even single ships could steal out unnoticed; and if the squadron for the invasion of Ireland, with a small body of troops, commanded by Hoche, did actually contrive to escape, let it be recollected that this occurred during a storm, which separated the greater part of the armament, and defeated the whole plan.

To render the blockade more effectual, it is usual to divide the fleet in the following manner: First, what is termed an in-shore squadron, consisting of frigates, occupies such a station as to be able to watch all the motions of the enemy, peep occasionally into the inner harbour, and give the appointed signal in case of alarm. The out-shore squadron consists of the main body of the fleet, ready, upon the least intimation of danger, to afford succour to the vessels on the look out, and give the enemy battle, should they dare to venture from Brest water. It is also usual to station detachments off Rochefort, Belleisle, and L'Orient, on purpose to keep those ports in check; but such precautions are adopted that they can be recalled at a short notice, so as that the whole collected fleet be enabled to encounter and to diffipate any great and sudden danger.

may

Having said this much concerning the usual disposition of the fleet under the orders of our gallant admiral, it may not be amiss to conclude with a few particulars concerning himself.

In respect to person, he is of the middle size, stout and portly, with a certain degree of prominence before, which may be supposed to add dignity to a commander in chief, and must be allowed not to be unbe

coming in an officer now in the sixtieth year of his age.

As to talents, his skill and bravery are undoubted, his seamanship is in particular in high repute, and a long apprenticeship, of more than forty years, during which he has had fewer intervals of relaxation on shore, than perhaps any other officer of equal rank in the British navy, has enabled him to acquire a degree of professional capability, which renders no disaster unknown, and no situation unusual to him. In point of habits, he is a reserved man, and is so little desirous of bustle when on shore, that on its being observed, during a temporary residence near Chichester, that "he must be very lonely;" he replied, "that the cabbage-stocks in his garden were sufficient company for him."

At times he enjoys his glass freely, but is so abstemious while on duty, that he has been known for six months together to drink no more than a couple of glasses of wine at dinner, after which he carefully abstained from any other refreshment during the succecding part of the day.

It has always been usual for British sailors, with that frankness so conspicuous in their characters, to designate their favourite commanders by means of some apposite expression, originating in some peculiarity, arising either out of their persons or their manners. Accordingly, Boscawen was familiarly termed wrynecked Dick; Pye, so long post-admiral at Portsmouth, was always called Nosey; Earl Howe, whose very name is still adored in the navy, received the appellation

pellation of Black Dick; while Admiral Cornwallis, on account of a certain twirl of the finger and thumb, added to a sleek and ruddy countenance, and a wig somewhat similar to that seen in front of a nobleman's carriage, is frequently denominated Coachée, aud Mr. Whip.

Thus far it may be permitted to recite the honest. jokes, and retail the sea-wit of a class of men, at once the glory and the defence of their country; but we are at the same time desirous to intimate, that none are more eager to detail the merits, stimulate the services, uphold the honour, and praise the energy of all brave naval commanders than ourselves. It is our wish, and our hope, that while fighting the battles of their country, they may at the same time enjoy the confidence and the praise of their fellow-citizens, and that names, such as a Nelson, a Jervais, a Duncan, and a Cornwallis, may be handed down to the latest posterity; so that these gallant seamen, who constitute the admiration of the present, may become the models of a future age.

DR. THOMAS KIPLING,

DEAN OF PETERBOROUGH.

THE subject of this memoir has long been known to those who are connected with the university of Cambridge, as deputy-professor of divinity. His edition of Beza's manuscript afterwards extended his reputation to a wider circle, and his late work on the

most

most important controversy which for many ages has agitated the English church, fully entitles him to be considered among the Public Characters of the time.

Dr. Thomas Kipling is a native of Yorkshire. In 1764 he was admitted a student of St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1768 he took his bachelor's degree, and on this occasion, he had the honour of being placed first on the list of those who distinguished themselves in the senate-house examination.

He was soon elected a fellow, and afterwards became one of the tutors of his college. In this capacity he read lectures on optics, among other subjects; and it being understood that he had cultivated this branch of science with particular attention, and had collected valuable materials relating to it, he was requested by the tutors of the university to publish a treatise which should, in some degree, be an abridgment of Smith's Optics, a book at that time very scarce, although it was the only one which could be recommended to the academical reader.

By complying with the request he did not, however, promote his reputation. The work which he produced could not indeed be justly accused either of great faults, or of not answering the purposes for which it was designed; but unfortunately he prefixed to it a preface, which afforded a fruitful subject to the wits of the university. The following passage, in particular, was not considered without astonishment by his mathematical readers: after having mentioned the works of Emerson and Harris, he proceeds thus: "It is not intended in

this character of the writings of others to intimate, in the slightest degree, that the following treatise is faultless it contains many inaccuracies, and even some errors, of which the editor was fully sensible before he sent the work to the press, but was restrained from correcting them by the dread of reprehension." The dread of reprehension may then restrain a mathematician from correcting errors! But who would reprehend him? If errors existed, he could demonstrate that they existed, and all who loved truth would be grateful to the sagacity which had detected them.

Dr. Kipling's reasons should be stated. "The only method of correction was a complete commentary on the text, or frequent alterations. But besides that such a commentary would have been as tedious. and troublesome as a new treatise on the subject, there were other objections against it too obvious to be mentioned; and to have erased and corrected the text of an eminent writer, however judiciously, might have been deemed by some an impertinent presumption, and an unjust treatment of the author." The first apology for retaining the errors of Dr. Smith, is merely that they could not be corrected without considerable labour; an apology which an author should not have offered, and which the public cannot regard as satisfactory. It is impossible to divine those objections which Dr. Kipling says are too obvious to be mentioned; but when he was moved by the fear of being thought presumptuous and unjust, he should have combated his apprehensions, by considering that such opinions could not be entertained by the enlightened

part