There is no part of biography more leasing and instructive than that which ives a view of the early years of an minent person, and points out the cirmstances by which moral and intellecal character has been originally formor, at least, lastingly modified. The e of sir W. Jones is remarkable in this rticular. Being in his infancy left to care of a widow mother, who apars to have been a woman of excellent (derstanding, as well as a most exemry parent, she commenced his edution in the manner described in the llowing paragraph. In the plan adopted by Mrs. Jones for instruction of her son, she proposed to the severity of discipline, and to lead mind insensibly to knowledge and exerby exciting his curiosity and directing useful objects. To his incessant importies for information on casual topics of versation, which she watchfully stimushe constantly replied, read, and you know; a maxim, to the observance of eh he always acknowledged himself inled for his future attainments. By this hod, his desire to learn became as eager wish to teach; and such was her taof instruction, and his facility of retainit, that in his fourth year he was able to distinctly and rapidly any English book. particularly attended at the same time to eultivation of his memory, by making leam and repeat some of the popular hes in Shakespeare, and the best of Fables." We cannot altogether concur with noble biographer in the epithet of remature instruction," which he inctly applies to such a plan; and we persuaded that, where nature has tolerably propitious, such early ention to furnish the mind and form hits of active inquiry, will generally rewarded by uncommon proficiency. The school history of young Jones is gularly interesting. Harrow was the ace which had the honour of initiating in the learned languages, or, more operly, of conducting him to such a astery in them, that nothing more reained for him in the pursuit of classical erature, than to re-peruse with mature dgment authors which were already dered easy and familiar to him. His dour for learning was insatiable, and ok place of all the usual relaxations school boy; yet it was attended ith no singularities of behaviour, or social propensities. The following ANN. REV. VOL. III. anecdote, which also relates to two other celebrated men, will give an idea of the spirit by which he was actuated at that early period of life. "He invented a political play, in which Dr. William Beanet, bishop of Cloyne, and the celebrated Dr. Parr, were his principal neighbourhood of Harrow, according to a map of Greece, into states and kingdoms; each fixed upon one as his dominion, and assumed an ancient name. Some of their school fellows consented to be styled barbarians, who were to invade their territories and attack their hillocks, which were denominated fortresses. The chiefs vigorously incursions of the enemy; and in these imidefended their respective domains against the cils, made vehement harangues, and comtative wars, the young statesmen held counbut calculated to fill their minds with ideas posed memorials, all doubtless very boyish, of legislation and civil government. In these unusual amusements, Jones was ever the leader; and he might justly have appropriated to himself the words of Catullus: associates. They divided the fields in the 66 Ego gymnasii flos, ego decus olci." Such was the character he established by his talents and exertions, that his first master, Dr. Thackeray, said of him, that if he were left naked and friendless upon Salisbury Plain, he would find the road to fame and riches; and his second master, Dr. Sumner, made him his prime favourite, and declared that Jones knew more Greek than he did. The next stage in our young scholar's education was Oxford. How far this celebrated seat of learning is entitled to boast of its share in forming the mind of this illustrious disciple, the biographer's narrative enables us to judge. We are told that his expectations of meeting with a Sumner or an Askew in every master of arts were disappointed; and that from the public lectures, he derived little gratification or instruction, as being very much below the standard of his attainments. They were, at that period, "duil comments on artificial ethics, and logic detailed in such barbarous Latin, that he professed to know as little of it as he then did of Arabic " His own plan of study was very different, comprehending a critical examination of all the great authors of antiquity, and the ardent pursuit of oriental literature, which even before he left school was a favourite object with him. His college tutors, finding that he might safely be intrusted with the management of his own time Ii and studies,"dispensed with his attendance on their lectures, alledging with equal truth and civility, that he could employ his time to more advantage." His dislike of the university thenceforth subsided; and he felt great satisfaction in the means of instruction afforded by its libraries and learned members, which rendered his residence there equally plea. sant and improving. He stood forth afterwards as the vindicator of its fame, and ever regarded it with respect and Nothing properly academic, however, appears in the plan he adopted, which comprised the modern languages, the polite exercises, and, in short, extended to every thing recommended in Milton's scheme of education, which he had by heart. Thus, as he nobly observed," with the fortune of a peasant, he was giving himself the education of a prince." attachment. His residence at Oxford was shortened by his acceptance of the office of private tutor to lord Althorpe, (the present earl Spencer) in which situation he enjoyed the opportunity of visiting the continent. Such was his proficiency in the French language, that his first publication was a translation into French of a Persian manuscript containing the life of Nadir Shah, which was brought into England by the king of Denmark. It may be remarked as a singular coincidence, that another literary ornament of this country, Mr. Gibbon (also distinguished for an early passion for excursive reading) nade his commencement as a writer in the same foreign language. Most of the earlier letters of Mr. Jones, introduced in this work, are in a correspondence with Mr. Reviczki, a Polish nobleman of great accomplishments, and particulatly attached to oriental literature. They are written partly in La tin, partly in French, and chiefly relate to literary topics. Translations of them are given by the biographer in the text, and the originals are in the appendix. It is not in letters of this kind that we are to look for strokes of real character; although, therefore, we do not dispute the propriety of inserting them, as containing valuable critical matter, and displaying the extent of the writer's acquiitions, we shall not extract any of them for the entertainment of our readers. The following letter of Mr. Jones to lord Althorpe, after he had resigned the post of his preceptor, and was becom student of the law, will probably read with general interest. "November 2 "I rejoice, my dear friend, that you acquired that ingenuous distrust, which charmus calls a sinew of wisdom. It i tain that doubt impels us to inquire, at: quiry often ends in conviction. You w able, when you come to London, to exa with the minutest scrupulosity, as Jo would call it, the properties of that s a animal, who is in the rivers of South A rica, what Jupiter was feigned to be 2: the gods, a darter of lightning, and sho named asparnpopos, instead of gymnotus. certainly has (if an academic may venta affirm any thing) a mode of perception liar to himself; but whether that percep can properly be called a new sense, I lea to determine: it is a modification, inda feeling; but are not all our senses desire, however, that in this, and m As to the kyytesiz of our noble cons thing, you will form your own jud tion, which has happily presented ins your imagination, the very idea fixes me rapture. No, my dear lord, never believe any thing is impossible to virtue; na ten such as you conceive such seatise your letter contains, and express t forcibly, if you retain these sentimet. in parliament, I will not despair of you certainly will, when you take your the most glorious of sights, a nation governed by its own laws. This p that, if such a decemvirate should ev tempt to restore our constitutional Libe constitutional means, I would exer ta cause, such talents as I have; and, if I were oppressed with sickness, a with pain, would start from my to act worthily, O Romans! I am v and exclaim with Trebonius, “if you The speech, you find, was comp delivered without any news about M land, it is * hoyos Zwaka worapy,kos xxi spati and breathes a deliberate firmness. Chatham spoke with a noble rigour veteran orator, and your bishop pron had more courage as a public speaker an elegant harangue. I wish lord G men speak highly of him, but he wil be eloquent till he is less modest. C Fox poured forth with an.zing rapidity continned invective against lord G. Ge and Burke was so pathetic, that many they saw him shed tears. The minis both houses were sullen and reserved. lord Sandwich boldly contradicted the of Richmond on the state of the navy School of rhetoric, where men rise to grieve that our senate is dwindledt their abilities rather than to deliberate wish to be admired without hoping to Too despotic and military. ince. Adieu, my dear lord : I steal these few moments from a dry legal investigation, but I could not defer the pleasure of answering a etter which gave me inexpressible delight." To this, for the further illustration of The writer's political character, we shall bjoin an extract from another letter, to he same noble person. Its date is Feb. , 1780. "At the same time I solemnly declare, mat I would not enlist under the banners of a arty, a declaration which is I believe useless, cause no party would receive a man, deterined as I am, to think for himself. To u alone, my friend, and to your interests I firmly attached, both from carly habit and in mature reason, from ancient affection changed for a single moment, and from a conviction that such affection was well aced. The views and wishes of all other en I will analyse and weigh with that susion and slowness of belief, which my exience, such as it is, has taught me; and be more particular, although I will be jeas of the regal part of our constitution, always lend an arm towards restraining proud waves within due limits, yet my st vigilant and strenuous efforts shall be cted against any oligarchy that may rise, ng convinced, that on the popular part of y government depends its real force, the gation of its laws, its welfare, its security, permanence." A remarkable incident in the life of Government," was thought so dangerous, that a bill of indictment was found against the dean of St. Asaph (his bro ther-in-law) for its republication in Wales; but, (such are the turns and changes in the political world) at the very time that this prosecution was pending, the accession of lord Shelburne to the post of prime-minister, put Mr. Jones in possession of the office he had long desired, that of one of the judges in India, together with the honour of knighthood. These extraordinary occurrences are related with great fairness by the noble biographer, and are elucidated by several letters to and from different persons. India was the great theatre of sir W. Jones's public life; and the reader cannot view, without the highest admiration, his indefatigable exertions to promote the interests of science and literature; and, what was more important, to place upon a just and solid foundation the juridical administration of the countries under the English dominion in that quarter of the world. His services in those respects are displayed both in the narrative of his biographer, and in the letters intermixed. His purely literary labours are, indeed, well known to the learned world by his numerous separate publications, which have appeared in a collective form in the edition of all his works since his death. The great object of his industry, with the purpose of making himself professionally useful, was the compilation and translation of a digest of Hindu and Mahommedan laws, for the direction of cur judges in deciding controversies between the natives of India. His letter to the governor-general, lord Cornwallis, on this subject, is full of important information, and testifies the ardour with which he pursued his benevolent purpose. His proposal of superintending such a work could not fail of a favourable reception; and he proceeded with so much vigour in the task, that he had the satisfaction of seeing a great part of it completed before his lamented death. This event is thus related by the biographer. "I now turn to the last scene of the life of sir William Jones. The few months allotted to his existence, after the departure of lady Jones, were devoted to his usual occupations, and more particularly to the discharge of that duty which alone detained him in India, the completion of the digest of Hindu and Mahominedan law. But neither the consciousness of acquitting himself of an Ii 2 obligation which he had voluntarily contracted, nor his incessant assiduity, could fill the vacuity occasioned by the absence of her, whose society had sweetened the toil of application, and cheered his hours of relaxation. Their habits were congenial, and their pursuits in some respects similar: his botanical researches were facilitated by the eyes of lady Jones, and by her talents in drawing; and their evenings were generally passed together, in the perusal of the best modern authors in the different languages of Europe. After her departure he mixed more in promiscuous society; but his affections were transported with her to his native country. "On the evening of the 20th of April, or nearly about that date, after prolonging his walk to a late hour, during which he had imprudently remained in conversation in an unwholesome situation, he called upon the writer of these sheets, and complained of aguish symptoms, mentioned his intention to take some medicine, and repeated jocularly an old proverb, that "an ague in the spring is medicine for a king." He had no suspicion at the time, of the real nature of his indisposi tion, which proved, in fact, to be a complaint common in Bengal, an inflanimation in the liver. The disorder was, however, soon discovered by the penetration of the physician, who, after two or three days, was called into his assistance; but it had then advanced too far to vield to the efficacy of the medicines usually prescribed, and they were administered in vain. The progress of the complaint was uncommonly rapid, and terminated fatally on the 27th of April 1794. On the morning of that day, his attendants, alarmed at the evident symptoms of approaching dissolution, came precipitately to call the friend who has now the melancholy task to record the mournful event. Not a moment was lost in repairing to his house. He was lying on his bed in a posture of meditation, and the only symptom of remaining life was a small degree of motion in the heart, which, after a few seconds, ceased, and he expired without a pang or groan. His bodily suffer ing, from the complacency of his features and the ease of his attitude, could not have been severe; and his mind must have derived consolation from those sources where he had been in the habit of secking it, and where alone, in our last moments, it can ever be found. The deep regret which I felt at the time, that the apprehensions of the attendants of sir William Jones had not induced them to give me earlier notice of the extremity of his situation, is not yet obliterated. It would have afforded me an opportunity of performing the pleasing, but painful office, of sooth ing his last moments; and I should have felt the sincerest gratification in receiving his latest commands; nor would it have been less satisfactory to the public, to have known the dying sentiments and behaviour of a man, who had so long and deservedly enjoyed so large a portion of their esteem and admiration. "An anecdote of sir William Jones, upon what authority I know not, has been recorded, that immediately before his dissolution he retired to his closet, and expired in the act of adoration to his creator. Such a circumstance would have been conformable to his prevailing habits of thinking and reflection, but it is not founded in fact: he died upen his bed, and in the same room in which he had remained from the commencement of his indisposition. "The funeral ceremony was performed on the following day, with the honours due to his public station: and the numerous attendance of the most respectable British inhabitants of Calcutta evinced their sorrow for his loss, and their respect for his memory." This narrative is succeeded by a summary of the character, moral and intel lectual, of this eminent person; which, though drawn by a friendly hand, condoes not abundantly justify. In tw tains nothing that the history of his life points, however, the writer has laboured to give a colouring, perhaps, more conformable to his own wishes and opinions, than to the rules of exact delineation. Attempting to soften what would be ob noxious to many in the political senti ments of his friend, he has given a qu tation from one of his Asiatic discourse to prove that he was not tainted with he wild theories of licentiousness, ms called liberty, which have been propa gated with unusual industry since t revolution in France." Yet it is certai". that the fundamental principle of thi revolution, as well as of all other poi cal changes of a popular kind, viz. tha the people are the only source of all is gitimate authority, was held as fully and firmly by sir William Jones, as by any political theorist whatsoever; althoug he had too much wisdom and virtue to have abhorred those atrocious vie tions of justice and humanity, whe have so indelibly disgraced the pra of the French revolutionists, and whit were constantly deplored by the true friends of liberty. The other point is the state of his opinions with respect to the christian r velation. Having admitted that he set out in early life with doubts on this head, the biographer takes uncommen pains to prove that they terminated in settled conviction of its truth and high importance. We cannot but think, how ever, that he has laid more stress than they will bear upon certain declarations ais, which, indeed, amount to a prosion of general belief in the divine naare and mission of Christ, but scarcely that degree of certainty which the ographer would infer. It is remark , that a very sublime prayer, comsed by him twelve years before his eath, is purely theistical; and an epiaph which he wrote shortly before that vent, and which he evidently intended r himself, speaks no other language, its ate alone excepted. This we shall copy a valuable sketch of, the character he hed to be, and appears really to have "Here was deposited the mortal part of a man, who feared Gob, but not death; and maintained independence, but sought not riches; who thought ne below him but the base and unjust, se above him, but the wise and virtuous; who loved his parents, kindred, friends, country, with an ardour, which was the chief source of all his pleasures and all his pains; and who, having devoted his life to their service, and to the improvement of his mind, resigned it calmly, giving glory to his Creator, wishing peace on earth, and with good-will to all creatures, as the (twenty-seventh) day of (April) the year of our blessed Redeemer, thousand seven hundred (and ninetyfour.)" The truth probably was, that the evince for the Mosaic and Christian revetion obtained his assent as historical epositions, and that he was forcibly spressed with the sublime and pure rality of the latter; but that, with pect to its peculiar doctrines, he had tbeen able to satisfy his mind. It is to be mentioned to the honour of lord Teignmouth's candour, that in his preface he has apprized the reader of the discovery, that a remarkable passage in the 367th page of his Memoirs, appearing as the Sanscrit representation of the story of Noah and his three sons, and which seems to have made a great impression on sir William Jones, was the forgery of a learned Hindu. The appendix of this volume contains "The design of Britain Discovered, an heroic poem," which was drawn up by Mr. Jones at the age of twenty-three: "A Prefatory Discourse to an Essay on the History of the Turks:" and some short original pieces. in Latin, Italian, and English. It concludes with a very elegant tribute to his memory by the duchess of Devonshire, with which we cannot forbear to decorate our pages. "Teignmouth, 1795. "Unbounded learning, thoughts by genius fram'd, To guide the bounteous labours of his pen, Distinguished him, whom kindred sages nam'd, "The most enlighten'd of the sons of T. IX. Original Correspondence of Jean Jacques Roussean, with Mad. La Tour De Franqueville, and M. Du Peyron, late Burgher of Neufchatel. Translated from th. French. 2 vols. 8vo. PP. 695. THESE letters will give more pleaare to the enemies than to the friends Rousseau. Enemies, indeed, he has now ne, in the strict sense of the word, for * day of warfare is over, and his gene 40 past away. The correspondence with Madame la Tour de Franqueville began in a very lish way; the word romatic should be kept for a better meaning. Two la- |