all the long days and nights in the Houfe of Commons, which the Oppo. fition spent in hunting that minifter in. to the toils which they had made to take him, under the hackneyed and fpecious colour of purfuing the enemies to the happiness and interefts of the country. Unknown to Sir Robert, and unconnected with him by acquaintance or private regard, he fupported him to the utmost of his power, till he retired from his high ftation.-He feldom or never fpoke whilft fitting in Parliament. From having long had a feat at the Board of Trade, and conftantly attending his duty there, he gained an understanding of the great outlines of the commercial interefts of this country; and though he never published any thing on this fubject, yet it was an object that engaged much of his attention, and on which he had made up in his mind certain principles, from which he never departed, in moft of which, thofe to whom he communicated them deemed him well warranted. He always confidered the British empire as enlarged beyond the bounds dictated by found policy; that thofe parts of it fituated beyond the Atlantic Ocean to the Weft, beyond the Cape of Good Hope to the Eaft, were at too great a distance to be governed as they ought to be; that the American colonies were too kindly foftered by the mother country; that the millions expended in promoting their growth would, at last, rear them to a height at which they would think themfelves entitled to alk for emancipation from their parent ftate; an obfervation he often made before the event happened; and he lived to fee with regret his prophecy, with confequences he did not forefee, become true history. He always beheld our conquefts in the East Indies with a real concern, and confidered the great influx of VOL. XII. No. 68. M wealth, brought thence into this country by the individuals who had there acquired it, as an ample revenge for the unjuft depredations committed on the territorial poffeffions of their princes, ever confidering thofe depredations as being the moft enormous acts of injuftice that could be fhewn from one state to an-, other, and that this was heightened by a moft flagarant act of ingratitude for the original permiffion of commercial establishments made on their coafts, in order that trade might be carried on to more advantage; for which permiffion the natives were entitled to the most perfect amity, and every public focial intercourfe fhewn to the most favoured nations. Sometimes he would add, that though Afia had in her turn been often conquered by all who attacked her, yet that the wealth brought from thence by the conquerors into their refpective dominions had always introduced with it fo great luxury, that thereby thofe virtues by which they became conquerors were at last enfeebled and done away, infomuch that Afia in her turn became the conqueror; of which he inftanced, amongst others, the decline and fall of the Roman empire, as a lafting evidence. He confidered the Eaft Indies and America as two immense disproportionate wings to the fmall body of the island, and expreffed his fears left, at fome time or other, they might fly away with the British em pire. As an author, fo long as a true tafte of fine writing fhall exist, he will have a diftinguifhed place amongst thofe who have excelled. He wonderfully excelled in burlesque imitations of the antient poets, by applying their thoughts to modern times and· circumftances. He had, for many years before he died, bid farewell to his Mufe, and, in the language of Lord Bacon, applied himself to fuch fubject: as come home,-though not to to men's bafinefs, yet clofe to their bofoms. But, long as the parting had been, yet almoft in the laft stage of his life, impelled by affection, he courted his mufe again. The fincere and ftrong affection he bore to his Majefty produced the short poem on his escape from the dangerous attack of a lunatick; in which it appears, that, however, when compared with his early poems, the fun of his imagination was at that time almoft fet, yet age had not in the leaft degree chilled in his heart the effufions of benevolence and affection.-As a writer of profe, whoever will examine his ftyle will find that he is entitled to a place amongst the pureft and correcteft writers of the Englifh language. "The Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil," was the first of Mr J's works on account of which he was attacked. Pam. phlets were published, and private letters addreffed to him, on that occafion, fome of them charged with acrimony, much abufe, and no fmall portion of calumny. In a fecond êdition of that work, published fome years after the firft, having long fubmitted with filent patience to a treatment which he by no means deferved, in a preface to that edition he anfwered his adverfaries, which, whoever will take the pains to read and confiders will admire as a fpecimen of his fuperior talents in controverfial writing. In the fammer of the year 1776, he publifhed "A View of the Internal Evidence of the Chriftian Religion," without his name. The reception it met with was fuch as feldom is fhewn to the compofitions of the most approved writers. This was a work with which the clergy, the laity, were in general pleafed,. many of them delighted. It was tranflated into foreign languages, and in a fhort time went through three editions, to the laft of which, by the advice of his friends, the author put his name. Though this book was attacked, and the author treated with a very unbecoming afperity, by two able writers, yet the number of private letters he received from those on whom this work had the effect his benevolent intention propofed, more than confoled him for the rude treatment he received from fuch writers. To thofe who are now alive, to whom Mr Jenyns was known (and many fuch there are, of the most respectable diftinction), Mr Cole submits the portrait, not as being finely but faithfully drawn. To pofterity he leaves the following entry, the original of which may be found in the regiftry of burials in the parish of Bottitham, for the year 1787, as an evidence of what hath been advanced in the foregoing pages: Soame Jenyns, in the 83d year of his age. What his literary character was, the world hath already judged for itself; but it remains for his parish Minister to do his duty, by declaring, that while he registers the burial of Soame Jenyns, he regrets the lofs of one of the soft amiable of men, and one of the true Chriftians. To the parish of Bottisham he is an irreparable lófs. He was buried in this church, Dec. 27, near midnight, by William Lort Mafell, fequeftrator, who thus tranfgreffes the common forms of a Regifter,. merely because he thinks it to be the moft folemn and lasting method of recording to pofterity, that the finest understanding has been united to the beft heart. Mevoire Memoirs of the late Sir John Lockhart Rofs, Bart, Vice Admiral of the Blue MMATERIAL as it is to mankind in general in what particular fpot a man, who has rendered eminent public fervices to his country, first drew the vital air, it is, with the million, the first object of enquiry. Sir John Lockhart Rofs, then, was a native of Scotland, defcended from a very ancient and honourable family in Lanarkshire, he being the fifth fon of Sir James Lockhart, Bart. of Carftairs. He was born on the 11th of November 1721. From his earlieft years he discovered a predilection for a fea-life, and in confequence, in the year 1745, he embarked as a midfhip man in the Navy. In this capacity he evinced qualities which particularly fitted him for the active and enter prizing duties of a naval officer, and gave dawnings of that diftinction which he afterwards attained. As first lieutenant to Sir Peter Warren, and Lord Anfon, having fhewed proofs of uncommon ability, diligence, and valour, he was in the year 1747 appointed to the command of the Vul can firefhip. In October of the fame year, he ferved in the fleet under Admiral Hawke, who, cruizing off Cape Faifterre with 15 thips, captured fix thips of the French line. In 1755, upon the appearance of a rapture with France, Capt. Lockhart was appointed to the command of the Savage floop of war, and cruifed under the Admirals Hawke, Byng, and Weft, for the purpofe of making repr fals the enemy, in which ferever fingularly zealous תפו! vice he was and fuccefsful. In March 1756, he was made Poft into the Tartar frigate of 28 guns, (24 nine pounders, and 4 four pounders) and 200 men. The eminent fervices which he performed in this little fhip are ftill proverbial in the Davy. His name was the terror of every French Frigate or privateer that iffued from their ports, he having in a very short space of time captured no less than nine veffels of force, carrying collectively 2048 men and 224 guns. Of these the laft, called the Melampe, fitted out at Bayonne for the exprefs purpose of taking the Tartar, gave him the opportunity of atchieving a victory, that, for comparative brilliancy, was fcarcely furpaffed during a war fatal to the naval power of our enemies. The Melampe was of a force very fuperior to the Tartar, mounting 36 guns, 12 poun ders, and having on board 320 chofen men. They foon met; for, when two hoftile commanders are actuated by the fame defire, to meet even on the wide expanfe of ocean, is no very difficult point. A very hot and obftinate engagement immediately enfued; but the enemy's colours were at length ftrack to the fuperior courage and difcipline of the British Commander and his gallant crew. The perfidious Frenchman, ftung with the difgraceful event of a conqueft fo unequal on the part of the Britifh fhip, after having hailed the Tartar, acknow ledging his furrender, and fubmiffively fueing for quarter, made a desperate attempt to furprife and overpower her crew, whom he vainly fuppofed to be thrown off their guard, elated with victory. He boarded the Tartar; but, in penetration, vigilance, and courage, he was more than over-matched by the British Commander. The Frenchmen were vigorously repulfed, and more than fifty of them were killed or drowned in their unwarrantable effort. So active was Capt. Lockhart in the protection of our own trade, and fuccefsful in the annoyance and deftruction of that of the enemy, that the merchants of London and Bristol, fenfible of the important benefits, more M 2 immediate immediately derived to them from his fervices, prefented him with valuable pieces of plate, in token of their private gratitude and public efteem. In Nov. 1758, he was appointed to the Chatham, of 50 guns, under the orders of Admiral Hawke, who, with 22 fail of the line, in October 1759, then off Quiberon Bay, fell in with 24. fail of French line-of-battle fhips, which he engaged, and of which two were funk, two driven on shore and burnt, and, one taken. In the action between the British and French fleets in July 1778, he commanded the Shrewsbury, of 74 guns. In 1779, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue, and having hoifted his flag on board the Royal George, he failed under the orders of Admiral Rodney, whofe fleet, confifting of 22 fhips of the fine, with tranfports and ftores for the relief of Gibraltar, fell in with 11 Spanith fhips of the line, which having chafed and engaged, they took the Spanish Admiral and fix of his fhips, befides one blown up in the action. In March 1781, he again failed in the Royal George under the command of Admirals Darby and Digby, with 26 fail of the line, frigates and tranf ports, containing flores and provifions for the relief of the garrifon of Gib. raltar. On the 12th of April the fleet came off the bay, when Sir John Lockhart Rofs received orders to fhift his flag to the Alexander of 74 guns, and proceed with her and five two-decked Thips of his divifion, the frigates, and 60 fail of ftore-fhips, into the bay, and fuperintend and direct the unloading the ftores, which he accomplished in fix days, having landed 70co tons of provifions, and 200 barrels of gunpowder in the midst of the heavieft cannonade ever known, not lefs, at a moderate computation, than 200 hots and fhells having been thrown every hour whilft the fhips remained at anchor in the bay. Upon the 20th, Admiral Rofs with his fquadron regained the fleet, when he received, the thanks of the Comander in Chief, and having re-fhifted his flag to the Royal George, he returned with the fleet to England. In April 1782, he was appointed to the command of a fquadron, confifting of 8 fhips of the line and 5 frigates, to be employed in the North Seas, and cruized off the Texel, in which he had blocked up '15 fail of Dutch men of war, until the end of June, when most of the officers and men of his fquadron were feized with a very prevalent diforder at that time, known by the name of the Influenza. The Admiral himself was not exempted from the contagion, and in this fickly ftate he thought it advifable to return with his fleet to the Downs. In the December following, his health being perfectly re- eftablished, he made a tender of his fervices to the Admiralty Board; but the conclufion of hoftilities, in the beginning of 1783, rendered his re-appointment unnecefiary. In eftimating the character of the late Sir John Lockhart Rofs as an officer, when we take into the account, his zeal, his activity, his uncommon ardour in the profecution of all the fevere and unremitting duties of his hazardous profeffion, with the very great benefits which the commercial intereft reaped from his exertions, it will be found that he is entitled to rank with the first naval characters of Britain. In coolnefs and intrepidity, in the hour of battle, he could not be furpaffed.-In the courfe of a long and active war, to fight and to conquer became alike habitual to him. free, turbulent, and intrepid fpirit of the British Seamen, when unawed by authority, defeats its own power by diverfity and exuberance: but, brought under controul by well-regulated difcipline, it confolidates and forms a bulwark which no human force is equal to fubdue. Sir John Lockhart Rofs was refpected and beloved by all the Officers and men who ever served under him; for he combined the manners of a Gentleman, with the feelings of a man. In his temper, he was cheerful and convivial-in his difpofitions benevolent and humane. By fome, and in parti cular by a late writer, he has been cenfared for his attention to œconomy. That writer inconfiderately and im prudently advanced, that it even threw a fhade upon his merits as an officer. On the absurdity of this pofition, it is unneceffary to comment. A juft at tention to œconomy is a requifite in every great character, and will invariably be found in every good one. We have at prefent too many living infances, that, without it, the most brilliant talents degenerate into infamy, and are unable to fhield their profligate poffeffors from contempt and difgrace. Upon fucceeding to the eftate of General Rofs, he added to the firname of Lockhart that of Rofs. To this eftate, called Balnagowan, moft beautifully fituated upon the bay of Cromartie, in Rofsfhire, he retired after the conclufion of the former war in 1763, where he gave full fcope to his benevolence and patriotifm, in the encouragement of induftry, and the promotion of the agricultural arts. To ufe the words of the celebrated Mr Pennant," he fuccefsfully converted. his word into a plough fhare." Under his aufpices the peafantry laboured, were remunerated, and were happy. The face of the country, as well as the human face, affumed a different afpect. Bare mountains became cloathed with trees, and barren heaths with verdure; and, while he thus gra'ified his benevolence and natural activity of mind, he very confiderably improved his fortune. He married, in 1761, Mifs Elizabeth Baillie, heirefs of Laminton, eldeft daughter of the late Robert Dundas, Efq; of Arniston, Lord President of the Court of effion in Scotland, by whom he has left two fons and five daughters. In 1768, he was returned to Parliament for Lanark. In 1780, he became a Baronet of Scotland, by the death of his elder brother, from whom be likewife inherited the paternal estate of Carstairs. He is fucceeded in his title and etates by his cldeft fon, now Sir Charles Rofs, Major of the 37th regiment of foot, and Member in the late Parliament for Kirkwall, &c. His fecond fon is now on fervice, a Midshipman in the Barfieur, who paffed for a Lieutenant fome years ago with very diftinguished approbation. Sir John Lockhart Rofs died on the 19th June laft, in the 69th year of his age, at his feat of Balnagowan, where he had been refident with his family for fome months. His conflitution, which had fuffered by a life of hardfhip and activity, had for fome years,. become infirm, and he enjoyed, in the endearments of domeftic fociety, and honourable retirement, all that can fweeten and render placid the evening of life. By a numerous circle of friends, the remembrance of his private virtues will long be cherished with affection; while, from his country, his fervices entitle him to the most diftinguifhed tribute of public gratitude and eiteem. On |
