454 Memoars of the late Moft Noble 
The late Mr. Bakewell was one of his 
firft inftruGors in the knowledge of cattle 
and the means of improving the breed. 
But he foon equalled, and was thought by 
fome to have excelled, his mafter, both in 
what may be termed the theory and the 
practice. 
OF his improvements in experimental 
farming, we hope to be able to lay occa- 
fionally fome particulars before our rea- 
ders. In whatever his Grace engaged,, 
two qualities generally infured fuccels, a 
elear judgment, and indefatigable perfe- 
verance; and his large property amply 
furnifhed him with the means of procuring 
able affiltance, and direéting it in the moft 
effeétual manner in the purfuit of his end. 
What however aftonifhed men of expert- 
‘ence, who were honored with his free com- 
munications on this diffufe and difficult 
fubjeét, was the rapidity with which he 
acquired a competent knowledge of its 
various branches. Not only was he con- 
verfant with the different breeds of animals, 
and the methods of breeding and improv- 
ing them, but he knew well the culture of 
the foil, and the management of the crop; 
and might be faid to have a general ac- 
quaintance with the entire circle of rural 
affairs, at a time when the public believed 
him to be abforbed in the pleafures.and 
diffipaticns of youth, or the duties of 
rank and connection. And although in 
his brilliant career of agriculture he may 
have been momentarily ted aftray by mif- 
taken or intereitted men, who failed not to 
flock round a man of the Duke’s liberal 
difpofition and chara¢ter; yet fuch were his 
difcernment and ability of decifion, that 
their impreffions were of fhort duratio; 
and, before his death, he had begun to 
clear up difficulties, and fettle important 
points. Had he been permitted to conti- 
nue his courfe, what might not his coun- 
try have expected from his abilities and 
exertions? 
Defcended from a family in which pa- 
triotifm was an hereditary virtue,his Grace 
inherited the true fpirit of the Ruffells. 
From his fir outfet in public life there- 
fore he was connected with Mr- Fox, and 
was a firm and difinterefted fupporter of 
the Whig principles. Yet it was long 
before his Grace could fo far overcome his 
natural diffidence, ‘as to be prevailed upon 
to {peak in public. In private company 
the clearnefs of his judgment, and the 
force of his expreflion, had excited the 
furptize of the beft judges of eloquence, 
who were fatisfied, long before he made the 
‘effort, that his Grace poffeffed every regui- 
$ie of a ditinguithed orator, Wha the 
Francis Duke of Bedford. [June i, 
perfuafions of thofe whofe opinions he. 
moft refpeéted, could not effect, was unex - 
pectedly produced by a momentary glow 
of indignation ; and: it is remarkable that 
he commenced his career as a public 
fpeaker, by what is generally confidered 
as the mott difficult effort of an orator—a 
reply. In adebate in the Houle of Lords 
his Grace imagined himfelf perfonally al 
luded to by one of the fpeakers. He rofe, 
and defended himfelf and his party in.a 
moft animated and able reply. From that 
period he occafionally fpoke upon the me& 
important queftions that divided the Houfe, 
and was conftantly heard, even by his 
adverfaries, with the moft refpectful. at- 
tention. 
- He oppofed the late war in its com- 
mencemens, and predifted moft of the 
calamities and miferies which enfued from 
it. His ftatements on the finances of the 
country, alfo occafionally made in the Houfe 
of Peers, evinced an underftanding fully 
competent to the arduous inyveftigation,. 
and profoundly verfed in the complex 
detail. With the ref of the Whig party, 
he feceded from Parliament iw 1796, and 
very feldom was feen in his place in the 
Houfe, till-after the change of Miniftry in 
the beginning of the laft year. ‘Though 
decidedly in oppofition to the late Minifters, 
on the event of the peace his Grace ex- 
prefled himfelf with equal candour and 
dignity with refpeét to the conduét of the _ 
prefent. 
done, and gave them credit for what they 
profeffed, as to their intentions of reftoring 
to us the bleffings of our ancient confti- 
tution. 
He approved of what they bad 
His Grace was never married, though 
fome of the firft familiesin the kingdom, it 
is well known, were earneftly defirous of ~ 
his alliance. His death was occafioned by 
the frangulation of the hernia which is 
already noticed. He had for fome days 
been previoufly indifpofed with a cold, 
which it is f{uppofed ne increafed on Friday 
the 26th of February laft, by playing at 
tennis, of which amufement he was fond. 
‘On that afternoon he was feized with a 
violent fit of coughing, and fome fymp- 
toms appeared which indigated that a part 
of the inteftine was forced down. On this 
occafion Dr. Kerr, of Northampton, was 
fent for, and he arrived about five o’clock 
on Saturday morning ; but every effort to 
reduce the inteftine proved unfuccefsful. 
It was then his Grace’s defire that Sir 
James Earl and Dy. Halifax fhould be 
fent for, who arrived at Woburn at five 
on Saturday afternoon. The endeavours 
of Sir James to replace the intefline were 
however _ 
