saying gravely that, "there are few individuals who have travelled more through foreign countries, or at a period of life when greater advantage is to be reaped from visiting them." As correctly as we can learn, Sir John was only abroad twice or thrice, and the whole of his journey might be performed with exceeding ease in a couple of months. For the period of life, it should not be necessary to remind Sir John, that which he selected is precisely that which is commonly chosen for the same purpose, viz. between twenty and thirty. He had intended to acquire vast stores of valuable information when abroad; and it would appear, that being much afflicted by the death of his wife, Mr. Pitt thought that a trip to the continent might assuage Sir John's sorrows. From this he expected that Mr. Pitt was to be charmed with the great intelligence which he was to import; but he had the misery to find on his return, that Mr. Pitt gave himself no trouble to profit by his accumulated treasures. Sir John is not vindictive, since it is plain that he has fully forgiven Mr. Pitt for his apathy in this and other small points betwixt them. It gives us pleasure to know that one part of Sir John's object in travelling was to see the persons the most distinguished for their beauty." We think this taste is quite as creditable as the fancy for seeing pictures and statues—with few of which does Sir John ever seem to have fallen in; and though his success in this principal part of his enterprise is not distinctly recorded, we trust, for the sake of the gallant chevalier-an appellation to which he is legitimately entitled from his post in the Fencibles-that it was as signal as the design was meritorious. In the course of his travels, Sir John had the honour of being presented to the Emperor Joseph. It must have offered Sir John considerable satisfaction to learn, that this excellent monarch had somewhat of Sir John's taste for beauty, and none of that aversion to indulgence, which his name is sometimes employed to indicate. Sir John relates, that "he obtained great popularity by receiving petitions, even from his meanest subjects, at a certain place in the palace appointed for them to stand at, and to which he came personally by a private passage. Sometimes the finest young women in Vienna attended under pretence of having grievances to be redressed. This often gave occasion for scandal. But he always said that he was determined to keep no mistress, lest she should acquire an ascendancy over him; and as to debauching women of condition, he thought such practices in the highest degree unworthy of a sovereign." We are rather taken with the ingenuity of the damsels, and would have excused Sir John had he informed us a little more minutely of their success.

Having thus seen the Emperor Joseph, Sir John acquired a fancy for crowns. When the allied Sovereigns visited this country in 1814, Sir John waited on the Emperor Alexander, and entertained his Majesty with a discourse on the great superiority of salted over unsalted hemp. The Emperor was delighted. It could scarcely be otherwise, considering the guise in which Sir John came. It is thus described by his own simple pen :-" The Emperor was alone in his cabinet, when I was presented, dressed in a green uniform, with an open, pleasant, and a goodhumoured countenance, and with an appearance manly and interesting." We cannot conceive why Sir John should have dressed himself in this uniform, which does not belong to any order in this country with which we are acquainted; but we have no difficulty in forgiving the open, &c. countenance, and the manly appearance, which we are satisfied was not more engaging on this occasion, than it uniformly is, as any of our readers may witness by visiting the studio of Mr. Lawrence M'Donald, 801 Pall Mall West. The salted hemp was not the only topic of conversation. It further appears that Sir John explained to him the nature of his pyramid; but as we are not clever at diagrams, we are unable to convey

It has been hinted, that the above description applies not to Sir John, but to the Emperor. If this be true, it may solve the difficulty as to the uniform, but we do not feel authorized to depart from the plain meaning of the sentence, and the text must stand.

a faithful account of this part of the discourse. The pyramid is a machine, but it is vain to undertake the explanation.

Another of the renowned persons whom Sir John met, sometime or other, was Stanislaus king of Poland. Very honourable mention is made of this monarch, and it is right to tell that he had a high opinion of Sir John. "He was remarkably agreeable in his conversation, and said the most obliging things in the most courteous manner: for instance, he regretted that my stay was likely to be short,"-adding, "that he would not have parted with me so soon, had he not believed that I was a good Englishman-that I could be of service to my country at home, and that it might suffer by my absence." We recommend this as the most approved method of cutting short a tiresome audience. Sir John is occasionally remarkably pithy in his notices of kings. "Frederick the Great was certainly a most extraordinary character." But better still in regard to Gustavus the Third of Sweden: "Gustavus, as has always been the case with monarchs, was represented in different colours by his foes and his friends." There is one favourable trait in the king's character, which is, “that he was very attentive, as every wise king ought to be, to preserve his naval and military establishment on the best footing." Portraits of this description are faultless. In talking of Charles Jean, the present King of Sweden, who raised himself from a humble rank to a throne, and has had the unusual sense to keep it for a decent period, Sir John sets out in a high strain of eulogy, and observes, "there can be no doubt the present King of Sweden is possessed of very considerable talents." This is a very safe averment, and he would be a very bold man who should think of demurring to it. Frederick the Sixth, of Denmark, meets with much applause from Sir John, because he had not indulged to any excess in women or wine, or at the table."

Sir John was acquainted with several members of the House of Bourbon during their first exile in Scotland. In mentioning this circumstance, Sir John evinces the deep sagacity of his early years. It is singular," says he, "that in the second edition of the History of the Revenue, published in 1806-7, the Revolution in France was predicted several years before it took place." It is certainly very singular, that it should have been predicted in a history of the Revenue, which had no concern in the business; but the truly singular part of the affair is, that the Revolution should have been predicted several years before it happened. The unhappy event did not prevent Sir John from offering his duty to the Compte D'Artois, when he came to Edinburgh. Sir John relates, however, with distress, that his illustrious friend showed no sufficient concern in the agricultural fêtes of this sheep-loving country. "I was extremely anxious during his residence in Scotland, that he should pay some marked attention to agriculture, and be present at some of those public meetings, where the cultivation and improvement of the soil were the great objects of consideration. I was persuaded it would have an advantageous effect on the minds of the people of France. But his Royal Highness did not seem much inclined to enter into these ideas." Why should he? If Sir John himself had been expatriated from a kingdom and a crown, which it was his object to regain, he would not have cared two figs about agriculture. Any interest that the Compte might have taken in the affair, would have been disregarded in France, which, at that time, knew little of his Royal Highness, and never expected to see him within its bounds. Sir John is more appropriate in relating an anecdote of the ci-devant King: "I had the honour to be introduced to the Compte D'Artois, when he resided at the King's palace in Edinburgh. He was much admired for the affability of his deportment, and the pleasant sallies which he frequently produced. I recollect having waited on him in company with Lord Macdonald, who was about six feet five inches in height, or about two inches taller than I was: it was about the time of the Edinburgh races. He asked whether we had any horses in the field: I happened to say in return, that the horses in our part of Scotland were

remarkably small, and unfit for racing; on which he remarked with a good deal of archness, There is a great difference betwixt the men and the horses of your country.'" Sir John is married to a sister of this ample lord, and it cannot be said that there is any degeneracy in their offspring. The noblest blood of the land is in their veins, and Sir John has much cause to be proud of his family. Lord Byron relates a pleasing story of the eldest son, and we trust that the promises of his early years have been faithfully kept. It was foretold of Sir John himself in his early years, that he should one day be a great orator. If the same presage has been held out as to the honourable gentleman who has followed his father in the representation of his native country, we trust it will prove better founded.

Sir John struck up a great alliance with the son of the King of Sweden, because his name is Oscar. One of Ossian's heroes is so named; and as Sir John was concerned in the printing of Ossian, he informs us, that the league betwixt them was therefore inevitable. Oscar tells Sir John that among other reasons he is fond of Ossian, because the poem contains so many new ideas.

Sir John came into Parliament much about the same time as Mr. Pitt; and he informs us, that being then "an active and rising young member,' he was soon honoured by the friendship of the future Premier. Lord Mahon brought them acquainted. Their intimacy lasted for the greater part of Mr. Pitt's public life; but we have already said that Mr. Pitt found Sir John a bore; and on one or two occasions he made very merry in the House of Commons at Sir John's expense. Sir John relates that he became gradually estranged, and their acquaintance ceased. We hope Sir John is quite correct in saying, that it was through his suggestions, that Mr. Pitt was induced, in 1792, to adopt the system of issuing Exchequer Bills for the relief of the mercantile interests: it was no doubt owing to Sir John, that Mr. Pitt agreed to the establishment of the Board of Agriculture. Though it is not directly said by Sir John himself, we are given by him to understand on the opinions of others, that this was the wisest act of Mr. Pitt's administration. Sir John made sundry attempts to carry through a general inclosure bill, but these were all resisted by Mr. Pitt; and we agree with Sir John, that there is much cause to repent his opposition.

Our worthy agriculturist is very wroth with Mr. Pitt, because "he could never be prevailed upon to attend any of those fêtes which tend so much to promote a spirit of agricultural improvement." It would have been surprising if he had. The minister's time might possibly be more profitably employed than in learning the minutia of agriculture-indifference to which by no means betokened an indifference to the agricultural interest. Lord Erskine was, however, fond of Holkham, where Sir John frequently met him; and he relates a speech by the Chancellor, at one of the sheep-shearings, which is characteristic and good.

Of Mr. Fox, Sir John says little; he was uniformly politically opposed to him yet Mr. Fox seems to have been willing to further Sir John's agricultural schemes. Of Lord Melville he knew more, and is more communicative: one or two of the anecdotes which he relates deserve to be well conned by those who seek for private happiness in political eminence. Mr. Perceval seems to have been the beau ideal for a statesman in Sir John's eyes. To his other accomplishments it is said, “that he spoke without the disagreeable cant of the Bar." We beg Sir John to explain. We have no occasion to be complimentary to the Bar; but the bitterest enemy of this profession will not accuse it either of cant in matter or style. Sir John has given no instance of this disagreeable cant in any of the legal members of his time, and we know of none to whom the charge is imputable now. Mr. Perceval had the merit of agreeing with Sir John on the Bullion Question, and of giving him a place worth 2000l. a year, besides making him a privy councillor. These are considerations which

may probably have had some influence on the favourable estimate which he has formed of this lamented minister. We are told that the public was rejoiced at his elevation, and Sir John prints a few well-meaning compliments which were paid to him by his friends at this period. These are titled "Congratulations on Sir John Sinclair's appointment to be a member of the Privy Council, explanatory of the feelings of the public on that occasion." Then follow a couple of pages of notes, which are goodnaturedly considered as the public voice. It was during the sunshine of Mr. Perceval's favour, that Sir John published his answer to the Report of the Bullion Committee; and though we well remember that the thing was most contemptible, we are now modestly told, that "no tract could be better received by the public. It helped materially to stem the torrent," &c.; and, in short, it went far to save Europe.

Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning were also amongst Sir John's friends the character of the former will not be recognised as possessing an exuberance of point-" Lord Castlereagh, though an able man, was not a successful war minister." And he adds, what is not likely to be disputed, that "the management of a war requires great energy, secrecy, and decision." Sir John admired Mr. Canning: "I respected his character, and admired his talents; but, from peculiar circumstances, could not frequently prevail on him to support those measures in which I was desirous to obtain his assistance." This was certainly inexcusable on the part of a statesman so deeply versed in agriculture as Mr. Canning. Sir John quotes Mr. Canning's epitaph on his son as a great effort in poetry. To our humble tastes, the composition is in every respect unworthy of its author. Lord Loughborough meets with some sharp remarks from Sir John "The Chancellor was unfriendly to various measures which I considered of importance to the internal prosperity of the country, and seemed actuated with a degree of personal hostility for which I could not account." Lord Loughborough had no enmity to Sir John. His opposition was tempered with perfect good-nature; and it is no evidence of an inimical spirit, that he could not possibly bring himself to those views. Of the first Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir John says, "I have always considered the Marquis as the profoundest statesman that this country in modern times has produced," Most people would demur to this opinion; but the reason of it appears in the course of a few sentences. "There was no man who viewed in so favourable a light the statistical account of Scotland, and the establishment of a Board of Agriculture, as Lord Lansdowne."

When this Board was established, Sir John endeavoured to induce Mr. Wyndham to become a member of it, "Having informed him of this intention, I received the following communication in reply. It affords a specimen of that singular indecision for which, notwithstanding his superior talents, this extraordinary man was remarkable." What is here styled indecision, was a positive refusal to have any thing to do with the Board, as Mr. Wyndham declared he was totally ignorant of its proposed business.

Authorship is the sure passport to society in France; and as Sir John had written a history of the British revenue, a fact which was probably not known to more than three people in France, he assures us that he found an easy introduction and most kind reception in that country. His fame as a literary man brought him acquainted with Madame de Staël, then only Mademoiselle Necker; and he relates, what was singular enough, that at their first interview he found his fair friend reading Blair's Sermons, and, in compliment to his northern descent, playing "Lochaber no more." Among Sir John's female friends, we find none more respected than the late Duchess of Gordon, of whose correspondence Sir John was justly proud. He has published one or two of her letters, which show that her humour, though of the richest quality, was not her most valuable accomplishment, In general, Sir John does not publish any of his own letters; but when he is sensible of having excelled himself

in the matter of an epistle, he makes no scruple of favouring his reader with a choice extract. He had occasion to send a Carlisle codlin to Miss Edgeworth, and he sometime afterwards writes, "I am glad to find that you have taken the Carlisle codlin under your Patronage.' Be assured that it will occasion you no 'ennui,' and that it will be found as valuable a production as could be introduced either 'To-Morrow,' or at any other period into Ireland." Miss Edgeworth was doubtless charmed with all this smartness from a baronet of Sir John's gravity. It is with great pleasure we are able to state, that the Carlisle codlin has thriven in Ireland to an extent equal to Sir John's most sanguine wishes: but we understand that the Manx codlin would perhaps have suited as well. Mrs. Abington had the good fortune to attract Sir John's very favourable notice; for it seems he had learnt that she was fond of people who had been abused in the newspapers. Sir John prints a note from her which runs thus:- Mrs. A. is most extremely sensible of Sir John's goodness of allowing her the perusal of the invaluable work, (we believe, the Statistical Account of Scotland, in 21 vols.) with which it has pleased him to favour the public, and returns it with ten thousand thanks. She is miserable in not being able at this moment to send the discourse she mentioned to Sir John Sinclair." It is gratifying to know, that this eminent actress took so much interest in the Statistics of Scotland. Whether she was ever rescued from the misery of which she here speaks is not stated. The association of men and things in Sir John's mind and projects is generally sufficiently discoverable and amusing. Lord Nelson was a great naval commander-of course much at sea, and Sir John naturally concluded that he must take a great interest in the Fisheries. There was some society for their encouragement, of which Sir John was a member; and he had a note from the Admiral declining to dine with the Society. Sir John could not avoid publishing this as a proof of Lord Nelson's great regard for the Fisheries. The battle of Waterloo was not an event which Sir John could allow to pass without notice. He meditated an account of it, and very properly applied to the Duke of Wellington for correct information. The answer which he received from the Duke was, that his Grace knew little or nothing about the business: "I can give you no information that would be of any use to you. All that I can tell you is, that we met the enemy-that we fought a battle-and that we gained a victory." We really were not aware that the Duke was waggish. Sir John has had the good luck to be able to exhibit his Grace in this novel light. We do not like to make very strong statements, but we think we are safe in saying, that the Duke really did know something of this battle; we shall, however, be able to speak with more freedom, when Sir John's promised account of the engagement appears. Considering how little is known on the subject, it is sincerely to be hoped that Sir John's lucubrations may one day be added to the small existing stock of knowledge. The loss of the battle is ascribed to the fact, that the French had not the same bottom as the English. Their chance with the Dutch must have been comparatively less.

Once on a time, the Abbé Gregoire paid a visit to England and Sir John. The opinion which he then formed of the English is thus related by his host: "The people were a generous, hospitable, good people, and it would be a charming country, had it pleased God to give them more sunshine and French cooks." We agree as to the sunshine, but dissent as to the cooks. What follows is more questionable still: "The country was always enveloped in clouds, and he was almost starved, having nothing to eat but abominable legs of mutton, roast beef, beef-steaks, cabbages, and potatoes, none of which were half-cooked. The porter was bitter, and the port wine was so strong that he could not drink it." Sir John ascribes all this to the humanity of the Abbé's disposition.

In taking leave of Sir John for the present, it is right to mention on his own assurance, "that though he has spent a very laborious life, yet at the age of seventy-six he feels no material diminution in personal strength,