend and patron; he placed the property of Friendly Societies under the protection of the laws; he produced an Enumeration of the inhabitants of the island, and thus demonstrated the immense increase of our Population. He also improved our revenue laws, and by lessening the duties on excise for a time, prevented smuggling, by removing all the temptations to it. It was not until the principles laid down by him were departed from, that a contraband trade once more prospered.

"As a writer, Mr. Rose did not aim at

wars.

As he was acquainted with all the departments of State, he was the first to point out increase of income in any one branch of our public revenue; and when this did not happen, he then predicted more fortunate events, and prophesied of happiness to come.

"On one great subject of national policy, we have some reason to suppose that the Member for Christchurch differed essentially from all his colleagues: this was the operation of the late Corn Bill. He well knew, it was to the produce of her trade and manufactures that England was indebted for that wealth, which had enabled her more than once to maintain a contest with all Európe. He was aware that cheap bread produced cheap labour, and that without this, it would be impos sible, notwithstanding our machinery, to enter into any profitable competition with the spinners, and weavers, and capitalists of France, Brabant, and Germany, on the close of hostilities. He, however, soon discovered, that not only the Cabinet, but those who generally opposed it, were in favour of the new system, the popular aim of which is, by obtaining high prices for our home produce, to render this au agricultural country, and consequently, one that can exist independent of the supplies of other nations.

"His Speeches, like his Writings, although somewhat diffuse, were appropriate and peculiar to himself. Indeed, they were unadorned with any fine tropes or similes; he never affected the ludicrous or the satirical; he never exhibited any of the gay sallies of a lively imagination;

nation; he never dazzled his auditors by any sudden and unexpected burst of eloquence; he never riveted the attention of the publick by the rapturous fervour of patriotism.

"But if cold, he was correct; if mono

tonous, deep; and if sometimes prolix, he was generally clear, unembarrassed, and comprehensible. Thus while many of his orations smelt of the lamp, and were the sole produce of official intercourse and calculation; they at least displayed great accuracy and correctness, and as they were usually supported by whole columns of figures, it was no easy matter to overcome his calculations or set his arithmetic at defiance.

"Much has been said as to his fortune,

but his hands appear to have been clean, for he was never accused of peculation. Indeed, we never find him but once, during a long political life, charged with an undue exertion of his influence. His annual revenue was great, and his means of acquiring wealth were various and immense; he obtained much both for himself and family; but had his desires been commensurate with his opportunities, he might have died one of the richest subjects of Great Britain, as his expenditure was trifling, and he detested excess of every kind."

97. Observations on Payments and Receipts in Bank of England Notes, reduced to their Value in Gold; and on the Consequences which would have resulted to the Nation, if this System of Currency had been instituted at the passing of the Bank Restriction Act: together with Remarks on Subjects connected with those. By Thomas Martin. 8vo. pp. 70. Longman and Co.

TO differ in opinion from wellbred people is a painful trial, which many of our Readers must have felt. But the questions of experience come under the same denomination as those of philosophical experiments; and there is a wide difference between personal disrespect and opposite opinion. In Scotch phraseology, the proponent, Mr. Martin, invites discussion; and, knowing the situation of a Review, conscientiously considered, to be that which ought to avoid infliction of pain-we say, that we do not agree with Mr. Martin; but admit that he has treated his subject in a very documental, business-like form; and we differ from him purely on questions of principle, mathematically defined.

The fact is, that, instead of thirtynine, we admit of one article only

respecting paper currency, viz. its ready and immediate convertibility into specie. All other theories we hold in the same light as we should do inventions to supersede the necescarried on by paper only, to be much sity of food. We consider business the same thing as business carried on without capital or property; for to tell a person that he is playing a game for a thousand pounds, with a rich man who is not allowed to pay his debts of honour if he loses, is moonshine. Nor can there be a doubt but that, under a system of paper only, mischief is certain. We do not profess to give more than a few pithy remarks, and we hold more to be unnecessary.

If four-pence is lost at Brussels by every pound-note, and no less than seven shillings at other places (see Lieut. Shillibeer's Narrative) we know not how such an evil is to be remedied, unless in a place where a demand for English commodities, and consequent intercourse, renders the note negotiable at par. Let us suppose that an importing merchant knows that twenty shillings here are elsewhere. If he cannot export goods, worth no more than thirteen shillings he must be proportionally at more expence to make up his cargo from abroad, and unfairly raise the price

at home for his own remuneration. Thus exportation, importation, consumption, and revenue, are all cooked up in one system of iudefinable but serious detriment. Allowing every thing to the state of exchange, mint price of bullion, and other technical and knotty et ceteras, we do not see why property is to be subjected to the weather and seasons; and the value of estates and monied property, like a crop of hay, to be only conjecturable by a barometer. Yet such

is the case. We do not think that it is in the power of man to render an inconvertible paper system an equitable currency, because we do not see how it can possibly avoid the two evils of excessive unnatural prices and severe partial losses. In abstract fact, it is a mere trial how far people will have confidence upon the strength of reputation, and, if a discount ensues, it is a mere dividend from a bankruptcy.

Mr. Martin proposes, with relation to Bank notes, what Sir Isaac New

ton did in reference to the gold coin, a fluctuating value, founded upon the price of bullion. It certainly, however, would be hard for the publick to take in January a guinea for 21s. and be only able to pass it in February for 20s. It is vexatious to differ from such authority as that of Sir Isaac; but it is a question of experience, and, let any man who knows the various ingenious methods of evading taxes decide, whether genius of the first kind is infallible upon such subjects. Business could not be conducted by any troublesome intricate process and it appears probable that such a plan would introduce as much speculation and gambling into the currency, as there is now in the funds. Indeed, we could mention methods by which the profits might be made much greater and more certain.

We are perfectly satisfied with the position of Mr. Martin,

"That if Bank notes are reduced to the criterion of their value in gold, we shall find, that for every million of notes, which we borrowed at 5 per cent. that is, at five notes per hundred notes, when gold was five notes an ounce, we are now paying for interest an amount of notes, the value of which is more by 97541. 7s. 6d. sterling, than the same amount of notes was then," p. 12.

If

and, if one country uses comparatively paper only, and another gold alone, as legal currency, it will be plain that gold cannot find its fair level in the market, like other commodities; and that the value of ca pital in the former country will be much more fluctuating than in the other.

One word more. When the Bank issued only 107. notes, and the country banks 57. the specie was so unavoidably dispersed, that it could not be collected for exportation to any amount. Stating the total issue (as is nearly the sum) of the currency at 45 millions, one third, if the ones and twos were suppressed, would probably remain in the country in specie. If a man could offer only a 5 or 107. note to buy up the specie, few or none of the poor would have guineas or sovereigns enough to exchange; and the country bankers must for their own sake retain their casb, because they had no Bank of England petty notes. We therefore think that the suppression of the small notes is the simplest practical method of retaining such a quantity of specie in the country, as may counteract the evil of excessive paper currency.

By the plan of Mr. Ricardo (for whom we have high respect) the Bank is made the sole resource for obtaining bullion; of course the run, under circumstances, may be severe; but where specie is current in the shape of coin (as under the old plan), the prospect of recourse to the Bank is much less. If therefore it be true, that the exportation of the specie is, in the main, to be attributed to the facility of obtaining such specie by means of the small notes, we really entertain serious doubts, whether it would not be more advantageous for the Bank to make their issues in coin, as was the old custom. We are certain that the chances of a run must thus be diminished; and, if there must be a security, it is better to be one of a thousand than the solitary single guarantee.