476 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S04. 



of the place, and to the expecta- 

 tions of the public. His conduct in 

 private life has been uniformly up- 

 right and amiable ; and his death is 

 lamented as a loss to his country. 

 He is succeeded by his eldest son, 

 William, now lord Alvanley, an 

 ensign in the Coldstream regiment 

 of guards. His remains were in- 

 terred, on the 26th, in the Rolls 

 chapel. Chancery-lane. The cere- 

 mony was performed by the Rev. 

 John Strachey, D. D. ; and the bo- 

 dy was deposited in a vault on the 

 right of the communion-table. The 

 coffin was plain, but remarkably 

 neat, covered with fine black cloth, 

 adorned with a number of gilt orna- 

 ments, handles, and a plate inscribed, 

 Richard Pepper Arden, 



Lord Alvanley, 

 Lord Chief Justice of the Court of 



Common Pleas, 

 One of his Majesty's Right Honour- 

 able Privy Council, 

 Died March the 19th, 1804, 



aged 59. 

 19th. In his 61st year, univer- 

 sally esteemed and lamented, Philip 

 Yorke, esq. of Erthig, co. Den- 

 bigh ; a gentleman of superior en- 

 dowments and the most benevolent 

 disposition. His hospitality, friend- 

 ship, and charity, made the ample 

 fortune he inherited a common be- 

 nefit; whilst the peculiar mildness 

 and suavity of his manners endeared 

 him to his relatives and to every 

 one who had the honour of his ac- 

 quaintance. He loved his country, 

 and the constitution of its govern- 

 ment, from a conviction of their 

 excellence ; and what he loved he 

 was always ready to support, both 

 in his public and private capacity, 

 although constitutional diffidence 

 would not allow him to speak in 

 the house of commons, where he 



sat as burgess for Helstonc aad 

 Grantham. But Mr. Yorke had a 

 cultivated as well as benevolent 

 mind, being well versed in most 

 branches of polite literature ; which 

 an accurate and retentive memory 

 enabled him to apply with great ad- 

 vantage. Of late years he turned 

 his attention a good deal to Welsh 

 history and genealogy, in which, 

 from the specimens given in his 

 " Royal Tribes of Wales," 1799, 

 4to. he appears to have made great 

 progress. This study, rather dry in 

 itself, was, in his hands, enlivened by 

 a variety of authentic and entertain- 

 ing anecdotes, many of which had 

 escaped preceding historians, as well 

 as genealogical discussions; and his 

 book was adorned with portraits of 

 eminent persons of Wales, well en- 

 graved by the late Mr. Bond. He 

 had collected materials for a longer 

 work of the same kind, which it is 

 hoped will hereafter see the light. 

 His taste for natural beauties was 

 very correct ; the pleasure grounds 

 of Erthig are a decided proof of it. 

 Of a character so respectable and 

 amiable throughout, one of the most 

 distinguishing traits was his talent 

 for conversation ; few equalled him 

 here. Whatever he advanced arose 

 naturally from the occasion ; and 

 was expressed in such a happy man- 

 ner and choice of words as made 

 him the very life and delight of so- 

 ciety. As long as affection and 

 gratitude retain their influence, so 

 long will his memory be cherished 

 by those who had an opportunity 

 of knowing his worth. He was ad- 

 mitted fellow-commoner of Benct's 

 college, Cambridge, 1763; created 

 M. A. by mandamus, 1765 : elected 

 F. A. S. 1768; married Elizabeth 

 youngest daughter of the late speak- 

 er of the house of commons, sir 



John 



