: considered himself in this light and succeeding ages have abundantly proved that he was not mistaken. The ever increasing pile of natural knowledge, which philosophers, following his method of experimental investigation, have been enabled to raise, is an eternal monument to his memory, on which distant posterity will read this inscription: BACON, THE FATHER OF EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY. The moral defects which were interwoven with intellectual excellencies in his character, it is impossible to disguise or forget, and in vain to palliate. The nobler were his conceptions, the more culpable was his obliquity of conduct. Flaws are most to be regretted in the most precious gems. When we meet with a Bacon disgracing himself by servility, ingratitude, and corruption, nothing remains but to lament such mortifying instances of human frailty, and to take care to draw from the instructive fact, the right moral inference. In the present case, instead of hastily concluding, that superior talents are rather to be dreaded than desired, as Pope seems to have done, when he wrote, If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shined we should infer the infinite superiority of the pursuits of intellect above those of ambition. Had Bacon been contented with being a philosopher, without aspiring after the honours of a statesman and a courtier, he would have been a greater and a happier. man. Lord Bacon was buried privately in Saint Michael's church, at St. Alban's, Herts; and the spot that contains the remains of this great man lay obscure and undistinguished till the gratitude of a private individual, formerly his servant; living, his attendant; dead, his admirer;' erected a monument to his name and memory. *17. 1790-DR. FRANKLIN DIED, Æt. 84. Dr. Franklin, perhaps, has scarcely been surpassed by any man, in that solid, practical wisdom, which consists in pursuing valuable ends by the most appropriate means. His cool temper and sound judgment secured him from false views and erroneous expectations; he saw things in their real light, and predicted consequences with almost prophetic accuracy. In all his speculations and pursuits, something beneficial was ever in contemplation; and his general character is sanctioned by the esteem and veneration of his country, which ranks him among its best and most valuable citizens. As a natural philosopher his fame is principally founded upon his electrical discoveries. He has, however, displayed great ingenuity and sagacity upon other topics, particularly relative to meteorology and mechanics. It was his peculiar talent to draw useful lessons from the commonest occurrences, which would have passed unnoticed by the generality of observers. As a political writer he is characterised by force, clearness, and simplicity; and of his miscellaneous pieces, many are marked with a cast of humour which render them equally entertaining and impressive. His Private Correspondence,' recently published in a quarto volume, exhibits the author to equal advantage as a philospher, man of business, moralist, and negotiator; here also will be seen the profound legislator and familiar friend, who opens his mind and delivers his sentiments with the same ingenuousness on matters of science and policy, the conduct of private life, and the interests of nations. His letters on public concerns are models of epistolary composition. 19. SAINT ALPHEGE. A native of England, Alphege was first Abbot of Bath, then Bishop of Winchester, in the year 984, and, twelve years afterwards, Archbishop of Canterbury. In the year 1012, the Danes being disappointed of some tribute money which they claimed as due to them, they entered Canterbury, and burnt both the city and church, and the greater part of the inhabitants were put to the sword. After seven months' miserable imprisonment, the good archbishop was stoned to death at Greenwich. *19. 1807.-JOHN OPIE died. Opie was the son of a carpenter, and was born at St. Agnes, near Truro, in Cornwall. He early indicated a disposition for the arts of design, and his first experiment, when about the age of ten, was to imitate a companion in drawing a butterfly. Soon after being with his father, who was repairing a gentleman's house at Truro, he was so much struck with the picture of a farmyard, that, after attentively surveying it, he went home, procured canvas and colours, and, by piecemeal, produced from memory a tolerable resemblance of the work. He then made a bold attempt at portrait. When between ten and eleven, one Sunday, his mother being at church, and his father sitting in a little parlour, reading the Bible, he placed himself in the kitchen opposite, and began to sketch his father's figure, frequently running in to get a nearer view of his face, till the old man was put quite in a passion at the interruption. This was what the young artist wanted. artist wanted. He instantly marked down his animated features, and finished his piece, the great resemblance of which excited no little pride both in his parent and himself. His bent was now decided, and pursuing this new object with great diligence, though at first against his father's approbation, as likely to spoil him for a carpenter, he furnished the house with portraits of all the family, and of his companions. His rustic fame now reached the ear of Dr. Wolcott, better known by the name of Peter Pindar: patronized by this gentleman, he came to London, and made rapid strides in his profession. Opie, like almost all English painters, was obliged to look upon portrait as his staple, and was often very happy in it, though more in male than female figures, for the latter of which he was thought deficient in ideas of grace and beauty. His historical works, however, are not few, and many of them must always be highly valued for the powerful impressions they excite. His Lectures on Painting at the Royal Academy' were published after his death, by his widow, in one volume, 4to, with a Memoir written by herself, whence we have gleaned the above particulars. 23.-SAINT GEORGE. Saint George is the patron Saint of England; for which the following reason is assigned: When Robert, Duke of Normandy, the son of William the Conqueror, was fighting against the Turks, and laying siege to the famous city of Antioch, which was expected to be relieved by the Saracens, St. George appeared with an innumerable army coming down from the hills all clad in white, with a red cross on his banner, to reinforce the Christians; this so terrified the infidels, that they fled, and left the Christians in possession of the town. Under the name and ensign of St. George, our victorious Edward III, in 1344, instituted the most noble Order of the Garter. St. George is usually painted on horseback, and tilting at a dragon under his feet, as represented on the reverse of the new Sovereigns now in circulation. The college of the Order of St. George is held in Windsorcastle, within the chapel of St. George, and the chapter-house, erected by the founder for that purpose. The habit and ensigns of the order, are, a surcoat, garter, mantle, hood, george, collar, cap, and feathers. The motto on the garter and star is, Honi soit qui mal y pense (evil be to him that evil thinks). The garter, is of blue velvet bordered with gold. The george is the figure of St. George, on horseback, in armour, encountering a dragon with a tilting spear, the whole of gold enamelled. It may be enriched with jewels at the pleasure of the possessor. It is worn across the right shoulder pendant to a garter blue or dark riband. The collar is of gold. Charles II ordained that the knights should always wear in public, embroidered on the left side of their coats or cloaks, the cross of St. George, surrounded with the garter, with rays of silver, forming a star of eight points. *24. 1816.-THOMAS JOHNES DIED. This amiable man was for many years known to the world, in a variety of public capacities; as a senator, a planter, an agriculturist, an ornamental gardener, and a man of letters. His translations of Froissart and Monstrelet are a real acquisition to English literature, and are eminent proofs of his talents and industry. His good taste was particularly shown in the erection of a splendid mansion at Hafod, in South Wales, and in the laying out of his grounds. He strictly followed nature. No incongruous ornaments, no studied surprises, no frivolity of decoration, broke in upon the harmony of the scene. The bleakness of the hills, indeed, he obviated by the means of trees, of which, in the course of sixteen years, he planted no less than 2,065,000. As these grew up, they added to the beauty of the ever-yarying prospect, which was rendered the more rich and interesting by the contrast which it presented to the lengthened sterility with which it was surrounded; a perfect Eden situated in the midst of a perfect wilderness. But this paradise did not long escape the flaming sword: while Mr. Johnes was attending his parliamentary duties, the noble mansion, and a great part of his fine library, were destroyed by fire! His wife and daughter were saved with the greatest difficulty! In the hour of affliction, Mr. Johnes never gave way to despondency. He bore this heavy loss with fortitude and equanimity. Grateful to that Providence which had spared to him the objects of his chief solicitude, he diverted his mind from unavailing regrets as to the past, by laying plans for the future. |