step by step, through the whole of his political life; and in all those measures which recommended him to your reverence and affection. I was honoured with his friendship, and in the closest intimacy with him. That friendship was the first pride and glory of my life. I felt more pleasure, and considered it as more glorious to share in his exclusion from power, and live in intimacy with him, than in partaking of any honours that kings or governments could bestow. And, gentlemen, were I to live my life over again, I should have thought it more honourable to share in that exclusion and exile, than to have been most successful in servility; than to have been loaded with titles, pampered with honours, covered with distinctions, and gorged with wealth, obtained by the plunder of the people. After what I have already said, my most anxious wish is, that whilst the corpse of our revered friend remains unburied, nothing should be done to produce discord; no contest should arise to foment divisions among the electors of Westminster. The remedy against this might now be in my retiring; but it might be said, as it has been most scandalously thrown out, that I shrunk back, afraid of risking my official situation. I should have thought my life would have been an answer to such a charge. But if any minister expects to find me a servile vassal, my place shall be at the service of that minister. I am independent; independence may be in the poor, and not in the rich. I am not rich. Independence is not in wealth; is not in honours; it is not in high birth; but independence is in the mind of man, or it is no where. This is the conduct I have ever, and shall pursue to the end of my

6

life;

.ife; and although I might be stripped of my office, yet I cannot be stript of my own self-esteem; I cannot be deprived of the good opinion of the public." *

Charles Fox was a man of birth; but on that extrinsic advantage he scorned to place any reliance; and he very early shook off the Tory principles, in which he had been educated. In the heat of opposition to measures, which he deemed inimical to the liberties of his country, he carried both his opinions and his conduct farther than many of his warmest panegyrists can defend. But who is there without faults or errors? And a candid judge will see in those very excesses the same traits of generous warmth, as at other times produced the best emanations of his comprehensive and exalted mind.

He was a man justly dear to those, who owed more to the gifts of Nature than to the distinctions of artificial society; and justly dear to the people, whose interests on all occasions he incessantly watched; and boldly and ably defended. At a time, when all antient institutions were threatened, and factious demagogues seemed on the point of gratifying their restless ambition, it cannot be denied that those powers and propensities were somewhat dangerous. But such days are past: the contrary scale preponderates: and every thing ought to be thrown to that side, where the counterbalance is wanted. I do not allude to any increase of the power of the Crown, but of a numerous, (and not less dangerous, because equivocal) Aristocracy.

* I take these words from the Globe Newspaper of Friday, Sept. 19, 1806. That paper must answer for their accuracy.

Under

Under these circumstances, the death of a man of the talents, temper, station, and experience of Charles Fox, is a loss of which the public have not yet appreciated the extent. May he, who can best pretend to the powers of mind, and magnanimity of heart, of this departed statesman; may Richard Brinsley Sheridan, to whom his mantle has descended, be long preserved to us!

1805. Nov. . Died Joseph Shaw, Esq. of Epsom, Barrister at Law, aged 85, author of "Shaw's Justice of Peace, and Parish Officer," and of an "Abridgement of the Poor Laws."

1806. March 30. The Duchess of Devonshire.

June 6. Thomas Bernard, LL.D. Bishop of Limerick; a Member of the Literary Club; and friend of Johnson, Burke, &c.

June 8. Thomas Velley, Esq. F.L.S. eminent for his skill in Botany.

June 24. At Tunbridge Wells, Charles Francis Sheridan, Esq. elder brother of R. B. Sheridan, and eminent for his talents both in history, and political controversy. He was at one time Under-Secretary for the War Department in Ireland; and was author, according to Reus's Catalogue, of the following publications. 1. A History of the late Revolutions in Sweden, 1778, 8vo. 2. Letters of a Dungannon Volunteer, respecting the Expediency of a Parliamentary Reform. 3. Observations on Blackstone's Doctrine respecting the extent of the power of the British Parliament, particularly with regard to Ireland, 1774, 8vo. 4. Review

4. Review of the three great National Questions, relative to a Declaration of Right; Poyning's Law; and the Mutiny Bill, 1781, 8vo.

Aug. 1. Thomas Newte, Esq. Tourist, æt. 56.

Aug. Capt. James Colnett, late Commander of H. M. S. Glatton, and author of a Voyage to the South Atlantic, 1798, 4to.

Sept. 11. Rev. John Brand, F.A.S. Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries, author of "Newcastle upon Tyne," &c. aged 63.

Sept. 18. Hayman Rooke, Esq. F.R. and A.S.S. æt. 84.

Oct. 3. Dr. Horsley, Bishop of St. Asaph.

Literary Intelligence.

I understand that the Public will be gratified in a few days by the publication of Mr. Park's Edition of Lord Orford's Royal and Noble Authors, illustrated by numerous portraits. The great additions made to this work, with the various specimens of the productions of the writers, many of them derived from the most scarce and recondite sources, will render this work an invaluable acquisition to the lovers of curious research.

To Correspondents.

Several favours received too late for this Number shall appear in the next.

Printed by T. Bensley, Bolt Court,

Fleet Street, London,

CENSURA LITERARIA.

NUMBER XII.

[Being the Fourth Number of Vol. III.]

ART. I. A Musicall Consort of heavenly Harmonie (compounded out of manie parts of Musicke) called Churchyard's Charitie. Imprinted at London, by Ar. Hatfield, for William Holme. 1595. 4to.

THE industrious historiographer of Oxford informs us, *that he had taken much labour to recover the titles of Churchyard's pieces: the present however appears to have eluded his research. In the additions to Herbert's Typographical Antiquities, † the title may indeed be traced; but the tract itself will vainly perhaps be sought after in the libraries of those, who have been most successful in treasuring up the relics of our early vernacular poetry. The copy, now employed, was freely imparted by a gentleman, whose slightest claim it is to national celebrity, that he possesses the most complete dramatic library in the kingdom.

* Athen. Oxon. I. 318.

VOL. III.

† Vol. III. p. 1808.

Churchyard's