"April 22, 1816.

"No bipeds ever lived more happily than we. I am now sitting in a room six feet square, with a notable housewife, three sprawling brats, and a tame squirrel, in the midst of which this letter tells you how I chirp."

"July 24, 1818.

"I do assure you we have long learned to see the absurdity of keeping up what is called an establishment; we have neither carriage, cart, horse, ass, or mule; and, if I were ten times richer, I would live as I do now, in a cockchafer box, close packed up with my wife and children. We never visit, consume only wine of our own making, and breed nothing but rabbits and children."

Here, therefore, he remained, and henceforth thought no more either of removing or of travelling. Nevertheless, his anxiety about the MSS. did not cease, and it is creditable to him to mention, that through his means a considerable sum (five hundred pounds), was placed by the government at the disposal of a gentleman from Cephalonia, for the purpose of effecting this great literary object.

CHAPTER IX.

The friends and correspondents of Dr. Clarke-Mr. Burckhardt and his Letters-Mr. Eustace.

THE narrative will now turn aside for a while from Dr. Clarke to advert to other persons connected with him. Of his friends and correspondents it may be said, without the slightest exaggeration, that they formed no inconsiderable portion of the persons whose learning and genius have shed a lustre upon their country during the last twenty years, and this, not in one department only, but in several; and if he had shewn as much regard for his own letters, by taking copies of them, as he did for those of others, by preserving them, they would have constituted together a body of correspondence as interesting and instructive as any which has been presented to the public in our memory. His curious and ardent mind, was ever stirring some question of ancient or modern learning, for which the course of study connected with his Travels or his Lectures, was constantly supplying fresh materials, as various as they were important, and it is only necessary to subjoin the names of some of the persons who took a share in these discussions, to satisfy the reader how much both of light and interest the application of such minds must have brought to them.* Of these it is not intended to assert that every

* Besides the eminent names of Porson, Parr, and Burney, with Dr. Maltby and Dr. Butler, already mentioned, there appear in the departments of classical and philological literature, Mr. Payne Knight, Dr. Raine, Dr. Bloomfield, Professors

one was a regular correspondent of Dr. Clarke, although many of them were so in the most extensive sense of the term, but merely to affirm, that they all contributed in their several ways, and in a greater or less degree, to that mass of active information, which he was constantly employed in distributing, through various channels, to the minds of others; for with him the delight of acquiring knowledge was only equalled by that of communicating it. Nor could there possibly exist a stronger testimony to his own candour, liberality, and intelligence, than that such a host of men, so variously gifted and endowed, some of them neither easy of access, nor prodigal of information, should have found it a pleasure for so many years to co-operate in his labours, and to interest themselves in his success we say, found it a pleasure, for it is gratifying to observe, that the great bulk of these letters are as expressive of good-will and kindness, as they are distinguished by intelligence and learning; and the fact itself will be considered as one of the most remarkable features in the life and character of the man. The letters on Mineralogy consist of two large volumes, col

Monk and Dobree, Dr. Kaye (Bishop of Bristol), Mr. Matthias, Mr. Weston, &c.; amongst persons distinguished by travel, or in the fine arts, Mr. John Hawkins, Mr. Malthus, Lord Byron, Mr. Walpole, Lord Aberdeen, Mr. Squire, Lord Valentia, Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Hobhouse, Mr. Banks, Mr. Burckhardt, Dr. Heber, Sir W. Gell, Mr. Hamilton, Major Rennel, Mr. Pennant, &c.; in chemistry, mineralogy, and natural history, Dr. Wollaston, whose letters are particularly kind and instructive, Mr. Tennant, Sir H. Davy, Mr. Wavel, Dr. Thomson, the mineralogical Professor at Aberdeen, Mr. Hailstone, Dr. Milner, Dean of Carlisle, Professor Kidd of Oxford, Mr. Holme, Mr. Lunu, Mr. Leslie, Dr. Brewster, Mr. Jameson, Sir W. Smith, Mr. Lambert, &c.; to these may be added, Mr. Edgeworth, Mr. Wilberforce, Dr. Nicholls, Arabic Professor at Oxford; amongst foreigners, Chevalier, Pallas, Haüy, Nozen, &c.-This list does not include the names of many of his eminent friends resident at Cambridge, with whom his communications were chiefly oral.

lected and bound up by himself, and would almost form a history of the science for the last ten years: those of Mr. Matthias, from Italy, are very numerous, and as remarkable for their classical taste, as for their playfulness and affection. Upon these stores it is not the intention of the author of this Memoir to intrude: happily, most of the writers still survive, and if it were otherwise, even the most moderate use of their correspondence would lead him far beyond the limits and the object of the present work; nevertheless one exception will be made, in the case of Mr. Burckhardt, an accomplished traveller like himself, whose letters will now be given, partly because they throw light upon his connexion with Dr. Clarke, which was highly honourable to both, and partly because, although possessing much interest, as well from the character of the man as from the circumstances under which they were written, they are not likely in any other way to see the light.

1

It has been affirmed in the Memoir prefixed to Mr. Burckhardt's Travels, that the bequest of his Arabic MSS. (the choicest collection in Europe) to the Public Library at Cambridge, was intended as a mark of gratitude for the literary benefits and the kind attention which he received there; the statement is undoubtedly true, but it remains to be recorded how much of the merit of these services is due to Dr. Clarke, and how happily in this instance, as well as in others, his exertions and character have tended indirectly to the credit of the University, whose welfare he had so much at heart.

Mr. Burckhardt was a gentleman by birth, as well as by education, and resided for a considerable time in Cambridge, both before and after his engagement with the African Society, in 1808; chiefly with the view of profiting by such opportunities

as the place afforded for improving himself in natural history and oriental literature. He brought few recommendations, and from principle as well as inclination, lived exceedingly private and retired; nor was there any thing at that time, either in his conversation or manner, which was likely to strike an ordinary observer; for the dispersion of his family by the French Revolution, had added seriousness to a character naturally grave; and at all times his parts were more solid than specious. Dr. Clarke, however, soon found him out, and by every means which his own resources and his situation in Cambridge supplied, endeavoured to give effect to his views, and to make his residence agreeable to him, as well as instructive. His house was open to him at all times-he procured him access to whatever books or persons were likely to be of service to him; and without wishing to detract from the kindness of others, and particularly from that of Dr. and Mrs. Marsh, to which Mr. Burckhardt himself always attached the highest value, it may be said, that most of his happiest hours were spent in Dr. Clarke's society, and in that of his family. Nor was his sagacity more remarkable with regard to this gentleman, than his kindness. He soon discovered in Mr. Burckhardt those qualities for which he has been since so distinguished, and was delighted to bring them forward to the notice of his friends, to whom he also frequently predicted, that high degree of reputation which he afterward attained. How sensible Mr. Burckhardt was of this kindness, may be partly inferred from the fact of his having confided his MSS. to Dr. Clarke; but the letters now submitted to the reader will shew it more decidedly.