1795.) Life of My. 
his real, or what is, perhaps, more probable, his 
fretended belief in magic; and he would at 
times recount with great good humour the par3 
ticulars of a publie difputati on with him on 
“a mathematical fubjeét, in which-he modeftly 
and ingenuoufly attributed the laurels of victory 
to his antagonift. But the truth is, Henderfon 
knew little more than the mere nomenclature of 
the fctence; but as he poieiied uncommon elo- 
cution and. acutencfs, he found means to en-_ 
tangle his better informed, but lefs eloquent ad- 
verfary, in the mazes of fon gic, and actually ap- 
peared to the fimple audience to have confuted, 
when he only contrived to puzzle and over- 
power him, by means of a torrent of words. 
He himfelf, indeed, candidly confeffed in pri- 
vate to his friend Anderfon, that he was en- 
tirely ignorant of the queftion, and had acquired 
a feeming {uperiority by means of a mere 
quibble. 
Mr. Anderfon’s ex cpences at Wadi college, 
were fupported in part, during the firit year, by 
the Harl of Chefterfield, the nde » which 
muift have been pretty confiderable, was fup- 
plied by his kind friend, the Rev. Mr. King, 
who thenceforth took the whole burden upon 
himfelf. 
By this generous benefaétor, he was def- 
tined for the church, and, in confequence of his 
recommendation, took the depree of A.M. and 
entered into deacon’s orders, But as a living 
Was not eafily procured, ‘and the fituation of a 
curate is far from Hole cnyiahie, he recom- 
mended him to the care of his brother-in-law, 
Scroope. Barnard, efq. M.P. who had before feen 
him occafionally at Oxford, and become inte- 
refted in his welfare. In ode of this, 
he repaired to the Metropolis, and took lodgings 
in Williers-ftveet, in the Strand. 
In the mean time, as he was actuated by 
fpixit of imdependence, he determined to save 
rate his original patron from the expence of his 
maintenance. He, accordingly, befought an old 
Une ee to procure him fome employment, 
By this gentleman, he was prefentced to the maf- 
ter of a country academy, who wifhed * for.a 
“friend who wnderflood every thing, and to 
<* whom he would give in return a moft liberal 
“ allowance.”? On enquiry, this Nonpareil was 
expected to teach Englifh, Latin, Greek, ma- 
thematics, &c, to rife carly, go to bed tite, t- 
tend the boys in the play-ground daily, accom- 
pany them twice every Sunday to church le : 
what was the moft difficult part, perhaps, of the 
whole drudgery, he was aétually to become the 
“* friend”’ of the f{chool-mafter, and all this for 
251. per annum! 
On leaving the honfe, Mr. Anderfon obferved, 
in that refolute tone of voice, which he was ac- 
cuftomed to ufe only on extr Sona occafions, 
€ that -he would fooner fhip himfelf for the 
* Weitt Indies, and commence negro-driver, 
“ than fubmit to fuch a deftiny.’’ 
A better fate awaited him; foon after this 
fecond e{cape, Mr. Barnard who has conitantly 
evinced an unremitting zeal for his advance~ 
George Anderfon. 2Ag 
ment, introduced him to Mr. now Lord Gren- 
ville, who recommended him to Mr. Dundas, 
under whom he procured an ap point: ent® 
At firft, as his merits were not fuficiently 
known, his income was confequently flender ; 
but as foon as it was difcovered that he was able 
to apply his mathematical knowledge to finance, 
he received a more liberal falary, and was ap- 
pointed to the refpectable fituation of accompt= 
ant to the board of control. “ 
He was utterly ignorant of India affairs, on 
uiS being firit employed m this department, but 
he foon obtained a minute acquaimtance with 
every thing relative to the hiftory, revenue, and 
refources of the Englifh dominions in Afia, 
To his eagernefs to fulfAl his public duty, re- 
ee the atrangement of the Budget for 1796, 
his death may, in fome meafure, be attributed’: 
for he had recourfe to medicine, and even en- 
created the dofe preicribed by his Phyfician, to 
difpel what at firft appeared to be a flight indif- 
pofition, in order that he might fad his cal- 
culatious in due time. The difeate, however, 
proved mortal, and fuch was its violence, that 
Dr. Pearfon who attended him, obferved that he 
never knew but two fimilar inflances, in the 
~ courfe of his practice. 
On the evening of f Tuefday, April 26,he was 
firtt attacked, while in the houfe of a wo: ey 
and vee ectable friend, with whom he had bee 
accuftomed to dine once a week during many 
years. Next day, finding himielf rather better, 
he repaired to White hall, as ufual, but on his 
rettin, was obliged toretire to bed, and was car= 
ried off on the Saturday morming following, at 
one o’clock. 
Thus died, in the 36th year of his age, George . 
Anderfon, who by the ftrength of his own ge- 
ius, and the munificence of an carly proted Gor, 
Without the adventitious aids of original wealth, 
or family conneGions, firuggled into celebrity 
and efteem, rofe to a refpeftable and confhden- 
tial employment, and by his {cientific attain- 
ments, became in fome micafure the architect of 
his own fortune. 
It is but juflice here to ftate, that the Prefi- 
dent of the India board, with an attention that re- 
flects honour on his humanity, on hea.ing of this 
fudden and melancholy eyent, inftantly tr ene 
ted a letter to his widor w, filled with eulogiums 
on her hufband, whom he defcribed © as a public 
lofs,’? 
Having none of his own, Mr Ande en adopted 
two of ae deceafed brother’s children, the one a 
boy, whom he fent to India, and the other a girl, 
on whom he was beftowing a fuitable education. 
Of the brother himfelf, he always fpoke with 
refpect, and there 1s every reafon to fuppofe that 
he fhowed much kindnefs towards him as 
well as his offspring. 
Vivet extento Procyleius evo 
Notus in fratres animi paterni : 
Lilum aget penna metuente folvi 
Fama fuperfies. 
Indeed, throughout all the relations of life, his 
conduct was 2 ney: he was a good hufband, 
Syeg a ‘good 
