VI.-1. The Progress of the Nation, in its various Social and Economical Relations, from the beginning of the Nine- teenth Century to the Present Time. By G. R. Porter, Esq., F.R.S. Sect. III. Interchange. 2. A Brief Memoir of the Growth, Progress, and Extent of the Trade between the United Kingdom and the United States of America, from the beginning of the Eighteenth Century to the Present Time, &c. &c. By G. R. Porter. 3. Advantages of Counter Exchange with the United States VII.-The Life of William Wilberforce. By his Sons, Robert Isaac Wilberforce, M.A., Vicar of East Farleigh, late I.-1. Horatius Restitutus; or the Books of Horace arranged 2. Quæstiones Horatianæ. Scripsit C. Kirchner II.-Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum: or the Trees and Shrubs of Britain, Native and Foreign, Hardy and Half Hardy, Pictorially and Botanically delineated, and Scien- tifically and Popularly described; with their propagation, culture, management, and uses in the arts, in useful and ornamental Plantations, and in Landscape Gardening. Preceded by an Historical and Geographical Outline of the Trees and Shrubs of temperate climates throughout the world. By J. C. Loudon, F.L. and H.S., &c., author of the Encyclopædias of Gardening, Agriculture, and Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture, &c. &c. III.-The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Em- pire. By Edward Gibbon, Esq. With Notes, by the Rev. H. H. Milman. Vols. I.—IV. - V.-Life and Correspondence of John Earl St. Vincent, G.C.B., VI.-1. Contributions to Modern History. From the British Museum and the State Paper Office. By Frederick von Raumer.-Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots. 2. Queen Elizabeth and her Times. A Series of Original Inedited Letters. By Thomas Wright, Esq. VII.-1. Reports from the Select Committee on Transportation. THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. ART. I.-The Life of Richard Earl Howe, K. G., Admiral of the Fleet, and General of Marines. By Sir John Barrow,. Bart., F.R.S. London. 8vo. 1838. THE only biographical account of Lord Howe, which had hitherto appeared in a substantive form, is a little volume published in 1803, by George Mason. The author seems to have been a caustic old man, who had no peculiar means of information, and was not always correct in his statements, but who wrote ably and honestly. Nothing relating to the Admiral's private character or opinions had been communicated by any of his family or friends in the brief memoirs and sketches which found their way into periodical publications; nor was there any record of his many acquirements, great virtues, and moral excellence as a member of society. No blame,' says the present biographer, attaches to the writers of such desultory pieces for these omissions. They were in the same position as the Israelites in Egypt,-unable to make bricks without straw.' The new materials at the disposal of Sir John Barrow consisted of Earl Howe's Journal, upwards of 400 letters in his hand-writing, and many addressed to him by royal and official persons, as well as by his private friends; and it may be supposed that the author's station and long experience as Secretary to the Admiralty have opened for him all our government depositories, and qualified him to make excellent use of whatever these or other sources afforded him. Richard, afterwards Admiral Earl Howe, was the third son of Emanuel Scrope, second Viscount Howe, who married the eldest daughter of Baron Kielmansegge, Master of the Horse to George I., as Elector of Hanover. He was born in 1725. It is supposed that he was sent to Eton about the usual age: but it is not certain whether he had not previously been at Westminster. Either school might be proud to reckon him among its worthies, though scholastic education had little part in the formation of his mind and character,-for about the age of fourteen he was entered as midshipman on board the Severn, one of Commodore Anson's squadron, destined for a secret expedition to the South Seas. VOL. LXII. NO. CXXIII. B After After they had passed the Strait le Mair and rounded Cape Horn, a tempest dispersed the ships, drove them back to the eastward, and reduced them to the greatest distress, by the violence of the storm, the tremendous sea, and the extreme cold from the snow and sleet, which continued to fall for several days together.' The Severn and the Pearl had suffered so much that they were obliged to bear up for Rio Janeiro, from whence, after having refitted the ships, and refreshed the crews, they returned to England, and thus escaped the perilous disasters detailed with such painful interest' in the well-known account of this remarkable expedition. Young Howe was nothing daunted by this experimental trial. Immediately after his return, he is found on board the Burford, of 70 guns, one of a fleet destined for the West Indies under Sir Chaloner Ogle. The Burford was in a squadron of that fleet under the immediate command of Sir Charles Knowles, whose first operation was to make an attack on La Guayra. The Governor of Caraccas had received intelligence of this intended attack in time to provide against it, by erecting new batteries, strengthening the garrisons, and obtaining a quantity of ammunition from the Dutch Governor of Curaçoa. The attack commenced about noon. Owing to the rocks, the ships could not approach within a mile of the town, and it was found impossible to land the soldiers. The action, however, continued till about eight at night, and the town suffered greatly, the churches being entirely destroyed and a great number of houses. But the Burford and three other of the largest ships were disabled from continuing the attack, and the others so damaged, that the attempt miscarried, with the loss of 400 men killed and wounded. Howe's captain had his thigh taken off by a chain-shot. The lieutenant who succeeded to the command, and who found it necessary to withdraw the ship and carry her to Curaçoa, was tried by courtmartial for having so withdrawn her; he was acquitted on the evidence of the carpenter, confirmed by the testimony of the surviving officers, as to the danger of her keeping the sea, in conscquence of the damages she had received in her hull. Mr. Howe's behaviour in this unfortunate action met with the approval of the commander-in-chief, and he gave him, immediately after, an order to act as lieutenant in one of the ships about to proceed to England; but whatever interest his rank in life might be supposed to give him, it had not sufficient weight at home to obtain a confirmation of his commission; and, therefore, he returned at once to the West Indies, to rejoin his patron. Commodore Knowles soon placed him in a vacancy, as Lieutenant of the |