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spicuous, yet the general amount of his reputation equalled in respectability the glitter of fame. Like sterling metal, it was pure, solid and durable, wholly independent of any peculiar cast of public sentiment. Reared on the everlasting basis of virtue, and cemented by the actions of a long life of general usefulness, it was incapable of being subverted by any of the convulsions to which society is liable.

In addition to his more substantial qualities and acquirements, Mr. Chew's taste was cultivated and refined, his conversation easy and animated, his deportment graceful and pleasing, and his wit not unfrequently playful and sparkling. His elevated rank in society, the style of affluence in which he lived, and the public stations which he so long continued to fill, led him of necessity into frequent entertainments. On these occasions the

most sprightly and engaging display of convivial qualitics was tempered by an observance of the strictest decorum. Hence he knew how to partake of the pleasures and mingle in all the revelry of the table, without either descending from his dignity or forfeiting for a moment his title to respect.

Were I capable of bestowing on my humble picture that softness and masterly finish which are due to the original, I would now intrude for a moment into the sanctuary of Mr. Chew's private mansion, and sketch the features of his domestic character. But on this point despair of success forbids enterprize and paralyzes exertion. To the love and veneration of his household, while living, and to the eloquence of their grief in his departing moments, I must commit the task in which I feel it would be presumption to engage.

In height Mr. Chew somewhat exceeded the middle stature. When young he was reputed handsome, and being of a dark complexion his beauty was manly. His personal appearance was always dignified and commanding-In the latter years of his life it was peculiarly venerable. Take from it the ease and polish of modern manners, and substitute in their place the austere and unbending air of antiquity, and it would have well become a Grecian philosopher or a senator of Rome. Were titles and honours hereditary in the United States, a stranger on entering Mr. Chew's

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dwelling and being personally introduced to him in the bosom of his family, would have been ready to exclaim, "This is one of the ancient and well-bred nobles of the land."

C.

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FOREIGN BIOGRAPHY.

LIFE OF MR. WINDHAM.

MR. WINDHAM was descended from an ancient and highly respectable family in the county of Norfolk, where they had resided for several generations, and possessed a considerable property. His father, William Windham, was one of the most admired characters of his time; and, in 1756, soon after the plan of a national militia was formed by Mr. Pitt (afterwards earl of Chatham), this gentleman, in conjunction with the late marquis Townshend, was extremely zealous and active in promoting and carrying into execution that scheme, which has since proved so salutary to his country. On this subject he published one or two very excellent pamphlets. He died in 1761, leaving his only son, then eleven years old, under the care of the executors of his will, the Rev. Dr. Dampier, then under master of Eton-school, and Mr. Garrick. Mr. Windham was born at Felbrigge-hall, the family seat in Norfolk, in March 1750.. He received the early part of his education at Eton, where he continued from 1762 to the autumn of 1766, when he removed to the University of Glasgow, where he resided for about a year in the house of Dr. Anderson, professor of natural philosophy, and diligently attended his lectures: and those of Dr. Robert Simson, professor of mathematics, the well-known author of a Treatise on Conic Sections, and of other learned works. Here first probably he became fond of those studies, to which he was ever afterwards strongly addicted. * In September 1767,

Mr. W. has left behind him three treatises on mathematical subjects, which he directed, by his will, should be put into the hands of the bishop of Rochester, Dr. Horsely, who was then living; adding, that if he should think them of any value, they might be published.

he became a gentleman commoner of University college in Oxford, Mr. (afterwards sir Robert) Chambers, being his tutor. During his academic course* (from 1767 to 1771) he was highly, distinguished for his application to various studies, for his love of enterprise, for that frank and graceful address, and that honourable deportment, which gave a lustre to his character through every period of his life. In 1773, when he was but twentythree years old, his love of adventure, and his thirst of knowledge, induced him to accompany his friend Constantine lord Mulgrave, in his voyage towards the North Pole; but he was so harassed with sea-sickness, that he was under the necessity of being landed in Norway, and of wholly abandoning his purpose. In 1778 he became a major in the Norfolk Militia, then quartered at Bury in Suffolk, where, by his intrepidity and personal exertion,t he quelled a dangerous mutiny, which had broken out; notwithstanding he was highly beloved by the regiment. On one of the mutincers laying hold of his dress, he felled him to the ground and put him into confinement; and, on his comrades afterwards surrounding him, and insisting on the release of the delinquent, he drew his sword, and kept them at bay, till a party of his own company joined and rescued him. Soon afterwards, in consequence of his being obliged to remain for several hours in wet clothes, he was seized with a dangerous bilious fever, which nearly deprived him of his life. In the autumn of that year, partly with a view of restoring his health, he went abroad, and spent the two following years in Switzerland and Italy. Previously to his leaving England, he was chosen a member of the literary club, founded by sir Joshua Reynolds and Dr. Johnson, (who had the greatest esteem for Mr. Windham;) and, notwithstanding

* In 1782, he was created M. A. and in 1793, D. C. L. at the installation of the duke of Portland; when so hig: was the admiration of his character, that on his entering the theatre, the whole assembly rose from their seats, and hailed him with loud applause.

† Of his dauntless courage many instances might be given. In 1785, he ascended from Moulsey Hurst in a balloon, with Mr. Sadler; and in 1793, having visited the army engaged in the siege of Valenciennes, he surveyed all the works with the most minute attention, in company with captain, now colonel, Thornton, and approached so near the enemy, that he was often within the reach of their cannon,

his engagements in consequence of his parliamentary business, and the important offices which he filled, he was a very frequent attendant at the meetings of that respectable society, (for which he always expressed the highest value,) from 1781 to near the time of his death. So early as the year 1769, when he was at Oxford, and had not yet attained his twentieth year, the late marquis Townshend, then lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whom he twice visited during his residence in that country, offered him the office of his principal secretary; but he declined it in a letter which is still extant, and which very forcibly displays, that excellent sense, and those honourable sentiments, which afterwards uniformly regulated his conduct. In 1782 he came into parliament, where he sat for twenty-eight years, at first for Norwich, and afterwards for various boroughs; and he so early distinguished himself in the house of commons, that he was selected by Mr. Burke in June 1784, to second his motion on representation to his majesty on the state of the nation. In the preceding year, he had been appointed principal secretary. to the earl of Northington, then constituted lord lieutenant of Ireland; and in that capacity he visited Dublin in the spring of 1783, and intended to have accompanied his excellency when he afterwards opened the session of parliament there in October; but being prevented by illness, he relinquished his office; and his friend the hon. Thomas Pelham (now earl of Chichester,) was appointed secretary in his room. From the time of his coming into parliament to the year 1793, he usually voted with the opposition of that day; but he never was what is called a thorough party man, frequently deviating from those to whom he was in general attached, when, in matters of importance, his conscience directed him to take a different course from them; on which account, his virtues and talents were never rightly appreciated by persons of that description, who frequently on this ground vainly attempted to undervalue him. After the rupture between Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke, in consequence of the French revolution, Mr. Windham attached himself wholly to the latter, with whom he had for many years lived in the closest intimacy, and of whose genius and virtucs he had always the highest admi

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ration. Being, with him, thoroughly convinced of the danger then impending over his country from the measures adopted by certain classes of Englishmen, in consequence of that tremendous convulsion, he did not hesitate to unite with the duke of Portland, lord Spencer, and others, in accepting offices under the administration in which Mr. Pitt then presided. On this arrangement Mr. Windham was appointed secretary at war, with a seat in the cabinet, an honourable distinction which had never before been annexed to that office. This station he con- tinued to fill with the highest reputation from that time (1794) till 1801, when he, lord Spencer, lord Grenville, and Mr. Pitt, resigned their offices; and shortly afterwards Mr. Addington (now lord viscount Sidmouth) was appointed chancellor of the exchequer and first lord of the treasury. On the preliminaries of peace with France being acceded to by that statesman and his coadjutors, in 1801, Mr. Windham made his celebrated speech in parliament, which was afterwards (April 1802) published, with an appendix, containing a character of the present usurper of the French throne, which will transmit to posterity the principal flagitious passages of his life up to that period, in the most lively colours. On Mr. Addington being driven from the helm, in 1805, principally by the battery of Mr. Windham's eloquence, a new administration was again formed by Mr. Pitt, which was dissolved by his death, in 1806; and shortly afterwards, on lord Grenville's accepting the office of first lord of the treasury, Mr. Windham was appointed secretary of state for the war department, which he held till his majesty, in the following year, thought fit to constitue a new administration. During this period he carried into a law his bill for the limited service of those who enlist in our regular army; a measure which will ever endear his name to the-English soldiery. The genius and talents of this illustrious statesman are well known and universally acknowledged. He was unquestionably the most distinguished man of the present time, and not inferior, in many respects, to the most admired characters of the age that is just gone by. He had been in his earlier years, a very diligent student, and was an excellent Greek and Latin scholar., In his Patter years, like Burke and Johnson, he was an excursive reader,

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