admit, to all the orders of the community; all of whom would derive benefit from the commutation.'

“ In this free country, the governors and the governed have all a common interest. Agents and underlings may be warped by private and pecuniary motives, to wish for, and to connive at, the existence and continuance of abuses : but influence of that kind cannot be presumed to extend to those superior members of administration, who, when in power, originally brought forward and conducted the enquiry in 1801; and expressed, in concurrence with the other members of the committee, an unqualified resolution for the repeal. It is impossible that they, who, in their report to the house of commons in 1801, produced so many and such incontrovertible proofs of the injury, and the burthen of the salt-duties, when only two-thirds of their present amount -- and advised the repeal, though in the midst of such a war

should

now,
in time of profound

and nent peace, when those duties have been enhanced by the war, from ten pounds to thirty pounds per ton - and when the state of the manufactures and fisheries, and the want of employment for the labouring classes, and for our discharged soldiers and sailors, peculiarly require such a measure- it is impossible that they should hesitate to bring forward the repeal, when once they perceive that the country is ready to agree to proper and practicable terms for the attainment of it.”

This pamphlet, which may be termed the child of his old age, was composed while on a visit to a family for which he entertained a high esteem, as may be seen from the following dedication:

perma

TO

SIR JOHN AND LADY GREY EGERTON,

THIS LITTLE WORK, WRITTEN WITHIN THE WALLS OF THEIR HOSPITABLE MANSION,

AND IN THEIR DOMESTIC SOCIETY,

IS INSCRIBED,

IN MEMORIAL OF LONG AND VALUED FRIENDSHIP,

BY THE AUTHOR.

: The results of this publication were not unimportant. Io the first place, a bill was brought into the house of commons for reducing the duties on rock-salt, used for agricultural purposes; and thus an opening has been made, either for a more tolerating system, or a speedy commutation. On this occasion, the subject of the present memoir was examined before a committee, to whom he detailed the particulars of his plan, which was found to have been duly weighed and well digested.

In the next place, the writings, the exertions, and the solicitations, of Sir Thomas Bernard, with a view to enfranchise the nation from this severe impost, are thought to have shortened his life; for he died suddenly, and at a far earlier epoch than nature seemed to have intended.

During the preceding winter, indeed, of 1817-1818, his health had occasionally suffered from a bilious attack, accompanied by a cough. These complaints were afterwards greatly aggravated by incessant and meritorous efforts in the cause just alluded to, so that an immediate change of air became absolutely necessary. Accordingly, at the beginning of the summer of 1818, the much-respected subject of this memoir repaired along with his family to Leamington-Spa, in the county of Warwick; a place which of late has been greatly celebrated on account of the excellence of its climate. His former disorders appeared at first to abate, but they were soon succeeded by a malady, which, from the very beginning, exhibited a dangerous, and indeed a fatal aspect.

Accordingly, this, which proved to be a dropsical affection, speedily encreased, and that too, to such a degree, that his breath was at length overpowered by the pressure; and thus was finally terminated a life, dear to his family, his friends, and his country, on the 1st of July, 1818! The transition was both easy and sudden, being without a struggle and

, without a groan.

His remains having been conveyed to the metropolis, were interred, at his own especial request, in the exact spot formerly

a

selected by himself: being placed next to the body of his former wife, in a vault belonging to the Foundling Hospital. Sir Thomas Bernard had nenrly completed the 68th

year of his age, and was twice married. His first lady, Margaret Adair, who lived with him during a long and happy intercourse of thirty-one years, in a husband has found an eulogist. His second, Charlotte Matilda Hulse, now an afflicted widow, in whose arms he breathed his last, smoothed the pile low of disease, during the melancholy period of illness, and in good health contributed not a little to render his life both cheerful and happy.

As he died without issue, the title devolves on Sir Scrope Bernard * Morland, of Winchenden, in the county of Bucks, the addendum having been superadded to his paternal name, in consequence of his marriage with Harriet, the only child of William Morland, Esq. an opulent banker of Pall-Mall, by whom he has a numerous family.

In the course of the antecedent memoir, we have detailed a variety of incidents connected with the life and charitable disposition of the late Sir Thomas Bernard, and can now only add our unfeigned sorrow for the loss of so much worth and benevolence !

* Scrope Bernard, Esq. now Sir Scrope Bernard Morland, Bart. LL.D. appears to have been admitted into the list of English Civilians, at Doctors' Commons, Nov. 3d, 1789.

“ He is a native of Ireland, the son of Sir Francis Bernard, formerly Governor of the Massachusett's Colony in North America. While a student of Christ's Church, he was considered as a respectable classical scholar; and by an essay, which entitled him to an academical prize, he proved himself to be not unskilled in English composie tion ; but he is not distinguished as a pleader or as an orator.

He was for some years under Secretary of State (when Lord Grcoville was in place), and represented Aylesbury in three Parliaments.

“ He appears to have sued for admission into the College of Civilians, with a view to the acquisition of a productive Chancellorship, rather than to the discharge of the more laborious office of an advocate. On the death of Dr. Harris, he succeeded in the object, being appointed Judge of the Episcopal Court of Durham.” Cat. of Eng. Civilians, p. 131–2.

LIST OF THE WORKS

Of the late Sir Francis Bernard, Bart.

1. Observations on the Proceedings of the Friends of the Liberty of the Press, 8vo. 1793.

2. A Letter to the Lord Bishop of Durham, on the Measures now under Consideration of Parliament, for promoting Industry, and the Relief of the Poor, 8vo. 1807.

3. The New School, being an Attempt to illustrate its Principles and Advantages, 8vo. 1810.

4. The Barrington School, being an Account of that established by the Bishop of Durham, at Bishop's Auckland, 8vo. 1812.

5. An Account of the Supply of Fish for the manufacturing Poor, 8vo. 1813.

6. Spurinna, or the Comforts of Old Age, 8vo. Ist edit. 1813, 2d edit. 1816, 3d edit. 1817.

7. Case of the Salt Duties, with Proofs and Illustrations, Dec. 1817.

8. The Cottager's Meditations.
9. Dialogue between Monsieur François and John English.

10. The entire Prefaces, and most of the Reports of the Society for bettering the Condition of the Poor.

A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES, EDINBURGH,

AND LATE M. P. FOR A DISTRICT OF SCOTCH BOROJGHS.

GEORGE DEMPSTER was born in 1735-6.

The town of Dundee *, which lays claim to the honour of having Produced so enterprising and public-spirited a man, has been lor celebrated for its trade and manufactures; nor has it been deficient in the production of eminent citizens; for the name of George Yeaman of Murie is still remembered with respeo. After having acted with great reputation as Provost of this corporation, the laird of Murie was elected to represent it in the last Scottish parliament; he also sat in the first and second parliaments of Great Britain, during which period he fully evinced how much it is in the power of a single individual, if tinctured with a zeal for the public good, to serve his country.

• See Dr. Small's “ Statistical Account of Dundee."