1829.] 
Amongst his other works are—Menneus, or 
Thebes saved; a Tragedy ;—Count Dona- 
mar, a Metaphysical Romance ;—Poems, 
&e. ; 
Professor Bonterwek died, greatly. la- 
mented, about the month of September or 
October last. 
JAMES WEBSTER, ESQ. 
James Webster, of the Inner Temple, 
fifth son of the late Rev. John Webster, of 
Inverary, in the county of Forfar, and bro- 
ther of George Webster, Esq., of the firm 
of Moncrieff and Webster, of Palace Yard, 
Westminster, was born in the year 1802. 
His education was completed at the Uni- 
versity of St. Andrews, where his merits 
and acquirements obtained for him distin- 
guished notice. His imagination was vivid, 
his reason strong, and his deyotion to study 
indefatigable. He laboured with equal 
success in the respective departments of lite- 
rature, as in those of the exact sciences. 
His amiable manners, his unimpeachable 
moral character, the chivalrous warmth of 
his heart, had, even in early youth, secured 
for him a place in the affection of all his 
friends. 
Intended for the English bar, Mr. Web- 
ster entered himself of the Inner Temple ; 
but, previously to his commencing the ar- 
duous duties of his profession, he resolved 
to devote a few years to the improvement of 
his mind, and the acquisition of a know- 
ledge of the world, by visiting the principal 
countries of Europe. For that purpose he 
left England more than three years since. 
Subsequently, his views and objects were 
enlarged ; he traversed the Crimea, and, 
after visiting Constantinople, he proceeded 
to Egypt—ascended the Nile to the confines 
of Nubia—examined the ruins of Thebes, 
&c.—returned to Grand Cairo—and, in- 
tending afterwards to visit Jerusalem, made 
an excursion, in company with his friend 
and fellow-traveller, Mr. F. Newnham, to 
Mount Sinai. From that excursion, his 
friend endeayoured to dissuade him, as he 
had for some time been subject to feverish 
attacks, and a determination of blood to the 
head. To Mr. Newnham’s remonstrances, 
he answered :—“ To you, perhaps, it may 
not be so interesting as to me; but if I 
could stand on the top of Sinai—on the spot 
where the. Commandments were given, 
which are, as it were, the fountain of all 
law—it would be a day which I should re- 
Member with satisfaction all my life. Will 
you wait for me here ? Iam almost inclined 
to go alone.’”’ Mr. Newnham, however, 
accompanied him. Mr. Webster accom- 
plished his object, but experienced much 
indisposition in the course of his journey ; 
and, after his return to Cairo, his debili- 
tated frame sinking beneath a renewal of 
fever, he died on the Ist of August. He was 
interred at Old Cairo, in the Greek burial 
ground. An accacia tree overshadows his 
graye, over which is to be erected a plain 
Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 
- very scanty. 
325 
monument, with a marble tablet, recording 
his name, age, and death. The funeral ser- 
vice was performed by the Rev. William 
Cruser, a clergyman stationed at Cairo, by 
the Missionary Society. 
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL DENHAM. 
Our information respecting this lamented 
individual, the late—and we hope it may 
prove the last—Governor of Sierra Leone, is 
Lieutenant Colonel Dixon 
Denham, the associate of Captain Clapper- 
ton (whose melancholy fate it was lately 
our duty to record*) in his memorable ex- 
pedition for penetrating the interior of 
Africa, was a native of London, where he 
was born in 17853; consequently, he was 
only in his 43d year... After much and 
varied military service, he was appointed to 
the office of Commissioner of Inquiry into 
the state of the settlement of Sierra Leone ; 
and, upon the death of Sir Niel Campbell, 
a short time since, he succeeded that officer 
in the government. This. appointment 
gave great satisfaction to all ranks of per- 
sons; and the most sanguine hopes were 
entertained, that a new era was about to 
commence in the colony. Amongst other 
sound and judicious regulations, he teok 
measures for inviting the native chiefs to 
come down to the seat of government to trade 
—to promote the interchange of good offices 
between them and the people—and for the 
establishment of savings’ banks amongst the 
poorer classes of the inhabitants. The ex- 
cellence of Colonel Denham’s constitution 
had enabled him to encounter, and to tri- 
umph over, all the rigours of a life in 
Africa; even the pestilential climate of 
Sierra Leone—that insatiable grave of Eu- 
ropeans, the very existence of which, as a 
settlement, is a disgrace to the British 
government—did not seem to affect him ; 
and, down to the 29th of May, his letters 
to his friends in England show him to have 
been in high health and excellent spirits : 
they were full of sanguine promise respect- 
ing his plans for ‘the prosperity of the 
colony, and the advancement of the salu- 
tary and benevolent objects that he had in 
view. Alas, how sudden was the reverse ! 
a very short illness terminated his valuable 
existence at the government house, early in 
June. His death is thus affectingly re- 
corded in a letter from Sierra Leone of the 
10th of month :—“ Exactly four weeks ago, 
this day, I had the honour of being pre- 
sented to him on his assuming the com- 
mand of Sierra Leone. His levee was most 
numerously attended by all the military and 
civil officers of this station—by its magis- 
trates and merchants. This gallant officer 
and celebrated traveller was surrounded by 
his staff and friends—all eyes were turned 
upon him with looks of admiration and re- 
gard; he had escaped the dangers of battle 
and travel—the field of Waterloo and the 
* Vide page 324. 
