134 
people, who greatly bewailed the death of 
Germanicus, he played that part in the 
fenate which N.N. {6 much recommends ? 
Tyrants, Sir, are nearty the fame in all 
ages, and it is commonly by the fem- 
blance of fome virtue that they endeavour 
to impofe en the ignorant and the credu- 
lous; When I hear, therefore, of the 
magnanimity and humanity of Tiberius, 
or of Bonaparte, and confider the condudét 
- which each has exhibited on the flage of 
life, T regret that mankind thould -fuffer 
themfelves to be deceived by fictitious 
and unmeaning words, and that any fe- 
nate fhould be fo bafe and venal as to re 
echo the hypocritical cant of its tyrannical 
Tuler. 
If Tiberius was fincere in the part 
which he aéted refpe€ting the fons of Ger- 
manicus, his conduét may be thus ex- 
plained. According to the will of Au- 
guitus, which was read in the fenate, Ti- 
berius and Livia were appoin ed bts fuc- 
ceffors ; next, the nephews and grandchil- 
denof Tiberius; and laftly, fome of the 
principal men of the city, who were ene- 
miesto Tiberius. His fon Drufus being 
—— 
Memoirs of the Right Hon. William Pint. 
[March 1, : 
dead, and no profpe€t remaining that the 
throne would be occupicd by any of his 
grandchildren, it became ncceflary to en« 
~ deavour to retain the diadem in fome branch 
of his family, and not to fuffer it to be af- 
fumed by thofe who were enemies to his 
perfon and gevernment. why, 
Notwithftanding the opinion of N. N., 
I cannot find in the hiftory of ‘Tacitus any 
inftances of the right feelings of Tiberius. 
At times, indeed, he diffembled his re- 
fentment ; but he aiterwards fuffered it to 
break forth with redoubled fury.” He 
had aéted fo long in a fiCtitious character 
before his elevation to the throne, that he 
could net at once exhibit himlelf in his 
native colours; and in the commence- 
ment of his reign his diffimulation and de- 
ceit rendered every one a dupe to his af- 
feftatioa of goodnefs. Too foon, how- 
ever, the mafk was laid afide, and the 
malignity of his mind difcovered. He 
lived a monfter of cruelty and of every 
vice, and died unlamented. 
J. Roginson. 
Ravenflonedale, Feb. 5, 1806. 
ee 
ACCOUNT of the RIGHT HONOURABLE 
WILLIAM PITT, F.R.~S, A. M. date 
FIRST LORD of tbe TREASURY, CHAN. 
CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, CON: 
STABLE of DOVER CASTLE, LORD 
WARDEN Of {0€ CINQUE PORTS, an 
ELDER BROTHER cmd MASTER of the 
TRINITY HOUSE, GOVERNOR of the 
CHARTER HOUSE, ONE of the REPRE- 
SENTATIVES for, and HIGH STEWARD 
of, the UNIVERSITY Of CAMBRIDGE, 
&e. 
O treat of living charaéters requires 
no fmall fhare of delicacy ; but in 
reipect to thole who are no more, a greater 
latirnde is ufually allowed, and the a/ 
nifi verum is then rigoroufly required, in 
refpe&t to public men. It is with fome 
hefitation, however, that we tread on the 
yet warm athts of the dead, more efpe- 
cially when the public opinion is agitated 
by party zeal, ani time has not as yet 
finally decided on the intereited panegyrics 
of friends, the fufpicious accufations of 
rivals, or the more open and avowed hofii. 
lity of declared enemies. 
To befow indifcriminate cenfure or 
slaufe, is an eafy tafk ; but to be juft 
av 
rt fig hae j ie 
we mutt dilcriminate. It is frem a dit- 
MEMOIRS OF EMINENT PERSONS, 
paffionate review of the life of any man, 
that his character is to be appreciated, his 
talents are to be eftimated, his confittency 
to be judged of, and his condué finally 
decided upon. Contemporaries may pre- 
fent crowns; it is left for pofterity to de- 
cide whether they have been fairly earned « 
the night thade is fometimes entwined with 
the laurel! 
William Pitt, the fourth child of Wil- 
Jiam Pitt, afterwards Earl of Chatham*, 
by Gether Grenville, fifter of Richard, 
late Earl Temple, was born May 28, 
1759. His progenitor, Nicholas Pitt, 
* The following is aa account of the fa- 
mily of the former Earl of Chatham : 
1 John, the prefent earl, born September’ 
TO, 7756. 
2. Lady Hefther, born O&tober 18, 1755, 
married December sg, 1774, Charles Vifcount 
Mahon, only fon of Philip Earl Stanhope: 
(now Earl Stanhope), and died July 18, 
1780. ” ne : 
3. Henrietta, commonly called Lady Har 
kiot, born April 14, 17658. 
4. William, lately deceafed ; 
Ard 5. James-Charles, born April 24 
1761, who entered into the royal navy, and 
died in 1780, 
wke 
