378 
cation of his minifters, and as fuch, 
proper to be commented on; ap- 
plauded, or treated with contempt. 
By his bold and determined con- 
du& in the cafe of the city print- 
ers, he annihilated the power of 
commitment affumed by the {peak- 
er’s warrant, and rendered the ju- 
rifdiGion of the ferjéant at arms 
fubjeé to the controul of .a confta- 
ble. He punifhed defpotic fecreta- 
ries of ftatey by holding them up to 
public {corn, abolithed general war- 
rants, and obliged even Lord Mantf- 
field to declare them unlawful. But 
this was not all; he contributed to 
render an Englifhman’s houfe his 
caftle, for it is to him we are indebt- 
ed for the benefit of having our pa 
tit confidered as facred, inall cafes 
ort of high treafon. The moft 
daring miniiter muft now particu- 
Jarize his victim by name, and he 
cannot attempt to rob us of our fe- 
crets, without at the fame time en- 
deavouring to bereave us of our 
lives. 
In fhort, with all his faults, Mr. 
Wilkes poffeffed fomething more 
than the vapour of patriotifm ; he 
could face poverty and banifhment, 
defpife a jail, refift corruption, at- 
‘tack and overcome tyranny. Had 
his exiftence ceafed at the clofe of 
the American war, his memory, 
however, would have been more 
refpected; he outlived his reputa- 
tion; and, it is painful to add, that 
when he died at his daughter’s houfe 
in Grofvenor-fquare, on Tuefday 
December 27th, 1797, in the feven- 
ty-third year of his age, he was near- 
ly forgotten. Diftance blends and 
oftens the fhades of large objects : 
Time throws her mantle over petty 
defects. The prefent age already 
confeffes that he was a periecuted, 
the next will probably confider him 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1797+ 
as a great man. At all events, his 
name will be connected with our 
hiftory; and if he does not occupy 
the chief place,- a niche, at Jleaft, 
will be tenanted by him in the tem~ 
ple of Fame. 
Anecdotes of Linunerman. From his 
Life by Tiffot. 
te George Zimmerman wag 
J born in December 1728, at 
Brug, a town in the German part 
of the canton of Bern. His fa- 
ther, the fenator Zimmerman, was 
born of a family which had been 
diftinguifhed, during feveral ages, 
for the merit and integrity with 
which they paffed through the firft 
offices of the government, Hig 
mother, of the name of Pache, was 
the daughter of a celebrated couns 
fellor at Morges, in the French part 
of the fame canton; which accounts 
for the circumftance of the twa 
languages being equally familiar ta 
him, though he had paffed only 4 
very fhort time in France. Youn 
Zimmerman was educated at home 
till he reached the age of fourteen, 
when he was fent to ftudy the 
belles letives at Bern. After three 
years had been thus employed, he 
was transferred to the fchool of 
philofophy; where the prolix com- 
menis on the metaphyfics of Wolf 
feem much more to have difgufted, , 
than enlightened him The death 
of both parents leaving him at lie 
berty to choofe his deftination in 
life, he determined to embrace the 
medical profeflion, and went to 
Gottingen in 1747. Here his 
countryman, the illuftrious Haller, 
took him into his own ‘houfe, di- 
rected his ftudies, and. treated hina 
asafon andafriend. Befides the 
proper 
