686 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



stafFe, one of the society of friends. 

 He was born at Overton, in Hamp- 

 shire. At the early age of ten 

 years he was placed as an appren- 

 tice to a baker in the metropolis ; 

 where, during those leisure hours 

 which even the busiest may create, 

 he laid the foundation of that sci- 

 entific respectability which he af- 

 terwards attained. His education 

 being extremely limited and nar- 

 row, afforded no presage of ripen- 

 ing talents. But his ardent attach- 

 ment to literature, enabled him 

 successfully to combat every obsta- 

 cle opposed to its advancement 



"Genius," as defined by the bio- 

 grapher of sir W. Jones, " is the 

 power of application;" this power 

 he possessed in an eminent degree, 

 and the reward of his assiduity, ex- 

 tensive knowledge improved by ha- 

 bitual thought, affords a source of 

 encouragement to the similarly cir- 

 cumstanced in life. At the expira- 

 tion of his apprenticeship, he set- 

 tled in Norwich. An indefatigable 

 attention to the concerns of busi- 

 ness and the cares of a family en- 

 gaged the greater portion of his 

 time; his industry and economy 

 securing a praiseworthy indepen- 

 dence, and affording an ample pro- 

 vision for the comforts of old age. 

 This, as well as every subsequent 

 period of his hfe, still afforded a 

 retreat from the avocations of bu- 

 siness, and enabled him to pursue 

 his love of science and the liberal 

 arts. Like the Edwin of Beattie, 

 he delighted to wander in the paths 

 of poesy. " Song was his favourite 

 and his first pursuit," and afforded 

 a peculiar relish to his powers of 

 retirement. One of his poems en- 

 titled "Stonehenge,'* and inscribed 

 to his friend and neighbour, Ed- 

 ward Jerningham, esq. contains 



some noble reflections on that ve- 

 nerable pile of ruins, and was well 

 received by the public. Natural 

 philosophy engaged his early and 

 continued attention. From a fre- 

 quent correspondence with the Bath 

 Agricultural Society, he was elected 

 one of its honorary members, and 

 gratuitously presented with a copy 

 of its works. He was among the 

 earliest and most arduous promo- 

 ters of the setting of wheat, which 

 now so greatly and beneficially pre- 

 vails. In various branches of hor- 

 ticulture and planting he was emi- 

 nently versed, and possessed a well 

 grounded knowledge of botany, 

 entomology, and other departments 

 of natural history. His mind, ex- 

 panded by liberal cultivation, ex- 

 hibited a brilliancy and compass of 

 imagination, united with a vigour 

 of understanding rarely possessed, 

 and fully exemplified the remark of 

 Dr. Johnson, that " a tradesman, 

 by the economy of time, and a de- 

 votion of his leisure hours to study, 

 may become, if not a learned, at 

 least a very useful and sensible 

 man." 



Of his social character, chearful- 

 ness, strict integrity, and active be- 

 nevolence were leading traits. His 

 morality was that of the christian 

 dispensation, and his life devoted 

 to virtuous and honourable occupa- 

 tion was rewarded with a peaceful 

 close and a happy earnest of unfad- 

 ing immortality. 



At Lympstone, whither he went 

 for the recovery of his health, J. J. 

 Grellier, esq. several years secre- 

 tary of the Royal Exchange In- 

 surance Office, London. To this 

 gentleman, the Monthly Magazine 

 has been indebted for many valu- 

 able papers on political arithmetic, 

 and other important subjects. He 



was 



