his gratitude by bestowing on Lord Lake the highest titles which could be conferred on such warriors as had rendered the most signal services to the state.

Having provided for the security of the capital,-for the emperor's peaceful enjoyment of personal freedom, comfort, and dignity,-and for the tranquillity of the surrounding country, Lord Lake hastened with the army to Agra, denominated the Key of Hindostan,' which he reached in two days.

The situation of the army before this place was such as to require the exercise of great prudence and enterprise. The garrison consisted of upwards of 5000 men. Four regular battalions with 22 pieces of cannon defended the ravines and approaches to the fort, and two of Perron's brigades, composed of seventeen battalions, a considerable body of cavalry and 32 pieces of field ordnance, arrived from the Deccan, and took a position about twenty miles in the rear of the besieging army. The security of the Company's and nabob's dominions, and the prosecution of future military operations, depending in a great measure upon the fall of Agra, these considerations determined his lordship to undertake the siege of that strong and very important place, in the face of dangers and difficulties which might have deterred a less intrepid mind. The operations commenced on the 10th of October, and terminated on the 18th, by the capitulation of the fortress, after a vigorous but ineffectual resistance. The capture of Agra secured a line of defence along the west bank of the Jumna, and left the British army at liberty to attack Scindia's remaining brigades. The pursuit accordingly commenced on the 28th of October, but the distance the enemy had gained in advance, and the celerity of his movements, soon showed the little chance there was of overtaking him with infantry.

Aware of the evils which would result to the public service, if this formidable body of troops was allowed to join Jessuunt Row Holcar, then in great force on the borders of the Jyepore country, at twelve o'clock P. M. of the 31st of October, Lord Lake pushed forwards with the regular cavalry, and at sunrise the 1st of November, 1803, came upon the enemy at Laswaree, whom he immediately charged and broke; but owing to the badness of the ground, the advantage he first obtained could not be followed up. When the infantry arrived and was refreshed, the enemy was again attacked, and after a severe contest completely defeated; eighty-two pieces of cannon were taken, and the whole of the infantry either killed or made prisoners. In this memorable engagement Lord Lake, who headed every charge, and whose personal exertions exceeded all his former exploits, had a horse shot under him, and was for some time exposed to the most imminent danger. The small body of troops which accompanied him into action, after giving proofs of invincible courage, for a moment gave way to superior numbers and the destructive fire of the enemy's artillery, and were on the point of being charged by the enemy's horse, when they were rallied by the personal exertions of his lordship. Encouraged by the arrival of the 29th dragoons, and animated by the presence of their beloved commander, they renewed the charge with an impetuosity that speedily decided the fate of the day. A small proportion only of the British force took an active part in this brilliant and decisive victory, which annihilated the whole of Scindia's regular army in Hindostan.

Too much praise cannot be bestowed on the talents and ability which were exhibited by Lord Lake, in the conduct of this arduous and difficult campaign, when it is considered that he had to contend with troops long accustomed to victory, vastly superior in number, disciplined by French officers, and furnished with a formidable train of artillery, which was admirably served in every action. His own force at no time exceeded 5000 infantry, 3000 cavalry, and a small proportion of artillery; yet, with these seemingly inadequate means, did his lordship, in less than three months from the opening of the campaign, defeat the enemy at Coel, Delhi, and Laswaree; take the strong fortresses of Agra and Aly Gur, and reduce the whole of Scindia's dominions east of the river Chumbul. In this rapid and victorious career, thirty-nine of Perron's regular battalions were destroyed, upwards of 180 pieces of artillery taken in the field, and nearly 600 in garrisons. In addition to these military operations, Lord Lake rendered essential service in the conduct of various political arrangements of great importance, and in the settlement of the conquered provinces. Towards the close of the year, a treaty of defensive alliance was entered into with the rajah of Jyepore; and in February, 1804, Lord Lake entered the rajah's country, then threatened by Jessuunt Row Holcar. While lying there the strong forts of Gwalior and Rampoora were reduced, under his orders, by detachments from the British army.

In the middle of May, 1804, the inclemency of the weather and difficulty of procuring supplies compelled the commander-in-chief to withdraw the greatest part of the army into the Company's provinces, leaving five battalions to cover the Jyepore country during the absence of the army, a force which was deemed fully adequate for that purpose. Unfortunately this detachment, venturing too far in pursuit of Holcar, was overtaken by the rains, and not being able, in consequence, to procure supplies, was attacked and pursued by his collected forces, and, after undergoing great fatigues and privations, was driven under the walls of Agra, with the loss of all its artillery, camp equipage, stores, &c. &c. and more than half of its original number. The war, by this unexpected misfortune, was brought home to the Company's provinces, and the diminution of force which had been made by the defeat of this detachment was severely felt at this crisis of affairs. In September, Lord Lake joined the troops assembled at Agra; but an immediate movement against the enemy was retarded by causes as new as unexpected, arising out of the defection of the rajah of Burtpore, and the insubordination which, through the intrigues of that chieftain and of the emissaries of Holcar, generally pervaded the ceded and conquered provinces, and in their consequences operated as a serious impediment to procuring provisions and supplies.

At length his lordship was enabled to put the army in motion, which reached Delhi on the 17th of October. The enemy's infantry had ineffectually besieged this place, and on the 15th of October they were repulsed in a general assault with great loss, and immediately afterwards retreated towards the river Bennee. Anxious as the commander-inchief was to bring the war to a speedy termination, by the destruction of this body of troops, the want of provisions rendered their pursuit totally impracticable, and compelled the army to halt until this most essential requisite could be procured. On the 31st of October Lord

Lake, with three regiments of British and three regiments of native cavalry, two European flank companies, and two battalions and a half of native infantry, followed Holcar, who had entered the Dooab, and threatened to lay waste the whole country. After a march unequalled for celerity, Lord Lake, on the morning of the 17th of November, surprised the enemy's camp at Furruckabad, and defeated him, with the loss of nearly 5000 men left on the field. Holcar's army was estimated at 15,000 horse, while the British cavalry did not exceed 1800 mounted men, who engaged under the disadvantage of having marched fifty-eight miles within the twenty-four hours preceding the action. Holcar himself escaped with great difficulty. This signal and decisive victory proved of incalculable advantage to the public interests; it saved the whole of the Dooab from being laid waste; it evinced the superiority of the British arms, and showed to the natives that the boasted rapidity of the Mahratta horse could be outdone by our cavalry. When the cavalry had, in two days' halt, recovered in some degree from the fatigue it had so lately undergone, Lord Lake proceeded to join the army at Mutra, which, during his absence, had, under a combined and masterly operation most skilfully planned by his lordship, and carried into effect by the gallant General Fraser, defeated the enemy's infantry under the walls of Deeg, and taken most of his guns. The siege of Deeg was begun as soon as the battering-train arrived. In the beginning of December a practicable breach being made in one of the bastions, it was stormed and carried, and on the following day the fort was evacuated. Burtpore, to which the remains of Holcar's army had retreated on the fall of Deeg, was the only place of consequence which now remained in the hands of the enemy. It was invested early in January, 1805, and the siege was protracted to the beginning of March; during which interval it was stormed four times unsuccessfully, and with very considerable loss to the besiegers. Notwithstanding these failures, arising from the great population of Burtpore, and from the natural difficulties of that extensive fortress, the rajah foresaw that the place must ultimately be taken, and accordingly, early in March, he sued for peace, which was granted by Lord Lake in terms highly honourable to the English government.

Deeply as the miscarriage at Burtpore was to be deplored, the enemy had little cause to exult. During the siege almost the whole of Holcar's infantry, and also Meer Khan's-which were strongly entrenched under the walls outside the town-were destroyed, and their artillery taken; nor was the loss of the garrison, composed of the whole strength of the Burtpore dominions, and a large addition of mercenaries, less considerable. Upon the conclusion of the treaty with the rajah of Burtpore, Holcar and Meer Khan retreated with the horse that still remained to them; and as the country was now cleared of enemies, Lord Lake was enabled to put the troops into quarters on the Jumna during the remaining part of the hot season and the rains.

He was not, however, permitted to indulge long in repose. Towards the close of the year 1805, Holcar and Meer Khan again appeared in considerable force in the countries north-west of Delhi. Although their armies possessed no solid strength, nor were calculated to make any serious impression, being principally composed of predatory horse, yet

still, if not timely checked, they might have caused great mischief, by laying waste the country and destroying the villages.

When Lord Lake had received money sufficient to relieve the immediate wants of the troops, who, from unavoidable causes, were in considerable arrears, he moved against the enemy with his usual promptitude and celerity, and pursued them so closely, as compelled them to take refuge in the Lahore territories, at no great distance from the banks of the Indus. In this long and fatiguing march Lord Lake traversed nearly the whole of the Punjab, a country hitherto very imperfectly known to the English. Holcar now sued for peace, which was

concluded by Lord Lake in February 1806.

From this period until his lordship left India, in February, 1807, Lord Lake was successively employed in completing all the various arrangements connected with the distribution of the army, the reduction of the irregular troops, and the final settlement and security of our invaluable conquests. His departure from India was accompanied by the regret both of the European and native inhabitants of Bengal, and by the most public testimonials of respect, esteem, and gratitude. He arrived in England in the following September, after an absence of seven years, and was received by his king and country with that attention his eminent services so well-deserved. When the result of the campaign of 1803-4 was known in England, Lord Lake received the thanks of parliament for his services; and his majesty, to mark the high sense which he entertained of General Lake's meritorious conduct, as well as to commemorate the recollection of those glorious achievements, created him a British baron, by the title of Lord Lake, of Delhi and Laswaree; and soon after his return to Europe raised him to the dignity of a viscount, and conferred on him the government of Plymouth. Thus distinguished by his sovereign, beloved by his friends, and enjoying the esteem and confidence of a grateful nation, ever just to the merits of those who serve it with zeal and fidelity, no man ever had a fairer prospect of passing many years of unclouded happiness. But scarcely had he begun to taste the sweets of repose in the bosom of his family, when it pleased Providence to terminate his valuable life, on the 21st of February, 1808, after a short illness.

Few men ever were endowed with qualifications calculated to form an able commander in a superior degree to Lord Lake. To judgment and quickness of conception he united undaunted courage, great decision, and uncommon capability of undergoing fatigue. He possessed in an eminent degree the art of conciliating the confidence and attachment of those under his command. His unwearied kindness and unremitting attention to promote the comforts of the soldier, and the constant exposure of his person in the midst of danger, won the hearts of the army, and secured their attachment. His integrity was incorruptible; and although his situation in India offered numerous occasions to benefit his fortune, at a slight sacrifice of the interest of the public, in no one instance did he ever stain his honour, or barter his fair fame for wealth. At this time, too, he was labouring under great pecuniary embarrassments, from which he would not have been completely relieved when he returned to England, if it had not been for the prizemoney which his valour had gained, amounting, in the whole, to about £50,000. In private life his pleasing manners, and his mild and gen

erous virtues, engaged and secured the affection of his numerous friends; whilst they mitigated all personal animosities, and even assuaged those little irritations which are inseparable from the intercourse of social life.

Cavendish, Buke of Portland.

BORN A. D. 1738.-died A. D. 1809.

WILLIAM HENRY CAVENDISH BENTINCK, third duke and fourth earl of Portland, was born in 1738. When marquess of Titchfield, he was sent to Oxford, and entered of Christ-church. In 1756 he recited publicly some English verses in such a manner as to attract notice. On the 1st of February, 1757, he obtained the degree of M. A.; and some time afterwards proceeded D. C. L. After finishing his education Lord Titchfield was sent abroad, in company with his only brother, Lord Edward Bentinck. In conformity to the established etiquette of that day they made the grand tour, and soon after their return home both became members of parliament. The marquess served for Weobly in Herefordshire, a borough supposed to be then somewhat under the influence of the family; while Lord Edward was elected, first for the city of Carlisle, and afterwards was nominated a knight of the shire for the county of Nottingham.

Lord Titchfield sat but a few months as a commoner; for his father, the duke of Portland, died soon after he took his seat, and we accordingly find a new writ issued, June 6th, 1762. From the moment that he was admitted to his seat among the peers, the new duke of Portland -who by that time had attained the twenty-fourth year of his agetook an active part in the proceedings of the house, and seemed desirous both of earning and of deserving popularity. His estate was not large, being encumbered with an immense jointure to his mother, the dowager. This circumstance obliged him to have recourse, early in life, to expedients for raising money which encumbered his fortune, crippled his independence, and is supposed to have induced him suddenly and unexpectedly to alter the whole tenor of his political conduct.

In 1763 his grace gave an early presage of his patriotism by a strenuous opposition to the cyder-bill,—a measure which was engendered during the earl of Bute's administration, and brought in by a chancellor of the exchequer, supposed to be but little conversant in matters of finance. He afterwards entered his protest against that measure, which was too unpopular to be persevered in, as it introduced the excise-law into the barn and cellar of every farmer in the kingdom who made use of the juice of his own apples. On the proceedings against Mr Wilkes, too, the duke joined with the opposition. His grace connected himself with the marquess of Rockingham, and joined with that nobleınan in talking down, and writing down, two different administrations. At length, in 1765, in consequence of a change in the ministry, the duke accepted of employment; but on this occasion, at least, there was no compromise of principle. The place occupied by him was that of lord

Abridged from a Memoir of Lord Lake in the European Magazine,' vol. liii.