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forehead. His lordship said, "Who is that?" The captain answered, "It is Hardy;" to which his lordship replied, "God bless you, Hardy!" After this affecting scene captain Hardy withdrew, and returned to the quarter deck, having spent about eight minutes in this' his last interview with his dying friend.

Lord Nelson now desired Mr. Chevalier, his steward, to turn him upon his right side; which being effected, his lordship said: "I wish I had not left the deck, for I shall soon be gone." He afterwards became very low; his breathing was oppressed, and his voice faint. He said to Dr. Scott, "Doctor, I have not been a great sinner;" and after a short pause," Remember, that I leave lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia, as a legacy to my country; and," added he, "never forget Horatia." His thirst now increased; and he called for "Drink, drink," "Fan, fan," and " Rub, rub" addressing himself in the last case to Dr. Scott, who had been rubbing his lordship's breast with his hand, from which he found some relief. These words he spoke in a very rapid manner, which rendered his articulation difficult: but he every now and then, with evident increase of pain, made a greater effort with his vocal powers, and pronounced distinctly these last words: "Thank God, I have done my duty!" and this great sentiment be continued to repeat as long as he was able to give it utterance.

His lordship became speechless in about fifteen minutes after captain Hardy left him. Doctor Scott and Mr. Burke, who had all along sustained the bed under his shoulders (which raised him in nearly a semirecumbent posture, the only one that was supportable to him), for

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bore to disturb him; and when he had remained speechless about five minutes, his lordship's steward went to the surgeon, who had been a short time occupied with the wounded in another part of the cockpit, and stated his apprehensions' that his lordship was dying. The surgeon immediately repaired to him, and found him on the verge of dissolution. He knelt down by his side, and took up his hand, which was cold, and the pulse gone from the wrist. On the surgeon's feeling his forehead, which was likewise cold, his lordship opened his eyes, looked up, and shut them again. The surgeon again left him, and returned to the wounded who required his assistance; but was not absent five minutes bes fore the steward announced to him that " he believed his lordship bad expired." The surgeon returned, and found that the report was but too well founded. His lordship had breathed his last at thirty minutes past four o'clock; at which period Dr. Scott was in the act of rubbing his lordship's breast, and Mr. Burke supporting the bed under his shoulders.

From the time of his lordship's being wounded till his death, a period of about two hours and fortyfive minutes elapsed; but a knówledge of the decisive victory which was gained, he acquired of captain Hardy within the first hour-and-aquarter of this period. A partial cannonade, however, was stril maintained, in consequence of the enemy's rumming ships passing the British at different points; and the last distant guns which were fired at their van ships that were making off, were heard a minute or two before his lordship expired.

Some

Some Account of the late John Char- remarkable, and rendered almost in

nock, esq.

[From Censura Literaria. ]

May 16, 1807, died John Carnock, esq. F. S. A.; to whose memory the writer of these lines, who sincerely esteemed him, feels much pleasure in being permitted, through the friendship of the editor, to dedicate somewhat more than a bare obituary notice. He was born on the 28th of November, 1756, the only son of John Charnock, esq. a native of the island of Barbadoes, and formerly an advocate of eminence at the English bar, by Frances, daughter of Thomas Boothby, esq. of Chingford in Essex, both of whom are still living. He was placed, about the year 1767, at the rev, Reynell Cotton's school at Winchester, and went from thence to the college, where, in the station of a commoner, he was under the immediate care of Dr. Joseph Warton, the head master, in whose house he boarded, and became the peculiar favourite of that so justly beloved and admired man. Having attained to the seniority of the school, and gained the prize-medal annually given for elocution, be removed from Winchesterto Oxford, and was entered, in 177, a gentleman commouer of Merton college. Here he soon discovered his passion for literary composition, in a multiplicity of fugitive pieces on various subjects, which appeared in the periodical prints of the tune: among these, his Political Essays, written during the heat of the American war, and in that vehement spirit of opposition which distinguished the young politicians of that day, bear chiefly the signatures of Casca, Squib, or Justice. He left the University to return to a domestic life, totally un suited to the boundless activity both of mind and body for which he was

tolerable by certain family differences. To detach his attention from these inconveniencies, he applied himself, with his accustomed ardour, to the study of naval and military tactics; and with no other assistance than that of his mathematical knowledge, aided by a few books, soon attained the highest degree of science which could be gained in the closet. The noble collection of drawings which he has left, executed during that short period solely by his own hand, would alone furnish ample proof of his knowledge of these subjects, and of the indefatigable zeal with which he pursued them. He now became anxious to put into practice the theory of which he had thus become master, and earnestly pressed for permission to embrace the naval or military profession. He was at that time the sole heir to a very considerable fortune, and the darling of his parents; and these very facts, such is the occasional perverseness of human affairs, constituted his greatest misfortune. His request was positively denied; and, unable to resist the impulse of his inclination, he entered as a volunteer into the naval service, and very soon attained the proficiency of which his publications on the subject will be lasting monuments. A sense of duty, however, which no man felt more keenly, withdrew him again,

"A mute inglorious Nelson," into private life; but his mind had received a wound in the disappointment; and other circumstances, which it would be indelicate to particularize, contributed to keep it open. Hence arose an indifference to the meaner and more common objects of human prudence; and many little singularities of conduct, which, tho they detracted nothing from his good understanding or good nature,

rendered

rendered him remarkable to common observers. He dedicated his retirement unceasingly to his pen; and the protits of his pen, which now constituted nearly his whole revenue, in a great measure to the gratification of that benevolence which in him was equally warm and active with the rest of his passions and sentiments, and shone, in the most extensive sense of the word, in every shape of charity. It would be needless to inform those whom experience has taught to estimate duly the meed of literary labours in this time, and, perhaps, impossible to convince those who have had the good fortune to avoid that experience, how very far the means of such a man must have fallen short of their various ends. Suffice it, therefore, on this head, to say, that he became somewhat embarrassed in his pecuniary circumstances; that the sources from which he had the fairest right to expect relief were unaccountably closed against him; and that his uncommonly vigorous constitution, both of body and of mind, sunk by slow degrees to dissolution, under the misery of an abridgment, which his proud and generous spirit could not brook, of that liberty and independence in which his soul delighted. He died childless, and was buried on the 21st of May, with considerable ceremony and expence, at Lee, near Blackheath, leaving a widow, Mary, the daughter of Peregrine Jones, of the city of Philadelphia, whose exemplary conduct in the vicissitudes of her husband's fortune has secured to her the lasting respect of his friends. Mr. Charnock possessed a firm and penetrating understanding, a surprising quickness of apprehension, an excellent memory, and a lofty but well-governed ambition.-He was formed to shine in any profession, for he had the faculty of

devoting all his powers to any object which deeply engaged his attention: but he had no profession, no one important object; and he scattered bis natural advantages with the cold and limited hope of an husbanduran, who knows that the seed which he throws abroad cannot produce a crop beyond a certain value. Much of the character of his mind, however, may be traced in his literary productions. They merit the highest credit for various and indefatigable research, segacious selection, and faithful detail: they, perhaps, deserve some censure for certain faults of style, which must inevitably attend rapid composition. He has more than once declared to the writer of this sketch, that he scarcely ever read a line which he had dictated (for that was his almost invariable custom), except in the proof sheets; and this must be ascribed merely to the natural eagerness of his temper; for those who knew him best well knew that he had none of the affectation of

"The mob of Gentlemen that write with ease."

His published works, with many smaller pieces, are, "The Rights of a Free People," printed in 8vo. in 1792, in which he ironically assumed the democratic character which then feebly appeared in a few insignificant individuals. In this volume may be found an historical sketch of the origin and growth of the English Coustitution, equally remarkable for its correctness and conciseness. "Biographia Navalis," in 6 vols. 8vo. the first of which appeared in 1794. A pamphlet in 8vo, intituled "A Letter on Finance, and on national Defence," 1798. "A History of Marine Architecture," in 3 vols. 4to; a very valuable and superb work, illustrated by a great number of fine en

gravings,

gravings, 1802. Aud a Life of Lord Nelson, in one volume, published in 1806, enriched with some very curious original letters of that eminent pattern of public and private worth.

E. L.

Memoirs of the great Dr. Bentley, and his Family.

{From Mr. Cumberland's Memoirs of his own Life.]

Of Dr. Richard Bentley, my maternal grandfather, I have perfect recollection. His person, his dignity, his language, and his love, fixed my early attention, and stamped both his image and his words upon my memory. His literary works are known to all, his private character is still misunderstood by many; to that I shall contine myself; and, putting aside the enthusiasm of a descendant, I can assert, with the veracity of a biographer, that he was neither cynical, as some have represented him, nor overbearing and fastidious in the degree, as he has been described by many. Swift, when he forces him into his vulgar Battle of the Books, neither lowers Bentley's fame, nor elevates his own; and the petulant poet, who thought he had hit his manner, when he made him haughtily call to Walker for his hat, gave a copy as little like the character of Bentley, as his translation is like the original of Homer. That Dr. Walker, vice-master of Trinity-college, was the friend of my grandfather, and a frequent guest at his table, is true; but it was not in Dr. Bentley's nature to treat him with contempt, nor did his harmless character inspire it. As for the hat, I must acknowledge it was of formidable dimensions, yet I was accustomed to treat it with great

familiarity; and if it had ever been farther from the hand of its owner than the peg upon the back of his great arm-chair, I might have been dispatched to fetch it, for he was disabled by the palsy in his latter days; but the hat never strayed from its place; and Pope found an office for Walker that I can well believe he was never commissioned to in his life.

I had a sister somewhat elder than

myself. Had there been any of that sternuess in my grandfather which is so falsely imputed to him, it may well be supposed we should have been awed into silence in his presence, to which we were admitted every day. Nothing can be farther from the truth; he was the unwearied patron and promoter of all our childish sports and sallies; at all times ready to detach himself from any topic of conversation to take an interest and bear his part in our amusements. The eager curiosity natural. to our age, and the questions it gave birth to, so teazing to many parents, he, on the contrary, attended to and encouraged, as the claims of infant reason never to be evaded or abused; strongly recommending, that to all such enquiries answer should be given according to the strictest truth, and information dealt to us in the clearest terms, as a sacred duty never to be departed from. I have broken in upon him many a time in his hours of study, when he would put his book aside, ring his hand-bell for his servant, and be led to his shelves to take down a picture-book for my amusement. I do not say that his goodnature always attained its object, as the pictures which his books generally supplied me with were anatomical drawings of dissected bodies, very little calculated to communicate delight; but he had nothing better to

produce;

produce; and surely such an effort on his part, however unsuccessful, was no feature of a cynic: a cynic should be made of sterner stuff. I have had from him, at times, whilst standing at his elbow, a complete and entertaining narrative of his schoolboy days, with the characters of his different masters very humourously displayed, and the punishments described which they at times would wrongfully inflict upon him for seeming to be idle and regardless of his task, "when the dunces," he would say, "could not discover that I was pondering it in my mind, and fixing it more firmly in my memory, than if I had been bawling it out amongst the rest of my school-fellows."

Once, and only once, I recollect his giving me a gentle rebuke for making a most outrageous noise in the room over his library, and disturbing him in his studies; I had no apprehension of anger from him, and confidently answered that I could not help it, as I had been at battledore and shuttlecock with Master Gooch, the bishop of Ely's son. "And I have been at this sport with his father," he replied; but thine has been the more amusing game; so there's no harm done." These are puerile anecdotes, but my history it self is only in its non-age; and even these will serve in some degree to establish what I affirmed, and present his character in those mild and uninposing lights, which may prevail with those who know him only as a critic and controversialist--

As flashing Bentley with his desperate hookto reform and soften their opinions

of him.

He recommended it as a very essential duty in parents to be particularly attentive to the first dawnings of reason in their children; and his

own practice was the best illustration of his doctrine; for he was the most patient hearer, and most favourable interpreter, of first attempts at argument and meaning that I ever knew. When I was rallied by my mother for roundly asserting that I never slept, I remember full well his calling on me to account for it; and when I explained it by saying I never knew myself to be asleep, and therefore supposed I never slept at all, he gave me credit for my defence, and said to my mother, "Leave your boy in possession of his opinion; he has as clear a conception of sleep, and at least as comfortable a one, as the philosophers who puzzle their brains about it, and do not rest so well.

Though bishop Lowth, in the flippancy of controversy, called the author of The Philoleutherus Lipsiensis, and detector of Phalaris, aut Caprimulgus aut fossor, his genius has produced those living witnesses that must for ever put that charge to shame and silence. Against such idle ill-considered words, now dead as the language they were conveyed in, the appeal is near at hand; it lies no farther off than to his works, and they are upon every reading man's shelves: but those who would have looked into his heart should have stepped into his house, and seen him in his private and domestic hours; therefore it is that I adduce these little anecdotes and trifling incidents, which describe the man, but leave the author to defend himself.

His ordinary style of convers tion was naturally lofty, and his fre quent use of thou and thee with his familiars carried with it a kind of dictatorial tone, that savoured more of the closet than the court; this is readily admitted, and this ou first approaches might mislead a stranger;

but

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