Biographical Notice of Mr. Lambton. 
placed, at the early age of feven years, at 
Wand{worth fchool, in Surry, which is ge-: 
nerally regarded a nurfery for Eton. ‘To that 
feminary ‘he was removed at twelve, and 
there difcovered the dawnings of his genius, 
in pafling through the different forms till he 
reached the fixth clafs. His reputation wag 
defervedly high amongft the fcholars of his 
day; and in the compofition of Latin verfes 
e particularly excelled. The ‘* AZufe Eton- 
enfis,” affords a valuable fpecimen of the ele- 
gance and purity of his odes. He was entered 
a fellow-commoner of Trinity College, Cam- 
bridge, in O&. 1782, and continued there 
till July 1784, purfuing the career of his 
ftudies, and unfolding the vigour of his mind. 
As it is pleafing to contemplete the early con- 
nection of men, afterwards united in the no- 
bleft purfuits, we recognize with peculiar 
fatisfaction, among the companions of Mr. 
Lambton’s academic life, thofe fteady oppo- 
nents of corruption, WHIF BREAD and Grey. 
To give a polith to his early acquifitions, 
and extend his knowledge of the world and 
mankind, Mr. Lambton proceeded, with a 
private tutor, tothe continent. The extent 
of his tour embraced France and Switzerland, 
with a fhort excurfion into Spain; but the 
principal places of his refidence were Paris 
and Verfailles. There he diftinguifhed him- 
felf by the elegance of his appearance, and 
the liberality of “his difpofition, and Eectvned 
to England with all the requifites of an ac- 
complithed gentleman. The fequel of his life 
exhibited him mere fully to the public eye, 
and the acquifitions of the youth, were amply 
difplayed in the developement of the man. 
Soon aiter his return from tae continent, 
Mr. Lambton became a metnber of the Britifh 
legiflature, being returned, on the refigna- 
tion of his father (in Feb. 1787), for the 
city of eee which place he continued 
to reprefent during the rernainder of | his life. 
dn the fenate, Mz Lambton foon diftinguth- 
ed himlelf asa fpeaker, in feconding the 
motion of Mr. Fox, for a repeal of the fhop 
tax, onthe 24th of April, and then afforded 
a very promifing profpect of thole talerts 
which he afterwards, on many occafions, dif- 
played. The gueitions to which, 11 the fe- 
quel, he principally directed his attention, 
oe fuch as related to the conftitutioa of 
his country, or in which the welfare of the 
public was materially concerned. As an ora- 
tor, his elocutlon was clear and ee uiaits 
his language manly and energetic, argu- 
Tents pertinent and often gent ; in quota- 
tion he was apt, happy in his alluf ons, ape 
in his manner graceful. To the hgnour o 
Mr. Lambton, asaman, and us a ibs 
- be it recorded, that he never voted fora mea- 
fure in which millions were lavithly “fquan- 
déred for the purpofes of corruption, or blood 
wantonly wafted for the profecution of in- 
trtgue. The benevolence of his , heart 
clined him, to deteit the.calamitics of war, 
and the foundnefs of his judgment enabled 
Montury Mac. No. xxxiv. 
his 
in= 
65 
igs to deteét thofe fallacious fophifms, by 
which nations are frequently involved in de- 
folation and ruin. Of this, ample proof is 
afforded by his cenfures on the condu& of 
miniftry concerning the Spanifh and Ruisfian 
armaments, and his eden oppohtion to the 
commencement and profecution of the cala- 
mitous war with France. During the agi- 
tation of various motions relative to the abo- 
lition of the flave trade, Mi. Lambton always 
divided with the friends of humanity, in op- 
pofition to the continuance of that abomiina- 
ble trafic. But the moft important features 
of Mr. Lambton’s political conduct, were his 
attacks on the'corruptions of parliament, and 
his vindications of the neceflity of reform. 
In March 1792, he ably expofed the corrupt 
practices of the agents of government in the 
Weftminfter election of 1788, in feconding a 
motion for an inquiry into that fubject. In 
the following month, his name appeared as 
an original member of the fociety of ¢¢ the 
Friends of the People affociated for the Pup pofe 
of obtaining a@ Parliamentary Reform, and, as 
Chairmain, he figned their eed declara= 
tion and addrefs, of the 26th of April. ‘This 
affociation being expofed to confiderable obli- 
quy, Mr. Lambton came forward in defence 
of its principles and proceedings ; on various 
eccafions in the houfe of commons, and once 
as a freeholder inthe county of Durham. in 
the former. he was particularly animated in 
repelling the attacks of Mr. Baker in May, 
1754—and, on the latter occafion, he op- 
poled the Bifhop of Durham and other mi- 
nifterialifts, with ability and with confidera- 
ble eifeét. When the nation was panic ftruck 
with ee in December 1792, Mr. Lambe 
ton nobl ly withftood the delufions of minittry, 
and united with a band of generous patriots 
in’ fupport of the liberty of the prets. It 
could sot then be expected, that he would 
efeape che malicious infinuations with which 
the friends of Peas and reform we re, at that 
time, aflailed by the advocates of war and 
corruption; and accordingly, we find lim re- 
futing a falfe accufation and defending the 
general tenor of his conduct, ina a ter pub» 
lithed in a provincial © paper.of Dec. 1792. 
In the courie of this letter, hee very truly 
obferved,. ** From a ftate of confulion I have 
every thing to lofe, and ‘nothing to gain5 
and [ mutt hope, that neither EO head is fo 
wea lk, nor my heart fo wicked, as to feck 
the mifery of others at fo great a perfonal rifk. 
All I with is, to fee this happy aon titution re» 
formed upoa- its ow principles, and that 
every reparation may be made iy the tyle of 
the building.” The BA agile in par 
ment, relative to the memoranle faté trials 
of 17 794, met with Mr. Lambton’s decided 
oppolition, both berore and after the acquitta 
of the SOE sag and the principles which 
actuated the whole tenor of his ptblic ye iihes 
induced hi m.to make his. laf{.effort in the - 
fervice of liis country, by oppofing the bills 
for altering the treafon and ieditious laws.in 
af November 
hia- 
