gave authority to his opinions on the policy best adapted to the condition of that interesting country. An eloquent defender of our civil and religious institutions, he never departed, in his controversial writings, from that elevation and dignity of sentiment which became the principles he had espoused. To the lighter branches of literature he contributed some admired productions; and while in public life he commanded respect by the solidity of his talents, he was highly gifted with those qualities which denote in society the tasteful accomplishments of their possessor.

The virtues of his domestic character awakened feelings of reverence and attachment that will long survive his loss. Generous and devoted in friendship, he attested, by many sacrifices, his exalted estimate of its obligations. There was an attractive sweetness in his manners which flowed from and represented the unbounded benevolence of his soul. A gentle and guileless nature exemplified in him that disposition so happily depicted by the poet

own.

"His Eden with no serpent was defiled;

For all was pure, delicious all, and mild."

Incapable of harsh or uncharitable opinions, he was wont to measure the principles of others by the noble rectitude of his A fervent but unaffected spirit of devotion breathed its influence over the tenor of his life; sustained him through the sufferings of a painful malady, and filled him with hope and resignation under the certainty of his approaching end.

Sir George Dallas married, on the 11th of June, 1788, the Hon. Catherine Blackwood, youngest daughter of Sir John Blackwood, Bart. and the Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye. Afflictions chequered the happiness of a union cemented by congenial virtues. The sorrows of the parent found relief in dedicating to the memory of his children compositions of affecting beauty. The tributes of regret to which his own loss has given birth, while they honour departed excellence, may equally soothe the grief of those to whom with his name he has bequeathed the model of a bright and blameless reputation.

From a Correspondent.

41

No. III.

JOHN HERIOT, ESQ.

COMPTROLLER OF CHELSEA HOSPITAL.

MR. HERIOT was a lineal descendant from the family of the Heriots, of Trabroune, in East Lothian, of which the celebrated George Heriot, who built the Hospital at Edinburgh, called by his name, was a younger branch. George Heriot figures, too, in Sir Walter Scott's novel of "The Fortunes of Nigel," where he is introduced as the confidential banker of James I. (which he actually was), and is designated by the facetious monarch, under the familiar title of "Gingling Geordie." The Heriots are of Saxon origin, and the name is still extant in some parts of Germany and the south of France.

The subject of this memoir was born at Haddington, on the 22d of April, 1760. His father was the Sheriff Clerk of the County of East Lothian; an office at that time, and in that country, held in much estimation, although the emoluments of it were probably not very considerable. It afforded, however, the means of living respectably; but, eventually, Mr. Heriot, sen. fell into bad health, and was obliged to leave the place, and remove into Edinburgh.

After having passed through the country schools of Dunse and Coldstream, the subject of this memoir was, in the year 1772, put to the High School of Edinburgh, in which he acquitted himself with great credit, and was then sent to the College. Various misfortunes, however, led to the breaking up of his father's little establishment in Edinburgh, and the family became dispersed. Thus, at seventeen years of age, young Heriot was thrown upon the world, without either pursuit or prospect. In those days, the system of education,

and more particularly in Scotland, was different from what it is at present. Boys were never allowed to mix with men; and, therefore, when circumstances drove them upon their own resources, they laboured under great disadvantages. There is a spring, however, in the youthful mind, which enables it to adapt itself to the most untoward condition; and the subject of our memoir possessed a natural address that, both then and in after-life, proved of essential service to him. He had the good fortune, too, at that time, of having an opportunity of improving it. An uncle of his was settled at Forres, in Morayshire, as a physician, and to him he paid a visit of three months, during which period he became intimately acquainted with all the respectable families in the vicinity. The head of one of these, Mr. Cumming, of Altyre, was so interested in his behalf, that he wrote to his friend, the Duke of Dorset, to request his Grace to procure a pair of colours for the young man. The application was unsuccessful, but the occurrence gave a military bent to Mr. Heriot's mind, which shaped the course of his future life.

After making many efforts, and undergoing the severest hardships in endeavouring to obtain a military appointment in Scotland, Mr. Heriot, in the latter end of the year 1778, determined upon visiting London. He arrived, without knowing an individual in this vast city, with only a single letter of introduction, which was to a lady, and with a sum of money in his pocket so small, that, had he not been accustomed to the greatest privations, he must have been overwhelmed with apprehensions for his present support. After a while, no opening for an establishment in life seeming to present itself, he resolved upon taking a step which, perhaps, only his despair and ignorance of the world, could completely justify or excuse. He wrote to a distinguished Captain in the Navy, describing his situation, and requesting him to endeavour to procure for him a commission in the Marines. Highly to his honour, the officer in question addressed a letter to Lord Sandwich, and obtained the desired object; and the noble Lord himself personally announced the fact to Mr.

Heriot, with a kindness and condescension which made an indelible impression on his mind.

With the friendly aid of the good lady to whom he had been recommended, Mr. Heriot contrived to get equipped; and on the 1st of January, 1779, he appeared for the first time upon the parade of the Marine Barracks at Portsmouth. But, as he could ill afford the expense of remaining on shore, he exchanged with a brother officer for sea duty, and embarked in the Vengeance, of 74 guns, commanded by the Hon. Captain Maitland. In this ship he proceeded, first to the coast of Africa, and afterwards to the West Indies. Captain Maitland here took the command of the Elizabeth, of 74 guns, and the Vengeance was assigned to Commodore Hotham. This, of course, occasioned a total change of officers, and Mr. Heriot was ordered on board the Preston, an old 50-gun ship. Not much liking her, he effected an exchange into the Elizabeth.

In that vessel, which formed one of the fleet under the command of Sir Hyde Parker (known familiarly in the navy by the designation of "Old Vinegar"), Mr. Heriot saw a little service; the Elizabeth being prominently engaged in an attack upon a French convoy, supported by the batteries of Port Royal, and four sail of the line, on the 19th of December, 1779; and, in the battle of the 16th of April, 1780, between the English fleet, under Sir George B. Rodney, and the French fleet, under Admiral Guicher, the Elizabeth maintained for a considerable time an unequal combat with two line-of-battle ships, and had 9 killed, and 16 wounded; among the latter of whom was Mr. Heriot. He was also in the battle, or rather skirmish, of the 19th of May, in the same year.

In July, 1780, Mr. Heriot exchanged into the Brune frigate of 32 guns, commanded by Captain (afterwards Sir Francis) Hartwell; and in that vessel encountered the dreadful hurricane which produced such devastation in the Island of Barbadoes, on the 10th of October, 1780. So providential did Mr. Heriot consider his escape on that occasion, that he kept the anniversary of the hurricane as a solemn festival for the

remainder of his life. In November, 1780, the Brune was sent with despatches to England, and was afterwards employed to convoy a fleet of merchantmen to Quebec. On her return she was paid off.

Having been promoted to a First Lieutenantcy of the Plymouth division, Mr. Heriot repaired to Plymouth, where he passed the whole summer of 1782; towards the end of that year, he was embarked on board the Salisbury, of 50 guns, and subsequently on board the Alexander, of 74 guns; but at the general reduction consequent upon the peace in 1783, he was placed on the half-pay list. His first act was to mortgage his half-pay, that he might assist his parents; a measure productive to him of much embarrassment and distress, but which he at the time gloried in; nor did any afteroccurrence lead to a diminution of the feeling which it then inspired.

The next few years of Mr. Heriot's life were unmarked by any event that had not on it the impress of calamity. They were passed under very distressing circumstances, in a mere struggle for existence. During that period of sorrow and suffering, he wrote two novels: the composition of these relieved his mind from painful thought; and in one of them, "The Half-pay Officer," were detailed some adventures in which he had been personally engaged. They also produced a small fund, on which he lived for nearly two years.

When he reached his twenty-eighth year, he married. This was apparently a very imprudent step; but it may encourage others to become Benedicts to inform them that it was a step of which he never had occasion to repent; and that he was never afterwards without the means of respectable support, although it wholly depended on his own talents and exertions. His occupation was of a literary character; and he became insensibly connected with a newspaper: this arose from a casual introduction at the Treasury. He became known to Mr. Steele, when that gentleman was Secretary of the Treasury, at the time of the King's illness in the end of 1788, and the beginning of 1789. At that period a host of writers were arrayed