the trash alluded to, no person could say that this sum was extravagant; but the officer in question possessed the very singular consolation, that he had, at least, one reader,” the Chancellor of the Exchequer who "was pleased to consider this as a very niggardly payment,' for reading all the honourable member's productions," and on dividing the House for the production of papers, but one member appeared for the affirmative, while 104 voted against the motion.

Major Scott, however, finally triumphed; for, after a trial, unexampled either in point of length or expense, Mr. Warren Hastings was finally acquitted by the House of Lords. In addition to this, the East India Company passed a vote, to indemnify him from the heavy charges accruing in consequence of the prosecution; to that was superadded a liberal pension; and although never employed by the Crown, yet, after a decent interval, during which Mr. Burke ceased to exist, he was raised to the rank of a Privy Counsellor of Great Britain.

When the hurry of the impeachment was over, Major Scott Waring determined to retire from public affairs, and dedicate the remainder of his life to domestic comfort. He accordingly led to the Hymeneal altar, Miss Hughes, a lady of some celebrity, who, a little before this, had withdrawn from the stage. He accordingly bought a charming house and estate near Fulham, where he lived for some years; and by this lady he had a son, now an officer in the army. This union was dissolved by a catastrophe equally singular and affecting; for his lady, happening, in 1812, to go to bed unattended, is supposed to have fallen backwards, by some unlucky accident, the body being discovered at the foot of the well-staircase early next morning, entirely deprived of life.

After some time spent in widowhood, the major made choice of the beautiful Mrs. Eston, who, in the former part of her life, had also been on the stage.

By this time he had attained a good old age, and it became evident, a few years after, from his infirm state of body, that the period of his dissolution was fast approaching. Major

Scott Waring, accordingly, after occupying the public attention during many years, died at his house in Half Moon Street, Piccadilly, on Wednesday morning, May 5, 1819.

List of the Works of Major Scott Waring.

1. A Short Review of the Transactions of Bengal during the last Ten Years, 8vo. 1782.

2. A Narrative of the Transactions in Bengal during the administration of Mr. Hastings, 8vo.

1784.

3. Two Letters to the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, in reply to the insinuations and palpable misrepresentations contained in a pamphlet entitled, The Ninth Report from the Select Committee, 8vo. 1783.

4. Letter to Mr. Fox on his India Bill, 8vo. 1783.

5. Reply to Mr. Burke's Speech on Mr. Fox's East India Bill, 8vo. 1784.

6. The Conduct of His Majesty's late Ministers considered, as it affected the East India Company and Mr. Hastings, 8vo. 1784.

7. Speech in the House of Commons on the Declaratory Bill, 8vo. 1788.

8. Observations on Mr. Sheridan's Comparative Statement, 4to. 1788.

9. Charge against Mr. Burke, 8vo. 1788.

10. Seven Letters to the People of Great Britain, by a Whig, 8vo. 1789.

11. Letter to the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, on the extraneous matter contained in Mr. Burke's Speeches in Westminster Hall, 8vo. 1789.

12. A Second Letter to Mr. Fox, containing the final decision of the Governor-General and Council of Bengal on the charges brought against Rajah Deby Sing, 8vo. 1789.

13. A Third Letter to Mr. Fox, on the same subject, 8vo. 1789.

14. Speech in the House of Commons, proving the increase of the revenue of Bengal during the administration of Mr. Hastings, 8vo.

1791.

15. Letter to Mr. Dodsley, in refutation of certain misrepresentations contained in the historical part of the Annual Register for 1788, 8vo. 1791.

16. Letter to Philip Francis, Esq., 8vo. 1791.

17. Two Letters to George Hardinge, Esq., M.P., 8vo.

1791.

18. Letter to the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, 8vo. 1791.

19. Observations on Belsham's Memoirs of the Reign of George III., 8vo. 1796.

20. Observations on the Present State of the East India Company, 4th edition, 8vo. 1808.

21. Reply to a Letter addressed to John Scott Waring, Esq., in refutation of the illiberal and unjust observations of the anonymous writer, 8vo. 1808.

22. A Letter to the Reverend John Owen, in reply to his Strictures on the Observations of the Present State of the East India Company, 8vo. 1808.

23. Remarks on two Sermons preached before the University of Oxford, on the probability of converting the natives of India to Christianity, 8vo. 1808.

24. Letter addressed to the Editor of the Edinburgh Review, in reply to the Critique on Lord Lauderdale's View of the East India Company, 8vo. 1810.

25. Supplement to the above Letter, 8vo.

1810.

26. Remarks on the Reverend Doctor Buchanan's Christian Researches in Asia, 8vo. 1812.

27. Remarks on Mr. Weyland's Letter to Mr. Hugh Inglis, on the State of Religion in India, 8vo. 1813.

It has been frequently remarked, with more point, perhaps, than propriety, "that the best account of authors is to be found in their works." This, even as a general proposition, is inaccurate in no common degree, and in the present instance would prove fallacious in the extreme. The life of the subject of the present memoir is interesting on many accounts. It has been varied by incident, distinguished by poetical success, and chequered with both good and ill fortune. Unlike those men of letters, who seclude themselves from society, and scarcely ever wander beyond the precincts of their native village, or the snburbs of a great capital, he became acquainted with the world at an early period; and, not content with the limits of

provincial practice, actually went abroad in search of fortune and adventures.

in

On his return to England, after a residence of some years tropical climates, London became the theatre of his literary labours; and he soon rendered his borrowed name celebrated by a new species of poetry, while he connected his real one with the progress and history of the fine arts. Happily, too, almost every particular of his life is known to his friends; he himself, also, has left ample memorials behind him; so that public curiosity cannot fail to be amply gratified in this respect. The greater part, indeed, of what follows is the immediate result either of oral communication, or authentic documents; so that little or nothing is hazarded either by vague speculation or loose suggestions.

It appears from a letter written with his own hand, and now lying before the writer of the present article, to whom it was addressed, that Dr. John Wolcot was born at a village in the hundred of Coleridge, and county of Devon, which he terms Dodbrook, in express opposition, both to geographers and natives, who usually terminate the name with a *vowel. This may appear a trivial remark; but, lest the birth-place of Peter Pindar should be hereafter disputed, as was the case with that of Homer of old, it may be proper to ascertain the precise spot, and thus set future conjecture at defiance. Nor ought it to be forgotten, that at the time this little obscure hamlet had the honour to produce our bard, it did not contain above twenty or thirty houses. Of the fertility of the surrounding country he was accustomed to boast, and would frequently term it the garden of England.

It is evident from the Parochial Registert, that he was christened May 9, 1738, O. S. His father, Mr. Alexander

Dodbrooke. It appears, from the last survey, now to contain 84 houses and 608 inhabitants; a considerable increase both in respect to population and tenements having lately taken place. The distance from London is 207 miles; and before the epoch alluded to above, this retired village was only known to fame by the excellence of its white beer, for which the Rector once claimed tithe!

"In 1738, May 9, John Wolcot, son of Alexander and Mary." This, like every other name in the kingdom, not even excepting the illustrious one of Sidney