1807.] 
In Fleet-ftreet, Mr.\ fobn Pridden, \ately a 
bookfeller there: one of the many inftances 
that integrity and perfeverance introduce their 
attendant votaries to eafe, affluence, and fatis- 
faction. To animate others to appreciate the 
value of anfullied honour, or bear up againtt 
the torrent of ftern oppreffion, a few particu- 
lars refpecting the life of this truly worthy 
man cannot be here omitted. He was born 
July 20, 1728, at Old Martin-hall, in the 
paritkes of Ellefmere and Whittington, in 
Shropfhire, of very refpectable: and rather 
wealthy parents. But his father dying when 
he was only twelve years old, and his mother 
matrying again, the obje& of our remarks 
foon experienced the moft unmerciful and 
¢ruel treatment of his ftep-father. - Indeed, 
the feverity he endured was fo great that he 
was frequently laid up, and often refcued by 
his neighbours from the tyrannic grafp of his 
father in-law. Nething could fubdue the in- 
exurable temper of his fofter parent; and the 
opprefled youth determined to leave his home, 
and try his fortune in the metropolis. This 
happened foon after the breaking out of the 
French war in 17-44, when, having proceeded 
en his journey as far'as Worcefter, and find- 
ing there a hot prefs for foldiers, he did not 
relith the probability of a military attachment, 
hut adopted what he conceived to be the leaft 
ef two evils, and returned. For this felf- 
defenfive offence he was regularly and fy{tem- 
atically thrafhed every Tuefday and Saturday 
for nearly three years, when, unable any 
Jonzer to endure his unmerited fufferings, he 
once more bade an eternal adieu to his unpro- 
pitious habitation, and arrived in London on 
the 25th of March, 1748, where he foon 
found protectors in the late Mr. Nourfe, of 
the Strand, and Mr. Richard Manby, of Lud- 
gate-hill; the latter of whom he fucceeded 
in bufinefs. He married, March 97, 1757, 
Anne, daughter of Mr. Humphry Gregory, of 
Twemlow, near Whitchurch, Shropfhire, by 
whom he had fourteen children, nine of whom 
died young, of the {mall-pex, and two fons 
and three daughters new furvive him. His 
wife died April 1, 1801. The libraries of 
many very eminent and diftinguifhed charac- 
ters paffed through his hands ; his offers on 
purchafing them were liberal ; and, being con- 
tent with {mall profits, he foon found himfelf 
fupported by a numerous and refpectable fet 
of friends, not one of whom ever quitted him. 
Before the American revolution, his houie 
was the rendezvous of the clergy of that 
couatry 3 and when that unfortunate event 
took place, both his purfe and his table were 
open to their wants. About twenty-two years 
ago he became totally blind, but was relieved 
from that malady by the judicious hand of 
Baron de Wenzel, and enjoyed his eye-fight 
to the laft. He was naturally of a weak habit 
of body; but his extreme temperance and un- 
interrupted complacency of mind infured to 
him an almioft conftant flow of health and 
fpirits. ‘To do good was his delight 5 to com- 
municate happinefs to all he could was his 
unacealing aim. He was a moft amiable and 
Account of the late Sir Hyde Parker. 
wok 
indulgent parent, a fincere friend, and, in the 
ftritett fenfe of the word, an honeft man. 
The following anecdote ftrikingly evinces the 
goodnefs of his heart: Seven years ago, of 
the failure of his lefs fortunate next door 
neighbour, he invited him to his honfe, and 
relinguifhed bufinefs, to give him the oppor- 
tunity of keeping on the fpot: his kind in- 
tentions met with fuccefs 3 and he frequently 
exprefled the pleafure he felt at feeing his 
friend profper under his roof, 
In Great Cumberland-place, Sir Hyde 
Parker, admiral of the -red, the fecord 
fon of -Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, 
baronet. He entered into the naval fervice 
of his country when very young, under the 
aufpices of his father; and after having 
ferved as a petty officer on board the Squirrel, 
was removed inte the Brilliant; in which 
he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 
on the 25th of ‘January, 1758. From this 
fhip he accompanied his father, in the fame 
capacity, on board the Norfolk, then under 
orders for the Eaft Indies, and having arrived 
there, was very rapidly promoted to the rank 
of Poftt-Captain, by commitlion bearing date 
July 18th, 1763. The fhip he toox the 
command of on this occafion is faid, by Mr. 
Hardy, to have beén the Bellaine, though no 
fuch thip appears on the lift of the royal navy. 
From this period till the year 1775 the naval 
annals are filent concerning him; in the 
latter year, we find him appointed to the 
Phenix, in which he proceeded to North 
America, where he diftinguithed himfelf in 
various petty encounters, particularly, when 
having, on the 9th of Otober, 1776, been 
detached wit) the Roebuck and Tartar under 
his orders, he forced a paflage, above the 
American works at Jeftry’s Hook, on York 
Tfand. For his conduét on this occafion, 
his Majefty was pleafed to confer on him the 
honour of knighthood. Thouwgh Sir Hyde 
continued in aétive fervice in the fame feas 
for the two fucceeding years, nothing particu- 
larly inierefiing occurred, and the ‘Phenix 
being in want of a complete repair, he re- 
turned in her to England avout the beginning 
of the year 1779. Sir Hyde fill retained 
the command of the fame fhip in which he 
was ordered at the clofe of the year to Ja- 
maica. He failed in the month of Decemter, 
in company with Sir George, afterwards 
Lord Rodney, who was deftined for Gibraltar. 
Sir Hyde having parted company, proceeded 
with the convoy, which had been configned 
to his charge, to the place of his deftination, 
and having feen it faie into port,- continued 
to cruife in thofe feas with confiderable fuc- 
cefs, till the month of O€tober, whena tremen- 
dous hurricane, which then laid watte almoft the 
whole of the iflands in that quarter of the world, 
proved fatal tothe Phenix. She was wrecked 
on the ifland or Cuba, aiter having received 
the greateft injury during the tempeft: of 
the crew, twenty were uniortunately wafhéed 
overboard with the main maft; all the re- 
mainder, together with Sir Hyde, amounting 
to two hundred and forty perfons, reached 
7D 3 the 
