1808.] 
¢oncluded with moving an amendment, con- 
taining a vote of thanks to the ex-minister, 
for his pre-eminent services to the country, 
which was carried by a majority of 159.—In 
4805, Sir Henry made some remarks on the 
delay of the Commissioners of the Navy, in 
respect to their reports, and adduced the case 
of Mr. Taylor, a block-maker and contractor, 
who had been discharged, as one of great 
hardship to an individual —In 1805, he also 
objected to some of the provisions in the new, 
Income Tax Bill. In 1804, he voted with 
Sir John Wrottesley, on the motion of the 
latter, for an inquiry into the conduct of the 
Zovernment duringthe insurrection in Dublin; 
in tavour of Mr. Pitt’s proposition relative to 
che state of our naval ferce, and of Mr, Fox’s 
motion for a retrospective inquiry into the 
provisions for our national defence. When 
LordMelville’s conduct came under the review 
of the house,he was one of those who voted for 
referring it to the decision of a select com- 
mittee; and afterwards sat in the committee 
of twenty-one, appointed to examine the 
tenth report of the Nayal Commissioners. In 
the same year Sir Henry appeared in the cha- 
racter of an author, in the re-publication, in 
seven octavo volumes, of The Light of Na- 
ture Pursued, by Abraham Tucker, esq. 
which he revised and corrected, with the ad- 
dition of some account of the author.—Sir 
Henry generally resided gt Dagmersfield Park, 
near Odiham, Hampshire, and commanded he 
Dagmersfield Volunteers, His hospitality 
«was open and liberal, like his manners; and 
his humanity was eyinced by his visits to the 
various jails of the metropolis, in company 
with the benevolent Nield, and his myni4- 
cent donations to the poor. The complaint 
that proved fatal was a disease of the liver, 
with which he had been long afflicted, and 
which be endured with manly firmness and 
patient resignation. He is succeeded in his 
titles and estates, computed at the annual 
value of 25,0001. by his eldest gon Henry, 
22 years of age. 
. At his rectory of Ruan-Lanyhorne, near 
Tregony, Cornwail, the Rey. }. Whitaker. 
—He was bornat Manchester, about the year 
1735. Of the school part ef his education 
we know little or nothing: but that he went 
‘arly to Oxford; where he was elected Fel- 
ow of C.C.C. and where ne discovered, ina 
very short time, those originalities, and pecu- 
jarities of mind, which afierwargs so strongly 
tarked him as aa author and as aman. His 
Vigour of intellect at once displayed itself 
among his acquaintance ; but whilst his ani- 
Mated conversation drew many around him, 
a few were repelled from the cizcle, by his 
impatience of contradiction. The character 
ft his genius, however, was svon decided in 
‘Titerary composition. Jn 1771, Mr. Whi- 
‘taker published his ‘History of Man- 
hester,” in quartosa work distingu'shed 
‘ 
* 
Account of the late Rev, J. Whitaker. : 
487 
for acuteness of research, bold imagination, 
independent sentiment, and correct informa- 
tion. Nor does its composition less meritour 
applause, whether we have respect to the ar- 
rangement of the materials, the style, or the 
language. With regard to the genesal sub- 
ject, it may be observed, that Mr. W. was 
the first writer who could so light up the 
region of antiquarianism, and to dissipute its 
obscurity, even to the eyes of ordinary spec- 
tators. ‘Che. discoveries of our antiquaries, 
indeed; have been attended with no brilliant 
success 3 and Whitaker’s ‘* Manchester” is 
perhaps the only book, in which the truth of 
our island history has been elucidated by the 
hand of a master, It is rather singular, tha¢ 
this work was, in the order of merit as well ag 
time, the first of Mr, Whitaker's publica- 
tions, In proportion as he advanced in life, 
his imagination seems, by a strange inversion 
of what is characteristic of our nature, ta 
have gained an ascendancy over his judgment, 
and we shal) perceive more of . fancy and of 
passion, of canjecture and hypothesis, in some 
of his subsewaent productions, than just opi- 
nion, or deliberate investigation. Mr. Whi- 
takers ‘* Genuine History of the Britons 
Asserted,” an cctavo volume, published in 
1782, may be accepted as a sequel to. ‘¢ The 
Manchester’? It contains a complete re- 
futation, of Macpherson, whose ‘* Intro# 
duction to the History of Great Britain and 
Ireland,” is full of palpable mistakes and mise 
representations, In 4773, we find Mr. W, 
the morning preacher of Berkeley-Chapel ;' 
to which office he had been appointed by 3 
Mr. Hughes 5 but, about the end of tne fole 
lowing year, he was removed from that situ< 
ation. This gave occasion to ** The Case 
between Mr. W.and Mr. Hughes, relative 
tothe morning-preachership of Herkeley= 
Chapel ;” in which Mr. W. relates some re- 
markable particulars, and declares himsel€ 
* unalterably determined to carry the mattez 
into Westminster-Hall!.’ He actually used 
his utmost eiforts to bring his determination 
into action, but the fervour of his resentment 
threw him off his guard; and he expressed 
himself so indiscreetly, that his ‘* Case,?% 
was Considered as, a libel’ by the Court of 
King’s Bench, During his residence it Lone 
don, he had an opportunity of conversing 
with several of our most ese writers ; 
among, whom were the author of ‘* The 
Rambler,” and the historian of the Roman 
Enipire. It docs not appear, ingged that Johns 
son wasmuch attachéd to Waitaker. Equally 
strong in understafding, equally tenacious of 
epinion, and equally impassioned in convers 
sation,it.is not probable that they should ami- 
cably coalesce on all occasions, In the Os- 
sianic controversy, they were decidedly hose 
tile. With Gibbon, Mr. W. was well ate 
quainted; and the manuscript of the first 
yolums. of 18 The Decline and Fall of the 
Roman, 
