commonly rapid, and terminated fatally on the 27th of April, 1794. On the morning of that day his attend. ants, alarmed at the evident symptoms of approaching dissolution, came precipitately to call the friend who has now the melancholy task of recording 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 suffering, 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 seeking it, and where alone, in our last moments, it can ever be found." It often happens that, in the delineation of the cha racters of men of genius, the difficulty is increased by the paucity of materials; in the present case it is augmented by their multiplicity. The almost incredible extent of Sir William Jones's acquirements requires a stretch of thought to comprehend, much more to describe them. By a paper of his own writing, it appears that he understood something of eight-and-twenty languages; "eight, critically; eight less perfectly, but intelligible with a dictionary; twelve, least perfectly, but all attainable." Lord Teignmouth observes, that "in the eleven discourses, which he addressed to the Asiatic society, on the history, civil and natural, the antiquities, arts, sciences, philosophy, and literature of Asia, and on the origin and families of nations, he has discussed the subjects, subjects, which he professed to explain, with a perspicuity which delights and instructs, and in a style which never ceases to please, where his arguments may not always convince. In these disquisitions he has more particularly displayed his profound oriental learning in illustrating topics of great importance in the history of mankind; and it is much to be lamented that he did not live to revise and improve them in England, with the advantages of accumulated knowledge and undisturbed leisure." "There were few sciences, in which he had not acquired considerable proficiency; in most his knowledge was profound."—"His last and favourite pursuit was the study of botany." "It cannot be deemed useless or superfluous ta inquire by what arts or method he was enabled to attain this extraordinary degree of knowledge. The faculties of his mind, by nature vigorous, were improved by constant exercise: and his memory, by habitual practice, had acquired a capacity of retaining whatever had once been impressed upon it. In his early years, he seems to have entered upon his career of study with this maxim strongly impressed upon his mind, that whatever had been attained, was attainable by him; and it has been remarked, that he never neglected, nor overlooked, any opportunity of improving his intellectual faculties, or of acquiring esteemed accomplish ments. "To an unextinguished ardour for universal knowledge he joined a perseverance in the pursuit of it, which subdued all obstacles. His studies in India began with the dawn, and during the intermissions of professional duties, were continued throughout the day: reflection reflection and meditation strengthened and confirmed what industry and investigation had accumulated. It was also a fixed principle with him, from which he never voluntarily deviated, not to be deterred by any difficulties that were surmountable, from prosecuting to a successful termination, what he had once deliberately undertaken " Sir William entertained a strange opinion, (which was certainly a proof of his humility) that all men are born with equal mental capacities. Having supported this opinion in a conversation with Thomas Law, Esq. that gentleman sent him the following lines: "Sir William, you attempt in vain, Hence to your friends 'tis plainly shewn, You're ignorant of yourself alone." To which Sir William Jones wrote the following answer: "Ah! but too well, dear friend, I know My fancy weak, my reason slow, My memory by art improv'd, My mind by baseless trifles mov'd. Give me (thus high my pride I raise) The ploughman's, or the gardener's praise, To meliorate a stubborn soil; And And say (no higher meed I ask) With zeal hast thou perform'd thy task. Praise, of which virtuous minds may boast, They best confer, who merit most." purpose. It has been observed, that this eminent man rather employed his mind in acquiring and arranging his materials, than in building structures of his own with them. I doubt whether his faculties, wonderful as But they were, were not best adapted to that be that as it may, we ought not to regret the mode in which he applied those astonishing intellectual powers; he now stands the first of his order, and that a very high order, and on this account deserves one of the most conspicuous places in the Temple of Fame. As a poet, he is rather to be considered for his translations, than for original composition; but the tasks he undertook, he executed with uncommon spirit and splendour; and they were such as would have confounded one of less brilliant endowments by their "excess of light." I will give a short song, as a specimen of his manner, SONG. "Wake, ye nightingales, oh, wake! Can ye idlers sleep so long? Burst enraptur'd into song: Tell me not that winter drear That no blossoms yet appear, Save the snow-drop in the dale; Tell Tell me not the woods are bare, Vain excuse! prepare! prepare! View the hillocks, view the meads; Julia comes, and with her leads Health, and youth, and blooming May. When she smiles, fresh roses blow, Hail! ye groves of Bagley, hail! Julia has pronounc'd you fair. I shall close this account with some lines on his death by the Duchess of Devonshire, of whose talents I am glad to have opportunity of giving a specimen: On the death of Sir William Jones. Upright through life, as in his death resign'd, His actions spoke a pure and ardent breast; • Dr. Johnson. Admired |