HIBERNIAN MAGAZINE: OR, Compendium of Entertaining Knowledge. FOR DECEMBER, 1804. Annexed is an elegant engraved VIEW on the RIVER AMSTEL, near AMSTERDAM, the Capital of the Dutch Netherlands. Correct Memoir of the prefent MARQUIS of WELLESLEY, EARL of MORNINGTON, Governor-General of Bengal, one of the Noble Order of the Knights of St. Patrick, Privy Counselor, &c. Accompanied by a Por trait of this diftinguifked Perfonage. THE HE family of this nobleman is among the most ancient; and, if we may credit the account of the genealogifts, the fplendour and glory of its first founders were fach, that no fmall weight of difhonour would attach to the prefent reprefentative, if he did not in his own perfon reflect back upon them fomething of that luftre which they have thrown upon him. The name of the family was originally Colley; it derives its origin from the county of Rutland, whence it removed into Ireland during the reign of Henry VIII. Richard Colley, efq. of the county of Meath, the grandfather of the marquis of Wellesley, took the name of Wefley, in compliance with the will of his brother-in-law, Garret Wefley, efq. of the fame county. This latter having married the filer of the former, and dying without iffue, bequeathed his eftates upon this condition. Richard Colley, now Wefley, was foon after ennobled by a peerage, being created baron Mornington, of the kingdom of Ireland. He died in 1760, and was December, 1804. fucceeded by his fon, the father of the marquis, who was advanced to an earldom in the year 1760, being created earl of Mornington. Richard Wesley, the subject of our prefent memoir, the firft marquis, fe coud earl, and third baron of his family, was born in the fame year (1760), his father having married Anne, eldeft daughter of the celebrated Arthur Hill, afterwards lord Dungannon. To this excellent woman, who was ditinguished for her virtues, the rife of the marquis muft chiefly be attributed. The premature death of his father left him and a numerous family to the fole care of this lady, and he was, fortunately for her children, one of thofe women equally adapted for, and inclined to the faithful execution of fo folemn a trust. This indeed was the more difficult, as, by circumstances which it does not belong to us to explain, the original wealth of the family had been fo much impaired, that the remnant was but ill fufficient to fupport the appearance required by their rank. But a wife and liberal economy, added to the energies of an active and well-informed mind, fupplied equally the deficiencies of fortune, and even the lofs of a father. It fhould ever be recorded to the praise of the marquis of Wellesley, that though thus by the death of one of his parents become independent, and this too at an 4 U age when the paffions are not under the beft government, he not only concurred in all things with his mother, but, in the full perfuafion of her ability and fuperior excellence, voluntarily threw up all management of the family eftates into her hands, and fubmitted cheerfully to whatever reftraints fhe was pleafed to impofe. It is the advice of the Roman philo. fopher, that we should chufe, upon our first entrance into life, a certain path, and fix our eyes upon a point to which, as to its gaol, our whole courfe and efforts ought invariably to be directed. The father of the marquis of Wellesley had been of this opinion, and accordingly refolved to devote his fon from his carlieft youth to public life. The wifh es of the one, and propenfities of the other, happily concentrated in the fame point. Hiftory and finance, therefore, early became the favourite ftudies of mr. Wefley, and his proficiency in them was fuch as might be expected from the zeal of his application. He had no fooner reached his fourteenth year, a period when a reafon naturally forward might begin to unfold its bud, and give fome promife, at leaft to the eye of parental prejudice, of the richness of its future bloffom, than, as the first means of his future rife, he was fent to Eton. A public school, indeed, by those who have enjoyed, and are therefore alone capable of eftimating its advantages, will be with one voice acknowledged as the only adequate preparation for an early introduction into public life. It is upon this ftage alone that the mind can be trained to that early firmness, and manly confidence, which, though they may constitute no part of talent, are yet neceflary to its exercife and effect. There was at this time at Eton a fingular amufement, and which prevailed more generally, as it was encouraged by the mafters, for the purpofe of improving them in elocution. Upon the evenings of their holidays, the boys of the feveral houfes met in a common hall, and one of them taking his feat as fp ker, another as minifter, and a third as leader of an oppofition, Je parties of each being ranged by their fide, formed a mimic houfe of commons, and moved, debated, voted, and refolved according to the ufual for. malities. Ludicrous as this may appear, it is to this, perhaps, we are indebted for fome of the moft eminent of our parliamentary fpeakers. With the ex ception of mr. Grey, none was more eminent in this mimic house than . Wefley. He is faid, indeed, to have preferved his office of premier longe than any of his rivals; no inconfider ble proof of early talents! From Eton mr. Wefley was removed to Cambridge, but remained there br a fhort time, being called into mot active life by the death of his father. a He now diftinguished himself in fuc manner, as to become an object & attention and favour on the part of ad miniftration. At the inftitution of the order of St. Patrick, in Dublin in 1783, he was nominated a knight c that illuftrious body, and foon afte wards a member of the Irish pri council. His increafing celebrity is duced the ministry to call him to all more fplendid ftage, and they procura him to be elected member for Windfor It was during his reprefentation d this town that he gained that high an immediate favour with his fovereign,, which continues to him to the prefe time. Though in no office about th court, to which the privilege of acc to the prefence was attached, he wa almoft daily of the private parties the royal family, and is thought to har excited no flight jealoufy by the fr quency of this envied diftinétion. During the greater part of the l war the earl of Mornington continue! to render himfelf remarkable by his p litical ardour against the French res lution; and if we may fometimes b ment the indifcriminate fury of the tack, we muit more frequently ackuas ledge his eloquence and thorough w quaintance with his fubject. The roy al patron now refolved to complete s work, for confidering his fortune 5 equally beneath his merit and his tak he refolved to repair it by the mayat cent appointment of governor-grand of India. |