Retrospect of Domestic 
Memoirs entertaining to the public; yet 
every reviewer, who has condesc eked to 
notice them, (those of Edinburgh ex- 
cepted) have had the charity to make me 
tuink they had read me with complacen- 
cy. But they were my countrymen ; 
they could feel fur my motives, they 
could allow for wy difficulties; they had 
too much manliness of nature to en- 
deavour at depressing me, and forbore 
for atime to be critics for the gratifica- 
tion of exnibiting themselves in the more 
amiable character of gentlemen. 
“JT understand that these acrimonious 
Northern Britons are yeung men; [ re- 
joice to hear it, not only for the hen our 
of old age, but in the hope that they will 
live long enough to discover the error of 
their ambition, the misapplication of 
their talents, one that the combination 
they have formed to mortify their cen- 
temporarjes, is in fact a conspiracy to 
undo themselves.” In these additions, 
however, we do not find many anecdotes 
of primary importance. A copious Index 
which now accompanies the work will 
be found extremely useful. 
In the “ Public Characters” of 1807 
we announce the nimth volume of a 
work which has experienced a degree 
of circulation almost unprecedented. 
To give a complete analysis of its con- 
tents, here, would be impovsible, as it 
would occasion us to enter too much 
into detail. 
merate the more remarkable persons 
whose characters are drawn. The first 
and most prominent is Mr. Whitbread : 
the next is Mr. Hobhouse. Among those 
who follow: Lord Redesdale, 
merville; Mr. Mittord, 
Greece; the Earl of Eigin, Mr. Sergeant 
Hill, and Sir William Scott, may be men- 
tioned as the principal. 
Connected ‘also. with Biography is, 
“< The Child’s Welfare,” by Mr. Hoxto- 
way, of Reading. It forms the sub- 
stance of a Funeral S Sermon, and is stated 
to-contain the Kxperience of Miss Louisa 
Faller; who died at the ace of little more 
than eleven 7 years. The preacher’ Ss own 
experience we should suppose might have 
supplied him with more useful materials 
for an exhortation to his hearers than any 
thing, however, altered, in the’ corre- 
spondence of a child.” "At any rate to 
have preached such a sermon was 
enough. : 
Mr. Barrow, in the “ Account,” 
which he has given “ of the public Life 
of the Earl of Macartney,” appears ri- 
eidly to have confined himself to those 
general eyents and transactions of the 
Literature— Biography. 
It may be sufficient to enu-, 
Lord So- 
the historian of 
633 
times in which the subject of his narra- 
tive bore a conspicuous part. A fairer 
portrait of an honest statesman will hard- 
ly any where be found. The Life itself 
does not occupy the whole even of the 
first volume, (George Macariney, it ap- 
pears, was born the 14th of May 1737, 
at the family mansion of Lissanoure. At 
the age of thirteen, he was admitted a 
feliow-commoner of Prinity College, Dub- 
in, where he proceeded M.A. 1759. 
fiom Dublin he eame to London, and 
was entered of the Society of the Middle 
Temple, where he formed an intimacy 
with several characters who were rising 
into eminence: but not intending to 
study the law with a view to practice in 
that profession, he only remained there 
till he had completed his arrangements 
for making the tour of Europe. In the 
course of his Traveis he became ¢ acquaint- 
ed with the late Lord Holland, of whose 
family, on his return to England, he be-~ 
came an inmate; and soon afterwards a 
representative in Parliament for the bo- 
rough of Midhurst. About this time the 
affairs of Russia having assumed an in- 
Lee: aspect for Europe, an alliance 
with that power appeared desirable to 
England, on many considerations, and 
particularly in a commercial polat of 
view. <A treaty of commerce had for 
some years before engaged the attention 
of the British government; but none of 
its diplomatic agents. had either skill or 
weight enough to make any progress with 
the Russian cabinet. Under these cir 
cumstances, Mr. Macartney’s abilities 
were employed by Lord Sandwich ?, and 
on August 22, 1764, he was appointed 
envoy extraor ‘dinary to the empress. Oa 
this occasion he received from his Majes~ 
ty the honour of knighthood. Having, 
laid the solid foundation of a good under= 
standing with Count Panin, who was 
then at the head of the Rucsian affairs, 
he ventured to com the grand object of 
his mission, and, after a close nevuciation 
of four months, the treaty of cominerce 
was brought to a conclusion. Owing to 
an ambiguity 1 in one of its clauses, hope 
ever, it was not ratified by the English 
court. But, a second tr eaty eae sigued, 
the great object of his mission was ag 
tained; and Sir George ees ney re- 
turned to England. On. February 1, 
1768, he was married to Lady Jane 
Stuar t, second daughter of dob Earl of 
Bute, and in the following year was ap- 
pointed chief secretary of eek under 
the administration of Lord Townshend. 
In 1772, he relinguished this situation 
being nominated about the same tiie a 
knigus 
ny 
