and in listening to the essays of Addison, his favourite author. He frequently had, during his last illness, declared, what his intimates knew well before, his thorough belief of the Christian religion, his veneration for true Christians of all persuasions; but his own preference of the articles of the church of England. In that mode of faith he was educated, and that he preserved through life. He had conversed for some time, with his usual force of thought and expression, on the gloomy state of his country, for the welfare of which his heart was interested to the last beat. His young friend, Mr. Nagle, coming to his bed-side, after much interesting and tender conversation, he expressed a desire to be carried to another apartment. Mr. Nagle, with the assistance of servants, was complying with this request, when Mr. Burke faintly uttering, "God bless you!" fell back, and breathed his last, Saturday July 8th, 1797, in the sixty-eighth year of his age' *.

On Saturday the 15th he was interred in Beaconsfield church: his funeral being attended by many noblemen and gentlemen, with whom his latter habits had led him to intimacy. In his will, which is written thoroughly in his own style, he bequeathed all his property to his wife, with the exception of one or two legacies. She was constituted sole executrix; the testator soliciting for her, however, the assistance of Dr. King and Dr. Lawrence.

Thus we have endeavoured to extract a succinct and uninterrupted account of the life of Mr. Burke, from the materials which Dr. Bisset furnishes. We have given barely the facts which lie scattered through an octavo volume of 600 pages. For observations, comments, circumstances, and other collateral matter, we must refer to the book.

With respect to the work itself, we shall now offer a few observations.

Of every composition, it is a principal merit that the author observes throughout an unity of design. In a certain sense, we think that Dr. Bisset is eminently entitled to praise in this respect; for in no part of this volume does he forget for a moment what appears to have been his first and great object, namely, " to prove the CONSISTENCY of Edmund Burke." We have attentively considered the various hints, arguments, allusions, and remarks, which occur in almost every page of the Doctor's book, all subsidiary to this great end; and allowing to Dr. Bisset every praise for industry and ingenuity in the accomplishment of his task, we cannot say that he has CONVINCED

us.

In fact, what has Dr. Bisset done to prove the consistency of Mr. Burke? He has analysed the voluminous productions

* This extract is somewhat abridged, on account of the unusual length of the article.

of

of this great writer, from his outset in public life until the commencement of the French Revolution, - and he has extracted from the mass a few detached sentences and a few general principles; and because there is an apparent coincidence between these and some of the principles which Mr. Burke avowed and on which he acted in the latter part of his life, the Doctor infers that Mr. Burke was consistent:--but it is not by such arguments that consistency is to be ascertained. Where is the political renegado, whose apostacy could be proved if such evidence were to acquit? Where is the deserter of his party, who might not boast his steadiness and consistency, if so thin a veil were permitted to cover his versatility? The consistency of a great public character is not to be demonstrated by a casual coincidence of expression, by a sameness of phraseology, or by a continued avowal of the same abstract truths: it is the general tenor of conduct, the tendency of measures pursued, and the operating habitudes of a man's mind, that must prove him faithful or recreant, steady or inconsistent. Judged by these criteria, will Mr. Burke be acquitted? Will he, who during forty years of his life attached himself to a party, followed it through all its fortunes, and supported ALL its measures, be called consistent in breaking with that party, and joining himself to the opposite one, without any change in the principles of either? Was it consistent in him, who applauded America for dissolving its government, venturing into blood, and hazarding all the horrors of anarchy, in supporting its claim to perhaps one of the most doubtful of the " RIGHTS OF MAN," the right of self taxation; was it consistent in him to reprobate France for shaking off a despotism which violated all the " rights of man," and perverted the ends of society? Was it consistent in him, the tendency of whose writings, speeches, and conduct, for so many years, was to inspire mankind (and particularly his own country) with the warmest love of liberty and the highest admiration of revolutionary principles *, to write, speak, and act at last, we will not say with a view of re-establishing despotism in a country which had rescued itself from that curse, but certainly in such a manner as counteracted the spirit of liberty every where, and tended to perpetuate every establishment of despotism and superstition? In a word, was it consistent in the zealous champion of popular rights, the strenuous-we had almost said the virulent-antagonist of Mr. Pitt, to become at last a pensioner on the crown, and an eager

* It is apparent that we speak of the principles on which the Revolution of 1688 was founded.

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supporter of the administration which he had so often and so severely condemned? We charge not Mr. Burke with base or immoral motives: we have been among the most ardent admirers of his extraordinary powers; and we believe that he may have had reasons for every part of his conduct, which justified him to himself: -but that he was CONSISTENT, we think Dr. Bisset has not proved; and we doubt whether it be possible to prove it.

Considering this work as a literary production, perhaps it does not add much to the character which Dr. Bisset acquired by his last performance: yet it possesses considerable merit. Though what may properly be called the life of Burke is involved in this composition with a great variety of extraneous matter, yet that matter is frequently amusing and instructive; and, taken all together, it affords something like a general idea of our history during the period which it comprehends. Throughout the volume, indeed, we meet with the strongest proofs not only that the Doctor has attentively studied whatever relates to the immediate subject of which he treats, but that he possesses a very considerable fund of general information. The perusal of his book would, however, have been productive of more pleasure, if it displayed less of a studied phraseology. Ephemerous expedients, terrestrial superiority,' ' variegated powers,' &c. &c. are expressions which, if they do not violate the propriety of language, at least offend by their semblance of affectation. Dr. B. is likewise too fond of abstraction; such phrases as the 'philosophy of mind,' and 'the knowlege of cause, force themselves too ofren on the reader.

Of his learning, and of his critical skill, the Doctor also seems too profuse:-the analysis of Cicero's eloquence, and the comparison of it with that of Mr. Burke, might have been spared; and we cannot help thinking that his frequent review of the state of letters, at different periods, seems in a Biographer rather an encroachment on the province of the Historian, and more calculated to display his own knowlege than to illustrate his subject. Without imputing this design to Dr. Bisset, however, we will only farther remark that, were he to appear less learned and more simple in his compositions, he would probably become a much greater favourite with his ART. IV. A Voyage to St. Domingo, in the Years 1788, 1789, and 1790. By Francis Alexander Stanislaus Baron de Wimpffen. Tran Translated from the original Manuscript, which has never been published. By J. Wright. 8vo. pp. 400. 68. Boards. Cadell jun. and Davies. 1797.

Na preface to this volume, we are informed by the author "Letters of a Traveller," which were merely extracts from a more voluminous work, intended by him to have been printed with his "Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope:" but that, being called by particular circumstances to St. Domingo, he saw himself compelled to renounce a publication' which, in the present situation of affairs, might possibly not have been uninteresting to the reader.'

I that in 1788 he sent to the press

Of the volume before us, he says that it contains a part of his observations during a residence of two years, in the richest and most flourishing of all the colonies' but that it may perhaps be objected to him, that to some details of importance, he has joined others of too minute and trifling a nature, for such as look for nothing in voyages but great political and commercial events.' - In answer to this, however, he observes that travellers are not more exempt than other people, 'from the weakness of attaching a certain value to the honour of occupying for a moment the attention of the public. But exclusive of this consideration, there are many readers more or less pleased with what may be called the dramatic part of a book of travels; and I frankly confess (says he) that I am one of the number.'

• The work, however, (continues the author,) is very far from being so complete as it might have been, if unforeseen events had not compelled me to leave, in a depot from whence it may never be possible for me to recover them, together with the manuscript of my "Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope," a variety of materials, by the assistance of which I proposed some day or other, to give a greater extension to my observations on Saint Domingo.'

The remaining and greatest part of the author's preface consists of observations on the manner in which the conquest of St. Domingo has been conducted;' or, as he might have more accurately said, attempted. Of these, however, we shall take no particular notice, since nearly all that Great Britain had acquired in that island, at an enormous expence in men and money, has been lately abandoned; without, as we believe, any intention even of endeavouring to extend our remaining possessions there.

Baron de Wimpffen's account of his voyage to St. Domingo is formed and divided into Letters, which are in general well

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written; written; and they are rendered lively and more entertaining, by the frequent introduction of his own sentiments and reflexions on the various objects and events which presented themselves. The occurrences at sea, which our author describes, are in general similar to those that we find in the accounts of modern voyages; and indeed many of his communications from St. Domingo resemble those which have been made by other travellers in different parts of the West Indies, because the circumstances, productions, and modes of life, in all these islands, have a near resemblance.

The true and original name of St. Domingo, according to our author, is involved in obscurity:

Francis Coreal (says he) informs us that the natives called it Quisquia, Haiti, and Cipanga *. It seems to me that these were not so much the name of the whole island, as of the different districts, in which the original inhabitants had formed their establishment. The Spaniards, at first, called it Isabella +; afterwards they gave it the name of Hispaniola. In this they were followed by all the commercial people of Europe, except the French, who, confounding the name of the capital, San Domingo, with that of the Island, called, and still continue to call it, Saint Domingo.'

• The Spanish part of this Island is infinitely more extensive, more fertile, and more abundantly supplied with water than the French; but, on the other hand, there is too little industry to be found in it, and too many monks.' - The Spanish colonists, naturally indolent, and moderate in their desites, are satisfied with breeding a few head of cattle, on whose milk they subsist; and planting a little tobacco, which they smoke, stretched at their length in a hammock, suspended between two trees. The more active among them carry on a trifling commerce with the French in tasso or smoked bacon, and in live stock, of which the horse, known by the name of Baya-hondros, is the most valuable article. They also, I believe, furnish Europe at present with that excellent species of tobacco called Saint Domingo; for the inhabitants of the French part of the island scarcely cultivate enough to supply the home consumption.'

• As it seems necessary that a certain number of absurd prejudices should imprint the mark of folly on every thing which relates to the human species; it is here the colour of the skin, which, in its different degrees of shade from black to white, takes place of the distinctions of rank, of merit, of birth, of honours, and even of fortune. So that a negro, although he proved his descent in a right line from the Magi who came to adore our Saviour, although he joined to the ge

* " Relation des Voyages," &c. Tom. I. Chap. 1. †' Correspondence de Fernand Cortez, &c. Lettre I, ‡ The "Histoire Generale des Voyages" concludes the history of the foundation of this city, with a most unpardonable blunder. " It became," says he, " in process of time, under the name of Saint, Domingo, one of the most flourishing of the French Settlements."

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