THE origin of this gentleman is not, like that of some of the greatest names of antiquity, buried in the impenetrable obscurity of unrecorded ages. He was born in Dublin on the 22nd of October, 1740, old style. His father, Philip Francis, D. D. is sufficiently known in the learned world. His grandfather, John Francis, was dean of the cathedral of Lismore in Ireland, to which he was appointed on the 30th of July, 1722, and his great grandfather, John Francis, became dean of Leighlin, by patent, dated 21st of August, 1696, and appears by Ware's History of Ireland, to have sat in convocation in Dublin, in 1704. This old gentleman is also supposed to have had a father, whose name and memory are un fortunately lost in the abyss of time. These particulars have been carefully collected from the herald's offices in Doctor's Commons, and in Dublin. In the former, it was discovered by a great antiquary, whose business it was to find materials for the pedigree of Sir Philip, on his admission to the order of the Bath, that previous to the coronation of Richard II. Ri chard Francis, who bore exactly the same arms as the present knight, was created a Knight of the Bath, and if Sir Philip does not descend lineally from that person, it was entirely his own fault. The heralds offered to prove it by an exact genea logy, provided always that Sir Philip would pay down two

hundred pounds for such advantage. After maturely weighing the honor against the price, he is believed to have declined that liberal offer. His mother's name appears to have been Eliza. beth Roe, whose father thought himself descended from the fa mous Sir Thomas Roe, who lived in the reign of James the First, and was sent embassador to the great Mogul, by that learned monarch. But here again the links are wanting, or the heralds ran mute for want of encouragement.

Sir Philip received the first elements of his education under Thomas Ball, who succeeded Doctor Dunkin, (names well. known in Ireland) and who kept a school in a church in Shipstreet. In the beginning of 1750 he came to England. In 1753 he was placed at St. Paul's school, under the care of Mr. George Thicknesse, of whose virtues and learning, we have often heard him make honourable mention, and always with an effusion of gratitude for the care he took of him. In 1756 Mr. Henry Fox, afterwards Lord Holland, gave him a little place in the secretary of state's office. Mr. Pitt, who suc. ceeded Mr. Fox, patronized and encouraged him, in conse quence of the recommendation of his secretary, Robert Wood, Through that patronage, he was appointed secretary to General Bligh, in 1758, was present at the capture and demolition of Cherburgh, and at the attack on the rear guard of our army at St. Cas. From mere curiosity, and without arms, he was found standing in the ranks when the French approached very near, and the firing began. In 1760, by the same recommendation, he was appointed secretary to the Earl of Kin. noul, embassador to Lisbon, when the present Queen of Portugal was married to her uncle. The uncle and the niece had a son, the present Prince of Brazils, who married his mother's sister. Such is the constitution of the House of Braganza. In 1763 he was appointed by the late Lord Mendip, then Welbore Ellis, Esq. and secretary at war, to a considerable post in the war office, which he resigned in the beginning of 1772, in consequence of a difference with Viscount Bar. rington, by whom he thought himself injured. Possibly Lord Barrington thought so too, or that something was due to Mr.

Francis, as will appear hereafter. The greatest part of the year 1772 he spent in travelling through Flanders, part of Germany, the Tyrol, Italy, and France, with his intimate friend, the late David Godfrey. During his residence at Rome he went to Castel Gondolfo, where he was introduced to Pope Ganganelli, and had a curious conference with his holiness, of near two hours, the particulars of which are, it is said, preserved in a letter from him to the late Dr. Campbell, with whom he was very intimate. In about half a year after his return to England, Lord Barrington most honourably and generously recommended him to Lord North, by whom his name was inserted in an act of parliament, past in June, 1773, to be a member of the council appointed for the government of Bengal, in conjunction with

And

Warren Hastings, Governor-General.
John Clavering, Commander in Chief.
George Monson,

Richard Barwell.

The records of his long contest with Mr. Hastings are pre served in the books of the council, the reports of the committee, and in the journals of the House of Commons.

On the dissolution of parliament in 1784, he was elected for Yarmouth, in the Isle of Wight. On the 27th of July following, he happened to make use of an expression in the House of Commons, for which the late Mr. Pitt never forgave him. After speaking of the first Earl of Chatham, with all possible honour, he unfortunately added, "but he is dead, and has left nothing in this world that resembles him." On the 19th of April, 1787, he moved the revenue charge against Mr. Hastings, and carried it against Mr. Pitt, the whole strength of government, and the Indian interest, by a majority of seventy one to fifty-five. Mr. Pitt was determined to be even with him, and on the 11th of December, 1787, employed two of his dependants to move that his name should be omitted, when the managers to conduct the impeachment were appointed, and he himself had nothing bet ter to say than that it was a question not of argument but

of feeling. Mr. Francis's speech on this occasion, at least as it is printed, appears to us perfect in its composition, and unanswerable in its argument. After confuting all the personal objections made to him, with a noble indifference about the event of the question, he turns to the friends of Mr. Hastings, with an apostrophe, by which, as we have often heard, even Major John Scott was overcome.

“Thirteen years are now elapsed since I first was connected in "office with Mr. Hastings. Six of them were wasted in India, in "perpetual contest with him. Seven years ago, I left him there in "possession of absolute power. In all that time no charges have "been produced against me. Yet I think it cannot be said that I "have been particularly cautious not to provoke hostility, or that "there is no disposition any where to accuse me. Surely, sir, if "accusation is ever to come, it is high time it should appear. If

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now, or at any other period, I should be obliged to change place "with Mr. Hastings; if hereafter it should be my lot to be accused, "I shall assuredly never object to his being my prosecutor; for, though by removing a powerful, a well-informed, and, in the "sense of the present argument, an inveterate accuser, I might provide for my safety, my honour would be lost. Let those gen❝tlemen, who are trusted with the care of Mr. Hastings's honour, "consider what they are doing."

On this occasion the managers of the impeachment thought. an act of justice and gratitude due to Mr. Francis to address the following letter to him.

"SIR,

Committee-Room, House of Commons, December 18, 1787. "There is nothing in the orders of the house which prevents us from resorting to your assistance; and we should shew very little regard to our honour, to our duty, or to the effectual execution of our trust, if we omitted any means, that are left in our power, to obtain the most beneficial use of it.

"An exact local knowledge of the affairs of Bengal is requisite in every step of our proceedings; and it is necessary that our information should come from sources not only competent but upsuspected. We have perused, as our duty has often led us to do, with great attention, the records of the company, during the time in which you executed the important office committed to you by

* Vide Parliamentary Debates.

parliament; and our good opinion of you has grown in exact proportion to the minuteness and accuracy of our researches. We have found that, as far as in you lay, you fully answered the ends of your arduous allegation. An exact obedience to the authority placed over you by the laws of your country, wise and steady principles of government, an inflexible integrity in yourself, and a firm resistance to all corrupt practice in others, crowned by an uniform benevolent attention to the rights, properties, and welfare of the natives (the grand leading object in your appointment), appear eminently throughout those records. Such a conduct, so tried, acknowledged, and recorded, demands our fullest confidence,

"These, sir, are the qualities, and this is the conduct on your part, on which we ground our wishes for your assistance. On what we are to ground our right to make any demand upon you, we are more at a loss to suggest. Our sole titles, we are sensible, are to be found in the public exigencies, and in your public spirit. Permit us, sir, to call for this further service in the name of the people of India, for whom your parental care has been so long distin guished, and in support of whose cause you have encountered so many difficulties, vexations, and dangers.

"We have expressed sentiments in which we are unanimous, and which, with pride and pleasure, we attest under all our signatures, entreating you to favour us as frequently as you can, with your assistance in the committee; and you shall have due notice of the days on which your advice and instructions may be more particularly necessary.