he smiled upon his executioners, and received the fatal fire without flinching. Thus perished, like a common deserter, by the hands of a file of soldiers, Joachim Murat, Marshal of France, and successively Grand Duke of Berg, and sovereign of Naples. He is allowed to have been a bad politician, but an able and gallant commander. In the cabinet he wavered and hesitated, was doubtful and irresolute; yet, in the field of battle, and while in presence of the enemy, he was in full possession of all his faculties, and discovered an ability and a confidence, that had for many years almost uniformly ensured victory. The threat of Napoleon to dethrone him proved fatal to both; for he then deemed it necessary, in his own defence, to treat with those who were affrighted at the successful example of his sudden accession to power; while, to preserve his crown, he was accused of exposing France to all the dangers of foreign subjugation. The glorious victory of Waterloo having rendered his residence in France dangerous, Joachim was obliged to wander as a fugitive in the country which had given him birth, and witnessed, for many years, his military glory. His expedition to Corsica was romantic and ridiculous; his descent in Calabria, without collecting his flotilla, and obtaining the assistance of all his followers, was mad and desperate in the extreme. In his assumed character of King of Naples, according to some of his admirers, his reign evinced a certain degree of magnanimity. By them we are told, that he encouraged the arts, protected commerce, and ordered justice to be distributed to all alike. His immense wealth, collected from the spoils of Italy and Germany, was expended in public works. The roads were improved, and cleared from freebooters; the ports were rendered more commodious; canals were planned; national establishments commenced; and gratuitous education was every where countenanced and enjoined. Although considered in Great Britain as an usurper, and a mere soldier of fortune, yet it appears that he loved and re that, notwithstanding he had been originally brought up under the slavery of military subjection, and was accustomed to exercise unrestrained authority afterwards, in his own person, that he esteemed our equal laws and free constitution; and was ambitious, to the last hour of his existence, to spend the remainder of his life under their protection. Joachim Murat was put to death on the 1st of October, 1815, in the forty-eighth year of his age. In his person he was tall, muscular, and commanding. In his conversation, he exhibited a frankness of address, accompanied with a certain military air, that attracted the attention of every observer. But his mind had not been early imbued with knowledge, and although he attempted to supply the defects of a bad education by occasional application, yet both time and opportunity were wanting, to one whose whole life was occupied and diversified with one continued series of bustle, action, and intrigue. In short, Murat, towards the conclusion of his career, displayed none of the great talents sometimes exhibited by extraordinary men in similar situations. Indeed, in both his conduct and fortune, at that period, he exhibits no very remote resemblance to his predecessor, the celebrated fisherman, Massaniello, who knew how to revolutionise Naples; but proved, during a short reign of only ten days' duration, that he was utterly ignorant of the means, of either rendering the people free, or his own authority permanent. No. III. JAMES BINDLEY, Esq. M. A. F. S. A. LATE SENIOR COMMISSIONER OF THE STAMP-DUTIES. THE subject of this memoir was a singular, and, it may be added, a fortunate man. It has so happened that without the possession of any considerable patrimonial fortune, or the display of any literary talents, that the name and labours of this gentleman have attracted general attention, and made no inconsiderable impression on the public mind: for this he appears chiefly indebted to his worth and amiable manners, and next, to his judgment and success as a collector. In this latter capacity, books, pamphlets, and tracts of every kind, size, and description, were purchased with avidity, although the chief recommendation appears to have been their actual scarcity. That he selected with judgment, the late sales will fully testify. Mr. Bindley was born in 1737. He was the younger son of an eminent distiller, in Smithfield; and, in consequence of the vicinity of the Charter-house, he was educated there without being placed on the foundation. While at that celebrated seminary, he obtained the applause of Dr. Cousins, the master, by his diligence and good conduct. A part which he acted in Terence's Electra acquired for him also the notice of Bishop Keene, who, being a Charter-house man, was accustomed to attend the plays, and praise and reward those who seemed to conceive a just notion of the characters assigned to them. In consequence of this predilection, the pursuits of young Bindley received a new direction. Instead of being brought up to the profession of a lawyer, as had been intended by the family, Dr. Keene persuaded his father to send him to the university. He was accordingly entered on the books of Peter-house, Cambridge, of which his lordship was then master; and his patron on all occasions endeavoured to befriend him. His views now pointed to the church, and the degrees of B. A. and M. A. were obtained in 1759, and 1762, with a view of entering into holy orders. In the meanwhile, being very desirous of seeing foreign countries, the subject of this memoir repaired to the Continent. As he was a younger son, with but a small allowance, he associated himself on this occasion with a person of fortune, to whom he was to act as tutor and travelling governor. But he soon discovered that his pupil, thus early in life, understood economy and good management far better than himself. Accordingly, finding every rational and liberal expense grudged, he separated from him, and made the remainder of the tour by himself. From the earliest period of his life, the subject of this memoir had been accustomed to delight in old books and tracts. While at the Charter-house he devoted the greater part of his pocket-money to the purchase of all such as were either eminent or scarce; and, in his present excursion through the most civilised countries of Europe, he had many opportunities of gratifying his taste, so far as a scanty income would allow. On his return, a new scene, and a new destination, opened to his view. In consequence of the death of his father, and the promotion of his elder brother, the church was no longer deemed eligible. From a variety of circumstances, in 1765, Mr. John Bindley, to whom we have just alluded, possessed influence sufficient, on his own resignation, to procure for his brother James a very honourable appointment in a civil department. This was the office of one of the Commissioners. The duties annexed to this department of the stamp-duties, at Somerset House, were performed by him during a term of more than half a century, with an unexampled degree of zeal, fidelity, and discretion. In the course of that period, all death, two or three times in succession; and he, of course, rose many years since to be senior commissioner. Mr. Bindley now married, and hired a country-house at Finchley, whither he was accustomed to retire of a Saturday afternoon. He continued in this even, uninterrupted course, until the year 1779, when he lost his wife, who was a native of Sheffield, in Yorkshire, whither she had retired to try the benefit of her native air. She died at Stamford, on her return home; and a plain black slab, erected in the nave of St. Martin's church, in that town, with an epitaph written by himself, simply attests this fact; it is not a little singular that it does not contain one single syllable in her praise. * Mr. Bindley now possessed both wealth and opportunity to indulge his favourite passion: accordingly he occasionally attended all the sales in the capital, and had agents in different parts of the kingdom to make purchases for him. Books, pamphlets, tracts, coins, medals, &c. were all assembled with an indescribable enthusiasm ; and he soon began to be considered as one of the first collectors of the present day. Yet it is evident, in consequence of his minute attention to the duties of his office, that time would not permit him to do more than glance over the titles of the various productions of his library; occasionally look into his numerous portfolios, enriched with the master-pieces of art; or arrange his numismatic, or medallic collections in due series. There was a certainty too of all these coming to the hammer on his death; notwithstanding which he persevered, with unwearied industry, until that period actually arrived. For the purposes of communication, the subject of this memoir was accustomed to give frequent teaparties, at his apartments in Somerset-house. These were occasionally attended by a numerous body of friends, and * "Here lies the body of Mrs. Frances Bindley, Wife of James Bindley, of Finchley, in the county of Middlesex, Esq. She died in this town, on her return from Sheffield, |