Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. [MARCH, 



326 



effect a junction with the army of Lord 

 Cornwallis, at Seringapatam, tended greatly 

 .to seeure the East Indian possessions in the 

 Carnatic, against that once restless and as- 

 piring Prince Tippoo Sultaun. 



In 1793, he succeeded Lord Cornwallis 

 as commander-in-chief of His Majesty's 

 and the East India Company's forces in 

 Bengal. He was present at the battle of 

 Batinn, where the Rohillas were totally 

 defeated. 



On the 26th of January, 1797, this active 

 and useful officer was advanced to the rank 

 of lieutenant-general ; and, on the 29th of 

 April, 1802, to that of general. He was 

 appointed, on the 21st of August, 1806, 

 governor of Edinburgh Castle. 



Sir Robert Abercromby was one of the 

 grand crosses of the Order of the Bath. 

 At the period of his death, which occurred 

 early in the month of November, at his 

 seat, Airdrie, near Stirling, he was at the 

 head of the list of generals. By his death 

 the governorship of Edinburgh castle, and 

 the colonelcy of the 75th regiment, became 

 vacant 



WILLIAM BELSHAM, ESQ. 



William Belsham, Esq., brother of Mr. 

 Thomas Belsham, the well-known Unita- 

 rian minister, was born about the year 

 1782. As a whig historian a political 

 writer, energetically devoted to his party 

 Mr. Belsham had long been known in the 



literary world. He commenced his career, 

 as an author, in 1785; and his principal 

 works may, we believe, be thus chronolo- 

 gically arranged: Essays, Philosophical, 

 Historical, and Literary, 2 vols, 8vo, 1785 ; 

 Observations on the Test Laws ; His- 

 torical Memoir of the French Revolution, 

 8vo, 1791 ; Examination of Mr. Burke's 

 Appeal, 1792 ; On the Necessity of a Par- 

 liamentary Reform, 1793 ; Memoirs of 

 the Reign Of George III. ; Memoirs of the 

 Kings of Great Britain of the House of 

 Brunswick ; Remarks on the Administra- 

 tion of Mr. Hastings, in Bengal ; History 

 of Great Britain, from the Revolution to 

 the House of Hanover, 1798 ; Continuation 

 of the History of George III. to the Peace 

 of Amiens ;~Two Historical Dissertations 

 on the Succession of 1717, and on the 

 Treaty of Hanover, 1 725 ; Remarks on 

 the History of the Politics of Great Britain 

 and France, 1801 ; Remarks on the Peace 

 of Amiens, 1802 ; Historical Dissertation 

 on the SilesianWar; Historical Disserta- 

 tion on the Character of Louis XVI. His 

 , Historical Works relating to England, are 

 now, we believe, to be had complete, in 

 twelve octavo volumes. 



Mr. Be'sham lived in great intimacy with 

 the late Mr. Whitbread, and with other 

 gentlemen of the Whig party. Formerly 

 he resided at Bedford ; but latterly at Ham- 

 mersmith. He died there, in Portland 

 Place, on the 17th of November. 



MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



THE very long course of south-westerly winds received a check on or about the 6th 

 instant, and was succeeded by gales from the east, north, and south-east, accompanied 

 by showers of rain and hail, followed by frost and snow which, however, continued but 

 a few days, producing little or nothing of that seasonable benefit to the land expected 

 from frost. Variable and mild weather succeeded, and the wind soon returned to its 

 long-accustomed western quarter, and even for days together, blowing from the south, 

 as in the summer solstice. Warmth and moisture seem still the governing qualities, 

 and all hope of winter or lasting frost must now be dismissed. The general augury from 

 such a winter is a sequel of easterly winds and rigid weather, during the spring and sum- 

 mer ; but favourable exceptions to this ancient rule have occurred, of which we had a 

 remarkable example about ten years since. The damage from excessive atmospheric 

 moisture, and from floods and the rise of springs in the low lands, will be severely felt 

 in the succeeding crops of all kinds ; whilst on the sound and dry lands, great crops may 

 be expected, if a judgment may be formed from their present luxuriant and healthy 

 appearance, indicating a natural tendency and power to produce solid grain, equally with 

 an exuberance of stalk and leaf. The best wheats are full thickly planted ; every kernel 

 sown seems to have been prolific ; and few farmers are sparing with respect to the quan- 

 tity of seed. Even before the frost, the turnips were advancing apace towards the 

 flowering and seeding process ; and, instead of benefit from the frost, its short duration 

 accelerated their uselessness. In many parts, the tops have been mown for cattle, and 

 greens for domestic use. Those yet remaining in the ground are probably rather a bur- 

 den than a benefit, not only from their washy and inferior quality, but as standing in the 

 way of spring culture. Wheat, in a few parts, has been put in upon the turnip lands. 

 In short, it is most fortunate for the country that grass, and hay, and fodder have been, 

 and still continue so abundant ; since, had the crop of turnips been the chief resource 

 for the season, the predicament would have been most distressing to stock farmers j 

 many of whom, in the present case, are so superabundantly provided, as to find it neces- 

 sary to make sale of their surplus of hay and fodder by no means an ordinary occur- 

 rence at this season. 



