the "heaven-born minister" are thought to wait but for the signal to strangle his political successor.

A young nobleman, related to the late premier, has already termed this " an administration of shreds and patches;" and it has been repeatedly asserted, that a secret understanding subsists between the new and the old ministry: but time alone can fully and explicitly develope this matter.

Mr. Addington's first attempt in his financial capacity certainly did not come up to the expectations of the public, and the bill to disqualify the clergy from sitting in the House of Commons would have passed with a far better grace, had it not expressly precluded a man hostile to his principles, from opposing them in a public character †.

The present premier possesses great influence, in consequence of the excellence of his character, and the high respect he had acquired during the time he

Mr. J. H. Tooke.

When the bill in question came before the House of Peers, a great law lord said, “ he had heard of certain rumours, about the authors of this measure, which he could not credit, more especially as to its being a matter of expediency. At the head of government was at present placed a gentleman of great respectability, of known integrity and purity of manners, and of tried wisdom in a situation of great dignity and arduous duty, which he discharged with infinite credit to himself, and great advantage to the public: he would not therefore believe, that such a character would be so prodigal of his reputation as to have consented to squander it away so profusely as to have been the author of this very important and extraordinary bill; he therefore begged their lordships to believe, that he utterly disclaimed all credit to rumours of this kind."

acted as Speaker. His Majesty may be said to evince a personal attachment to him, and, if report be true, he has presented him with, and furnished for him, a house in Richmond park, in order to be near him at all times.

In private life Mr. A. is particularly amiable. He is a sincere friend, an affectionate brother, a kind father, and a tender husband. Possessing an ample income, and being but little devoted to expence, he cannot be supposed to be instigated by the sordid wish of creating a fortune for himself; and, as his connexions are all in affluent circumstances, he has no poor relations to provide for out of the public. purse. On the other hand, it remains to be proved, whether his abilities entitle him to rank as a firstrate statesman; and a few years-perhaps a few months-will determine, whether the new minister be destined to confer glory or disgrace on the empire; to subvert or to restore the liberties of his country!

Until the new mansion be got in order, Mr. Dundas has lent

him his villa at Wimbledon.

He is said to have been left 20001. per annum in land, in Berks and Devonshire, at the time of his father's death.

Mr. Hiley Addington, his brother, is in parliament, and, as already hinted, was left a fortune early in life. Of his four sisters, one is married to Dr. Goodenough, a physician at Oxford; another to the late Mr. Sutton, formerly a merchant, who had retired to an estate in Somersetshire; a third to Mr. Hoskins, of North Perrot, in Wiltshire, originally a clothier; and lastly, the youngest, Charlotte, to Mr. Bragge, a barrister, one of the members for Bristol, Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, and a schoolfellow of the minister. He himself is married to a lady of small fortune and great beauty, by whom he has had several children.

SIR RICHARD HUGHES, BART.

ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE, &c.

THAT the British nayy hath become more formidable at the present, than during any former period of our history, is a truism which all Europe is willing to allow. It will also be acknowledged, with equal readiness, that the naval commanders of this day rival, if they do not surpass, those of any other epoch, and that our Howes, our St. Vincents, and our Nelsons, need not blush when compared with our Blakes, our Boscawens, and our Hawkes.

It must be confessed, however, that great praise attaches itself to the old school, and that for cool and considerate valour, indefatigable attention, and persevering vigour, it perhaps stands unrivalled.

A variety of unforeseen events, connected with the French revolution, contributed to the depression of the marine of the new republic, while her armies have attained a pitch of glory, hitherto unexampled in the annals of modern nations. In proportion as her navy decreased, our superiority of course became more decisive: but this was not confined to the number of ships alone; it was equally conspicuous in the sailors who manned, the officers who commanded, and the admirals who led them to victory. Let it not be forgotten, however, that it was under the captains of a former day they were all educated and brought up; that many of the masters

wanted only an opportunity to reap the laurels now worn and won by their scholars; and that those who teach others the road to fame, ought to participate in the meed of glory: it was to the Macedonian phalanx formed under Philip, that Alexander was indebted for all his conquests.

Sir Richard Hughes, descended from a series of naval officers, was born at Deptford, in the county of Kent, where part of his patrimonial fortune is situated, in the year 1729. His father, then an officer in the navy, attained the rank of post-captain, and, after serving for many years with great respectablity in that capacity, he was appointed to the honourable and lucrative station of Commissioner of the Dock-yard at Portsmouth. When the present King first visited that grand naval arsenal, his Majesty resided, and was entertained with a magnificence suitable to so high a rank, at his house, and was so well pleased with the conduct and behaviour of this officer, that he created him a Baronet, by patent dated July 17, 1773. Sir Richard enjoyed a long life, and died a Commissioner of the Navy, at of seventy-one, in the year 1780.

the age

His son, the subject of the present memoir, was bred at the Academy at Portsmouth, and, besides the usual attainments while there, translated the Spectators into French, a language of which, early in life, he acquired a complete mastery, and has occasionally recourse to at the present day, with all the facility and elegance of a well-bred native.

Young

Young Hughes, while yet a boy, went to sea with his father, in the capacity of midshipman, and, during the war of 1741, was made an officer by Admiral Mathews, then serving in the Mediterranean*; but so young was he at that period, that he was under the necessity of actually shaving his head and wearing a wig, in order to acquire a more manly

appearance.

He continued on the same station during the remainder of that war, and was raised to the rank of post-captain in the year 1754 or 1755, after which he successively commanded the Fox and Thames frigates. While on board one of these, he was employed in a secret mission of great importance, which he accomplished to the entire satisfaction of the Board of Admiralty: this was a survey of the river Garonne, which he completed as high as Bourdeaux.

Nor were his services overlooked; for, on the breaking out of the next war, we find Capt. Hughes appointed to the command of the York, a sixty gun ship, with which he assisted at the siege of Pondicherry, under Sir George Pococke.

Having

*He was appointed a lieutenant about the year 1744-5. The indefatigable industry of the old school has already been alluded to, and the following fact will, among many others, serve to prove that its praise is not unmerited. During the blockade a monsoon came on, and did incredible damage to the squadron. So unexpected and severe was this storm, that, although at gunfire in the evening nine sail of English men of war were all riding