1828'.] 



Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 



213 



session was fkttering to his self-love. He 

 formed a connexion with her ; spent all the 

 money he could obtain in supporting her, 

 and actually changed his dress from that of a 

 decent man into the miserable imitation of 

 a beau with curled locks and mincing gait. 

 His application to his pen now became less 

 and less. He seemed aping the man of the 

 town of the worst-class, while his expenses 

 increased, more from his own folly than even 

 from his new connexion. He had recourse 

 to discounting bills, and to constant play. 

 Ruin now hovered over him, and he looked 

 a piteous wreck of misspent talents of a 

 fine mind perverted and degraded, and of 

 bodily decay. Such was William Graham 

 in 1825 a man. whom numbers admired 

 and pitied whose conversation was coveted, 

 and whose company was welcomed by many 

 who deplored his failings. 



One effort more was made in his favour 

 by that fortune which forsook him not to the 

 last. He spoke to the very kind bookseller 

 who had long afforded him every means of 

 living respectably, respecting his embarrass- 

 ments. He represented, that three or four 

 hundred pounds would satisfy his immediate ' 

 creditors, which he could easily work out, 

 ensuring his life till the debt was liquidated. 

 He obtained a loan of three hundred pounds. 

 How he expended it is unknown ; most pro- 

 bably a good part went to the gambling- 

 table. He was now driven to his last shift. 

 The money having been advanced him in 

 bills, he discounted them, and they having 

 been honoured, he saw no difficulty, and 



aroused no suspicion by discounting several 

 xvhicli he had forged on the party who had 

 lent him the money. At last, one of them 

 was taken to Mr. Whittaker, and the 

 terrible truth became known. The offi- 

 cers of justice took the wrong road after 

 him, he having proceeded to Liverpool, 

 and thence to New York. At Liver- 

 pool, knowing the search that was making 

 for him, he was bold enough to go to the 

 theatre, thus daring his destiny ! Fortune, 

 however, favoured him. He reached his 

 native land to die, what fools call an honour- 

 able death, instead of that which awaited 

 him had he been taken in England. 



Men are not all vicious, not even the 

 worst of us. Graham had many good 

 qualities. Numbers in England remember 

 when they enjoyed his society and when it 

 was really worth enjoying. It was curious 

 to observe how, as he ran further and fur- 

 ther into disgrace, he would himself deplore 

 it, and even say he was reckless of every 

 thing, nay, wish himself out of the world. 

 Then the phantom of his evil genius would 

 appear, and plunge him into fresh profli- 

 gacy. Those who watched his journey to the 

 grave, are tempted to exclaim with Miilner, 

 recollecting what they once saw him, and 

 how much he became changed 



tlint being, man ! 



When one is fallen another well may weep, 

 But may not judge ! 



I am, Mr. EDITOR, 



Your obedient Servant, 

 C. M. 



MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



WE have had occasion to report, during the months past, of late autumn and winter, 

 not only the uncommon mildness and moisture, but even, it may truly be styled, the 

 unnatural warmth of the atmosphere. This, as was to be expected, has produced various 

 and opposite effects of good and evil. The profit of keeping stock abroad, in a thriving 

 state to so late a pei-iod, has been great ; indeed a double profit, considering the great 

 quantity of hay and fodder, of all kinds, which have in consequence been saved. The 

 grass, with a spring verdure fresh upon it, may be said even yet to be growing ; the 

 early wild flowers hare made their appearance ; the buds of the forest trees are shooting ; 

 and even the birds begin tuning their notes, deluded into the expectation that spring has 

 already commenced ! Restricting ourselves to these phenomena, we have an Australian 

 winter. Only four or five days of frost have yet occurred, and with but a small portion 

 of snow in the southern counties. 



The reverse of the picture however, must not be forgotten, which, on fair calculation, 

 render it as a whole, decidedly unfavourable. The unseasonable warmth and moisture 

 have proved fatal to delicate and irritable constitutions, particularly among the aged. All 

 undrained and low-lying lands are so thoroughly sodden, as to be reduced to the state 

 of quagmire ; vast breadths of land have been so inundated, as to assume the appearance 

 of a sea, and boats have taken place of land carriage. This has proved an appalling 

 addition to the sufferings of the labouring poor, previously too near to maximum. The 

 south-western hurricanes have occasioned dreadful havoc on the coasts, with loss of life, 

 and loss of property to a great amount. The damage also has been considerable on land. 

 Houses, barns, and stacks have been unroofed, and much corn injured and even blown 

 away. The springs, generally, are at this moment, higher than can be recollected by the 

 oldest persons living ; a fact perhaps completely capsizing the theory of a certain specu- 

 lator, who lately descanted on the mischiefs probable to ensue from over draining. Sheep, 

 on all low and wet lands, have been for some time, in a perilous state ; the incipient rot 

 having, beyond all question, taken place. We have known sheep, in certain districts of 



