526 
tering prospects of power or prospe- 
rity alter men, when no coercive 
authorities can compel submission. ~ 
In the reign of Henry VII. Sir 
Jolin Fineaux opposed the tax of the 
tenth penny, and, according to Lloyd, 
stoutly observed on this occasion :— 
“ Before we pay any thing, let us see 
whether we have any thing we can 
_ call our own to pay.” Cardinal and 
Chancellor Morton was against the pre- 
ferment of this lion-hearted lawyer: 
“such being (to borrow the words of 
his biographer,) an encouragement to 
the factious; whose hydra heads grow 
faster by being taken off by preferment, 
and not by the axe.” But the wiser 
king was for employing other means. 
He thought that ‘‘so noble a patriot 
would be an useful courtier, and that 
he who could do so well at the bar 
might do more at the Bench.” He 
was accordingly made a judge and 
knighted; after which, we learn that 
no one was so firm to promote or in- 
culcate the doctrine of the prince’s 
prerogative. 
BRITISH EMPIRE. 
A French writer calculates the po- 
-pulation of the British empire at 
nincty-five millions, whereof seventy 
are in India. It contains also obser- 
vations which furnish a picture of 
magnificence, characteristic and in- 
teresting, and produced by a mind 
struck with admiration. ‘The Ro- 
man empire in its glory (says he,) con- 
tained 120 millions, half of whom were 
slaves. Considering the difference of 
situations, with the rickes, resources, 
industry, arts, sciences, commerce, 
and agriculture of Great Britain, they 
will not only bear comparison with 
ours, but appear remarkable in the 
balance of nations and empires, an- 
cient as well as modern.—The landed 
property of Great Britain was calcu- 
lated by Mr. Pitt, in 1797, at 1,600 
millions sterling. Their marine last 
war included a thousand armed ships, 
and their commerce now employs 
174,000 mariners, and upwards of two 
millions of tons. In short, the British 
empire may be considered as_ the 
greatest that has ever existed; sur- 
passing all others, also, in knowledge, 
moral character, and merit. The sun 
never sets on its dominions, and, be- 
fore his rays withdraw from the stee- 
ples of Quebec, his morming rays have 
enlightened the districts of Port Jack- 
son; and, while he is setting to the 
countries round Lake Superior, he is 
Stephensiana, No. XV. 
[Jan. 1, 
rising to those about the banks of the 
Ganges.” 
FRANCIS DUKE OF BEDFORD. 
I have little scruple in placing the 
late Duke among the list of worthies ; 
nobody can entertain more esteem for 
that amiable and accomplished noble- 
man. Melancholy was the fate of 
both his parents: one died of a fall 
from his horse, the other pined away, 
dropping fruitless tears, “like Pa- 
tience on a monument.” How unlike 
many fashionable wives! Indeed, both 
characters were deserving of very 
high praise. 
The young Duke was brought up at 
Westminster, but retired in disgust ; 
the motives for which extraordinary 
conduct 1 have not discovered: he 
went afterwards to Cambridge. In 
his earlier years the Duke was a most 
active and determined hunter; he 
hired a seat at a place called Quorn, 
in Leicestershire; and there, in the 
season, spent a considerable portion 
of his time. As a particular indivi- 
dual} the Duke was sprightly and 
agreeable; as a member of society, 
intelligent and sagacious; and, to the 
cause of his country, just and faithful. 
In Parliament be joined the opposi- 
tion, and the views which he there 
gave of his polities were much lis- 
tened to, as impressive and sensible. 
But that which most distinctly exhi- 
bited and illustrated the colouring of 
his mind was his attachment to agri- 
culture; in this he continued to merit 
the character he had obtained, of a 
reflecting observer as to the various 
causes and operations whereby it is 
susceptible of improvement. In nu- 
merous instances the Duke mingled 
with the mass of his people, affording 
a lively and striking example of in- 
dustry; ever attentive to the great 
principle of his conduct—practical 
utility. His ample means and pur- 
poses were actively and steadily di- 
rected to the pursuit of this object. 
His useful works and ingenious plans 
at Woburn, and in the metropolis, 
received high commendations for the 
noveliy, zeal, and research, displayed 
in them. 
From a sense of duty, an honour- 
able independence of mind, the Duke 
had publicly alluded to Burke’s pen- 
sion; remarking on certain improprie- 
ties of conduct connected with it. 
This excited warm indignation in the 
latter, whose keen and vivid sense of 
painful feelings vented itself in en 
anc 
