CHARACTERS. 



751 



by the elegance of his mathematical 

 genius, than for talents of invention. 

 The predeliction he entertained for 

 the geometry of the Greeks, led 

 him, perhaps, to undervalue the 

 modern analysis, and rather to neg- 

 lect the cultivation of the integral 

 calculus, that astonishing instru- 

 ment of discovery, which is indis- 

 pensible in making any great pro- 

 gress in the deeper parts of physi- 

 cal and astronomical science. His 

 example, Avith similar ones in this 

 country, shews the danger of in- 

 dulging a taste so laudable in itself, 

 but which has a tendency to circum- 

 scribe the powers of human intellect. 

 The only work of Boscovich that 

 has appeared in English, is his 

 " Elements of the Conic Sections," 

 which was, within these few years, 

 translated, abridged, and somewhat 

 altered, by the Rev. Mr. Newton, 

 of Cambridge. This little treatise, 

 we are sorry to observe, has not yet 

 received such attention from the 

 public as it well merits. For a view 

 of his theory of matter, see the ar- 

 ticle — Curpusculur PhUoaophy. 



Ihief Memoirs of the late Earl 

 Hovcc. 



The Honourable Richard Howe, 

 second son of Emanuel Scropc, Vis- 

 count Howe, of the kingdom of 

 Ireland, was born in the parish of 

 St. George, Ilanovcr-square, March 

 8th, U'-lb Q, O. S.-by the change 

 of style, March 19th, 1726. He 

 was sent for education first to West- 

 minster-school, when his father 

 went to Barbadoes as Governor of 

 that island, having been appointed 

 to his government in May, 173'i. 

 From this school Richard was re- 

 moved to that of Eton, not later 



than 1735, when the Viscountess 

 (his mother) returned a dowager to 

 England. In his fourteenth year he 

 left Eton also, to enter into the na- 

 val service. 



Mr. Richard Howe was initiated 

 into his professional line, by sailing 

 for the South Seas, in the Severn, 

 of 50 guns, commanded by the 

 Honourable Captain Edward Legge. 

 This ship (one of Commodore An- 

 son's squadron) was driven by stress 

 of weather into Rio Janeiro, and 

 thence navigated back to Europe. 



Mr. Howe served next on board 

 the Burfurd, Capt. Lushington, ia 

 a squadron under the command of 

 Commodore Sir Francis Knowles, 

 who was detached from Sir Challo- 

 ner Ogle's fleet, in P'ebruary, 1743, 

 to make an attack upon the town 

 of La Guitta, upon the coast of Cu- 

 racoa. The attack was made ; the 

 Burford suffered considerably, and 

 the Captain was killed in the action. 

 This attempt having failed, a court- 

 martial was held, relative to the 

 conduct of the Burford. Young 

 Howe was particularly called upon 

 for his evidence. He gave it in a 

 clear and collected manner, till he 

 came to relate the death of his cap- 

 tain ; he could then proceed no fur- 

 ther, but burst into tears, and re- 

 tired. There subsists a more inti- 

 mate alliance between steady cou- 

 rage and sensibility, than the gene- 

 rality of men are aware of. 



Mr. Howe was soon afterwards 

 appointed acting-lieutcnant, by 

 Commodore Knowles, and in a short 

 time came to England with his 

 ship. Ilis commission not being 

 confirmed by the Admiralty, he re- 

 turned to his station in the West 

 Indies, where he was made lieute- 

 nant of a sloop of war. 



An English merchantman had 



been 



