It ought to be recorded as a proof of the taste of Mr. Hardinge, that he was a great admirer of Milton. When the fame of that celebrated man was basely attacked, in consequence of the forgeries of Lauder, Mr. Hall, Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, addressed a Sonnet to him, commencing with the following lines:

"Hardinge! firm advocate of Milton's fame!

Avenge the honour of his injur'd Muse:
The bold Salmasias dar'd not to accuse,
And brand him living with a felon's name!"

the best Latin Poets in his day, and perhaps ever since the Augustan age. I have kept and printed many of his Latin verses in honour to his memory." Of these Mr. Hardinge printed a few copies, as presents to his friends; and, after a consideration of more than 30 years, had prepared a new Edition, which he determined to re-print; a determination originating in an account which I had given of Mr. Nicholas Hardinge, with a specimen of his Writings, in 1782, in "A Select Collection of Miscellany Poems;" and again in the First Edition of the "Literary Anecdotes.”—Some Letters of his on this subject are printed in the Eighth Volume of that Work, pp. 113, 542; to which I now add a few extracts from Letters written at various periods, and with very long intervals. Temple, Dec. 13, 1782.

"SIR,

"I send my Clerk to you, for a little explanation on the subject of my Father's Verses.-The English are too numerous to be inserted with propriety in your Select Collection.' — What I wish, therefore, is, that you would publish them in a separate Book, either with or without the Latin; which are also at your service, as well as a very curious' Dissertation upon the Regency,' never published, and written by my Father for the Duke of Cumberland and Lord Hardwicke. I am perfectly sure that the English and Latin would indemnify me, which is all that I desire, if I sold on my own account; but I do not like that method. And my reason for offering them to you was, that I thought they would be of service to you; as well as that your knowledge of my Father's character would induce you to accept his Works, and print them with confidence upon your own account.—Believe me, G. HARDINGE." Sir, Your well-wisher and friend, "SIR, Temple, Dec. 27, 1782. "I have considered of my plan, to let you have my Father's Verses, and print them at your own cost: and I will send you some of them to begin with.

G. HARDINGE."

This correspondence was not resumed till 1813; when it was again most zealously taken up. See p. 32.

* See it in the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VIII. p. 520.

He

He married Jane, fifth daughter of Sir John Pratt, of Wilderness in Kent, Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1718 to 1724 (the second daughter by a second marriage), and sister to Charles Pratt, esq. Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1762 to 1766, afterwards Lord High Chancellor, and Earl Camden. By this lady Mr. Hardinge had nine sons and three daughters.

He died April 9, 1758; and was buried in the family vault at Kingston*. His Widow, who survived nearly half a century, died May 17, 1807.

This lady, together with two of her daughters, had retired to the county of Kent; and she closed her days at Grove Hill, a pretty little seat in the vicinity of the residence of her Nephew, the present Marquis Camden. This place she continued to embellish and adorn, so as to render it a very agreeable, and indeed, a very romantic residence.

* See Mr. George Hardinge's verses on his Father's death in Appendix, No. III; where may also be seen an Epitaph intended to be placed in Kingston church to the memory of Mr. Nicholas Hardinge, of his Relict, and their Son George.

Mr. Hardinge's excellent and affectionate character of this truly venerable Matron is given in the Appendix, No. III. The communication was inclosed in the following billet:

"DEAR SIR, The Grove, Sevenoaks, Kent, May 21, 1807. "I have always admired your Obituaries; and I hope you will honour me, by accepting at my hands the Portrait of as extraordinary a person as in the circle of domestic wisdom and virtue ever appeared in the world-Mrs. Hardinge, my Parent, who in her 99th year was claimed by Heaven a few days ago. — I am drawing this Portrait with all the fidelity of a religious and impartial Historian for your next Magazine.-Pray tell me if you can reserve a page for it; and honour me with two or three lines. I am, dear Sir, your most grateful servant, G. HARDINGE." In the same year Mr Hardinge printed the elegant poetical "Filial Tribute" noticed in p. 23.

It is not a little remarkable, that she was greatly addicted to Romances and Noveis. In this passion she participated with her illustrious Brother; a fact often asserted, but never entirely credited, in respect to this legal luminary, until fully confirmed by the pen of his Nephew.

Mr.

Mr. GEORGE HARDINGE, whose brilliant wit and extensive learning have always been acknowledged and admired, was born June 22, 1744.

After some previous education at home, and afterwards under the care of Mr. Woodeson of Kingston, he was sent to Eton, where Dr. Barnard * then presided; and such was the reputation of this celebrated Master, that he increased the number of his scholars from three to five hundred; while the rival establishment of Markham, at Westminster, was stationary.

Having been entered at Trinity College, Cambridge, Mr. Hardinge obtained in 1769 the degree

* That Mr. Hardinge retained to the last the highest veneration for this justly-celebrated Tutor, is evident from the affectionate mention of him in the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VIII. p. 543; from which one extract, as connected with Mr. Hardinge's personal history, shall here be given: "A whimsical adventure occurred after Barnard had become the Master, which I may as well relate in this place. The scene is present before me, as if it happened the day before yesterday. I am in part the Hero of the tale; but, as I am the Hero of its ridicule, the egotism will be forgiven. We took up, in the boarding-house, a rage for acting Plays; and amongst them was that of Cato, whom I was to personate! But I despaired of a likeness, till I could obtain a suitable wig, having formed the idea from Pope: 'Cato's long wig, flower'd gown, and lacker'd chair.'

With some difficulty, a cast-off and scare-crow volume of hair, which had once been venerable, was engaged under prime cost; but was to be made practicable by the hair-dresser, who was to see his wig upon my head for his pains. Many were invited under the rose, and some ladies. The parts were studied, and the effect was thundering applause; whether to laugh at us, or admire us, I leave unexplored. — In the midst of my harangue to the mutineers, who were all the rabble we could find, Barnard, with dignity emulating mine, advanced upon the scene. All the world fled—I alone remained firm to my part-he tore my wig and gown without mercy, from the Patriot whom they had become so well, and hung them up as trophies in his room. Telling this adventure to his visitors, he received amongst them Burton, the Vice-provost, who knew his wig, and claimed it from the wigmaker, who had made it,' he said, as good as new.' - This anecdote lasted Barnard for a month. Cato, and the Vice-provost shared the ridicule, which convulsed the boys with laughter at our expence."

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of M. A. by Royal Mandate. Like his Uncle, he aspired to be Chancellor; and in the same year, June 9, he was accordingly called to the Bar by the Society of the Middle Temple; and obtained a silk gown with a patent of precedence. This enabled him to take briefs against, as well as for the Crown; and, as he already possessed considerable reputation for eloquence, he began to obtain a considerable deal of practice at Nisi Prius.

In the same year he obtained, by the powerful interest of his Uncle Lord Camden, and the assistance of his Friend Mr. Dyson, an Act of Parliament for new modeling the Vicarage of Kingston; which had formerly included not only the Mother Church, but also the Chapels, or Curacies, of Richmond, Kew, Petersham, Thames Ditton, and East Moulsey *.

In November 1769 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries; and, notwithstanding his pursuits were of too gay a nature, perhaps, for the Bar, yet he occasionally addicted himself, with great intensity of application, to his professional avocations.

In 1776 he presented the Rev. James Andrews to the Vicarage of Kingston; on whose resignation, in 1778, he had the satisfaction of presenting his own Brother, the Rev. Henry Hardinge.

In the Long Vacation of that year, Mr. Hardinge made a Tour through France and Switzerland, of

* This produced a bitter attack from the late Gilbert Wakefield, in the first Edition of his own Life; but it was omitted in the second Edition. See Mr. Hardinge's very candid narrative of the circumstance, in the "Literary Anecdotes," vol VIII. p. 514.

† Among Mr. Hardinge's early Friends was Lady Gray, mother of the late Sir Charles Gray, K. B. This amiable lady almost reached the age of 100. "She was," says Mr. Hardinge, "the handsomest old woman I ever saw, and her complexion at 90 was that of a beautifully fair girl in her teens. Her spirits were astonishing; and she was the best company imaginable. I visited her at Denhill, when I was a young man. She heard me lament that I was too poor to sail across the Channel, and then ride (for I had my horses with me) to the Hague. The next morning she came down stairs to me, with a purse in her hand, 'There,"

which he has left an interesting account in MS. On his return, he still cultivated the Muses with more assiduity than the "Year Books;" but, notwithstanding this, he dedicated a considerable portion of his time to professional studies.

During his residence at the Temple, he became acquainted with a great Constitutional Lawyer, who wished to allure him from the flowery and deceitful paths of pleasure, and point his views to great, noble, and useful objects. Among the MSS. which Mr. Hardinge most carefully preserved was the following Sonnet, addressed to him by Sir William Jones:

"HARDINGE! whom Camden's voice, and Camden's fame, To noble thoughts, and high attempts excite;

Whom thy learn'd Sire's well-polish'd lays invite, To kindle in thy breast Phœbean flame:

Oh, rise! oh, emulate their lives, and claim

The glorious meed of many a studious night,
And many a day spent in asserting right;
Repressing wrong, and bringing fraud to shame!
Nor let the glare of Wealth, or Pleasure's bowers,
Allure thy fancy-think how Tully shone;
Think how Demosthenes with heavenly fire
Shook Philip's throne, and lighten'd o'er his towers.
What gave them strength ?-not eloquence alone,
But minds elate above each low desire."

In 1777, October 20, hé married Lucy, daughter and heiress of Richard Long, esq. of Hinxton in Cambridgeshire; and soon after removed to Ragman's Castle*, a pleasant cottage, situate in the meadows

said she, go and hang yourself. It contained 50 guineas. I fell at her feet; and the following day was at Calais; proceeded through Lisle and Brussels to the Hague; saw every thing and person that were my objects; and was her guest again in a month. See the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VIII. p. 514.

* In early times the residence of Lady Falkland; afterwards of John Duke of Montagu; the Dowager Lady Pembroke; the celebrated Actress Mrs. Pritchard; the Earl of Cholmondeley; Lady Bridget Lane; and Sir Charles Warwick Bamfield.

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