ulit, ille habeat secum, servetque. pulchro. was, like his great predeces, sir Matthew Hale, whom, in parts of his character, he much, bled, a very good divine, and in habits of intimacy with persons of high reputation in hurch: was also very fond of the arts, ularly painting and music; and taiked with rapture of a journto Italy. the resignation of lord Camand subsequent death of Mr. e, in January 1770, the great with other honours, was ofto sir Eardley by the duke of ton. Sir Eardley shook his , and begged to be excused. Camden afterwards told a comfriend, that he never was so. rised in his life as when he d that sir Eardley had really deed it. he great seal was again pressed n sir Eardley in the course of year by lord North, who, on resignation of the duke of Grafsucceeded as first lord of the sury., But sir Eardley was at time too fixed in his resolution retiring altogether from public iness; and, having no sir Joseph es near him, it seemed to him a dopportunity to urge the same on for resigning the office he , as for declining the one that was offered him. His ill health had, prevented him occasionally from attending his court, and he had been' under the necessity, more than once,. (though with much pain to himself), of requesting some of his brethren. to attend the sittings for him, which: is not the least important, or least. laborious, part of the duty of the chief justice in each court... His intention was to have resigned without receiving any pension, from the crown, as is well known; in his family, with this view, and to be near the British Museum,, which for many years he had much frequented, he took a small house in Great Russel street: indeed, his residence in or near town, for the, advantage of medical advice, was now become absolutely necessary. But it was with much difficulty he was permitted to decline the great seal.". When this was done, and his resignation of the chief justiceship of the court of common pleas was at last accepted in January 1771, he was much surprised and disconcerted to find, that it was expected he was to receive a pension for life. This he withstood in two several interviews with the first lord of the treasury: but his majesty having. desired to see him at Buckinghamhouse, was pleased to declare, that he could not suffer so faithful a servant to the public to retire, without receiving this mark of approbation and reward for his exemplary services. After this, sir Eardley thought it would be vanity and affectation to contend any longer; and certainly his private fortune would not have enabled him to have lived in the manner to which he had been ac customed, and which he thought while he held his office of chief justice, the dignity of his situation re 3 A 2 quired. quired. He had declined many opportunities of ennobling and enriching himself, and yet possessed sufficient for his own moderate desires. He had brought up all his sons to active business, and was justly sensible that this was preferable to any fortune he could give, of leave them. But as he was thus liberally provided for by his majesty's bounty, he thought the least he could do was to make every return in his power; and having the honour of being one of his majesty's privy council, he, in conjunction with the venerable sir Thomas Parker, who had been chief baron of the exchequer, uniformly attended the appeals to the king in council till the year 1792, when his increasing infirmities obliged him to give up this last part of what he thought his public duty. His services in this interval had been constant, and were frequently acknowledged by the lord president of the council, and by the minister in parliament. since created marquis of Lansdown, sir Thomas Parker, lord Huntingdon, lord Hardwicke, and lord Bthurst, by whom he was frequently consulted, while he held the great seal, both on political and legal subjects. He was resorted to by these and a few others for advice and for entertainment, his conversation being equally cheerful and instructive, A person who, with the greatest honour to himself and advantage to the nation, had filled many high stations in public life, told the writer of these sheets, that he was never in his company without feeling him. self the happier and the better for it. He mentioned, among other anecdotes, that he once went to sir Eardley, under the impression of great wrath and indignation, at a real injury which he had received from a person high in the political world, and which he was meditating how to resent in the most effectual manner. After relating the particulars to sir Eardley, he asked, if he did not think it would be "manly" to resent it? Yes, said sir Eardley, certainly, it will be "manly" to resent it: but, added he, it would be "god-like" to forgive it. This the gentleman declared had such an instantaneous effect upon him, that he came away quite a different man, and in a totally different temper from that in which he went. About this time, the reversion of an estate in Derbyshire, of about 4001. per ann. fell in to him by the death of a gentleman, to whose family he was allied, and with which in the early part of his life he had lived in great intimacy: but there being an illegitimate son of one branch of the family alive, whom sir Eardley had patronized from his birth, he immediately made a conveyance of the estate to him for his life, and intended, if he had had children, to have given him the whole interest in it. He now retired totally from public business, and saw very little company during the remainder of his life, except a few friends, whom time had hitherto spared. The principal of these were lord Shelburne, like a man, he bore like a ian. retreat from business not only red him ease and health, but bly added many years to his No one ever more completely ed "otium cum dignitate." irst employment in a morning o read and study a chapter or In the Greek Testament. Anawas one of his favourite purduring his retirement, and with ew he regularly attended the res of the celebrated Dr. Hun e was in the habit of entering s-common-place book the death is friends and contemporaries, a short account of them. It be further illustration of his own acter, to observe how ready he to do justice to the worth of re. most alarming symptoms, but by the strength of his constitution, and the great skill and attention of his physician, sir Richard Jebb, he was enabled to remove into the country, and gradually recovered from the immediate effects of it. He can hardly however be said to have lived, or at least to have enjoyed any degree of health or comfort after this attack, except such as arose from the attention of his children, the contemplation of a well-spent life, and that firm, but humble confidence in a joyful resurrection, which christianity alones inspires. After having thus passed a life of advantage to the public, and of great delight to his family and friends, he died, on the 5th of February 1792, aged eighty-two. He left his eldest surviving son his sole executor, with express diir Eardley had a very severe ill-rections, in his own hand writing, in the spring of 1780, which inated in a jaundice of the worst 1, and being sent to Bath by sir th Thomas, his life was long dered of, till by taking a medicine ch he there met with, he was ored to his family. 'rom Bath he went to Brightmstone, in the beginning of June, was no sooner arrived there then accounts followed him of the ts in London; on the reports being ught to him every day of the inasing tumults and mischief, he clared, with unusual warmth, that he thought it impossible there ld be one soldier or one lawyer in ndon; for if there were, the riots uld not have been suffered to get such a height:" From this time to March 1786, Eardley had a tolerable share of alth: at this period, he was atcked by a violent fever, with the for a plain marble tablet to be put up in the church of Berkswell, in the county of Warwick, with an inscription, containing an account of his birth, death, the dates of his appointments, and names of his children,' "without any other addition whatever." Sir Eardley always considered epitaphs as of little use, except in furnishing evidence of facts and dates, in which respect he had often found them of considerable importance in the course of his professional experience. His person was of the middle size; his countenance of a commanding and dignified aspect; his eye particularly lively and animated, tempered with great sweetness and benignity. His knowledge was extensive and profound, and perhaps nothing but his natural modesty prevented him from equalling the greatest of his predecessors. It was 343 this this invincible modesty which continually acted as a fetter upon his abilities and learning, and prevented their full exertion in the service of the public. Whenever any occasion arose, that made it necessary for him to come forward, (as was sometimes the case in the house of lords, in the court of chancery, and in the common pleas), it was always with reluctance, to perform a duty, not to court applause, which had no charms for his pure and enlightened mind.. But of all the parts of sir Eardley's character, none was more conspicuous than the manner in which he conducted himself on the bench, in that most delicate and important office of hearing causes, either of a criminal or civil nature: he was not only practically skilled in his profession, but his penetration was quick and not to be eluded; his attention constant and unabated;.his elocution clear and harmonious; but, above all, his temper, moderation,patience, and impartiality, were so distinguished, that the parties, solicitors, counsel, and audience, went away informed and satisfied, if not contented etiam contra quos statuit, æquos placatosque dimisit." This was the case in questions of pri-. vate property: but where any points of a public nature arose, there his superior abilities and public virtue were eminently characterized; equally free from courting ministerial favour, or popular applause, he held the scale perfectly even between the crown and the people, and thus became equally a favourite with both This was conspicuous on many occasions, but particularly in the important cause, related before, between Mr. Wilkes and lord Halifax, in 1769. . ture, improved by unremitting industry and extensive learning, both in and out of his profession, þe possessed such native humblenes of mind and simplicity of manners, that no rank nor station ever made him think highly of himself, a meanly of others. In short, when we contemplate his various excellencies, we find ourselves at a loss whether most to admire his deep and extensive learning and penetration as a lawyer, his industry, probity, firmness, wisdom, and pr tience as a judge, his taste and elegant accomplishments as a scholar, his urbanity and refined sentiments as a gentleman, or his piety and humility as a Christian. But when we approach nearer and view him in the shade of private life, then we may confidently assert, that he has left an illustricus and encouraging example of the progress which man, with all his frailties, may make in the attainment and exercise of those virtues and graces, of which the great Teacher and Saviour of mankind condescended, in his own person, to exhibit the perfect and inimitable pattern! With superior talents from na- Bourigeat. They They appeared to be about 1200 în number; every individual superbly mounted, richly dressed, and attended by a servant on foot, carrying a long stick in his hand. But the magnificence of the beys or chiefs was beyond any thing that can be conceived. They were lodged in spacious tents, divided into several apartments, the insides fined with rich stuffs, and the bottom covered with beautiful Turkey carpets. Nothing can equal the grand and splendid appearance of this cavalry. Their horses are well made, strong, sleek, and plump, very sure-footed, and stately in their attitudes, and having altogether the most beautiful appearance. The magnificence of the trappings, with which they are covered, is amazing, and the saddles and housings glitter with gold and silver, almost dazzling the. eyes of the astonished spectator. Indeed, a Mamaluke may be said to carry all his wealth about him; his horse, sword, and pistols, beautifully wrought and inlaid with silver, are worth very great sums, and constitute the chief part of his riches. These horses, as well as all those to be found in Egypt, have only two paces; the walk, in which they step out well, and a full gallop. They are accustomed to stop dead short, when going full speed; this is effected by the means of the inost severe bit in the world, which throws back the horse upon his haunches; but this practice very soon ruins their legs, and it is seldom they can hold out against it for any length of time. The Mamalukes, taken as light troops, or as individual horsemen, are equal, and perhaps superior, to any in the world; but without tactics, andnever acting in a body, they cannot be expected to succeed against European troops. Their desperate. courage, and singular dexterity in managing their horses, were often experienced by the French, and never shown more conspicuous than at the celebrated battle of Embabeh,› where they repeatedly charged the solid square of the French, and where so many of them fell victims to their ill-judged bravery. These Mamalukes were so richly dressed and accoutred, that the French soldiers actually fished up the bodies of those who drowned in the Nile, by which they obtained very considerable booty. were The following are the names of the beys who joined general Hut-, chinson: Osman Bey Tambourgi, Mahomed Bey Elfi, Achmet Bey, Osman Bey Berdici, Osman Bey Hassan, and Selim Bey. Each of these beys made presents of horses. to the British general officers. From the time of the conquest of Egypt by Amrou, one of the generals of Omar, the first calif; till the eighth century, this country. was governed by the lieutenants of the califs, and by sultans of the race of the Fatimites and Aioubites. The head of the latter family was that Saladin, who acquired so much fame against the crusaders. It was one of his weak successors, who was first obliged to commit his castles to a guard of foreigners which originally consisted of young slaves. These had been purchased by the merchants from the Moguls, who were at that time overrunning the greater part of Asia under Genghis Khan. This guard called Mamalukes, |