be limited to his younger son, HectorJohn, the present earl, in whom the barony of Norwood (1797), and that of Norbury (1800), and the earldom of Norbury (1827), have now all coalesced. 30. At his house, Elmhurst. near Batheaston, aged 76, William Bedford, esq. F.S.A. formerly of Birchess Green, in the county of Warwick.

Lately. Robert Alexander Crickett, esq. of Smyth's Hall, Essex, formerly M.P. for Ipswich, from 1807 to 1820.

Lieutenant-general Christopher Darby, for many years commandant of the Limerick district.

At Teignmouth, aged 44, the hon. Julia wife of captain Richard Harward, R.N., and younger daughter of lord Exmouth. She was married Jan. 11th, 1810.

In the workhouse, Moretonhampstead, Mary Downe, at the advanced age of 105.

At Chiselhurst, Kent, John Martin, esq. a banker in Lombard-street; and for twenty years a burgess in parliament for Tewkesbury.

At Woolwich Common, aged 76, Craven Ord, esq. F.R.S. and F.S.A. of Greenstead Hall, Essex, and of the King's Rembrancer's Office in the Exchequer.

At Crondall, at the age of 103 years, George Leavey, a labouring man, who possessed his faculties unimpaired to the latest hours of his existence. For the last seventy years he had smoked three pipes of tobacco daily.

At Yarmouth, aged 113, Jane Grey. She retained her faculties, and moved about till within six weeks of her death.

In the Mile End Road, aged 80, Mr. Archibald Thomson, nurseryman. Mr. Thomson was of the same family as the poet of "the Seasons." He was for some time chief gardener to the marquis of Bute, at Luton, in Bedfordshire, where the collection of rare plants was very extensive. He was the first importer of the Camellia Japonica into this country; and the propagator of some of the rarest and choicest species of flowering shrubs in Europe. He brought the tea tree to the greatest perfection, particularly the green tea, which may be seen growing to a considerable size in his open grounds. The magnificent plant called Magnolia Thomsonia, was first raised by him from seed, the parent stock having been previously crossed by other species. One of the largest is as

much as twenty-four feet in circumference, and about eighteen feet in height. It begins to flower in June, and continues in bloom for upwards of six weeks, presenting to the eye one mass of flowers, of a sort of cream colour, and emitting a fine fragrance.

At Balaam's heath, near Munslow, Mary Sargeon, aged 104. She had for a long series of years acted the part of a "wise woman to the neighbouring peasants, who sought her advice in cases of lost property, and for a knowledge of future events.

FEBRUARY.

2. Aged 63, the hon. Anne Gould, widow of Edward Thornton Gould, esq. daughter of Charles the eighth lord Dormer, and sister to the ninth and tenth peers of that name.

- At Gasthwaite, Mr. Barnard Smith, aged 105. He was for many years blacksmith and farrier to Elliott's light dragoons, into which he enlisted at Northallerton, in 1758.

3. In Keppel-street, aged 63, John Stewart, esq. formerly president of the council, and collector of the customs, Bermuda.

In Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, Mad, la Comtesse de Vandes.

At Lisson Grove, aged 21, Mr. James Fletcher, author of "The History of Poland." At an inquest held on his body, Mr. John Atkins, of Abbey-house, St. John's Wood, schoolmaster, deposed that the deceased lived with him as an assistant for two years up to Christmas last. During that time he published "The History of Poland," a work which acquired some reputation: he was also the author of some poems, "The Siege of Damascus," "The Gem," &c. and was a contributor to several of the periodicals. Induced by the success of his work on Poland, he gave up his situation at Christmas last, and devoted himself solely to literary pursuits. Latterly he suffered a great deal of anxiety respecting a bill of exchange, which he was afraid would fall back upon him. George Newport, a medical student, deposed that he was on very intimate terms with the deceased, and lodged in the same house; he was always silent and reserved, but within the last fortnight, had become pensive and low-spirited. On the Friday preceding he did not rise until five o'clock in the afternoon, when

witness came home to dinner. They sat at table together, but the deceased scarcely ate any thing. He remained silent the whole evening, and seemed in a doze with only one interval, when he looked over some papers connected with a work on India on which he was engaged. At ten o'clock witness urged him to go to bed, which he promised to do. Witness wished him "good night;", he returned it with a warm pressure of his hand, but did not speak. He was found next morning sitting in a chair quite dead; a pistol lay on the floor by his side, and, on examination of the body, it appeared that the ball had entered under the sixth rib on the left side. The verdict was "" Temporary insanity."

5. Aged 84, Elizabeth, widow of Dr. Erasmus Darwin, of the Priory, Derbyshire.

At Wiverton-hall, near Bingham, Notts, aged 46, Mary, wife of John Musters, esq. of Colwick and Annesleyhall. She was the lady to whom lord Byron's early poems were addressed, and to whom he was so passionately attached. She preferred, however, Mr. Musters, who on their marriage took her maiden name, that of Chaworth, of which ancient Nottinghamshire house she was sole heiress. On the death of the late Mr. Musters they resumed that name. On the occasion of the sacking of Colwick-hall by the rioters, in October last, Mrs. Musters took refuge in the shrubbery; from that period she was never well.

6. At Whitestock-hall, Lancashire, the rev. John Romney, B.D. only son of the eminent painter, George Romney, of whom he published a quarto volume of Memoirs in 1830.

In Bernard-street, Russell-square, aged 73, Joseph Shepperd Munden, the eminent comic actor. Munden was the son of a poulterer in Brooks'smarket, Holborn, where he was born in the year 1758. His father died soon afterwards, leaving his widow with slender means, and Munden was thrust upon the world to seek his fortune at twelve years of age. He was placed in an apothecary's shop, but soon left it for an attorney's office. He was next apprenticed to a law stationer's shop, and became a "hackney writer:" his master died, and once more he returned to the office of a solicitor. About this time he imbibed a taste for the stage, and with

it an admiration of the genius of Garrick. He started for Liverpool, and engaged in the office of the town clerk, sometimes copying for the theatre, walking in processions, and bearing banners, at one shilling per night. At length he acted the first carrier in Henry IV. He next joined a company at Rochdale, which he soon left, and returning to Liverpool, smothered his dramatic passion for two years, when he started for Chester. He entered that city with his "last shilling," which he paid for admission to the theatre, little thinking of provision for the night. At the close of the performance he fell in with a person who had been a butcher's apprentice in Brooks's-market, and who, remembering young Joseph's antic tricks, gave him good cheer, and money for his return to London. Munden again returned to the law, but once more emerged from it, and joined a company at Leatherhead, as a representative of old men. That theatre was burnt; and Munden next played at Windsor, with tolerable success at half a guinea per week; and subsequently at Colnbrook and Andover. He returned to London, and thence went to Canterbury, in 1780, to play low comedy characters, where he first became "a favourite." After other provincial engagements and a short trial of management at Sheffield, Munden appeared Dec. 2, 1790, (a few nights after the first appearance of Incledon) at Covent Garden theatre, as sir Francis Gripe in the Busy Body, and Jemmy Jumps in the Farmer; his success in which parts established his popularity. He was the original representative of Old Rapid, Caustic, Brummagem, Lazarillo, (Two Strings to your Bow), Crack, Nipperkin, sir Abel Handy, sir Robert Bramble, Oid Dornton, &c. On 31st May, 1824, he took his farewell of the stage, in the characters of sir Robert Bramble in the Poor Gentleman, and Old Dozy, in Past Ten o'Clock. Mr. Munden left a widow, son, and a daughter. His personal effects were sworn under 20,000l. Munden's style of acting was exuberant with humour. His face was all changeful nature: his eye glistened and rolled, and lit up alternately every corner of his laughing face.

7. At his house in Summer-hill, in his 76th year, E. Walsh, M.D. for many years physician to the forces.

8. At Trowbridge, Wiltshire, after a short illness, aged 77, the rev. George

Mr.

Crabbe, LL.B. rector of that parish, and of Croxton Keryel, in Leicestershire. Mr. Crabbe was born on the 24th Dec. 1754, at Aldborough, in Suffolk, where his father and grandfather were officers of the customs. At an early age he was placed at school by his father, with a design of giving him that moderate portion of instruction which might qualify him for the profession of surgeon and apothecary. To that business he was in due time apprenticed; but a deficiency both of means and inclination prevented his progress in that line of life. Crabbe, the father, was a mathematician, and in the course of his studies he became acquainted with and purchased a copy of the Philosophical Magazine, edited by Mr. Benjamin Martin. Having great respect for the scientific part of the publication, and not much for the poetical he separated the different parts, and collecting the more favoured portions, mathematics and natural philosophy, in a decent binding, he sewed the poetry in paper and left it to the chance perusal of his children. The son was pleased with the recurrence of similar sounds;

and he committed a vast number of unmeaning verses to memory. These it became afterwards his amusement, when at school, to write out; and when his memory failed, he supplied the defect by his invention, and thus at a very early period of life became a versifier. He planned tragedies and epic poems, and began to think of succeeding in the highest line of composition, before he had made one good and commendable effort in the lowest. After a time, however, being told that it was his duty to apply himself to more important concerns, he confined his effusions to a few short and occasional pieces. His poetic flame was revived by his having obtained the prize for a poem on Hope, offered by Mr. Wheble, the publisher of the Lady's Magazine. About the end of the year 1778, he resolved to abandon his profession. His health was not robust; his spirits were not equal; assistance he could expect none, and he was not so sanguine as to believe he could do with out it. With the very best verses he could write, and with very little more, he quitted the place of his birth, and repairing to the metropolis, fixed his residence with a family in the city, near to some friends, of whose kindness he was assured. In this lodging, he passed something more than a year, during

which his chief study was to improve himself in versification, to read all such books as he could get, and to take as full and particular a view of mankind, as his time and finances enabled him to do. His most agreeable companion and friend was the late Mr. Bonnycastle, who afterwards became master of the military academy at Woolwich. Mr. Crabbe at this period offered a poem for publication, but did not find a purchaser among the booksellers. He at length hazarded the publication of an anonymous performance, "The Candidate ; a poetical epistle to the authors of the Monthly Review," which was printed in quarto in 1780. In this little publication, he was unfortunate; he had been informed that some little profit would accrue from the sale, when the publisher failed. Mr. Crabbe was now convinced that his attempts would be hopeless, while his name continued unknown; he, therefore, looked round for the aid of some celebrated individual, whose influence might introduce him to the public. Knowing many by reputation, none personally, he fixed, impelled by some propitious influence, in some happy moment, upon Edmund Burke. It is evident he made this application without an introduction. Mr. Burke, however, took him by the hand; and Crabbe submitted to his distinguished critic a large quantity of miscellaneous compositions. From these Mr. Burke selected "The Library" and "The Village ;" and with the benefit of Burke's judgment, and the comfort of his encouraging predictions, the poet was desired to learn the duty of sitting in judgment upon his best efforts, and without mercy rejecting the rest. When this had been done "The Library was published. The success of "The Library" gave some reputation to the writer; and encouraged him to publish, in 1783, his second poem, "The Village," which was corrected, and a considerable portion of it written in the house of Mr. Burke. Mr. Crabbe was invited to Beaconsfield, the seat of his protector, and there placed in a convenient apartment, supplied with books for his information and amusement, and made a member of a family with whom it was an honour as well as pleasure to be associated. While at Beaconsfield, Mr. Crabbe became known to the right hon. Charles James Fox, who, though for some years afterwards he was disappointed in his expectations of the young man's progress as a writer,

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yet never withdrew that kindness, nor, in fact, that partiality, which he had before shown. In the mean time, having explained all the difficulties of his situation to Mr. Burke, and been assisted by that paternally-minded friend in his preparations for holy orders, Mr. Crabbe was ordained a deacon by Dr. Yonge, bishop of Norwich, in 1781, and priest by the same prelate in the following year. He immediately after became curate to the rev. James Bennett, at Aldborough, the place of his birth, and continued a few months in that situation. Through the personal influence of Mr. Burke, he was introduced to the duke of Rutland, who, having invited him to Belvoir Castle, was pleased to retain him there as domestic chaplain. He shortly after undertook the curacy of Strathern, near Belvoir Castle, where he continued to reside until the duke of Rutland's death, which occurred whilst he was lord-lieut. of Ireland, in 1787. As Mr. Crabbe had not the benefit of a university education, it became necessary that he should take the only certain means in his power to obtain a degree. At the desire of his patron his name was entered at Trinitycollege, Cambridge; but some offers of preferment required a more immediate application for a degree at Lambeth. This favour was granted by archbishop Moore, and Mr. Crabbe became, in consequence, bachelor of laws. In 1783, lord chancellor Thurlow, through the recommendation of Mr. Burke, presented Mr. Crabbe to the rectory of Frome St. Quentin, in Dorsetshire, which he held for about six years, but where he never went to reside. At the end of that period lord Thurlow, in conformity to the wishes of the duchess of Rutland, presented him with the rectories of Muston in Leicestershire, and West Allington in Lincolnshire. Previously, however, to this change of preferment, he had, on the death of the duke of Rutland, removed from Leicestershire into, Suffolk, and with his family (for he was now become a husband and a father), was settled at Swefling in that county, as curate to the rev. Richard Turner, the minister of Great Yarmouth. In 1785 Mr. Crabbe produced "The Newspaper," a poem which was well received by the public; but from that time he rested content with the literary reputation he had acquired, and committed nothing more to the press until the year 1807, when "The Parish Register" appeared.

It was submitted to Mr. Fox, and in part read to him during his last illness. Whatever he approved (says Mr. Crabbe in his preface) the reader will readily believe, I have carefully retained; the parts he disliked are totally expunged; and others are substituted, which I hope resemble those more conformable to the taste of so admirable a judge. Nor can I deny myself the melancholy satisfaction of adding that this poem (and more especially the story of Phoebe Dawson, with some parts of the second book) were the last compositions of their kind that engaged and amused the capacious, the candid, the benevolent mind of this great man." The observations he had made in a populous town and a noisy seaport, were conveyed in "The Borough, a poem ; in twenty-four Letters," published in 1810; and "Tales in Verse," which appeared in 1812. After an interval of more than twenty years, Mr. Crabbe returned to his parsonage at Muston, in Leicestershire, and again received the favourable notice of the Rutland family. In 1813 the present duke presented him to the rectory of Trowbridge, and with it to the smaller benefice of Croxton Kerryel in Leicestershire, which the indulgence of the bishop enabled him to hold. To the former place he removed, and from that time he resided in the parsonage, which had been enlarged and made convenient by his predecessor the rev. Gilbert Beresford. Mr. Crabbe's only prose publications were a funeral sermon on Charles duke of Rutland, 1789, preached in the chapel of Belvoir Castle; and "An Essay on the Natural History of the Vale of Belvoir," written for the History of Leicestershire, by Mr. Nicholls, who says, under the parish of Muston, "Mr. Crabbe's communications in the progress of this laborious work are such as to entitle him to my warmest and most grateful acknowledgments."

9. At his residence in the Circus, Bath, aged 72, sir Richard Hussey Bickerton, the second baronet, of Upwood, county of Huntingdon, K.C.B. and K.C., admiral of the Red, general of the Royal Marines, vice-president of the Naval Charitable Society, and F.R.S.

11. At Torquay, aged 36, W. Augustus Lane Fox, esq., brother to Geo. L. Fox, esq. of Bramham Park, Yorkshire,

At Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, aged 90, William Peere Williams Freeman, esq. senior admiral of the fleet.

This venerable officer was a grandson on his father's side of William Peere Williams, esq. the celebrated law reporter; and on his mother's of Dr. Robert Clavering, bishop of Peterborough.

12. At Lindridge-house, aged 76, Dame Anne de la Pole, mother of sir Wm. Templer Pole, bart.

13. At Yotes-court, in her 20th year, the hon. Frances-Eliz. Byng, twin sister of viscount Torrington.

Athis son's rectory-house, Dyrham, near Bath, after a very long and severe illness, aged 73, sir George Abercrombie Robinson, of Batts-house, in Somersetshire, Streatham in Surrey, and Nottingham Place in Middlesex, bart. Sir G. A. Robinson was the son of John Robinson, esq. of Calcutta, by his first wife, Margaret, daughter of George Leslie, of Kimrawgie, N.B. He was for some time Military Auditor-general in Bengal; and after his return to this country, had for many years a seat as a Director of the East-India Company. He was created a Baronet by patent dated Nov. 11, 1823. Mary, wife of George Twynam, esq. of Whitchurch.

14. At Halberton, Devon, aged 64, Henry Laroche, esq. a captain in the Royal Navy, and one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for that county.

15. At Bath, aged 71, John Bliss, esq. M.D. Dr. Bliss was for many years in considerable practice as an apothecary and surgeon at Hampstead, near London, whence he retired, first, to Shaftesbury, and then to Bath. He assisted Mr. J. J. Park, in the botanical department, in the "History of Hampstead," 1810.

-At Brighton, Lady Sophia Lumley, sister to the earl of Scarborough.

16. At Torquay, Miss Anne Law, eldest daughter of the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

18. At Beaumanor-park, Leicestershire, in his 87th year, Wm. Herrick, esq.

At Cowick, near Snaith, Yorkshire, aged 66, the right hon. John Christopher Burton Dawnay, in the county of Downe, in the peerage of Ireland (1680); baron Dawnay, of Cowick, in the peerage of Great Britain; and

col. of the second West York Militia.

20. At the Royal Academy, Cold Harbour, Gosport, in his 70th year, William Burney, LL. D. Dr. Burney was author of an extensive Marine Dictionary, and other valuable works; and was accustomed to record a series of excellent Meteorological Observations.

21. At Kedleston, Derbyshire, in his 70th year, the hon. and rev. David Francis Curzon, rector of that place and of Mugginton; brother to Lord Scarsdale.

22. In Edward-street, Portman-square, aged 74, Mary Wyndham, wife of the hon. Bartholomew Bouverie (uncle of the Earl of Radnor), and aunt to Lord Arundell.

At his house, the Hollins, near Bolton, aged 74, Ralph Fletcher, esq.

At Finningley, near Doncaster, aged 82, Mr. John Bigland, the author of a variety of works. He was a native of Skirlaugh, in Holderness, and the greater portion of his life was spent in the humble occupation of a village schoolmaster. When upwards of fifty years of age, he became an author, and in 1803, he published his first work"Reflections on the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ." The success of this little volume, made the writer of more consequence both in his own estimation and the estimation of others, and in the following year he published his "Letters on the Study and Use of Ancient and Modern History;" and "Letters on the Modern History and Political Aspect of Europe." From that time he became an author by profession. His subsequent productions are: Essays on various subjects, two vols. 1805; Letters on Natural History, 1806; a System of Geography and History, five vols. 1809; History of Spain, two vols. 1810; History of Europe from the Peace of 1783 to the present time, two vols. 1811, (in a later edition continued to 1814); the Philosophic Wanderers, or the History of the Tribune and the Priestess of Minerva, 1811; Yorkshire, being the 16th volume of the Beauties of England and Wales, 1812; the History of England; Letters on Natural History, from the earliest period to the close of 1812, two vols. 1813 (subsequently continued to 1814); a System of Geography for the use of Schools, 1816; an Historical Display of the effects of Physical and Moral Causes on the Character and Circumstances of Nations, 1817; Letters on French History, 1818; also Letters on English History and'a History of the Jews.

23. In Berkeley-square, Owen Williams, esq. of Temple-house, Berks, M.P. for Marlow in ten Parliaments; brotherin-law to lord Dinorben. He was the son and heir of Thomas Williams, esq. of Llanidan, in Anglesea, a great proprietor of copper works and mines, who