direction and time of tide; and in case of meeting the flood from the westward, should you find a fair opening clear of the ice, sail into it with caution, keeping your boat ahead. In case you meet the flood tide, upon getting into an open sea, there will be strong probability of a passage, then steer south-westerly keeping the American coast in view. If you find a south west tide of flood, after passing as far as 62 degrees north latitude beyond Wager strait, then you may be sure you have passed the most northerly cape of the north west continent of America and may make for a southerly latitude. In case you should make a trial first at Pilot bay or Perkin's inlet near Marble island, and should there find a west or north west tide, and the opening continue westerly, the same instruction given as for passing Wager strait, will be equally proper to follow in that opening, since both must coincide in 62 degrees, for wherever, upon trying the tide, you are convinced it flows from the westward, and you find it earlier, you may depend on having an open and large passage, as the ocean cannot be far distant, to raise such great tides on the north west of the bay. Black whales seen in August and September directing their course south-westerly, would be a farther demonstration of a navigable passage to the western ocean, to which they are directing their course. ART. VI.-Tribute to departed Genius. Notice of the late right honourable R. B. Sheridan. A DISTINGUISHED advocate of freedom, celebrated through life for generosity of sentiment, an ardent attachment to principles of general liberty, and unshaken constancy in the maintenance of political right, could not fail to be estimated in this country according to the real value of his exalted character. The fame of Sheridan has long been familiar to every intelligent reader of history or politics. Sunk from our gaze in an obscure and am biguous shade, his closing scene excited the sympathy and interest of all who admired his talents and regretted their loss. The praises of Byron* have called forth our regrets anew, and embodied our feelings in his verse. Sheridan, a privy counsellor to the king, and treasurer of the navy, rose from slender beginnings to the highest offices of the state. He was indebted for his success altogether to the brilliancy of his genius, the extent of his learning, and the acuteness of his judgment. His father was a lecturer on elocution and rhetoric, and published the pronouncing dictionary that bears his name. Of Irish extraction, he possessed the characteristic felicity of idea and fluency of expression that distinguish the eloquent sons of Erin. The subject of our notice inherited these qualities in an eminent degree, and gave early promise of future excellence. He was educated at Harrow, and afterwards at the university of Oxford. The countenance of Garrick, Johnson, Burke, and other literary * See Monody in the present number. characters of the highest distinction, contributed to introduce him. into public life, and, when quite a young man, he was chosen to fill a seat in parliament. The tenor of his political career is too generally known to need an elaborate description. Few men possessing such a liberality of political opinion, and so strenuous in the support of the people's rights, have attained such honours, and been called to fill such responsible offices in the government. He was undoubtedly an orator of the first class, as a dramatist he was equally celebrated, and, with somewhat more industry and closer attention to the great models, might have adorned the highest walks of poetry, but he was unfortunately indolent, and given to a reliance on his own unaided powers, so that, from the influence of convivial excess, joined to irregular habits of application, unequal efforts cancelled the due returns of his exalted genius. He was, emphatically, no man's enemy but his own. His speech on the impeachment of Warren Hastings, when he brought forward the principal charge supported for four hours and a half, was perhaps the sublimest effort of modern eloquence, of which we have any account. In a luminous range through all the principles of his art, he combined the polished elegance of Cicero, with the bold and impetuous fire of the Athenian orator. Then indeed, Conviction flash'd upon the wav'ring mind, Many of his speeches in parliament have been candidly admitted by all parties to exhibit every oratorical effect the human mind is capable of suggesting-brilliant wit, depth, solidity and logical acumen. He possessed in a most extraordinary manner, the happy power of giving interest to the tritest subjects. Though foremost in the ranks of opposition to the ministry, in which he was supported by his royal patron,* then warm in the assertion of liberal principles, Mr. Sheridan was conspicuous for his patriotism, his ingenuous support of sound political doctrine, and a constancy in the worst of times. When the mutiny of the seamen at the Nore threatened the exposure of the empire to the ravages of an invading enemy, Sheridan, throughout this critical and distressing period, displayed a noble magnanimity of mind-a spirit so superior to that of party, as to command the admiration of his country, and the esteem of those who differed from him radically on general politics. In the debate on this affair he came forward boldly and energetically to express his disapprobation of the conduct that had been pursued by the insurgents, and which he truly described as unfair and inconsistent with the brave, generous, and open character British seamen. "If men were oppressed," he said, "they to be relieved by their country; but, however just their nts might be, they ought to complain in a regular way. * The prince of Wales. Should there be men among them, as he believed there were, who advised the sailors to place their country in such peril as it stood in at that moment, for the mere purpose of carrying their objects, such men he hesitated not in pronouncing to be the worst of traitors. He suspected that there were persons of this description; and the evil was of the most alarming kind, when the foe were actually preparing to attack us in the most formidable manner. He thought that listening to the suggestions of such enemies to their country would never have been the fault of British seamen." This open and candid declaration of his sentiments was extremely well calculated to produce a good effect upon the public at large, and, which was of still more importance, upon the minds of the unhappy men, who were then the dupes of intriguing characters. That it excited attention among the sailors, appeared from a notice of this speech in a printed appeal to the nation, issued at Portsmouth by the ringleaders, which, as Mr. Sheridan observed, was worded more in the language of a circulating library than of the forecastle. The conduct of Sheridan on this occasion, will appear more truly disinterested and patriotic, when it is recollected, that he was universally known in the fleet and on shore, as the seaman's friend. "I have ever been their friend," said he, in the house, "but never more so than at this period, in warning them against those artifices which have been practised to seduce them. When people tell them that the navy can be managed without subordination, they may as well tell them a ship can be managed without a rudder: they had better, indeed, pull down the shrouds and the masts, and lay them on the deck, than listen to such misrepresentation." On a subsequent day, when the royal message was taken into consideration, recommending the adoption of some means for the prevention and punishment of all attempts to excite sedition and mutiny in the navy, though Mr. Sheridan expressed his doubts respecting the policy of multiplying penal statutes, he very patriotically declined breaking the unanimity of the house on that occasion, and made some observations which did equal honour to his judgment and his candour. "The fatal perseverance in the mutiny," he said, "had placed the country in a perilous situation; and no person could feel more indignation against the foul incendiaries who had caused it than himself. He was, at first, induced to think that the mutineers had acted under the impulse of momentary delusion and mistake; but their subsequent and continued conduct convinced him that something more than delusion had operated on their minds, and that a rooted spirit of disobedience had taken place of those manly and loyal sentiments with which they had been on former occasions constantly animated. If there was, indeed, a rot in the wooden walls of Old England, our decay could not be very far distant. The question, as it evidently appeared in his view, was not about this or that concession, bu whether the country should be laid prostrate at the feet of France. It was, in fact, a matter of no moment whether it was laid prostrate at the feet of monarchical or republican France; for still the event would be equally fatal, and equally destructive. The national commerce would necessarily prove the great object of the enemy's vengeance; and those mistaken men who might be instrumental in producing so dreadful a crisis, would suffer most essentially in their dearest interests." On this occasion, he received many compliments, both in and out of parliament. The inhabitants of London, and of the country many miles round, were thrown into great alarm by a tremendous conflagration which broke out suddenly in Drury Lane theatre, of which Mr. Sheridan was principal proprietor, about eleven o'clock at night, on the twenty-fourth of February, 1809. In a few minutes the whole building exhibited a mass of fire; and within the space of an hour the devouring element had reduced this splendid edifice to a heap of ruins. Mr. Sheridan was then in the house of commons, where some of the members immediately, out of respect to him, proposed an adjournment; but though he was evidently much affected, he said, in a low tone of voice, that he did not think the misfortune, however heavy it might be to himself, was of so much consequence that the proceedings of the legislature should be thereby suspended. Soon afterwards he left the house; and finding on his arrival at the spot all exertions useless, he was prevailed upon to retire to the Piazza Coffee House, where every attention was shown him by several personages of the first distinction. His conduct on this occasion was cool and collected, and he displayed great fortitude in his remarks upon the event, observing that the misfortune was by no means an uncommon one, and might be remedied; but that he felt most from a consciousness that it was not in his power to save numbers from the inconveniences they must suffer by the want of employment, and who were in consequence threatened with inevitable ruin. His only consolation, he said, was in witnessing the attachment of his friends; and in the reflection that, as far as he had been able to ascertain, no lives were lost. The total loss was estimated at three hundred thousand pounds, of which only thirty-five thousand pounds were insured; and that sum was instantly attached by the duke of Bedford as the ground landlord. It was said that Mr. Sheridan, in addition to his public damage, lost two piano-fortes, which had belonged to his first wife; a very valuable clock that had been the property of Mr. Garrick, and which was valued at seven hundred pounds; an organ that had once been Handel's, worth eight hu dred pounds; and the whole of the elegant furniture, which, on the change of the ministry, was conveyed to the theatre from his residence in Somerset House. On the affairs of Spain, he showed himself again the patriot, when others, usually the most vehement of the opposition, were found to declaim against the expenditure of men and money in the peninsular war, then of doubtful issue. His good sense and liberality prevailed over the trammels and prejudices of party, and he seized an early opportunity of hailing the light that had shone forth in the south of Europe, as an encouraging appearance, of which due advantage should instantly be taken. The speech of Mr. Sheridan was extremely animated, it exhibited a just, straight-forward, and enlarged field of policy. "Let Spain see," said he," that we are not inclined to stint the services we had it in our power to render her; that we were not actuated by the desire of any petty advantage to ourselves; but that our exertions were to be solely directed to the attainment of the grand and general object, the emancipation of the world. But let not our assistance be given in driblets; let it not be romantically and foolishly bestowed; let it be seen that the enthusiasm of the people had been fairly awakened; for without that our efforts could avail nothing. But if the flame were once fairly caught, our success was certain. France would then find that she had been hitherto contending only against principalities, powers, and authorities; but that she had now to contend against a people." Mr. Sheridan concluded by observing, energetically, "that the crisis was the most important that could be conceived, and that the stand made in the Asturias was the most glorious. He hoped that the progress of it would be closely watched, and that not a single opportunity would be lost of adding vigour and energy to the spirit which existed there. The symptoms could not be long in showing themselves; their progress must be rapid; probably, the very next despatch might be sufficient on which to form a decisive opinion; but if the flame did not burn like wildfire, it was all over. He hoped ministers would act as circumstances required; and if so, they should receive his cordial support." The orator obscrved, that though it was not in mortals to command success, resistance was nevertheless indispensably necessary, even with the hazard of defeat: he then concluded in these animating words, which were his last in the house of commons. "But, if we fall, and if after our ruin, there shall possibly arise an impartial historian, his language will be, 'Britain fell, and with her fell all the best securities for the charities of human life, the power, the honour, the fame, the glory, and the liberties not only of herself, but of the whole civilized world.'” Thus set this political luminary in the sphere which he had for so many years enlivened by the brilliancy of his wit, and often delighted by the power of his eloquence. Parliament was shortly after dissolved, and Mr. Sheridan again tried his strength at Stafford, where, however, notwithstanding the encouragement which he had experienced in the spring, he failed of success; nor had he influence enough to command a seat for any other place. Under these depressing circumstances, did this extraordinary man retire from public life. The world to him was now in a man |