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for new, I never see but such French as come to visit the school (at Penn), which supplies me the void in my own family, and is my only comfort. For the sake of that I still submit to see some who are still more miserable than I am."

Lamentation and consolation came from many quarters. Abraham Shackleton has the melancholy satisfaction of perusing dear Edmund's account of his poor state of health. "He hopes (trusts) that a quiet resting-place is prepared for him. The memory of E. Burke's philanthropic virtues will outlive the period when his shining political talents will cease to act. New fashions of political sentiment still exist; but philanthropy,-immortale manet !"

To Dr. Laurence he writes, June 1: "As to the state or my body since my return, I cannot help smiling at the thought of Woodford's seeing it in so gay a point of view; for I am sure if I should wish to see you, you will rather think me a man dug out of the grave than as a man, going, as I am, into it. I am infinitely weaker than when I left this, and far more emaciated. 'Pallor in ore sedet, macies in corpore toto.' I look like Ovid's Envy, but, thank God, without envying any one; and certainly not in a condition to be envied, except by those who prognosticate the dreadful evils of every kind which you are impending over us."

Four days later, he writes a political letter to Dr. Laurence, in which, after speaking hopelessly of Ireland, he says: "As for the state of this Kingdom, it does not appear to me to be a great deal better than that of Ireland. Perhaps in some point of view it is worse. To see the Thames itself boldly blocked up by a rebellious fleet is such a thing as in the worst of our dreams we could scarcely have imagined. The lenitive electuary of Mr. Pitt's bill is perfectly in the old woman's dispensatory. The only thing which he spoke of, and which has any degree of common sense, is a general association of the whole kingdom to support Government against all disorder, and all enemies, foreign and internal; but I doubt whether he has stuff enough in him to carry it into

execution. What is all this coquetting with Sheridan? and what, except shame, do they get by it ?"

DEATH OF BURKE.

He was now visibly dying; but his mind, in the full conviction that his hour was approaching, was still active, and still occupied alike in those fond and those lofty interests which had so equally occupied his years. He was, indeed, awed with the inspired command: "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live." He sent messages of remembrance to some peculiarly valued friends, declared his account of friendship and enmities with the world, by forgiv ing all injuries. He sent to Mr. Wilberforce for his book on Christianity. "Have you been told," Mr. Henry Thornton asks Mrs. Hannah More, "that Burke spent much of the two last days of his life in reading Wilberforce's book, and said that he derived much comfort from it, and that if he lived, he should thank Wilberforce for having sent such a book into the world? So says Mrs. Crewe, who was with Burke at the time. Before his death Mr. Burke summoned Dr. Laurence to his side, and committed specially to him the expression of these thanks."-(Life of Wilberforce, vol. ii.)

He talked occasionally of his own political course, of his principles, his purposes, and the prospects of the country. His life had been religious, and its close was Christian. He declared that he sought the Divine mercy on the grounds and the principles of the Christian faith, seeking it only through the blessed Redeemer, "whose intercession," as he himself expressed it, "he had long sought with unfeigned anxiety, and to which he looked with trembling hope." He then gave some private directions connected with his approaching de cease; and his last moments were passed in listening to the reading of Addison's papers on the Immortality of the Soul, When these were being read, he became faint, and desired to be carried to his bed. His attendants, with Mr. Nagle, of the War Office, were bearing him in their arms,

when his

breathing became difficult, he attempted to articulate a blessing on those around him, but sank down, and after a momentary struggle, expired, July 9, 1797, in the 68th year of his age.

Dr. Laurence describes his end as "suited to the simple greatness of mind which he displayed through life, every way unaffected, without levity, without ostentation, full of natural grace and dignity. He appeared neither to wish nor to dread, but patiently and placidly to await, the appointed hour of his dissolution." Who, upon reading these touching details, will not say in the language of Scripture: "O may I die the death of the righteous, and may my latter end be like unto his ?"

Mr. Prior gives these particulars of the post-mortem examination : "His heart was found to be preternaturally enlarged, affording confirmation to the belief, if the common idea of the sympathy between the heart and the affections of the mind be founded in fact, that grief for the loss of his son killed him. An abscess had likewise formed in his side, which some of his medical attendants, among whom was Dr. Lynn, of Windsor, considered of a cancerous nature." Sir Gilbert Blane, who had been previously consulted, informed Mr. Prior, in a long conversation on the subject, that "he had arrived at that conclusion from the first, of the disease being a scirrhous affection of the stomach."

The will was, itself, a document worthy of the mind of Burke. It commenced with the striking and pious acknowledgment of his faith. "According to the ancient, good, and laudable custom, of which my heart and understanding recognise the propriety, I bequeath my soul to God, hoping for his mercy only through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. My body I desire to be buried in the church of Beaconsfield, near to the bodies of my deceased brother and my dearest son; in all humility praying, that as we have lived in perfect unity together, we may together have part in the resurrection of the just." His brother-in-law, Mr. John Nugent, he bequeaths to the protection of his political friends,

in order to provide for his interests; and "to his entirely beloved and incomparable wife, Jane Mary Burke," is given the whole of the property in fee simple. To his niece, Mrs. Haviland, whose husband was alive at the time the will was drawn up, was left a legacy of 1000l.

THE FUNERAL.

The public grief for the death of Burke was expressed in the strongest language of regret and admiration. The Sovereign, the Senate, and the People alike lamented the loss of this eminent person. Mr. Fox, in the House of Commons, proposed that he should be interred in Westminster Abbey; forgetting that when in early manhood Burke first visited that majestic edifice, after expressing the feelings excited by the building and the illustrious dead, he added: "Yet, after all, I would rather sleep in the southern corner of a little country churchyard, than in the tomb of the Capulets.” The wish was almost literally fulfilled. He does not, it is true, rest in a country churchyard, but a country church contains his body, and the south isle exhibits his monument. once remarked: "I should like that my dust should mingle with kindred dust," which is the case. Burke, his wife, his only and loved son Richard, and his brother Richard, all sleep in the same vault.

He

All classes of his own friends at a distance, The body had been re

The day of interment was July 15. neighbourhood, as well as his titled were anxious to follow his remains. moved to the house of Mrs. Salisbury Haviland, in the town of Beaconsfield, the previous day, for the convenience of a walking procession to the church. Seventy members of the Benefit Society patronized by Burke, clad in mourning, preceded the corpse. The pall was borne by

Sir Gilbert Elliot, afterwards
Lord Minto.

The Speaker of the House of
Commons, afterwards Lord
Sidmouth.

The Duke of Portland, K.G.
Earl Fitzwilliam.

Duke of Devonshire, K.G. Earl of Inchiquin, afterwards Marquis of Thomond.

Mr. Windham. Lord Chancellor Loughborough, afterwards Lord Rosslyn.

Dr. Burney, who followed the remains to the grave, sent the following account to his daughter: "I was invited to poor Mr. Burke's funeral by Mrs. Crewe and two notes from Beaconsfield. Malone and I went to Bulstrode together in my car with two horses added to mine. Mrs. Crewe had invited me thither when she went down first. We found the Duke of P (ortland) there; and the duke of Devonshire and Windham came to dinner. The Chancellor and Speaker of the House of Commons could not leave London till four o'clock, but arrived a little after seven. We set off together to Beaconsfield, where we found the rest of the pall-bearers, Lord Fitzwilliam, Lord Inchiquin, and Sir Gilbert Elliot, with Drs. King and Laurence, Fred. North, Dudley North, and many of the private friends of the deceased, though by his repeated injunctions the funeral was to be very private. We had all hat-bands, scarfs, and gloves.

"He left a list to whom rings of remembrance are to be sent, among whom my name occurred; and a jeweller has been here for my measure. I went back to Bulstrode by invitation, with the two Dukes, the Chancellor and Speaker, Windham, Malone, and Secretary King. I stayed there till Sunday evening, and got home just before the dreadful storm. The Duke was extremely civil and hospitable--pressed me to stay much longer, and go with them, the Chancellor, Speaker, and Mrs. Crewe, to Penn, to see the school founded by Mr. Burke, for the male children of French emigrant nobles; but I could not with prudence stay.

"So much for poor Mr. Burke,-certainly one of the greatest men of the present (the 18th) century; and I think I might say, the best orator and statesman of modern times. He had his passions and prejudices to which I did not subscribe; but I always admired his great abilities, friendship, and urbanity; and it would be ungrateful in you and me, to whom he was certainly partial, not to lament his loss."

As might have been expected, the man who preferred the humility of a country churchyard to the stateliness of Westminster Abbey, as a resting-place for his remains, expressed

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