1799-] 
At one of their ftated weekly meetings, the 
worthy preceptor, who had the moft frequent 
o>portunities of obferving her merit, moved 
the following refolution :—‘‘ The Committee 
being of opinion, that fome public teftimony 
fhould be given of the fenfe they entertain 
of Mrs. Sinclair’s great merit and ufefulnefs 
in the execution of her office for upwards of 
twenty years, propofe, that the expences of 
her funeral fhould be defrayed at the public 
sharge.” The motion paffed unanimonfly, 
with expreflions of fincere regret for the lofs 
of fuch a matron, and ardent wifhes that her 
fucceffor might prove her agual.—Glafgow Cou- 
Tier. 
DEATHS ABROAD. 
Letters, both public and private, received 
from America, about a month ago, brought 
intelligence that Robert Merry died fuddenly 
on the 24th of December, at Baltimore, in 
Maryland, of an apople&tic diforder, induced, 
as isapprehended, from a plethora anda want 
of due exercife. 
The latzer part of the life of this de- 
fervedly admired man, fo far as it attra&ts the 
a tice of the biographer, exhibits two colour- 
ings of nearly equal ftrength: viz. the poeti- 
cal and political. The preceding, after his 
introduction intothe world, was tinétured with 
extravagance and difhipation ; vices two ge- 
neral and fafhionable at that period, to allow 
a lively turn and pliant difpofition to be fe- 
cure from their infection. 
His father had acquired more than a com- 
petency by trade, and had 2 relith for its ad- 
vantages and profits: but the aunt of our 
young hero, had fentiments of a loftier cat, 
and fhe prevailed on her brother to allow her 
to prefcribe the regimen for her .nephew’s 
education. This propofal, which could not 
but be agreeable to puerile ambition, was no 
lefs readily acquiefced in by the futher, from 
a well poifed confideration of intereft; and 
She firft foundation of the gentleman, in young 
Merry, was laid by that great literary charac- 
ter Dr. Parr. From the Doétor he went to 
Chrit College, Oxford, where he made an 
intima*e acquaintance, which, at one time, 
was thought might have greatly aided his 
advancement in life. This acquaintance, 
however, did not ripen into the expeéted 
fruit; probably for want of cultivation. 
The profeffion of divinity and law were 
eanvafied by Mr. Merry’s relations in order to 
make a choice for him. Butas he was not 
grave enough in countenance for the par- 
fon, it was refolved, he fhould bea lawyer ; 
and he accordingly entered a ftudent of 
Lincoln’s-Inn, Why this line was not pur- 
fued does not appear; as on the death of his 
father he purchafed a eommiffion in the horfe- 
guards ; and he entered into that corps at a 
period when it was difficult to decide whether 
its devotion to the rofy god, and cyprian god- 
defs, did not outdo its zeal in the fervice of 
Bellona. And gracefully 
ay aR aes See Gal 2.°7er. eh ed itoventwine, 
‘Themyrtle of Venus with Bacchus’s vine, 
Biographical Notice of Mr. Robert Merry. 
255 
was as favourable a recommendation to the 
officers of that mefs, as any perfeétion in ex~ 
ercife could be toa martinet general. Itis 
fufficient to fay, that this young, this hand- 
fome recruit, was introduced to, and drilled by 
Captain Otgar and Co. and it muft be acknow- 
ledged that a more dajbing fguad could not be 
found in any of the king’s dominions. 
A military life, however it might for 
awhile gratify the youthful vanity of our 
hero, did not long engage his heart. 
To gain diftinétion as a foldier, a man muft 
love the profeffion; he muft give himfelf 
wholly up to it, as an art and {cience: this, 
cornet Merry could not do, and therefore he 
had no hope of ever attaining to an eminence 
in the career. A licutenancy and adjutancy 
were the higheft commiffions he ever held in 
the army, and thefe he difpofed of with the 
refolution to travel on the continent. 
Like the bees on Hybla’s banks our rover 
tafted of every fweet within his reach; but 
Florence chiefly engaged his attention, not to 
fay his affection, The charms of a well 
known lady of quality fafcinated his eyes, 
penetrated his heart, and for a time fixed hira 
to the fpot. Italy, in his mind, furpaifed all 
countries under heaven for realifing the pleae 
fures of the imagination. And it might per- 
haps better becorne the vivid pen of an Ovid, 
than the cooler one of an hiftorian, or wri- 
ter of a memoir, to dwell on the voluptuous 
fcenes in which he was fo favoured an aétor. 
As the lady was a married woman, delicacy 
forbids us to hint at what might be the pro- 
bable confequences of thofe intimacies be= 
tween the Englifh Eneas and the Italian Dido. 
The difcuffion alone might lead, if not to the 
interruption of private happinefs, at leat te 
the fufpicion, thar the laws of primogeniture 
do not, in all cafes, anfwer the intention of 
their framers. Let us therefore throw a veil 
over the picture which gives rife to fuch pain~ 
ful and fcrutinifing i§eas. ‘The inquifitive 
after records of gallantry may feek thera on 
the fpot. The waters of the gilded Po ana 
white ftream Tibris have often refleéted the 
lovers images, and the banks of the {wifter 
Arno, and all the haunts of voluptuoufnefs 
with which that region of delights abounds, 
have heard their vows. Whether the firft of 
thefe rivers, fo famed of old for extinguifhing 
the ambition of a Phaeton, contributed to 
quench the flame of our hero, or whether fo- 
ber reafon took its turn to reign, we find lite- 
rature began to exercife its wonted afcendancy 
over his enlightened mind. 
Senfual pleafures had never fo wholly pof- 
feffed him as not to-allow him leifure for ia- 
telleftual improvement. By the engaging 
nefs of his manners, andthe influence of the 
connexion fpoken of, he had made an ac- 
guaintance with feveral perfons, natives as 
well as foreigners, diftinguithed as fterati in 
the circles of fafhion. He was eleéted a 
member of the celebrated Academy Della 
Crufca, and was eafily perfuaded to engage 
with feveral of his country folks of both 
fexes 
