Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

ther; they, on the contrary, gave it up to the plunder of West India agents. In the consequent dispersion of her family, she lost the solace and reward of her labours. In September 1793, her third son, who served as an ensign in the twenty-fourth regiment, lost his leg before Dunkirk. Scarcely had she learned to consider with calmness this accident, when a heavier calamity befel her, in the death of her second and most beloved daughter, who expired within two years after her marriage to a man, whose knowledge of her worth rendered the fate of the survivor most deserving of commiseration. "How lovely and how beloved she was (says her afflicted mother in a letter to a friend), those only who knew her can tell. In the midst of perplexity and distress, till the loss of my child, which fell like the hand of death upon me, I could yet exert my faculties; and, in the consciousness of resource which they afforded to me, experience a sentiment not dissimilar to that of the Medea of Corneille, who replied to the enquiry of her confidant-" Where now are your resources? -In myself!"

Two years after the death of her daughter, Mrs. Smith was induced, by continued oppression, once more to repair to London, in the hope of rescuing her children from the hands of those who had now held their eftate, fince 1784, with so little attention to their interest, that it seemed every year to diminish in valuc.

Wearied and baffled by a series of iniquitous pro ceedings, and hopeless of redress, she was about to

relinquish

relinquish her efforts, and return to her family, when an unexpected event gave a turn to their affairs. The brother-in-law of Mr. Smith, the claims of whofe family had been the principal excuse for the detention of his father's effects, made offers of accommodation, and the compromise was too desirable to be declined; but in a compliance with the terms assistance was necessary. In this dilemma Mrs. Smithstated the situation of the business to a nobleman, whose character derives lustre from the liberality of his mind, rather than from the accidents of fortune and descent. By this gentleman, to whose benevolence her family had been already indebted, and who, acquainted with the circumstances of their oppression, had made previous efforts for their redress, Mrs. Smith was enabled to avail herself of the tendered proposal. Artificial delays protracted the business yet eighteen months: it was at length, with all the certainty of which West India affairs are capable, finally determined, when Mrs. Smith had the satisfaction of seeing her children restored to their rights. In a business thus entangled and complicated, muchyet remained to be done, and many years must probably clapse before the remembrance or consequences of past sufferings can be effaced. But, for the consumption of time, the waste of powers, and the ravages of health, who can recompence the mother, whose wounded spirit and broken constitution exeites, even now, in the minds of her friends, the most painful solicitude for her valuable life? Who is be, that, with a soul capable of sympathy, or a mind

accessible

accessible to the charm of genius, will refuse to join in the wish, that in the rectitude of her own heart, in the consciousness of duties performed, in the resources afforded by an improved understanding and a cultivated taste, in the grateful tenderness of her family, and the cordial affection of her friends, this admirable and unfortunate woman may at length find her reward!

Beside the works already described, Mrs. Smith is the author of some other novels, among which, The Old Manor House holds a distinguished place. If, in the hurry of composition, interrupted by distracting cares, her style is sometimes negligent, and often diffuse, an elevation of sentiment, a refinement of tafte, a feeling, a delicacy, breathes through her productions, that by moving the affections and engaging the sympathy of the reader, excites a lively and permanent interest.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL

SIR RALPH ABERCROMBY.

AMONG the military commanders of the present period, no one has obtained greater or more just celebrity, for his virtues as a man, and his abilitics as an officer, than the subject of this memoir.

Sir Ralph Abercromby is of a very ancient and distinguished family in North-Britain, possessed of an estate bearing the same name. His father had a numerous family, and according to the custom of the

country,.

country which gave them birth, the fons were destined for active employments.* Each of the brothers in his peculiar profession, has been engaged in supporting

*Thus we find one of the brothers of Sir Ralph brought up to the law, another to maritime pursuits, and two more to a mi− litary life. The senior filled, with great reputation to his character, the honourable office of a Lord of Session, in which he died. The next brother entered into the sea-service of the East-India Company, and made several voyages as a Commander of one of their ships, retiring from the fatigues of duty, with a wife he had married in India, and with a considerable fortune. He died in the year 1792; and, to the surprize of the world, and the disappointment of his nearest relations, left almost the whole of his property to his lady, who was married soon after to her solicitor, but survived that connection only a short time. From the nature of her will, the last hope of the Captain's relations was extinguished. The Conveyancer had, in one short trip to the land of Matrimony, possessed himself of all which the indefatigable navigator had amassed in his several voyages across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. But as no part of the family could be said to be in straitened circumstances, this unexpected event was accompanied with very little regret. So far as concerned our General himself, whose disposition is the reverse of mercenary, the transfer of his brother's property from his family, did not lessen, in the smallest degree, the affection he bore his memory. James, a third brother of the General, was killed in America, in the hard-confested battle of Bunker's-hill. He was at the time a lieutenantcolonel in the 22d foot. His surviving brother Robert, is not behind him in military rank. He is at this time colonel of the 75th, or Highland regiment, lately stationed at Bombay, the presidency of which derived signal benefits from its Colonel's active zeal, and approved skill. His judicious and successful march across a vast extent of country, to effect a junction with the arrny of Lord Cornwallis, at Seringapatam, in 1792, may be considered as having tended to secure the East-India posses

1800-1801.

F

sions

porting the State, in some one of its departments or dominions, and Sir Ralph has no less exerted himself in the same cause, on different stations, and in dissimilar climates.

The first commission he bore was, as cornet of the 3d dragoon guards, into which he entered on the 23d May, 1756. He obtained a lieutenancy in the same regiment on the 19th February, 1760; and continued in this corps till the 24th April, 1762, when he obtained a company in the 3d horse. In this last regiment he rose to the rank of major and lieutenant-colonel, to the former on the 6th June, 1770, and to the latter the 19th May, 1773. In November 1780, he was included in the list of brevet colonels, and on the 3d of the same month, next year, was made colonel of the 103d, or King's Irish infantry, a new raised regiment, but which being reduced at the peace in 1783, the Colonel was placed on half-pay. On the 28th September, 1787, he was promoted to the rank of major-general, and on the 17th September, 1790, he obtained the command of the 69th regiment of foot, from which, in. April, 1792, he was removed to an older corps, viz. the 6th, from which he was again removed, the 5th November, 1795, to the 7th regiment of dragoons.

Sir Ralph was employed on the Continent soom after the present war broke out. On the 25th of

ons in the Carnatic, against that once restless and aspiring prince, Tippoo Sultan; and well entitled him to succeed as Comin Chief of his Majesty's and the East-India Company's

orces in Bengal.

« AnteriorContinuar »