those which have escaped are numerous and curious; among these are the account of his long interview with the Pope at Rome, and the letters he wrote while attached to the British embassy in Portugal *.

Sir Philip Francis was a man of antique mould; it was the standard of his age, but of which examples are becoming rare under the influence of a more mild, equitable, and peaceful form of civilization. His feelings, principles, and aspirations were all of the old Roman cast. Partly he inherited them; they were fostered by the classic example of his learned and accomplished parent; but they found a congenial soil in his own. temperament and vigorous mental organism. From what he conceived to be the broad abstract right, either of individuals or communities, he never swerved, and no seduction of personal advantage could bend him.

This absolute inflexibility was exemplified at all times, in all places, and in all his private relations, whether on the banks of the Thames or the Ganges. He held West India property, but undeviatingly advocated African freedom. He steadily and to the last opposed the war with France, because he believed that the interference of the old European govern ments was a violation of the rights of Frenchmen to choose their own rulers. His fatal Indian contests had a like origin; they were a pertinacious battle in behalf of right and justice towards the native princes, imperil as they might individual gains or British power. The last effort of his pen was a forcible appeal against the compulsory annexation of Norway to Sweden, to complete the arbitrary territorial demarcations of the Holy Alliance of despots. And the last public speech he delivered was in his seventy-seventh year,

* His Portuguese letters have a strong resemblance to the style of Junius, though written antecedently, and refute the notion of Jaques and Coventry, that the natural style of Sir Philip was alien to that of Junius. Speculation was right, however, when it was conjectured that Junius must be an Irishman from his Hibernicisms, especially his phrase, "the sophistries of a collegian," a term in use at Dublin for gownsman, not at Oxford or Cambridge. Heron, too, with singular tact, unconsciously threw out a hint applicable to the situation of Francis. Criticizing the composition of Letter 37, he says, "Its paragraphs seem to have been thrown out upon paper, without the preconception of any regular plan." This is very likely to have been the mode in which Sir Philip worked off at intervals the first draft of many of his Letters at the War Office, and had not always time afterwards for polishing and best connecting their detached parts.

Letter to Earl Grey. Ridgway, 1814.

from the hustings at Brentford *, when he energetically denounced as unnecessary the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and the other Acts about to be passed, against the freedom of public meetings, writing, and speaking.

There

These are noble traits, which adequately fill up any outline that fancy may have depicted of the Junius of old." are other coincidences in minor matters, not undeserving of notice. Junius was obviously of a free, impulsive nature, and Francis was a very Hotspur." To mystify Woodfall, and avert recognition by his former school friend, he tells him "I never am angry;"† but the fact is, Sir Philip was apt to be so, and violently. I have heard a lady say of him that when excited, his eyes, like Homer's heroes, emitted sparks of living fire. In connection with temperament, another incident forces itself on notice. In his Dedication, Junius says of the Letters, "To me they originally owe nothing but a healthy, sanguine constitution," a characteristic peculiarly that of Sir P. Francis. His personal appearance was impressive. He had large lustrous eyes, oval face, lips well formed and strongly marked; was tall, thin, and of an elegant figure altogether the facial presentment was that of an impassioned soul, with an active, acute, energetic intellect.

From what has been related to me, it would appear that Sir P. Francis's musings in his fine library of Greek and Roman classics (to which he was much attached, as his numerous marginal annotations testify ), must have been seriously dis* June 22, 1817, at a meeting of Middlesex freeholders to petition against the Six Acts.

+ Private Letter, No. 47, p. 51.

The following note is furnished me by the publisher, Mr. Bohn-Sir Philip Francis's library was sold by auction Feb. 3, 1838, and two following days, by Mr. R. H. Evans, of Pall Mall. It comprised 859 articles, including a very good collection of Greek and Latin classics, an extensive series of political pamphlets and newspapers, and many of the principal works in English and general literature. The manuscripts were reserved by the family, and not brought to the hammer. Many of the books were annotated in the margins by himself, and nearly all bore evidence of having been read or used. Among the lots which more particularly concern the present enquiry were several different editions of Junius's Letters, and some of the printed enquiries as to their authorship. These sold for rather high prices, as the following quotations will show:

-

"416. Junius's Letters, 2 vols., with some MS. Corrections of the text, and Notes by Sir Philip Francis. In calf; 1783. 127. 12s.

Armstrong. "417. Junius's Letters, with Notes by Heron, 2 vols, with some MS.

turbed by the movements cf the author of Junius Identified. The first fix of Mr. Taylor upon Dr. Francis brought him close upon the real author of Junius, who could not help feeling apprehensive that the mistake of ten years in his age would in all likelihood be detected. In consequence, be attempted a diversion. He called upon Mr. Taylor, and intimated his surprise at the wild-goose chase in which he had learned he was wasting his time: said that so many years Notes and Corrections of the Text, by Sir Ph. Francis, 1804. 21. 28. Armstrong.

"418. Junius's Letters, with Notes by Woodfall, 3 vols. A presentation copy from Woodfall, 1814. 21. 2s. Scott.

"419. Junius Identified with a Distinguished Living Character, and the Supplement, with Facsimiles and Autograph Letter of Sir Philip Francis, 1816-17. 41. Armstrong.

"420. Junius. Discovery of the Author of Junius (viz. Dr. and Sir Ph. Francis), 1813. The Pamphleteer, No. 54, containing Barker's Remarks on Sir P. Francis's Claims, 1827. Edinburgh Review, No. 57, containing the Review of Junius's Letters, with some MS. Corrections by Sir P. Francis. 21. 10s. Armstrong.

"421. Junius. A Collection of the Letters of Atticus, Lucius, and Junius; with MS. Notes and Corrections, and Blanks filled up by Sir P. Francis, 1769, and other Tracts in the Volume. 31. 5s.

Armstrong.

"422. Junius. A Supplement to Junius Identified; with MS. Notes by Sir Ph. Francis, 1817. Discovery of the Author of Junius's Letters, 1813. 31. 3s. Armstrong."

It may be relevant here to quote the following article:"Sir Philip Francis's Speeches and Pamphlets, collected in 6 vols. 8vo, with numerous MS. Corrections and Notes, Extracts from Newspapers, &c. 14l. Morton.

"515. Dalrymple's Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland, 2 vols. 4to, 1771. * * See a most curious note of Sir P. Francis, stating that the proof-sheets of this work were submitted for revision to George III. by Lord Rocheford, "I know the fact," and a most severe note on Johnson's Character and Principles. 21. 12s. Armstrong." These and most of the other annotated books were bought, under the pseudonyme of Armstrong, for Mr. H. R. Francis, then master of a Grammar School at Kingston-upon-Hull, in whose possession they still are. Lot 340, bought in the name of Morton, was for Mr. John George Francis, who then resided in Gower Street. The most curious illustration, perhaps, which could be collected from among them, was a letter found in lot 419, dated BATH, Thursday morning, Dec. 20, 1771, addressed to his wife, announcing his arrival at Bath "last night." It refers to the very feeble and helpless condition of his father, who had summoned the writer to his bedside. As, in Private Letter No. 47, Sir Philip gives peremptory orders that Woodfall should not write to him again until further notice, and as there are no letters of Junius under any of his signatures between Dec. 17 and Jan. 6, it is sɔ far corroborative.

had elapsed, and so many fruitless attempts had been made to discover Junius, that it now seemed perfectly hopeless to expect he would ever be found out. "He would be a lucky person indeed," continued Sir Philip, "who could find out Junius;-why, it would make a man's fortune!" Finding these discouragements had failed to make the desired impression, Sir Philip observed at parting, "If you do persist in your purpose, I hope you will present me with a copy of your book." With this the tall gentleman" disappeared, as he had done forty years before, after throwing a Junius letter into Woodfall's office in Ivy Lane.

Sir Philip's first impression of greatness seems to have been derived from the Earl of Chatham. The noble eloquence of the Great Statesman-his pride-his lofty and independent sentiments—his respect for national greatness and individual merit in every station-his contempt for trivial things-his disdain of mere party objects—with his unstained private life— deeply and ineffaceably impressed Francis with a sense of human excellence, realizing all the visions he had cherished. in his early studies of the ancient models. He also thought favourably of the Great Agitator of the city, on account of his public services. Notwithstanding the private profligacy of Wilkes, into which he appears to have been hurried, partly by an uncongenial marriage, partly by his own unruly passions, but most of all, by his hearty contempt of hypocrisy, he was not a man to be wholly despised. Like Junius, who cautions Woodfall to be on his guard against "patriots," he had no sympathy for democratic extremes, but he had a wellgrounded respect for constitutional freedom, and when it was menaced by court judges and parasites rendered im portant services intrepidly. It was the timely stand which he made that put an end to general warrants, and his fearless magisterial conduct that mainly contributed to procure a free publication of the parliamentary debates*. Junius acted as his mentor, and the letters he addressed to him are as valuable as any in the collection, replete with good commonsense advice, as well as with sound political knowledge. active prying habits of Sir Philip, pending the Junius letters,

The

* Wilkes, too, appears to have had considerable claims to scholarship; he edited Catullus and Theophrasti Characteres, upon a wager that he would produce them without a single typographical error, and he began a History of England from the Revolution of 1688, of which the Introduction (39 pages) was printed (as a prospectus) in 4to., Almon, 1768.

makes it very probable that he was personally acquainted with so conspicuous a public character as Wilkes, and this would account for his referring the Dedication to him for correction. It is certain that Francis was on friendly terms with Mr. Wilkes after his return from India, if not before, and used to visit him at Kensington; and at this latter period there is good reason for presuming that Wilkes knew Junius to be Francis.

The last conclusion is rendered probable by a letter addressed to the late Mr. E. H. Barker and inserted in his work on Junius. It was addressed to him by Mr. Sergeant Rough, from Sergeants' Inn, and is dated April 12, 1827. Mr. Rough had married a natural daughter of Wilkes, and in his letter remarks," Mr. Wilkes used, I have been told, to say that he knew who the author of Junius was-that it was not Rosenhagen; but he never said it was not Sir P. Francis. The latter used to dine at Kensington frequently, and once cut off a lock of Mrs. Rough's hair (she was then quite a girl). She had an obscure recollection that her father once said that she had met Junius."

Horne Tooke always appeared much perturbed when the subject of Junius was introduced. He was once asked if he knew the author; on the question being put he immediately crossed his knife and fork on his plate, and, assuming a stern look, replied, "I do." After this, Mr. Stephen says, "his manner, tone, and attitude were all too formidable to admit fo any further interogatories." *

66

The constancy of Sir P. Francis's attachments will appear from a rencontre he had with Lord Brougham on the merits of Mr. Wilkes. It was referred to some years since in the Edinburgh Review, and adduced, as it had been before, as affording additional proof of the identity of Francis and Junius. I lately reminded Lord Brougham of this adventure, and his Lordship very good naturedly gave me an account of the affair. "It happened," says he, "at Brookes's, of which I was a member, though I am not a member of any club now. I had been commenting in the House of Commons on the profligacy of Wilkes's character, and the shame his popularity had brought on the people of England. Mr. Wilberforce complimented me, and confirmed my statement. Mr. Canning then took the opportunity to observe that Wilkes was by no Memoirs of John Horne Tooke, vol. ii. p. 358. No. 141, October, 1829.