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For the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.

An ACCOUNT of the LIFE and WRITINGS of CAPTAIN EDWARD THOMPSON.

CAPTAIN EDWARD THOMPSON, fays he, "his memory lamented, and respected,

"in every part of India I have travelled through, which has been fome advantage He bears a very

46

'to me, a young voyager.

fingular character for a feaman, being ne "ver heard to fwear an oath; a circumstance "too rarely met with, and much to be la"mented. The Banyan who transacted his

was by birth a Yorkshire-man, and, as he has himself told us, a native of Hall*. He received his education under Dr. Cox, at Hampftead †, and at an early age, in the year 1754, went to the Eaft Indies as (what is ufually called) a Guinea Pig . In this his first voyage he was a fpectator of an accident, which we fhall relate in his own words. "Mifs H." affairs told me, he rowed from Ingelei "a young lady of beauty, virtue and good "fenfe, going to Bombay, and betrothed by "her parents in England to a gentleman of "the Council in India, too eagerly beholding "one of these creatures (i. e. fharks) out of "her cabin window, fell overboard and was "drowned: though all immediate affistance "was given, yet every endeavour was in "vain to fave this amiable lady, who perish"ed in an unnatural element, though ferene "and calm. The fright must certainly have "killed her from the horror of the monster; "for it was not the fifth part of a minute "before the was taken up . An author of confiderable reputation taking notice of this accident, fuppofes it to have been owing to the fame defperate impulfe which Montaigne mentions to have felt when he found himself upon the top of fome hideous precipice in his mountainous neighbourhood, impelling him to leap down, and which Shakespeare calls toys of defperation. In July 1754, he was at Madras, and in August at Vizagapatam. From thence he went to Calcutta, where he staid until the month of November, and then pro. ceeded to the island of Ceylon, at which place be arrived in January 1755 ¶. In the next month he was at Tellicherry, from whence he writes to a correfpondent, that he had made 'many enquiries after the unhappy fhipwreck of his uncle Commodore Bagwell. "I find,"

"down the Ganges in fight of his fleet, after
"his victory over Angria; but tempeftuous
"weather coming on, obliged him to return,
"which was the last fight of that valuable
"victorious fquadron of feven fail. In the
"Refolution he had immense wealth of the
"Portuguese, who were removing their fa-
"milies and effects from Goa, on account of
"an ixfurrection among the flaves: this ap-
❝pears by the letters Mr. Bagwell writ
"from Malabar; for no foul furvived with
"him to tell the tale. From the many fer-
"vices he did the East India Company in a
"fervitude of thirty-fix years, and at last after
"a memorable victory ended his life in that
"service, one would imagine they would pay
"a charitable attention to his kindred; but
"alas! **" In the month of May he arrived
at St Helena, and, during his ftay there, in-
volved himself in the hazard of a duel, and
an actual arrest and confinement on board his
fhip, on account of a pafquinade written to
oblige a lady of the ifland at the expence of
a rival ++. He finished his voyage in August,
and in November we find him on board the
Sterling Castle in the Downs, having, as he ex-
preffes himself, quitted penury and commerce
for artis and glory, after remaining only one
By the prolegomena to
week on thore.
his Letters it appears that he was preffed into
the service:

I am the man (the Naffo of my time),
Born on the Humber-fam'd for luscious rhime.

THE COURTEZAN.

See alfo Dedication to Marvell's Works. + Captain Thompson, mentioning his school-master, fays, that an unhappy marriage one of his amiable daughters made (unknown to the fatt.er) with Mr. Penn, a youth under his care, incensed that family to ruin his fchool. The young gentleman was sent to Philadelphia, and never more permitted to fee a wife he dearly loved-a lady with every virtue and accomplishment. These misfortunes brought Dr. Cox to Hampstead about the year 1749. He afterwards moved to Kensington, where he died in the year 1757. Sailor's Letters, vol. I. 136.

Prolegomena to the Sailor's Letters, p. vii.

Sailor's Letters, vol. I. 3.

Armstrong's Works, vol. II. 232.

Sailor's Letters, vol. I. 103.

Sailor's Letters, vol. I. 109.

tt Ibid. 126.

Next

Next preffed on board a man of war ;
Where I (unknown at any college)
Studied feven years, and got no knowledge.
In June 1756 his ship was ordered to the.
continent of North America with money and
troops, and he arrived the next month at New
York, where his stay was very, short; yet he
experienced a most disagreeable circumstance
there, though the motive for the violence is
not very clearly explained. "When about
three leagues from the fhip, the boat's crew
(confifting of ten men) rofe on me, bound
me hand and foot, and run the boat on fhore,
where I might have perifhed, had not two
returned and unbound me, which two I

brought to the fhip again. They confelded
they had attempted to throw me over-board
(which I never perceived); but fomething
always prevented. Had they perpetrated
their villainy, I fhould have died by the

mouths of ten thousand sharks, as I was at that time fishing on a bank where nothing could be more numerous *. From New

York he went to Antigua, then to Barbadues, and afterwards to Tobago. In June 1757, he failed from St. Kitts for England, having, as he informs us, after nine months cruifing, received about three pounds for his thare of three prizes. On his return to England, he paffed his examination, and on the 26th of November received his commiffion as Lieu

tenant of the Jafon. He was immediately employed in further fervice; and on the 19th of December, arrived at Emden with Brudenell's regiment to reinforce the garrifon there. On his return home he quitted the Jafon, where he had not one hope of the golden fleece, for the Dorfetfhire, Captain Dennis; and in December 1758 was at Lif He had a share in the victory obtained by Sir Edward Hawke over Monf. Conflans, in November 1759, and arrived at Plymouth in December, after a cruise of eight months.

bon.

**Sailor's Letters, vol. 11. p. 13.

He afterwards failed with the fame Commander in the Bellona, and was prefent at the capture of the Courageux in Auguft 1761. This is fuppofed to have been the period of his naval character during that war,

as in the next month we find him com. menced author. His first publication was The Meretriciad, a poem, celebrating the then moft remarkable women of the town. Merely to mention the title of this licentious performance, which however met with fuccefs, is as much as it deferves. It seems to have been the means of introducing him to the acquaintance of Mr. Churchill, with whom he boafts on many occafions to have lived in terms of intimacy. In 1762 here. tired to fall boute in Kew-Lane cultivated his mufe, which in 1764 produced a poem called The Soldier, 4to. He then re. fided fome time in Scotland, which he has de

and

fcribed with that virulence which the examhad rendered fashionable, and which cannot be ples of fome eminent perfons of that period fufficiently cenfured. At this time he medita ted a work of confiderable importance, for which he circulated propofals. This was intended to be printed in folio, and to be enti tled, "Maritime Obfervations, collected from "the years 1753 to 1763 inclufive, in a num"ber of voyages and cruizes in Europe, Asia, "Africa, and America," In a dedication fome

years afterwards to the Honourable Augustus Hervey, efq. he fays," how unpardonable would it be in me to forget that encouragement and protection which I met with from for the ufe of the navy and wavigation in ge you when I defigned publishing a fet of charts neral; a work which might have been of univerfal utility to his Majefty's fubjects, had it not been oppofed and fuppreffed through the fpirit of party, in spite of your generous intentions of introducing it to the world for a public good."

+ During his refidence here, Mr. Churchill furprising him one morning with the window open, repeated,

Here lives a half-pay Poet, run to ruft,

And all his willows weeping in the duft.

In a Dedication to John Hall, Efq. of Trinculo's Trip to the Jubilee, he fays,
When Churchill liv'd with you I walk'd,

As other Bards might do, and talk'd
Of common themes and common things,
Of common Ministers and Kings;
Ribbands, Petitions, Wilkes, and Burke,
The Bill of Rights-the Men of York.-
But when he shot from this bright star,
And left poor me and (weet Mifs *
Then, then I loft both him and you,
Forfook my Mufe, for fook my Kew;
To Scotland fled, to ferve the State,
And liv'd among the Clan I hate.

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In 1765, he produced The Courtezan, a Poem, 4to. and this in the next year was followed by The Demirep, 4to. another poem of the fame fpecies, and poffeffing as much merit as could with propriety be ascribed to any of his preceding performances. At the end of this last poem he announced his intention of publishing three works, which, it is believed, never appeared: thefe were, Woman, a Poem; The Devil in London, a Satire; and The History of the most remarkable Ghosts that have appeared from the Creation to this Time.

In this year he was more laudably emplayed in foliciting Parliament for an encrease of half-pay for the Lieutenants of the Navy, an application which was attended with fuccefs. On the 16th of April his firft dramatic performance,called The Hobby. Horfe, was exhibited at Drury Lane, for the benefit of Mr. Bentley, The fucceeding year, 1767, he published "Sailor's Letters, written to his felect Friends in England during his Voyages and Travels in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, from the year 1754 to 1759," 2 vols. 12mo.

The

In 1769, he produced a laughable account of the Jubilee at Stratford upon Avon, under the title of Trinculo's Trip to the Jubilee, 4to. and about the fame time collected his moft licentious performances into two volumes, which he called The Court of Cupid. next year he published The Works of John Oldbam, in 3 vols. dedicated, from Purdifbourne, County Down, in Ireland, to the late Earl of Bristol. On the 7th of April 1772, by the interest of Mr. Garrick, he was appointed a Captain; and on the 9th of November 1773, brought forwards at Drury Lane Theatre The Fair Quaker, a Comedy altered from Shadwell, which, by the aid of excellent acting, obtained fome applaufe.

In February 1776, The Syrens, a Masque, by him, was acted at Covent Garden; and in Auguft, St. Helena; or, The land of Love, a Farce, at Richmond,

From the time of his leaving Scotland to the year 1776, he feems to have devoted himself entirely to literary avocations, and produced with great celerity numberless pieces, which it is impoffibie to enumerate, and would, from their quantity and general infignificance, if practicable, not repay the pains they would coft to obtain. Many of them are to be found in The St. James's Chronicle, Whiteball Evening-Poft, London Packet, and The Weftminster Magazine; and indeed it would be difficult to name a periodical work at this time to which he was not in fome degree a contributor.

In 1777, he became editor of Paul White head's Works, in 4to. and in the fame year, of Andrew Marvell's Works, in 3 vols. 4to. Neither of these undertakings were executed in fuch a manner as to afford room to commend the editor, or add any thing to the reputation of the authors. In October, he

produced an alteration of the catastrophe of The Beggar's Opera, at Covent-Garden, which has fince been laid afide; and in 1778, became editor of a collection of poems, called The Mufes Mirror. In this Mifcellany, and in The Foundling Hofpital for Wit, many of his fugitive pieces are preferved. Soon after the death of Mr. Garrick, a scheme was propofed for uniting him and Mr. Langford with Mr. Lacy in the management of that gentleman's share of Drury Lane Theatre; but this plan being oppofed by the prefent Managers, was rendered abortive.

He had for feveral years experienced the inconveniencies of a contracted income; and had with fome difficulty, notwithstanding all his exertions and industry, preferved himfelf from feeling the preffures of poverty. Fortune at length noticed him. He was appointed Commander of the Hyena, and in the courfe of a cruize took a French Eaft-Indiaman, which placed him in aftate of affluence, and enabled him to repay obligations to many perfons who had before aflifted him, This, we are informed, he did with great liberality and alacrity. He alfo received a reward as the meffenger of the news of an important victory; ut foon after was fubjected to the enquiry of a Court-martial for quit ting his ftation, from which charge he was honourably acquitted. In 1785, he was named Commander of the Grampus, and foon after failed for the coast of Africa, from which station he had returned only in 1784, and where he died 17th of January, 1786.

The following character which has fince appeared in print, is evidently the produc tion of a friend, and we hope it is fuch as every one acquainted with Captain Thompfon will recognize. "He was an officer of very diftinguithed eminence, and a gentleman extensively known in the polite and literary world. His difpofitions were happy and amiable; his acquirements very far beyond mediocrity; his virtues tranfcendent and firm. He had courage without pride; and was fond of liberty without licentioufnefs. His ambition taught him to court danger; his refolution to furmount it; and his officers and crew, convinced of his knowledge, and admiring his generofity, were impatient to flatter his attention by the moft unequivocal marks of their fubmiffion and zeal. From his zeal and attachment to the commercial interests of his country, in faving two valuable convoys from the enemy, he was twice tried and acquitted, with thofe plaudits of rénown which are the certain indications of the highest merit. The elevation of his fentiments placed him out for admiration in every fituation of life. While he was generous as a mafter, he was still more fo as a friend. His heart, alive to the most virtuous fenfibilities, indulged itfelf in actions the most brilliTo his friend he was ever ready to facrifice

ant.

his judgment was folid, and yet his imagination was warm. He formed his purpose with phlegm, and put it in execution with ardour. He was perfectly free from myftery. Nature intended his actions to be the emblems of honefty; and even all his knowledge of the world could not feduce him into corruption. At the age of forty years he ceased to be every thing that is honourable, and left it to his relations and friends to weep over his memory with an unavailing forrow and regret.

crifice his fortune and his eafe. It was not flightly that he formed his opinions; and he did not eafily abandon them. A mind fo cnltivated as his could not be infenfible to gallantry; and it is fit that the brave should be rewarded with the fmiles of beauty. He had a talent for poetry, and was not infenfible to the elegance of the fine arts. He even wrote verfes with fome degree of fuccefs, and not unfrequently discovered those natural graces which escape the pens and the penetration of more artificial writers. What is furprifing, JOURNAL of the PROCEEDINGS of the THIRD SESSION of the SIXTEENTH PARLIAMENT of GREAT BRITAIN.

ON

HOUSE OF LORD S.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26.

who fat in their robes were the Archbishop

account of the Lord Chancellor's ill- of Canterbury, Earl Bathurst (as Speaker)
nefs, adjourned till
and Lord Sydney.

MAY I.

The Earl of Mansfield fat as Speaker.

MAY 2.

In confequence of the Lords having been fummoned for this day, about fixty noble Peers attended, when a warrant was read, appointing Earl Bathurst Speaker pro tempore (during the illness of the Lord Chancellor). His Lordship accordingly took his feat as Speaker, but without any of those habiliments that heretofore used to distinguish that high office.

The bill for appointing Commiffioners of Land Tax, and feveral other bills were read a first time.

The House then adjourned, and continued in waiting for Mr. Dundas's bill to amend and explain two acts of the 13th and 24th of his prefent Majefty, relative to the Court of Directors of the India Company appointing a Governor General and Council of the two Prefidencies of Bengal and Madrafs.

Mr. Dundas, accompanied by Lord Mulgrave, Sir Geo. Yonge, &c. brought up the bill, which was read a first time.

Lord Sydney, after informing the House of the neceffity of paffing the faid bill, immediately moved, that it might be read a fecond and third time, &c.

The fame was accordingly done, when it paffed without oppofition, and was immedi. ately returned to the Commons.

MAY 3.

The Marquis of Lanfdown then stated, that as he had on a former debate been feverely animadverted upon, concerning a pa. per, which contained a plan for the perma. that a minute in the Treasury to that purpos ment establishment of the civil lift, he moved be now produced.

and their Lordships would be satisfied from Lord Stormont hoped the noble Marquis

this, and other circumstances, that the paper he had formerly fpoken from had exiflence. His Lordship then went into a long detail of political altercation on matters chiefly relative to official etiquette. This brought up the

Marquis of Lanfdown, who put the noble Viscount in mind of his long speech, and afferted that it was not to the purpose. Had the time a paper which had been prefented to the noble Viscount, he faid, mentioned at that Houfe of Commons, their Lordships might have understood what it meant. But when Mr. Gilbert's plan had been so frequently mentioned in the courfe of the debate, it was im

poflible he could be understood, as no official paper he knew of bore any fuch title,

The Duke of Portland stated, that no other

plan for the establishment of the civil lift was

to be found than what the noble Viscount had alluded to, when the care of public affairs devolved to him and his friends. He owned that official inaccuracies were unavoidable in the ftate of things which they found on their c ceffion to power. His Grace alfo ftated feve ral particulars which had been alluded to in the preceding parts of this converfation.

The Marquis of Lanfdown, with the greateft acknowledgements to the noble Duke for his candour, only begged leave to observe, that the figning the paper in queftion was a matter of ceremony, on the eve of his refignation, and not intended to authenticate that document officially.

The royal affent was given by commiffion to a bill to obviate doubts relative to the electing a Governor General of Bengal; the Shrewsbury poor bill; the Sandwich fmall debts bill; the Westbury poor bill; the Dumbarton road bill; the Chefter road bill; the Briftol road bill; the Beverly road bill; the Chatteris Ferry road bill; the Sheffield vicarage bill; Bishop's charity bill, and fix inclosure bills. The Lords Commiflioners *This is certainly a mistake. It is not likely that he could have been appointed a Lieutenant at fo early an age as eleven years. The Editor fuppofes him to have been near fifty

at least.

The queftion being then put, it was carried unanimoufly, and the Houfe adjourned

HOUSE OF

APRIL 25.

HE Houfe being met purfuant to

Ttheir adjournment, Mr. Dempfter prefented a petition from the merchants at Dundee against the bill for altering the bounty on the whale fishery, which was ordered to lie on the table; he then moved to have ali the papers prefented to the Houfe relative to the fishery printed.

Alderman Sawbridge prefented a petition from the debtors in the King's Bench, ftating the wretched fituation they are in, and praying relief; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Pitt moved the order of the day for receiving the report of the bill for invefting certain fums in the hands of Commiffioners, towards the discharge of the national debt; which he moved to have poftponed until Monday next, as he understood several gentlemen had material alterations to propofc.

Mr. Jenkinson poftponed the confideration of the Newfoundland bill till Friday for fimilar reafons.

Ballotted for a Committee on the Seaford Election.

Ordered out a new writ for Boffiney, in the room of Bamber Gafcoigne, Efq. appointed Receiver-General of the Cuftoms.

APRIL 26.

Mr. Brook, lately elected Member for the borough of Newtown, in the room of Sir Thomas Davenport, took the oaths and his

feat.-Allo

The Hon. T. Thynne took the oaths and his feat for Weobly.

Sir Godfrey Webster, and Henry Flood, Efq. the two petitioners, were declared elected for Seaford; Sir Peter Parker and Sir John Henderson not chufing to contend the matter: the first mentioned gentlemen accordingly this day took their feats.

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Major Scott moved for leave to bring up a petition from Warren Haftings, Efq. praying to be heard by himself against the matter of the charges now exhibited to the Houfe against him, and alfo for a copy of those charges. This petition, Major Scott obferved, would have been prefented at an carlier period, but that the firft feries of the charges were not laid before the Houfe until the 4th inft. to which fucceeded a fecond feries on the 12th; yet the whole, it was underflood, were not yet completed. Un der these circumstances it was impoffible to have laid in an earlier claim to the privilege of reply on the part of Mr. Haftings; a privilege which he now demanded on the frongeft pleas of equity. In addition to thefe there was another circumftance which should impel the Houfe to a compliance As thefe charges had been already printed and circulated through the country, the beCUBOP. MAO.

COMMON S.

nignity of the Houfe was called on not to refule Mr. Haftings permiflion to reply.

The petition was then brought up, and read at the table.

Major Scott then moved, that Mr. Haf tings should be heard at the bar of the Houfe, and that he should be allowed a copy of the charges.

Sir Grey Cooper said he had no objection to the first part of the petition; it was certainly proper that Mr. Haltings fhould be heard in his own defence; but it did not equally meet his ideas of propriety, that a copy fhould be given of charges which lay on the table as yet in a crude state, and liable to numberlefs variations in the different ftages of the bulinefs. He then recited feveral precedents in fupport of this opinion.

Mr. Burke concurred in the propriety of hearing Mr. Haftings in his defence at whatever time and in whatever manner it was

brought forward. But he could not alfo agree that he should be fupplied with a copy of charges partly unarranged and totally unfinished. He had himself difcovered many parts which would require alteration. This, however, whilft it formed a strong objection to the prefent demand, had arifen folely from the neceffity which had been impofed on him by the Houfe. It had been his original intention firft to have examined evidence, and to have drawn his charges from the facts which fhould then appear, But that mode had been exactly reverfed; he had been compelled to bring forward his charges prematurely, and he was now to look to that oral evidence which should have been their bafis, not only to fubftantiate the facts alledged, but also to supply the charms which had been occafioned by this tranf polition, and by the refufal of many very

material documents. To obviate the confe quences of fuch deficiency, it had been deemed neceffary to lay the charges in fuch a manner as to comprehend whatever fuppletory facts should hereafter appear from the evidence. The charges being for thofe reafons incomplete, he could not think that Mr. Haftings, on any principle of enential juflice, was entitled to a copy of them in their present state. If the Houfe, however, was difpofed to grant a copy as a matter of favour, that was totally a matter of diftin&t confideration. For his part, as Mr. Haltings's reply could not be confidered as his defence, and as that reply may poffibly throw new lights on the question, he had no very great objection to the compliance of the Houfe on the occafion.

Mr. Fox profelsed himself of a very dif ferent opinion with his Right Hon. Friend, and thought it highly improper that a copy of the charges thould be granted. This

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