294 Account of the late Sir William Staines. 
whicH have appeared with his name, were 
Written under circumstances that would have 
damped the first genius, yet still they bear 
marks of mind that shew what might have 
been expected from the writer, if composed 
in ease and retirement. The works that bear 
dis name are, The History of Charles the 
Second; The Reign of George the Third 
down to 1783; Continuation of Rapin’s His- 
tory of England; Light Reading for Leisure 
Hours; Life of the Right Hon. Edmund 
Burke; The British Cicero, &c. &c. All 
his writings are calculated to promote the 
cause of rational liberty, religion, and virtue. 
Hle never courted the patronage of any great 
man, or dipped his pen in flattery ; and under 
the pressure of his misfortunes he was never 
dcnown to repine at thé dispensations of Pro- 
vidence, to utter one unmanly complaint, 
or to lose a single moment that might be 
employed in procuring a livelihood for his 
family. In his younger days he projected a 
History of Ireland, but deferred it till, his 
judgment should obtain its highest maturity: 
in the mean time he collected many scarce 
and valuable materials for the work, which 
he intended to execute under the, patronage 
of the Earl of Moira, a nobleman who had 
befriended him on many trying occasions. 
But alas! he had scarcely hegun to arrange 
tiose documents when he was attacked by 
a dropsy, under the daily accumulation of 
which his chearfuiness only deserted him 
when he reflected on the distressed situation 
jn which he should leave an aniiable and 
affectionate wife, in an ill siate of health, 
in years, and without friends.. He continued 
dll for several weeks, and in that interval 
parted with ail his books to suppiy the ne- 
cessitics of the day, so that his widow was 
left without the means of paying the last 
gad tribute to his memory, 
At his house at Clapham, on Friday the 
arth cf September, Sw William Staines, knt. 
and alderman, well known to the public as 
having served all the offices of the Corpora- 
tion o: London with assiduity, fidelity, and 
great honvur to himself and advantage to 
his fellow-citizens. He was first chosen com-~ 
mon-council-man of the ward of Crippic- 
gate-without, and succeeded Mr. French as 
Geputy, and was on the decease: of the late 
Sir James Esdaile, in .1793, unanimousiy 
elected aiderman of the wara of Cripplegate, 
‘Lhe following is a brief sketch of his life 
aud Charactcr, as delivered by Dr. Gregory, 
bis chaplain during the mayoralty, ac Crip- 
legate-church, on Sundzy, Sept. 20, 1807. 
4¢ There is no subject which is so likely 
te make a strong linpression on the human 
mind, asd to jead it to eevout exercises and 
ysetul reflexions, as the consideration of cur 
laiter cad. The shortness and uacertainty 
ef human life, and the yast expanse of eter. 
nity which lies befere us, inevitably accem- 
pany the thought, and if these will not pro- 
euce im us pious stntiments and a practice 
sviufotmabie ty the precepts of the Guspel, I 
rOct. 1g 
know not what will. Thus every funevat 
we behold is a practical lesson to ali but the 
very thoughtless, ana speaks more forcibly to 
the heart than the most accomplished orator. 
Funeral sermons are at present much gut of 
use, and are even disapproved by some good 
and judicious persons. It is true they have 
too frequently been made mere offerings to 
human vanity, and the vehicles of false 
and disgusting panegyric—yet I think they | 
might be employed to far nobler purposes, 
The virtues or the errors of the deceased 
might afford instruction to the rising genera- - 
tion, and the example of a good man in par- 
ticular meght be profitably held up for their 
imitation. If, as many have supposed, the 
Spirits of just men made perfect, look occa= 
sionally coown upon the things that are on 
earth, { am sure nothing would trouble more 
the spirit of our departed friend, than if a syle 
lable was to be uttered from this place re= 
Specting his character, which was not perfecte 
ly consistent with that truth and, simplicity 
which he venerated in life. I shall there- 
fore, in what I have to advance on this topic, 
carefully avoid the very appearance of adu- 
lation ; I shall repress even the ardour of 
friendship, and shall endeavour rather to in= 
Struct you, than to compliment the dead. 
The life of this venerable person affords 
indeed a most valuable lesson, especially to 
the young. I have heard him at diferent 
times relate most of the circumstances of it, 
but if such a detail was even suxtable to the 
place and the occasion, a fallecious memory. 
would disable me from doing justice to it. £ 
shall therefore present you with only an une. « 
finished outline, marking chiefly tbose cir- 
cumstances which may most contribute to 
cur own improvement, He had too much 
innate greatness of mind to endeavour, like 
some vain sand foolish persons, to cast a 
veil over the humility of his origin. “On. 
the contrary, alluding te the Divine Prom 
vidence, he was fond of applying to himself 
the expression of the Psalmist—-* He raiseth 
up the poov cut of the dust, and lifterh 
‘the needy out of the dunghill: that he 
may set him with princes, even with the 
princes of his pecple.’*—J: would not be un- 
derstood-to imply that any thing disgrace= 
ful attached to eithér his birth or family, 
though poor, both were honest and creditabiee 
At a very early period of life he encoun 
tered great hardships, and this was probably 
@ providential dispensation to reduce to order 
an ardent-and impetuous spirit, which was. 
apparently more intefit on seeking advene 
tures abroad, than on pursuing the paths of 
patient industry at home. He served his 
country for-some time in a naval capacity; 
but in che dungeons of the: enemy he was 
brought to serious reflection, and after @ 
serics of calamities he returned to his country 
with an altered mind. Soon after his returny 
he engaged in the business which he after~ 
wards exercised with so much honour and — 
profit, and served a regular apprenticeship to 
aly 
