485 



masons, would not be satisfied did I not allude to His Royal High- 

 ness's connexion with that body, of which he was during the latter 

 portion of his life Grand Master. In private society, the Duke of 

 Sussex was kind and affable, and fonder of domestic happiness than 

 of the state and pomp of his exalted rank. On this point, how- 

 ever, I shall not dilate, as the address of a President of a public 

 body has more to do with the public conduct than with the private 

 virtues of those about whom he speaks. Suffice it to say, that when 

 His Royal Highness departed this life, having many public and 

 private friends, there probably was no one who was his enemy. He 

 died on the 21st day of April, at the age of seventy. 



William Lord Fitzgerald and Vesey died on the 11th day 

 of last May. His father was the Right Honourable James Fitz- 

 gerald, Prime Serjeant of Ireland. He passed a great part of his 

 life in the public service of his country. In 1809, he was a Lord 

 of the Treasury and a Privy Councillor in Ireland. In 1812, he 

 became Chancellor of the Exchequer and First Lord of the Trea- 

 sury in Ireland. He was subsequently sent by the British Govern- 

 ment on a diplomatic mission to Sweden. At still later periods of 

 his life, he held the offices of Paymaster-general of the Forces, of 

 President of the Board of Trade, and of Treasurer of the Navy. 

 On the appointment of Lord Ellenborough as Governor-general of 

 India, Lord Fitzgerald succeeded to the situation of President of 

 the Board of Control. These various employments left him little 

 time for other than political pursuits ; but his acceptance of the 

 Presidentship of the Institute of Irish Architects, proves his 

 attachment to that branch of the fine arts which is most intimately 

 connected with science. He was a man of agreeable manners and 

 cultivated understanding, and an impressive and able, if not a very 

 frequent speaker in Parliament. He was in delicate health when 

 he accepted his last public employment, and it is to be feared that 

 the harassing fatigues of office shortened his valuable life. 



Dr. John Latham was born in the year 1761. Early in life 

 he was appointed Physician to the Infirmary at Manchester, where 

 he remained three years i and afterwards removed to Oxford, and 

 succeeded Dr. Austin as Physician to the County Hospital. He 

 finally settled in London, and obtained, in succession, the appoint- 

 ments of Physician to the Magdalen Hospital, the Middlesex Hos- 

 pital, and lastly to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Fle rapidly rose to 

 eminence in his profession ; but the labours by which he earned 

 these successes had undermined his constitution ; and, at the age 

 of 46, his career was arrested by serious threatenings of consump- 

 tion, which compelled him, for a time, to abstain from exertion and 

 to seek health in the retirement of the country. Contrary to all ex- 

 pectation he recovered, and was enabled to resume his practice in 

 London, which he continued for twenty years longer. 



Dr. Latham did not contribute any paper to the Philosophical 

 Transactions ; but was the author of several memoirs on practical 



