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DR. ADAM FERGUSON, the last country, and the degree of Doctor

of those writers of the 18th century whose works have reflected honour on their age and country, was the youngest son of the Rev. Adam Ferguson, minister of Logierait in Perthshire, where he was born in 1724. After acquiring the rudiments of education at the school of Perth, he removed in 1739 to the university of St. Andrew's, and thence proceeded to Edinburgh. Here he became a member of a small society for literary improvement and philosophical disquisition, in which were enrolled, among others, the distinguished names of Robertson, Blair, Home, Carlyle, and Wedderburne, since better known as Lord Loughborough, and Earl of Rosslyn. After passing through his academical studies with great credit, he became in 1745 chaplain to the 42d regiment then recently raised, in which he remained till 1757. On leaving the regiment, he accepted the situation of private tutor in the family of Lord Bute. In this capacity he continued till 1759, when he was appointed to the chair of natural philosophy in the university of Edinburgh, which he exchanged in 1764 for that of moral philosophy. In 1767, he published his "History of Civil Society," 4to, which obtained for the author a place among the first literati of his

of Laws. In the same year he married Miss Burnet, (a niece of the celebrated Dr. Black,) by whom he had a numerous family. His "Institutes of Moral Philosophy, or Synopsis of Lectures," published in 1769, served as a text book to his pupils, and presented to others a general chart of science preparatory to the particular delineation of human nature and moral philosophy. In 1773, the literary renown of Dr. Ferguson procured for him an application from the friends of Lord Chesterfield, to go abroad with that nobleman aş tutor, on a settlement of 2001. per annum for life. After an absence of a year and a half, he returned to the Professor's chair. In 1776, Dr. Ferguson answered the tract on Civil and Religious Liberty, by Dr. Price, from whom he differed chiefly on the ground of the inap. plicability of his doctrines to society and to imperfect man, as known from experience. In 1778, he being the intimate friend of Dr. Franklin, was selected by Lord North to accompany the Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Eden, (afterwards Lord Auckland,) and Governor Johnstone, appointed Commissioners to treat with the American Congress for concluding a peace with Great Britain, as secretary to the Commission; and on the failure of that mission resum

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not only of duly appreciating, but also of illustrating his learned labours, by means of a most interesting correspondence, which lasted for many years.

Died at Cheltenham, Sept. 10th, 1816, in his 81st year, RICHARD REYNOLDS, of Bristol, a member of the Society of Friends; who, in the full possession of those faculties which had long been dedicated with humble piety to the service of his Redeemer, full of faith, of days, of riches, and of honour, was gathered to his fathers, as a shock of corn fully ripe. His remains were interred on the 17th of Sept. in the grave-yard of the Friends' Meeting-house in the Friars, in Rosemary-street, when the most heartfelt testimonies of respect and regret were paid by all ranks to their common benefactor.-Mr. Reynolds was formerly an eminent manufacturer in Bristol; and afterwards in the concern well known by the name of

ed his former functions. The grand work by which the name of Dr. Ferguson will be handed down to posterity, his "History of the Progress and Termination of the Roman Republic," appeared in 1782, in 3 vols. 4to.. Two years afterwards he resigned the chair of moral philosophy, and retired on the salary of the mathematical. He now applied himself to prepare for the press his instructive lectures, which he published in 1793, under the title of "The Principles of Moral and Political Science, being chiefly a retrospect of Lectures delivered in the College of Edinburgh," 2 vols. 4to; and afterwards made a tour in Italy, with a view to collect in the libraries of that country, such materials as might be useful for a new edition of his Roman history, to which he made considerable additions. This was his last literary effort for the public benefit, and indeed his very advanced age justly entitled him to an exemption from farther toils. Dr. Ferguson was not merely a speculative philosopher, but a practical moralist. He was distinguished for integrity, benevolence, and the other qualities of the heart which render the possessor amiable and estimable. Although the salaries of the Edin-ent parts of the country, whose burgh professors are but small, yet in order to stimulate exertion, his generosity often bestowed gratuitous admission. His income, therefore, was less than it might have been; but a pension from government, together with the returns from his works and other emoluments, rendered him easy in his circumstances, though not opulent. He has left several MSS. presented some years since to a worthy and amiable baronet (Sir John Macpherson,) who had been one of his pupils, and is capable,

The Coalbrooke-Dale Company,' from which he had retired many years. This good man's charities were unparalleled in Bristol since the days of Colston: but they were not confined to that city, for he had agents established in differ

business it was to seek for cases of distress in their respective neighbourhoods, and to recommend them to his consideration: so that thousands, who never heard the name of their benefactor, often partook of his bounty. Such, however, was his singular modesty, such his truly Christian meek. ness,

that no exact estimate can be made of the sums he employed in this way. It is believed that his expenditure in charity was nearer 10,000l. per annum than 5000/. (as has been stated), and that it

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frequently exceeded that sum; in- relief to persons in necessitous deed it is asserted on good autho- circumstances, and also occasional rity, that in one year he expended assistance to other benevolent innearly 20,000l. in acts of benevo- stitutions in or near this city, to lence. He united, in a remarkable enable them to continue or inmanner, great liberality with just crease their usefulness; and that discrimination; and, although the especial regard be had to the Sasums he annually distributed were maritan Society, of which Richard large, yet he never relieved any Reynolds was the founder. Among object without previous investiga- numerous testimonies to the extion; he was therefore seldom im- cellence of this good man's chaposed upon: and that wealth, of racter from some of the most rewhich he only considered himself spectable and enlightened citizens the steward, was employed almost of Bristol, a just, eloquent, and invariably in aiding the friendless affecting eulogy was pronounced and distressed. His modesty and by the Rev. W. Thorp; and the humility were as distinguished promptness and cordiality with features of his character as his which the infant institution was liberality; for, in the practice of supported, prove that they did his long and, well spent life, the not plead in vain for an imitation precept, "Let not thy right hand of the virtues and benevolence of know what thy left hand doeth," Richard Reynolds.-A wholewas strictly fulfilled. The influ-length portrait of this revered ential example of this excellent man, which during his lifetime man has given the tone to the phi- was concealed, from regard to his lanthropic exertions of his fellow-known humility, has been pubcitizens, who have formed a cha- licly exhibited at Bristol, as well ritable institution to perpetuate as a half-length, which is about to his memory. At a general meet- be engraved; both are esteemed ing of the inhabitants of Bristol, faithful likenesses. convened by public advertisement, for that purpose, the following re- At St. Cloud, the celebrated solutions were unanimously agreed and favourite representative muse, to: 1. That in consequence of the MRS. DOROTHEA JORDAN. She severe loss society has sustained by had been seized with an inflamthe death of the venerable Richard mation of the lungs, but the more Reynolds, and in order to perpe- immediate cause of her death was tuate as far as may be the great the rupture of a blood-vessel in a and important benefits he has con- fit of coughing. She was the ferred on the city of Bristol and its daughter of an Irish officer, of the vicinity, and to excite others to name of Bland, with whom her imitate the example of the depart- mother had eloped from the house ed Philanthropist, an association of her father, a dignified clergybe formed, under the designation man, while the captain was of " Reynolds' Commemoration So- duty with his regiment in Wales. ciety." 2. That the members of Necessity compelled the youthful this society do consist of life-sub-pair, it is said, to have recourse to scribers of ten guineas or upwards, and annual subscribers of one guinea or upwards. 3. That the object of this Society be, to grant

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the stage for support; and the little Dorothea first drew her breath among the Thespian corps, The father of Mrs. Jordan, capt.

the London managers, and engaged at Drury-lane at four pounds a week. Peggy, in The Country Girl, was her chef d'œuvre, and we despair of ever again witnessing the sterling naïveté with which she performed that character. Her salary, after performing this part, was immediately doubled, then trebled, and two benefits in the season were allowed her. For å very long period, she continued in the highest receipt of any salary before given at Drury-lane. Soon after her engagement in the metropolis, she lost her mother; but all her relatives have felt the effects of her bounty; for though her maternal fondness certainly first

ous family, yet her generosity has been extreme to others.

Bland, was of a very respectable family in Ireland, who were also in possession of a genteel income; his embracing the profession of an actor, therefore, tended to widen the breach already made amongst his relatives by his precipitate marriage: these relatives, at length, succeeded in disannulling the marriage; and Mrs. Bland was left with a numerous family, totally dependent on herself for that inadequate support afforded by her profession. To the honour of Mrs. Jordan's filial affection, as she advanced towards womanhood, she nobly resolved to exert all her abilities to assist her unhappy mother; and at a very early age she procured an engagement with Ry-pointed towards her own numerder, the Dublin manager, making her first appearance in Phabe, in As You Like It, little imagining then that she would fascinate a crowded audience in London by her Rosalind. A natural sense of propriety_induced her to take the name of Francis, on her first appearance, in order to avoid wounding the pride of her father's rela-cated in the retirement of the tives. Daly soon afterwards engaged her for his theatre, in Crowstreet, and her favour with the public increased; but some improper conduct towards her, on the part of the manager, obliging her to quit Dublin, she joined the Yorkshire company of Tate Wilkinson, at Leeds. The manager asking her what line she wished to engage in, she immediately answered, with that fascinating frankness and vivacity so natural to her, "All!" she was then first introduced, the same night, as Calista in The Fair Penitent and Lucy in The Virgin Unmasked. Her fame soon became knownthe applause she received, in whatever character she undertook, was unbounded: she was applied to by

At Verona, of an abscess on the lungs, in her 28th year, the Empress of Austria, second wife of the Emperor Francis. Her majesty was born at Milan on the 14th of December, 1787. Though edu

cloister, and destined by her august parents to take the veil, she showed from earliest youth very extraordinary talents. As the august family of Este was compelled by the French in 1796 to leave Lombardy, the princess, then nine years of age, was also obliged to retire with her parents into the interior of the Austrian states, and at a subsequent period to Neustadt, four (German) miles from Vienna, where her education was completed under the immediate care of her mother, the Archduchess Beatrice, of Este. It was here that the princess, in silent retirement, though still in tender youth, began to take a lively interest in the events which convulsed Europe, in 1799, 1800, &c.—

an interest which gave exercise to her active mind, and early gave her character that fortitude which she so nobly displayed in the eventful years that followed. The oppression of the French tyranny in Germany, and the hatred of Bonaparte, who seemed constantly to brood over the entire ruin of her house, made her his most declared adversary, which she continued till her death. When, in 1807, the emperor chose her for his consort, and she, for the first time, exchanged the retired court of her mother for the brilliant court of the emperor, all hearts eagerly did her homage, and every one who had the happiness to approach her was astonished and delighted with the power of her mind. With modesty, beauty, and calm dignity, she appeared in the imperial palace; and the fairest model of female excellence was seen on the throne by the side of a happy consort who won the faith of his people. Soon after the marriage, which was celebrated January 6, 1808, years of affliction and great suffering for the people of Austria came on, which threatened the destruction of the monarchy. We leave it to posperity duly to appreciate the brilliant and truly heroic qualities shown by her majesty in the sad catastrophe of 1809: for her contemporaries it is enough to know, that the sufferings of Austria at that time so deeply afflicted the heart of the princess, that her health, already weak, was irreparably injured We pass over the wretched pitiful insults with which the French bulletins at that time loaded her, as they did her counterpart, the immortal queen of Prussia, whose eminent qualities were likewise a title to the hatred of Napoleon; and acknowledge the dispensation of Providence, which VOL. II.

reserved it for her majesty, as it were, personally to humble her arrogant adversary in the zenith of his good fortune, on his marriage with the Archduchess Maria Louisa, and subsequently at the meeting in Dresden in 1812; where she treated Bonaparte in such

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manner, and inspired him with such awe, that as eye-witnesses affirm, he was constantly disconcerted whenever the empress approached him. In 1812 and 1813, on the commencement of the extraordinary events which hastened the fall of Napoleon, the empress showed a truly German spirit. Large sums were distributed by her for the support of the widows of militiamen. She did not forget the sacred interests of her family and of the empire, her whole influence and exertions being directed to restore Austria to its ancient splendour; for which she considered the possession of Lombardy as indispensably necessary. It was granted her by fate to see her family again in possession of their dominions; but her health visibly declined. At the beginning of the congress, when so many European princes had occasion to admire her extraordinary understanding, and the elevation of her character, she was already sickly: yet, a year later, she was not to be dissuaded from taking part in the journey to her native country, which she greatly longed to see, but where fate, to the great grief of her family, put an end to her life by an easy death. Great is her loss for all his majesty's children, especially for the older Archduchesses Leopoldine, Clementine, and Caroline, who lose in her an affectionate mother and a tender friend, who dedicated so many hours to their education; but every Austrian subject must 3 C

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