1815.J Smithson Tennant, Esq. 97 
was too late—they were) both precipitated into the trench. The’ 
Baron, though much ‘stunned, fortunately eseaped without any’ 
serious hurt; but on recovering his senses, and looking round for 
Mr. Tennant, he found him lying under his horse, nearly lifeless. 
He was first conveyed to a cottage, inhabited by the person who 
had the care of the pillar; and medical assistance’ being procured 
from Boulogne, it was found that his skull and one of his ‘arms 
were dreadfully fractured, and that there was no hope of his reco- 
very. He was taken, however, to the Civil Hospital, as the nearest 
and most convenient place to receive him. After a short interval, 
he seemed in some slight degree to recover his senses, and made an 
effort to speak, but without effect, and died within an hour.—His 
remains were interred a few days afterwards in the public Cemetary 
at Boulogne, being attended to the grave by most of the English 
residents. . 
ee 
Mr. Tennant was tall and slender in his person, with a thin face 
and light complexion. His appearance, notwithstanding some sin- 
gularity of manners, and great negligence of dress, was on the 
whole striking and agreeable. His countenance in early life had 
been singularly engaging ; and at favourable times, when he was in 
good spirits and tolerable health, was still very pleasing. The 
general cast of his features was expressive, and bore strong marks 
of intelligence; and several persons have been struck with a general 
resemblance in his countenance to the well-known portraits of 
Locke. 
The leading parts of his moral and intellectual character are 
apparent in the principal transactions of his life. But in this me- 
morial, however imperfect, of the talents and virtues of so extra- 
ordinary a man, some attempt must be made to delineate those 
characteristic peculiarities, of which there are no distinct traces in 
the preceding narrative. 
Of his intellectual character, the distinguishing and fundamental 
principle was good sense; a prompt and intuitive perception of 
truth, both upon those questions in which certainty is attainable, 
and those which must be determined by the nicer results of moral 
evidence. In quick penetration, united with soundness and accu- 
racy of judgment, he was perhaps without an equal. He saw im- 
mediately and with great distinctness, where the strength of an 
argument lay, and upon what points the decision was ultimately to 
depend; arid he was remarkable for the faculty of stating the merits 
of an obscure and complicated question very shortly, and with 
great simplicity and precision. ‘The calmness and temper, as well 
as the singular perspicuity, which he displayed on such occasions, 
were alike admirable; and seldom failed to convince thé unpre~ 
judiced, and to disconcert or silénce his opponents. 
These powers of understanding were so generally acknowledged, 
that great deference was paid to his authority, not only upon ques- 
Vor. VI. N° If. G 
