Slike strani
PDF
ePub

DEATHS.-OCT.

of Trindish, North Britain, and was married, June 17, 1791, to sir Thomas Hugh Clifford, first baronet who in 1821 took the name of Constable only by royal sign manual. She had issue sir Thomas Aston Constable, present baronet who succeed ed his father, Feb. 25, 1823, and two daughters.

OCTOBER.

1. In Upper Belgrave-place, aged 63, Henry Elliot, esq.

[ocr errors]

At Kilburn, Mrs. Mary Page, aged 85, sister to the late G. Harrison, Clarencieux, king at Arms. esq. Her remains were interred in the family vault at Hendon, Middlesex. 2. Aged 19, George Wicke, second son of Emanuel Goodhart, esq. of Langley-park, Kent.

-In Burlington-street, the infant son of lieut.-col. Cavendish.

4. In Wimpole-street, aged 35, Anne, wife of captain C. S. J. Hawtayne, royal navy, and daughter of the late commissioner C. Hope.

6. Lady Richards, relict of the late chief baron of the court of Exchequer.

At the age of 68, Bernard Germain Etienne Laville, count de Lacepède. He was born at Agen, of a noble family, Dec. 16, 1756. Intended by his family for the career of arms, he entered the Bavarian service; but the irresistible impulse he felt for the study of natural history, made him abandon war for the sciences. At that period Buffon was in the zenith of his glory; science herself seemed lovely in his descriptions. Lacepède placed himself under that great master, and soon became his favourite and most distinguished pupil. Buffon and Daubenton obtained for young Lace pède the situation of keeper of the cabinets of the king's garden at Paris. He occupied this post when the revolution broke out. He had already published the "Natural History of Oviparous Quadrupeds and Serpents," which announced

the continuation of Buffon. His work was traced on a similar plan to that of the great master, but Lecepède's enthusiasm for him did not blind him to his defects. The principal object of Buffon seemed to be to strike his readers with admiration, and to amuse rather than to instruct. He contented himself frequently with the external character of a subject of natural history, with out examining its internal organiza tion. Comparative anatomy was then merely the skeleton of a science: though Aristotle had collected an immense number of isolated facts, and modern naturalists had made some progress towards a regular classification of a few orders. Comparative anatomy was in this state, when Linnæus and John Hunter appeared; they greatly extended the bounds of science, and opened a new field for the patient and indefatigable scrutinizer into the mysteries of nature. Lacepède was one of the first in France to appreciate the superiority of their system over that of his professor, and to introduce it into his work. But he had soon reason to find, that, even then, comparative anatomy was in a very imperfect state: it was reserved for M. Cuvier to collect the scattered fragments-to reject false theories→→→ to form new ones consonant to those laws observed by the Great Eternal in the vast multiplicity of his creations-to embody those laws, and form of them a system at once beautiful and harmonious. The cabinet of comparative anatomy, at the Garden of Plants, is a splendid monument of his genius, learning, and immense observation. M. Lacepède duly appreciated the new system, and his later works prove that he profited by it. His Natural History of Fishes, 5 vols. 4to. 1798, is a proof of this. But the events of the revolution distracted his attention from science. He was elected, in 1791, president of the National Assembly; and it was in this character that he received the address of the Whig Club, with which the as

DEATHS.-OCT.

sembly agreed in political sentiment; and he proposed that" Letters of Naturalization should be granted to Dr. Priestley's son, on account of his father's house being burnt by the English fanatics for his known attachment to the French Revolution." M. Lacepède did well to renounce politics and attend to natural history, as he perhaps owed to it his personal safety during the horrors of the revolution. On the creation of the Institute he was elected one of its first members. He afterwards became member of the Institute of Bologna. Charged by government to give the necessary instructions to captain Baudin, on his voyage of discovery, Lacepède selected two young men of great merit, Bory de St. Vincent, and Peron, to accompany him. Buonaparte again tore M. Lacepède from his peaceful occupations, and we see him, successively-in 1799, member of the Conservative Senate; in 1801, president of the Senate; in 1803, grand chancellor of the legion of Honour; in 1804, senator of Paris; in 1805, decorated with the Grand Eagle of the legion. As president, it was count Lacepède's duty to address Napoleon on all occasions; devoted entirely to him, his eloquence sought new expressions to convey his admiration, and make it pass as the organ of the whole empire. In January 1814, when the crisis of the new monarch was approaching with rapid strides, he dared to utter the word, peace, at the head of the senate. His words are remarkable :-" :-"We combat between the tombs of our fathers and the cradles of our infants. Obtain peace, Sire, and let your hand, so often victorious, drop your arms, after having signed the peace of the world." The political career of M. Lacepède ended with that of his master, and he returned again to his studies, which he ought never to have forsaken. In private life, M. Lacepède was esteemed and respected by all who knew him. The sciences were not the only objects

of his attention: passionately fond of the fine arts, and especially of music, he composed several symphonies and sonatas, which display considerable taste. He also published two novels, Ellival and Caroline, 2 vols. ; and Charles D'Ellival and Caroline de Florentino, in 3 vols. He rarely touches the chords of the stronger passions, but excels in scenes of gentleness and love. His lectures at the Garden of Plants were numerously attended: the opening addresses of each course were particularly admired. He published several dissertations, and composed various articles in some of the periodical publications of Paris. He enjoyed general good health. His opinion of vaccination, as a preservative from the small-pox, was not in consonance with the general doctrine, and he unfortunately fell a victim to his error : he had never had the small-pox, when he took the infection some few weeks since; it was unhappily of a very malignant kind, and carried him off, to the great loss of science, and the regret of a numerous circle of acquaintance. His funeral was attended by deputations of the peers of France, the members of the Institute, and an immense concourse of persons in the first ranks of society.

9. At Ditchingham, in her 106th year, Mrs. Hannah Want. Throughout her long life she enjoyed a state of uninterrupted health, and retained her memory and perception to the end with a clearness truly astonishing. Till the day previous to her decease she was not confined to her bed; and on the anniversary of her 105th birth-day entertained a party of her relatives, who visited her to celebrate it. She lived to see a numerous progeny to the fifth ge neration, and at her death there were living, children, grand-children, great grand-children, and great great grand-children, to the number of 121.

13. In Southampton-row, Russellsq., aged 72, Theodore Hunt, esq.

DEATHS.-OCT.

13. Wm. Hanson Dearsly, esq. of Shinfield, Berks.

14. At his house at Hampstead, after a very short illness, in his 78th year, beloved and respected by all who knew him, John Baker, esq.

- In the New Kent-road, aged 74, James Longman, esq. formerly of the Bank of England.

16. At St. John's Wood, aged 61, Wm. M'Gillivray, esq. of Peine-au Ghael, in the Isle of Mull, and lately of Montreal, in Canada.

At Montreuil, in France, aged 28, Robert William Fell, esq. of Caversham-grove, Oxfordshire.

17. After a long and painful illness, Miss Fell Harwood Curteis, of Devonshire-place.

-In Portman-square, Mr. Samuel Jacob, 47 years steward to the earl and countess dowager Harcourt.

19. Aged 25, Susan, wife of Mr. Edward Bailey, of Holborn. During a moment of delirium, caused by an inflammation of the brain, she took a quantity of sulphuric acid, which caused immediate dissolution.

At Woolwich, aged 73, Mrs. Bonnycastle, widow of the late professor Bonnycastle, of the Royal Military Academy. She was the daughter of Mr. Newell, many years master of the famous Jerusalem tavern at Clerkenwell.

-At Florence, of apoplexy, the marquis Lucchesini, who has equally distinguished himself in literature and diplomacy.

At Erskine-house, Renfrewshire, the hon. Caroline Henrietta Stuart, youngest daughter of lord Blantyre.

20. At Whitmore lodge, Sunninghill, aged 20, Charlotte, wife of Robert Mangles, esq. and third daughter of vice admiral Donnelly.

At the house of his uncle, gen. Loftus, in Wimpole-street, lieut. William Thomas Loftus.

21. Of hydrophobia, aged 6, the youngest son of Mr. G. Harms, Angel inn, Fleet-market.

[ocr errors]

At Islington, aged 74, the relict of Jon. Delver, esq. of Fellstreet, whalebone merchant

21. At Boulogne-sur-Mer, on his way for embarking to England, Dr. Hill, of London-street, Fitzroysquare, London.

22. Lady Margaret Wildman, wife of capt. Wildman, 7th Hussars, and daughter of the earl of Wemyss and March.

23. In Sloane-square, Chelsea, aged 63, R. Thorp, esq.

-In Devonshire-place, the widow of Francis Latour, esq.

24. At his house, in Baker-street, London, aged 56, Walter Fawkes, esq. of Farnley-hall, Yorkshire. Mr. Fawkes was returned a member for Yorkshire at the general election in 1806, and retired from parliament at the dissolution in the spring of 1807. He served the office of high sheriff of the county of York, in 1823. On the 10th of Dec. 1813, he had the misfortune to lose his first wife. He married, secondly, Jan. 4, 1816, the hon. Mrs. Butler, daughter of J. Fernon, esq. of Clontorp castle, county of Dublin, and relict of hon. P. Butler, third son of the earl of Carrick.

25. At Camberwell, aged 53, Catherine Mary, wife of Henry Monro, esq.

-Mary, wife of E. Ledger, esq. of Blackheath.

Charles Walker, esq. of Kensington-square.

27. At Munich, the celebrated composer, chevalier Peter Von Winter, chapel-master to the king of Bavaria.

30. Major William Martin, late of the 8th dragoons. 31. In Alfred-place, Bedfordsquare, aged 80, Mary, relict of L. Poignand, M. D.

At Edinburgh, Emily, wife of Archibald Macbean, esq. Royal Artillery, and only daughter of William Johnstone, esq. of Muswell-hill, Middlesex.

Lately, At his seat, Killymoon, Cootho town, county of Tyrone, in consequence of a fall from his pony phaeton, which he had been driving near his demesne, sir John Stewart, bart. The horses took fright, and ran

DEATHS.-Nov.

away with him; being enfeebled by long and severe indisposition, he had not strength to restrain them, and was thrown out on his head, which caused a concussion of the brain. He was promptly attended by several surgeons, but this great and good man never spoke after the fatal accident, though he lived for three days. Sir John had been returned six times for the county of Tyrone, and had been a member of the Irish and Imperial parliament for 40 years, during which time he was a steady, uniform, and zealous supporter of the constitution in Church and State. He filled the offices of counsel to the Revenue Board, Solicitor-general, and Attorney-general; and of him it was truly observed, by an aged statesman-" that he was one of the few men who grew more humble, the higher he advanced in political station." Sir John was married in the year 1790, to Miss Archdall, sister of general Archdall, M. P. for the county of Fermanagh, by whom he had two sons and a daughter. Hugh, the eldest, succeeds to the title and estates.

NOVEMBER.

1. Aged 75, Peter Thorne, esq. of Manor-house, Gunnersbury. 2. Aged 77, Isaac Aguilar, esq. late of Devonshire-square.

8. In Southampton-street, Covent Garden, Brookes Rynd, esq. late of St. Vincent.

9. At his residence, Christ-church, Spitalfields, aged 74, of which parish he had been many years vestry-clerk, Mr. William Raffles, father of the rev. Dr. Raffles, of Liverpool.

In Norton-street, Portlandplace, aged 82, Robert Sadleir Moody, esq. formerly commissioner for victualling his majesty's navy.

Matthew Surtees, esq. of Henrietta-street, Brunswick-square. 10. In Carlisle-street, Soho, Mr. Antonio Gallassi.

11. In Wigmore-street, aged 57, James Langford Oliver, esq.

12. In Golden-square, aged 80, John Willock, esq. many years an eminent auctioneer, and justice of the peace for Middlesex.

[ocr errors]

In Marsham-street, Westminster, at a very advanced age, and after a lingering illness, Mr. John Kennedy. For many years he had been head door-keeper at the House of Commons (a place of great emolument), and was well known to the several members, and to the frequenters of the lobby. In this situation he amassed a considerable fortune, and had large estates in his native county of Merioneth, Wales, being born at Gevanes. He was an intimate favourite with the late chief baron Richards, with whom he used frequently to dine, and to whom he once intended to leave the bulk of his property. Though the situations of the two persons were so different, they were born neighbours; had been educated together, and, through after-life continued on the most friendly terms. The age and infirmities of Mr. Kennedy compelled him to retire from his situation at the latter end of the last session of parliament; but for several preceding sessions he had been unable to attend to its duties.

14. Aged 30, George Calvert, esq. surgeon; third surviving son of the late Charles Calvert, esq. of Oldham-street, and of Glossop-hall, in the county of Derby. The death of this gentleman is a loss to the profession of which it was anticipated he would have become a distinguished ornament, from the talent displayed in his recently-published treatise "On Diseases of the Rectum;" in his translation of the "Anatomie Generale, par M. Bichat ;" and by the rare circumstance of the Jacksonian prize of the royal college of surgeons having been adjudged to him for three years in succession.

16. At Acton-lodge, lady Arabella Hervey.

DEATHS.-Nov.

16. In Cork-street, the widow of the late general Vernon.

At his seat at Enfield, aged 66, lieut.-colonel Riddell. He was appointed lieutenant of the 66th foot April 19, 1798; captain Dec. 24, 1802; captain of 50th foot, May 25, 1803; major by brevet, Dec. 10, 1807, and lieut.-colonel June 4, 1814. This officer had been many years on the staff in different parts of England, as an assistant quartermaster general.

Near Mexico, in his 23rd year, the hon. Augustus Waldegrave, third and youngest son of the late admiral lord Radstock, G. C. B. While shooting, in company with Mr. Ward and Mr. Baring, the gun of the latter accidentally exploded, and killed him on the spot. He was educated at Brasenose college, Oxford, and took the degree of B. A. May, 1823, with distinction in literis humanioribus.

19. In Hyde-park barracks, aged 19, William Lloyd, esq. cornet in the Royal Horse Guards, eldest son of Wm. Lloyd, esq. of Aston, county of Salop.

Aged 76, lady Eyre, widow of the late lord chief justice Eyre.

22. At Kensington, aged 83, Mrs. Ann Whittaker. She has bequeathed the Loughton-hall estate, and all her freehold property, together with her personals, amounting to 100,0007. to John Maitland, esq. late M. P. for Chippenham, with remainder to his nephew, E. F. Maitland, esq. high sheriff for Berkshire.

24. At Notting-hill, Kensington, aged 83, Evan Evans, esq. formerly of New Bond-street.

-At Lambeth, aged 84, Mrs. Elizabeth Bocquet.

At Gloucester-place, Islington, aged 94, Mrs. Elizabeth Young.

28. At West Wycombe, James Hawes, aged 105. He was for many years huntsman to the late lord Despencer, and retained all his faculties, except his hearing, to

the last.

[blocks in formation]

He

On

at his residence in the Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, aged 50, general Maximilian Sebastian Foy. For eight days the disorder had inade rapid progress. Two of his nephews, of the same name as himself, the one his aide-de-camp, and the other an advocate, did not quit his bed for a moment. "I feel," said he, in a dying tone, "a disorganizing power that labours to destroy me. I fight with the giant, but cannot conquer him." scarcely slept at all, and even sleep fatigued him. The nearer the fatal moment approached, the more did his kindness manifest itself to those around him. Wishing again to breathe the pure air, and see once more the light of the sun, his nephews carried him in a chair to the window, which was open; but feeling himself sinking, he said to them-"My good friends, put me upon the bed; God will do the rest." These were his last words. opening the body after death, the heart was found twice as voluminous as in the natural state, soft, and gorged with coagulated blood, which it had no longer strength to put into circulation. Mirabeau, it will be recollected, according to the report of Cabanis, likewise sunk under a disease of the heart, augmented by the fatigue of the tribune, and the cares and anxieties inseparable from business. This officer was educated for the bar, but on the breaking out of the revolution, he entered the artillery, in which he was rapidly promoted. From the first campaigns of the revolution to the battle of Waterloo, he was in incessant action, and frequently distinguished himself. He was wounded in Moreau's retreat, at the battle of Orthes, and at Waterloo. His activity in Spain was well known to many officers of the English army. Though his fate was bound up with the military profession, he refused, previously to the expedition to Egypt, the appointment of aide-de-camp to Buonaparte, whose views he seems

« PrejšnjaNaprej »