wide range with a happy effect; but his genteel characters have always been most esteemed. That mellowness, however, which time alone can bestow, is still wanting; and when he has been allowed more leisure for the study of his respective parts, he will, perhaps, become as celebrated for the greatness and perfection of his scenic efforts as he is now for his usefulness and versatility.

MR. ALDERMAN COMBE.

MUCH has been said respecting the disadvantages arising out of the increased population of Great cities; and no small portion of declamation has been used in order to prove how prejudicial this circumstance is to the best interests of a nation. It is customary to consider the metropolis of the British Isles, in particular, as a head, which of late years has swelled to such an unnatural size, as to have become eminently disproportionate to the body, while it is nourished entirely at its expense. In respect to England, indeed, the ratio both in point of numbers and extent, is excessive; but when it is recollected that this immense collection of streets and squares is not only the capital of the European portion of the empire, but also of our Asiatic, West Indian, and American dominions, some of these objections will vanish.

A multitude of advantages also must be allowed,

on

on the other hand, to be derived from an extensive metropolis; constituting the germe, as it were, of civility in the early stages of society, it becomes in time not only the centre of commerce, but the asylum of the arts. It is there too that the people who, as an aggregate body, first learn and exercise their rights, have always a clear notion of their interests. It is there that they first begin to confer concerning their common injuries, and are taught to unite for a redress of their immediate wrongs.

The English capital, in particular, has at all times constituted an important portion of the body politic. Its citizens, on account of their wealth and spirit, were at an early period of our history complimented with the aristocratical distinction of "Barons," while the conspicuous favour of nominating no less than four representatives, denotes no small degree of pre-eminence in respect to the important article of legislation.

The city of London too has always been distinguished for its patriotism and its love of liberty. While one of our learned universities endeavoured at

"Conferre injurias et interpretando accendere."

TACIT.

+ A bishop of Winchester (legate to the Pope, and brother to King Stephen), about the middle of the twelfth century, observed in a council of the clergy of England, to certain deputies sent frem the capital," that it very ill became the citizens of London, who were regarded as a kind of nobles in England, to favour that party of the nobility who had abandoned their prince in battle, and who seemed to court the Londoners with no other view than to squeeze money from them." W. of MALMS.

once to foster and perpetuate the slavish doctrines attempted to be inculcated by the House of Stuart, the inhabitants of the metropolis manfully supported their rights and liberties, and afterwards contributed not a little to seat the present illustrious family of Brunswick on the throne of these realms. In addition to this, the monied and mercantile interest, although often decried on account of their recent importance, have been eager to embrace every improvement and reform consistent with freedom, while on the other hand, with a few exceptions only, they have strenuously resisted every innovation that savoured of despotism.

From the happy nature of our constitution, many uneducated individuals indeed have suddenly risen into wealth from obscurity, passed rapidly through all the municipal offices, and at length attained the highest dignity in the corporation, without conferring dignity on the pretorian chair. But on the other hand, no city, since the heroic days of ancient Greece and Rome, could ever boast of so many illustrious magistrates and legislators to sustain its franchises, administer justice to its inhabitants, or represent its freemen in parliament.

The talents and integrity of Sir John Bernard were alike acknowledged by Walpole, whom he opposed, and by Pitt, whom he supported: the former paid a generous tribute of admiration to an enemy, while the latter conferred upon a friend the appellation of the "great commoner," a title, which, by the general consent of the nation, was afterwards trans

ferred

ferred to himself. The virtues and abilities of the late Sir Stephen Theodore Jansen, have rendered his memory illustrious; and bad he lived but a century before, his name perhaps would have been coupled with the Hampdens, the Sydneys, and the Russels of another age, as like them he was a zealous advocate and defender of public liberty.

Oliver and Crosby vindicated the rights of the city in the case of the printers. Beckford, the first subject who ever replied to a king of England, exhibited a degree of munificence that astonished the Sovereign of Denmark, who happened to be his guest, and would have beggared any of the nobility of his day to have surpassed. Glynn, one of the ablest lawyers of his time, supported the interests of the city with all the learning of his profession, in the capacities of Recorder and Representative. Townsend, with the erudition of Cambridge, united energy and talent becoming a respectable magistrate; while Sawbridge, to a good family and ample fortune, added principles worthy of the Whigs who had placed our great deliverer, William III. on the throne; for notwithstanding the threat of a bill of pains and. penalties, and in the very teeth of a resolution of the House of Commons, which has since been rescinded from the journals, he supported the privileges of the Electors of Middlesex, at the imminent risk of his own fortune and liberty.

Nor, on the other hand, ought the munificence of the corporation to be forgotten. On one mem

ber* was conferred the most profitable office in its gift, to enable him to pay his debts, which he performed with the most honourable punctuality; another, who had acted as the zealot of patriotism, was permitted to die Chamberlain of London, even after he had abandoned the principles which had raised him from insignificance; while the declining years of a third, were comforted, if not sustained, by the revenues of a sinecure in the gift of the city of London.

Harvey Christian Combe, whose talents and integrity have hitherto rendered him worthy of being ranked among those who have at once received from and reflected lustre on the city of London, is a native of Hampshire. He was born in 1752-3, and is the eldest son of the late Mr. Combe, of Andover, who, to a landed estate of five hundred pounds per annum, added the profitable and respectable situation of an attorney, in considerable practice.

While two younger brothers chose the profession of the army, in which both obtained companies, and one a grave, the eldest son, after receiving a good education, repaired to that capital in which he was one day destined to preside. As he was intended for trade, and his relation, the late Mr. Boyce Trees, was a respectable and opulent corn-factor, he became an inmate of his family, and was brought up in his

* Sir S. Theodore Jansen.

+ Mr. Wilkes.

The Right Honourable Thomas Harley.

office.