470 
in his conteft with General Stuart, who was 
arrefted by the late Sir George L. Staunton, 
his Lordfhip’s Secretary, at the very inftant 
the General feemed to meditate the fame at- 
tack on his Lordfhip, which he- had hefore 
effected on Lord Pigot. After Lord Ma- 
cartney’s and Mr. Miercer’s return from 
India, a very regular and affectionate corret- 
pondence by letters fubfifted between them; 
and in his Lordfhip’s occational vifits to that 
country, the moft friendly | interviews and 
Vilits, during which a highly pleafing and 
unreferved communication of fentiment took 
place.—But, from his Lordfhip’s frequent ab- 
fence on foreign embaffies, &<«, and Mr. Mer- 
cer’s declining health fince his Lordthip’s 
return, their epiftolary correfpondence, in a 
great meafure, ceafed for fome time paft. 
Mr. Mercer’s attachment to the caufe of li- 
berty was ardent. While abfent in India he 
entered moft warmly into the .caufe of 
America, and rejoiced exceedingly in her 
full emancipation from the unwarranted 
claims of Great Britain. Shortly after his 
return fiom India the French’ revolution 
commenced. Here his predominant princi- 
ples and feelings were again called forth. 
Having been a witnefs in early life tothe 
degrading fyftem of oppreffion which per-. 
vaded France, he efpoufed. her interefis (as 
the interefts of all mankind) with his whole 
heart,and to the laft hour of his life, watched 
with folicitude every event connected with 
her freedom and independence, . Having 
more than a common acquaintance with the 
late Mr, Edmund Burke, on his frit marked 
difapprobation in the Britifh Parliament of 
the proceedings of the National Convention, 
Mr. Mercer in a letter to him exprefled his 
furprife, that from the courfe of Mr. Burke’s 
paft life he fhould declare the fentiments 
which he then uttered. This brought an 
anfwer from Mr. Burke in juitification of 
them, which produced a long reply from Mr, 
Mercer, containing a difcufiion of the fub- 
ject highly worthy of the. public eye, and 
which will probably, at no diftant period, 
‘entertain the readers of the Monthly Maga~ 
zine, Mr. Mercer was diftinguifhed by a pe- 
culiar clearnefs and precifion of thought on 
every fubje& which occupied his, mind: and 
no fubject occupied it with any forcible im- 
preffios, that was not intimately, connected 
with the moft important interefte of man- 
kind. Although his education was limited, 
this cireumftance could not be difcovered by 
his writing or converfation: as he pofleffed 
an acutenefs and comprehenfion of mind, 
joined to an accuracy and force of expreffion, 
ieldom equalled even by profefled fcholars. 
Kc drew from the powerful refources of his 
own mind what others are indebted for to 
much fiudy and inveftigation:. and in every 
expreflion of -his fentiments the honeft 
independence of ‘his mind fhone as the moft 
confpicuous trait. He-sas an abfolute 
ftranger to that'tamenefs of fpirit waich 
Account of Mr. Mercer. 
© dence. 
(Dec: t, 
fupprefies feelings under the impreffion of 
timidity, fometimes afluming the plaufikie 
name of moderation. Confcious of the rec- 
titude of his fentiments, he uttered them. 
with ingenuous freedom, unawed by power, 
even when power was uncontrouled, and 
fufpicion but another word for guilt—and 
he fpoke of men as he fpoke of things—-in- 
tegrity commanded his efteem and _ refpect 
wherever it appeared—the want of it called 
forth his rebrobation, whether in public: or 
private life. Men of ffrong intelle&s in 
other refpeéts, and men of felf-reputed abi- 
lities have often declared themfelves the 
champions of infidelity; but Mr. Mercer 
was of a very different ftamp. His mind could. 
embrace nothing without ewidence or again evi- 
Fie was a truly enlightened and fitm 
friend of revealed religion: but his views of 
the Chriftian fcheme were moft rational. 
He rejected with fcorn all. thofe doétrines, 
which the raih interpretations of men have 
afcribed to the gofpel, without attempting to. 
reconcile them to common fenfe and reafon. 
In fhort, Mr. Mercer’s religious fentiments 
were grounded on the foundeft principles of 
reafon. He was from conviétion a diffenter 
from the church eftablifhment, but he was 
fo, on the nioft enlarged and liberal princi- 
ples, 
emancipation of the Roman Catholics from. 
every Zpenal reftraint and coercion. ‘ Under 
the influence of the fame fentiment he en- 
tergd with fervour into the cafe of Dr. 
Prieftley, whofe unchriftian treatment, 
ianctiosied apparently at it was, by fome 
authority, will fix a flain on Great Britain, 
while f{cience and religion find refpeét on the 
earth, .Though not perfonally acquainted 
with the Doctor, nor an adopter of all His. 
religious opinions, he admired his learning, 
candour, liberality and regard for true ‘reli- 
gion. Deeply concerned for the Doétor’s. 
lofs of property (part ef which no pecuniary 
compentation could repair) he conceived an 
idea, that Great Britain and Ireland con- 
tained one hundred verfons, poffeffing an in- 
dependence of mind and purfe, which would 
incline and enable them, if publicly called 
on, to lay down one hundred pounds each, 
and, by conftituting a fund of ten thoufand 
peunds, do honour to themfélves and the 
Do&or, by teftifying their fympathy for his 
fuferings, and recording their teftimony 
againit the favage fpirit which had deftroyed 
his fortune, and would have deftroyed his 
life, if it had fallen into the power of his 
perfecutors. But when Mr. Mercer wrote 
Ke was a warm friend to the full - 
/ 
with fanguihne expeétation to fome friends | 
in England on this fubje&, and found that 
there was no’ probability that it would be. 
brought to the defired conclufion, he deemed 
himfelf bound to perform his part, and accord= _ 
ingly prefented the Dotor by the hands of his 
brother with the fum of one hundred pounds. 
Mr. Mercer’s bodily frame was corpulent ; 
- 
but for the lafi eighteen months of his life he _. 
y found 
