ment of his meritorious services, he was created a British peer, by the title of Baron Rawdon of Rawdon, in the county of York, and appointed aid-de-camp to the king. On the death of his uncle, the earl of Huntingdon, he succeeded to the estates of that ancient and noble family, and, by permission of the king, he assumed the name and arms of that house. By the death of his father, June 20th, 1793, his lordship succeeded to the title of earl of Moira. About this time he was appointed commanding-officer of a body of troops encamped near Southampton. These troops were originally intended to assist the royalists in Brittany; but the situation of the allied forces in Flanders rendered it necessary to send a reinforcement thither. This was an enterprise of considerable hazard, for the whole country was in the possession of the French. His lordship, however, landed at Ostend, and in the face of a formidable foe succeeded in effecting a junction with the duke of York. Had it not been for the error in which the enemy remained for some time, respecting the strength and number of his troops, and for the celerity and dexterous address with which all his movements were conducted, the French must easily have overpowered him. His quarter-master-general, Doyle, seconding him with the greatest activity, happily seized the town of Bruges, at a time when, but for this achievement, the enemy might easily have hindered him from proceeding farther. In the vicinity of Ghent, this small band was again in danger of being cut off. But, from the town of Alost, they gallantly repulsed the French, who had already entered it. For three days subsequent, his lordship remained master of this place; nor did the French dare to attempt any vigorous efforts to dislodge him. All these masterly movements so checked and embarrassed the enemy, as effectually to cover the retreat of the main British army. His lordship soon after returned to England, and resumed his nominal command at Southampton, and his seat in the house of lords, where he took part with the minority. In the year 1796, in a most able and eloquent speech, he exhibited a clear discussion upon the revenue taxes, imports and exports, with other financial circumstances, both at the close of the American war and at the present period, and displaying, perhaps, too mournful a picture of the then state of the country. His speech was greatly enlarged upon, and formed in that debate the text to the other members of opposition. We do not again meet with his lordship's name in the list of public occurrences till the year 1801; when, in the first session of the united parliament, as a peer of both realms, with his usual benevolence, he moved for, and at length succeeded in procuring, an act for the relief of all such insolvent debtors as had, without fraud, incurred debts not exceeding £1500, and demonstrated their willingness to do justice to their creditors by a complete surrender of their effects. The general principle reflected the highest honour on the promoter and supporters of the motion, as it was to relieve the debtor from a tedious imprisonment, and to surrender to the creditor the debtor's funds. When the union of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland' was first agitated in the English parliament, the earl of Moira was strenuous in his opposition to the measure, which at that time he conceived was adopted and persisted in by the British ministry, contrary to the wishes and in opposition to the remonstrances of a majority of the Irish nation. He declared in his place in the house of lords, "That no one could more heartily concur in the proposed measure than himself, if it should meet the approbation of the greater part of the Hibernian community; but as it had excited general disgust and vigorous opposition, he was convinced of the danger of prosecuting the scheme, even if the Irish parliament should be disposed to adopt it, otherwise we might nourish in delusive security a secret fire, which might ultimately consume the vitals of the empire. If he should admit the probability of a change in the disposition of the people, he must contend, as the measure was to be suspended, that it was at least imprudent to pledge the British parliament to specific resolutions, which might be superseded by the future relative situation of the countries." No sooner, however, was he convinced that the union had become equally desirable and necessary to Ireland, than he embraced the opportunity of expressing that opinion with the same manly candour that had marked his first declaration on the subject. In conformity with his sentiments on the necessity of completing the important undertaking after it had been once begun, we find him opposing every delay which the enemies of the measure attempted to introduce in the progress of the act of union through the house of lords. In a subsequent debate he declared, "That the objections he had urged against the union were in a great measure superseded by the late determination of the Irish parliament, and he was ready to admit that the points of detail were founded for the most part on just and equitable principles." His lordship was under Addington's administration appointed commander-in-chief of his majesty's forces in Scotland, and greatly endeared himself to all ranks of the people in that part of the kingdom. On the 12th of July, 1804, he married Flora Campbell, countess of Loudon. In 1808 he succeeded on the death of his mother to the ancient English baronies which had descended to her. On the death of Perceval, Lord Moira was employed to form an extended administration, but failed in the negotiation. He was soon after nominated to the government of Bengal, and in 1816 was created Viscount Loudon, earl of Rawdon, and marquess of Hastings. In 1822 he returned to England, and was appointed governor of Malta, his pecuniary embarrassments not allowing him to seek the repose due to age in retirement from public service. A fall from his horse accelerated his death, which took place in 1826. He was succeeded in his titles by his second son, George Augustus Francis, born in 1808. A contemporary writer, speaking of his lordship, says,-" He is amiable in private no less than great in public life. His manners are marked by that dignified, yet gracious and winning politeness, which is adapted to bespeak to any person, even at first sight, the true nobleman. Delicacy of sentiment, gallant intrepidity, high honour, and unbounded generosity, have seldom been more conspicuous in any other character than in that of Lord Moira. His liberality, in some signal instances, was not long since upon the occasion of a suit at law-in which, however, his lordship had no concern-declared by a judge from the bench, no doubt, upon good information, absolutely to exceed all bounds. His courage and fortitude are not barely the armour of the mind to be put on only for the perils of warfare, and the darings of battle; they easily, and without affectation, accompany him in all the incidents of ordinary life. The tenor of his lordship's familiar life has in it much unaffected dignity. He is an early riser; and his mornings, before the hour for breakfast, are allotted to the despatch of business, to the care of answering letters, as he receives them, and to the benign task of paying the most gracious attention to those numberless applications for patronage or relief, which the reputation of his benevolence naturally invites. His forenoons are in the country chiefly dedicated to the amusements of agriculture, into all the details of which he enters with great eagerness and intelligence. Formerly when he used to take more frequently the diversion of hunting, he was distinguished as a singularly fearless rider, and used to outstrip all the country gentlemen in the chase. He keeps house with the liberal hospitality becoming an English nobleman. His table is splendidly and sumptuously served; but he himself partakes of its pleasures with extraordinary temperance. His company usually withdraw from the dining-room to the library, and the evening is then given either to conversation, such as unites the feast of reason and the Hlow of soul, or perhaps by every different person to private study. Lord Moira himself has, by reading, by converse, by an extensive observation of nature and society, acquired a store of knowledge so various, so just, and so profound, as to have been very rarely equalled among men of his rank and habits of life. He is remarkable as a voracious reader. A new book, falling into his hands, seldom fails to engross and absorb his attention, till he has thoroughly mastered its contents, and, as it were, has torn the heart out of it. In conversation he displays a mingled pride and modesty; willing to express his sentiments, but scorning to obtrude, and rarely deigning to defend them; never dictatorial nor pertinaciously disputative; but shunning, with a dignity which sometimes borders on haughtiness, to descend to the level of common conversational discussions. Into the details of business of all sorts, he is capable of entering with uncommon patience, discernment, and perseverance. If interrupted, however often, by the calls of friendship or of other business, he is ever ready to leave his unfinished task to enter with the most obliging and entire attention into the new avocation, while it presents itself; and then, when this interruption has ceased, to return to that from which he had been called, with a mind as completely in possession of its former part, as if nothing had interposed to divert him from it. Even his enemies have never been able to withhold their reluctant homage from his talents and public virtues." George Canning. BORN A. D. 1770.-DIED A. D. 1827. MR CANNING was born in London on the 11th of April, 1770. Descended from honourable ancestry, an imprudent marriage had separated his father from the protection and countenance of his immediate ancestor, who left him to struggle as he might, with his disastrous and sinking fortunes, Disappointment and chagrin sent him to a prema ture grave on the first birth-day of his son, and necessity drove his mother to seek a precarious subsistence from the stage, where she soon contracted a second marriage. The tardy justice of his grandfather secured the proper education, of the young orphan, by the settlement upon him of a small Irish estate, the application of which to that purpose was superintended, up to the period of his entering the university, by his guardian and uncle, an eminent merchant of London. At twelve years of age Mr Canning was sent to Eton, where he at once became distinguished as a sedulous scholar, and where his ready apprehension and refined taste were early indicated in the extreme correctness and polish of his Latin and English exercises, both in prose and verse. Hi contributions to the Microcosm,-a periodical then in existence at Eton, are characterized by much facility of expression, purity if not brilliancy of style, and frequently by a vein of well-sustained irony; literary qualities seldom united in the productions of a schoolboy. At seventeen he was transferred to Oxford, where he more than sustained the reputation he had acquired at Eton. His course through the university was equally marked by severe study and honourable distinction, and few statesmen have gathered from books so much actual, practical, and available knowledge of men. His connections at the university were formed with much prescience and sagacity, and were for the most part both durable and valuable. Many of his intimates were subsequently distinguished in the counsels of the nation, and a friendship alike honourable and advantageous to both, was excited and cherished by kindred associations and pursuits between him and the late Lord Liverpool, which, through a long career, survived, on the one side, the disparity of rank, fortune and influence, and on the other, the jealousy of political rivalry : "memor Actæ non alio rege puertiæ, On receiving a bachelor's degree, Mr Canning left the university, and entered himself a member of the society of Lincoln's inn. It is not believed that he applied himself to the study of the law with any view to make it his profession, since there is not a single passage in his numerous speeches which indicates a course of technical study. The flights of his mind were never trammelled by the fetters of the bar. Doubtless the opportunity was improved to acquire a knowledge of the principles of the constitution, and of the history of English jurisprudence. But Lord Lansdowne's prediction to Bentham, that Canning would one day be prime minister, was founded upon other prognostics than his assiduous attention to the glosses of Coke or Hale. His academic reputation had preceded him to London, and was confirmed and extended by the impression he soon began to make in some of the private circles of the metropolis, and in the debating societies to which he resorted for the purpose of acquiring fluency and readiness as a speaker, and which were then in high fashion and dignity. He had been previously introduced to the leading whigs of the period at the house of his uncle, where he had attracted the particular notice of Sheridan, with whom he now became intimate. There can be little doubt, that if at this time he had not actually received overtures from the opposi. VII, 2 Y ment of his meritorious services, he was created a British peer, by the title of Baron Rawdon of Rawdon, in the county of York, and appointed aid-de-camp to the king. On the death of his uncle, the earl of Huntingdon, he succeeded to the estates of that ancient and noble family, and, by permission of the king, he assumed the name and arms of that house. By the death of his father, June 20th, 1793, his lordship succeeded to the title of earl of Moira. About this time he was appointed commanding-officer of a body of troops encamped near Southampton. These troops were originally intended to assist the royalists in Brittany; but the situation of the allied forces in Flanders rendered it necessary to send a reinforcement thither. This was an enterprise of considerable hazard, for the whole country was in the possession of the French. His lordship, however, landed at Ostend, and in the face of a formidable foe succeeded in effecting a junction with the duke of York. Had it not been for the error in which the enemy remained for some time, respecting the strength and number of his troops, and for the celerity and dexterous address with which all his movements were conducted, the French must easily have overpowered him. His quarter-master-general, Doyle, seconding him with the greatest activity, happily seized the town of Bruges, at a time when, but for this achievement, the enemy might easily have hindered him from proceeding farther. In the vicinity of Ghent, this small band was again in danger of being cut off. But, from the town of Alost, they gallantly repulsed the French, who had already entered it. For three days subsequent, his lordship remained master of this place; nor did the French dare to attempt any vigorous efforts to dislodge him. All these masterly movements so checked and embarrassed the enemy, as effectually to cover the retreat of the main British army. His lordship soon after returned to England, and resumed his nominal command at Southampton, and his seat in the house of lords, where he took part with the minority. In the year 1796, in a most able and eloquent speech, he exhibited a clear discussion upon the revenue taxes, imports and exports, with other financial circumstances, both at the close of the American war and at the present period, and displaying, perhaps, too mournful a picture of the then state of the country. His speech was greatly enlarged upon, and formed in that debate the text to the other members of opposition. We do not again meet with his lordship's name in the list of public occurrences till the year 1801; when, in the first session of the united parliament, as a peer of both realms, with his usual benevolence, he moved for, and at length succeeded in procuring, an act for the relief of all such insolvent debtors as had, without fraud, incurred debts not exceeding £1500, and demonstrated their willingness to do justice to their creditors by a complete surrender of their effects. The general principle reflected the highest honour on the promoter and supporters of the motion, as it was to relieve the debtor from a tedious imprisonment, and to surrender to the creditor the debtor's funds. When the union of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland was first agitated in the English parliament, the earl of Moira was strenuous in his opposition to the measure, which at that time he conceived was adopted and persisted in by the British ministry, contrary to the wishes |