UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE,

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ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS

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VOL. VIII.

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1807.

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UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE.

No XLIV.-Vol. VIII.]

For JULY, 1807.

[New Series.

“ We shall never envy the honour, which wi! and learning obtain in any other cauie, if we can be numbered among the writers who have given ardour to vistue, arid confidence to truth.DR. JOHNSON.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

mentioned :-He is such a character, Sir Francis BURDETT, Bart.

that a secretary of state has issued an W

HEN the attention of the pub- order that he shall not be admitted

lic is by any circumstance into any public prison ; and the house brought to an individual, the enquiries of commons has voted that he shall are natural – Who and what he is ? not be a member of a coinmittee of What are his motives — his former enquiry into the abuses of the public pursuits - the manners of his life — expenditure. Two such compliinents his education and disposition? The imply something extraordinary; for natural malignity of mankind gene- one would have thought by the abuse rally gives an unfavourable answer in thrown out against him by the face the first instance to these enquiries; tions, that he ought to be sent into a and, if the individual attack any pre prison, rather than be prevented from the factions that support them will Francis Burdett has inveighed, with judice, whether in church or state

, going into one ; but the fact is, Sir not fail to cast out their envenomed equal justice and severity, against the darts, and the best actions are pervert- enormities committed in our prisons, ed by them into the most distorted and in the expenditure of the public appearances. At times, however, money; and the factions act iheretruth will prevail; and in spite of fore wisely in endeavouring to keep every effort of malignity and faction, out of his sight as much as possible the public will do that justice to a these enormities. character which his conduct deserves. It is curious to observe the various Such an instance was seen on the last artifices, used by faction, to deceive 29th of June, when Sir Francis Bur- the public, and to draw ott its at. dets was displayed to the people of tention from the main point to some Westminster, as the object of their free inferior object. Does a man of edu. choice, and every heart and voice was cation and study point out what he listed up at liis appearance. Faction conceives to be an error in faith and had proclaimed him to be an unworthy doctrine; instead of examining his subject, who had lost all public con- assertions, we are told that be is a fidence: the 29th of June contradict- disappointed man, and not to be lis. ed the impudence and wickedness of tened to. If a man, without educa. such asseriions :-Never was a more cation and of course manners, uiters general avowal of public feeling; and, wonths out of the pale of the establishwhatever may be the merits or de- ed church, then we are told, how can merits of Sir Francis Burdett, it can- such a low fellow pretend to give innot be denied, that a greater number struction! In other words, we are of persons cheered him on his pro- resolved to cling in general to our first gress, and applauded his sentiments conceived notions, and it is the object ai a public dinner, than has ever of the factions to prevent us from beaccompanied any public character in ing enlightened. 'Every thing is to be our memory.

raked together extraneous froin the Who then is Sir Francis Burdett, subject, and every thing is to be done, whose name is so much in every one's to prevent us from using the powers mouth? What is he distinguished for? of our reason and understanding in Among other things, two may be discussing the point in question. It is UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL.VIII.

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