558 
with its language. It remains for the 
public readers of his works to admire the 
author—for his friends to love also the man. 
As a literary character, his mind~ was 
stored with an almost exhaustless variety 
of useful and ornamental knowledge; he 
was a profound divinity scholar, an acute 
critic, had an admirable acquired taste in 
poetry, and was acquainted with most 
ancient and modern languages. He pos- 
sessed also an elegant relish for the fine 
arts, and was no mean proficient in music, 
at least as far as judgment was concerned. 
‘With such varied acquirements, aided by 
a temperate sociality, and gentle kind- 
hearted address of the purest yet most na- 
tural’ simplicity, it will readily be con- 
ceived how great a treat his conversation 
must have been. Unlike many deep, ha- 
bitual thinkers, Mr. Mills’s mind in com- 
pany was usually unclouded, alive to every 
thing that was going forward, so that he 
was ever ready to take his share in the 
conversation, free from the too common 
abstractedness of genius. Nothing was 
too mean or too mighty for his contempla- 
tion ; the striking expression of a poet, in 
whom Mr. Mills could not fail to recog- 
nize a kindred intellect, that ‘‘ the meanest 
flower that blows” could furnish him with 
endless food for thought, was particularly 
applicable to the subject of the present 
memoir: whose restless, inquisitive mind, 
freed for ever from the coarse shackles of 
existence, now for the first time at rest, 
is perhaps continuing its speculations in 
a higher and more imaginative state of 
being. 
Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 
[ Nov. 
PIAZZI, THE ASTRONOMER. 
Joseph Piazzi, the celebrated astrono- 
mer, who discovered the planet Ceres, was 
born in the Valteline, in the year 1746. He 
entered into the order of Theolines, in 
1764; and after enjoying the professorship 
of astronomy at Malta, he was made pro- 
fessor at Palermo, in 1781... In 1787, he 
made several observations in conjunction 
with Lalande, at the Parisian observatory; 
afterwards he visited England, to purchase 
instruments. On his return to Sicily, in 
the winter of 1789, he superintended the 
construction of a magnificent observatory 
at Palermo; and since the completion of 
that building, his time and attention have 
been unremittingly engaged in astronomi- 
cal researches. In the year 1792 and 
1794, he published a description of. the 
observatory at Palermo, and of the yalua- 
ble instruments which it contains, 
It was on the Ist of January, 1801, that 
he discovered the planet Ceres, which led 
to the discovery of Pallas, Juno, and 
Vesta. In 1814, he printed a catalogue of 
7,500 stars ; a work which gained for him 
the medal founded by Lalande. In 1816, 
he published at Milan the first volume of 
the ‘* History of Sicilian Astronomy,” and 
completed his “ Elements of Astronomy.” 
Piazzi has much distinguished himself of 
late years by his numerous observations on, 
and discovery of comets. Amongst his 
labours of a different character, may be 
mentioned that of his drawing up a “* Code 
of Weights and Measures for Sicily.”” He 
died at Naples on the 22d of July, having 
reached the age of eighty. 
POLITICAL OCCURRENCES, &c. 
Tue home occurrences of this month 
are replete from first to last with disap- 
pointment. As the season of winter 
draws on, the fears of the thousand un- 
employed operatives increase; and their 
excited imaginations see in the distance 
(no very great distance, by the way) po- 
verty, famine, and its neyer-failing trains 
of pestilence and misery. The subscrip- 
tions, so eagerly and so generously raised for 
the last few months, are now totally ex- 
hausted ; Government of itself has done 
little, and promises less ; so that the issue, 
under any circumstances, is alarming. In 
the interim, however, it is gratifying to 
state that the utmost tranquillity prevails ; 
not even for an instant, in the very heart 
of the manufacturing districts, where dis- 
tress stalks visibly abroad, is there the 
slightest indication of disaffection, for the 
calm of stupefaction is spread like a fetter 
over the thoughts of all. In Manchester, 
the head-quarters of poverty, where the 
gaunt phantom hangs out his black ensign 
of affliction, trade is, if not at a stand- 
still, at least in a state of progression so 
very imperceptible as scarcely to deserve 
notice. At Sheffield, however, it is fast 
reviving ; at Leeds also it is daily improy- 
ing; while Glasgow (always a grumbler) 
complains less than usual. It is not to be 
expected that, while commerce thus lan- 
guishes in a ‘partial paralysis, agriculture 
could be altogether successful; and ac- 
cordingly the usual struggle for supremacy 
has now commenced between the two 
rivals. The condition of the thousand 
half-starved operatives calls for reduction 
in the price of necessaries, among which 
corn stands paramount; the agriculturist, 
of course, and the great landowners, are 
averse to such reduction; and hence, in 
the ensuing session, the contest. will lie 
between the two. interests, and, superior 
political influence (which we fear lies with 
the landowners) will eventually carry the 
day. An important meeting on the sub- 
ject of the corn Jaws has lately taken place 
in the City; but as no particular resolu- 
tions were adopted — particular at least 
with regard to novelty or impressiveness— 
we forbear further mention. Enough to 
say, that the meeting indicated the temper 
of the nation; calm, loyal, and submissive, 
