Mr. Dempster, who is a member of the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland, has published "an account of the Magnetic Mountains of Cannay," an island twelve miles in circumference, which possesses many columnar appearances, similar to those in Staffa. VIII-DR. BATHURST, BISHOP OF NORWICH. His lordship's brother, the Reverend Charles Bathurst, Rector of Rumford, and late Fellow of New College, Oxford, is at present Chaplain to one of the British Factories in the East Indies. IX.-MISS HANNAH MORE. Vol. I. 1798-9. (See p. 476.) Respecting this interesting female, we are enabled to add some more facts by the publication of the following letter, so flattering to our literary labours. To the Authors or Editors of the Public Characters. Oct. 3, 1807. Gentlemen, Having perused, with great interest and pleasure, your useful and elegant work, I beg leave to correct a passage in the memoir of Miss More, with whom I was early acquainted. You state, p. 436, that she "is the eldest of three maiden sisters," whereas she is the fourth of five. The eldest of them had the management of the school, and was generally called the governess. The colebrated Miss Hannah had her share of duty in educating the young ladies, and when that was performed, she dedicated her leisure hours to study. Among their exemplary acts of benevolence, they educated, gratis, a bewitching girl, born deaf and dumb, daughter of a poor clergyman, who, with pleasing vivacity, used to indicate the five sisters by the five fingers of her hand, and describe, by sprightly signs, her meaning concerning each of them. The thumb was the eldest, &c. and when displeased with any one of them, she used to bite the finger that pointed out the person. Their father, whom I well knew, was a good and not an illiterate man, and steward to the Duke of Beaufort; one of their original friends and benefactresses, was Mrs. Gawtkin, whose eldest son married the eldest Miss Palmer, niece of Sir J. Reynolds. Upon enquiry among the Bristolians, you will find that these facts are accurate. Your humble servant, AN ADMIRER OF YOUR WORK. X.-SIR JOHN PARNELL, FORMERLY CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER IN IRELND. Vol II. for 1799-1800. (See page 220.) In the last edition of this volume, ample justice has been done to the honourable and disinterested conduct of that very respectable gentleman, whose death we lament as a public loss. XI.-REAR-ADMIRAL AUVERGNE, PRINCE DE BOUILLON. Vol. III. for 1800-1. (See p. 536.) On perusing the account of this officer, the editors lament that some insular prejudices should have been listened to for a moment, and shall in all future editions take care to correct what has been inadvertently admitted, concerning this worthy officer. XII. SIR FRANCIS BARING, BART. This gentleman's paternal grandfather was a divine, at Bremen; his maternal grandfather resided at Exeter. He himself was born there, April 18, 1740, and was only eight years old at the death of his father, which occurred Oct. 30, 1748. After obtaining a competent share of learning in the city just alluded to, he repaired to London, and spent some time at Mr. Fargues's French school at Hoxton, whence he removed to Mr. Fuller's Academy in Lothbury. He afterwards married. Miss Harriet Herring, a daughter of Wiliam Herring, Esq. a kinsman of the Archbishop of Canterbury, of the same name. Her sister was the wife of the late Mr. Stone, a banker, in London. Two of Sir Francis's sons, Alexander and Henry, married while in America the two daughters of the late Mr. Bingham, a very opulent merchant of Philadelphia. XIII.-MR. WEST. Vol. VII. for 1804-5. (See page 39.) We have been assured, that Mrs. West is a very good and a most amiable woman. Mr. West's father, a venerable American, now in his eighty-seventh year, resides with them, and being in possession of the unimpaired enjoyment of his faculties, is blest at witnessing the reputation, and partaking in the prosperity of such a son. XIV.-EARL GREY. Vol. VII. for 1804-5. This nobleman died some time since, and has been succeeded by his eldest son Charles, late knight of the shire for Northum berland, a Secretary of State during the late administration, &c. It has been said, p. 81, that Earl (then Lieutenant-colonel) Grey, accompanied General Hodgson, and commanded the 98th regiment of foot, at the capture of Belleisle. We have been since assured, by the best authority, that he was unable to attend his battalion thither, in consequence of bad health, and that the regiment was commanded by Major, now General, Leland, when that fortress surrendered to the British arms. XV. MR. HOBHOUSE. Vol. IX. for 1807. (See page 101.) This gentleman, who represented Grampound in the former parliament, was returned for Hindon to the present. In 1792, he entered the field of controversy against Dr. Randolph, by the publication of an answer to his "Scriptural Revision." XVI.-MR. MITFORD, F.R.S. (See page 226.) We are sorry to remark, that Colonel Mitford is no longer a member of the Imperial Parliament, having been succeeded in the representation of the borough of Beeralston, by the Honourable Jocelyn Percy. The ancient militia system, founded on the purest constitutional principles, will lose an able advocate, by his absence, as he was the strenuous opposer of every innovation in respect to a grand national plan, not only admirably calculated to provide for the internal defence of the country, but also to serve as a counterbalance to a standing army. We rejoice, however, on the other hand, to find that he has now published" The History of Greece, from the earliest accounts to the death of Philip king of Macedon, in four volumes, 4to." being a new edition, revised and considerably augmented, of the three volumes already published, together with one entirely new, so as to complete at once the epoch and the series. XVII.-LORD BARHAM. Although this nobleman has retired from the Admiralty, yet he still acts as one of the Board, for examining the improvements suggested by the naval commissioners. XVIII.-EARL OF ELGIN, Vol. IX. for 1806-7. (See page 258.) This nobleman has lately gratified the public with a display of fine statues brought from the Greek Islands and the shores of a Minor. At the general election in 1806, he was re-elected one of the ers of Scotland, on which occasion he stood high on the list; in 1807, his name was not included in the sixteen representae nobles. r XIX.-DR. STOCK, LORD BISHOP OF KILLALA. (See page 283.) This Prelate no longer sits as a Peer of the Imperial Parliament, wing gone out by rotation. XX.-LORD COLLINGWOOD. Vol. IX. for 1806-7. (See page 315.) We have been lately told by a respectable gentleman, who reved the information from his own mouth, that Lord C. left ewcastle, when he first went to sea, with forty guineas in his cket, and did not return home again, until after the expiration eighteen years. We are happy to learn, that the mind of this noble lord adually expands with his fortune and his honours. He has tely subscribed twenty guineas towards a monument to the me ory of the Rev. Hugh Moises, M.A. under whom he was eduted. His lordship has also presented 50%. to the Newcastle Inmary, 10l. to the Dispensary, and 10l. to the Charity for the elivery of poor married women at their own houses. 1809-1810. |