The life of Richard, earl Howe, K. G.,admiral of the fleet, and general of marines.

Preface

It may appear remarkable enough that, amidst the profusion of publications which annually issue from the press, the biography of such a man as Lord Howe, whose whole life was devoted to the service of his country (civil and military), without inter¬ ruption, for more than sixty years, should not have found a place among them. No Life, however, of Admiral Lord Howe has yet been published. We have Memoirs, and Sketches, and Scraps, in which many of his brilliant exploits and professional ser¬ vices have been briefly noticed, mostly from official documents, rarely from private sources, yet nothing whatever relating to his private character or opi¬ nions, either from himself or any part of his family : but these brief memoirs afford no record of his many acquirements, great virtues, and moral ex¬ cellence as a member of society. No blame at¬ taches 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

a 2

IV

PREFACE.

without straw — they had few materials for the task, beyond the dry narratives of the Gazettes, and not always them, and the equally dry official letters on service.

Under these circumstances it may not unreason¬ ably be asked, what new materials are now put forward ? — how happens it, considering the number of naval officers who write naval novels, and works on professional subjects (and many of whom write well), that a landsman should undertake the history of one of the most distinguished admirals of the British navy? — and lastly, what is the extent of his acquaintance with naval matters ? Without demurring to the right of these, or any such ques¬ tions, being put, which the perusal of the work itself would best satisfy, there can be no objection to answer them briefly at once.

To the first, and indeed the only question of importance, it is answered, that the fresh materials consist of something more than four hundred letters, all in the hand-writing of Earl Howe, and all addressed to one individual, long and high in his confidence, embracing a period between the years 1776 and 1799, on a great variety of sub¬ jects, professional and otherwise ; — of several private letters to and from the Earl of Chatham ; — of the

PREFACE.

V

Noble Admiral’s private Journal during the time his flag was up, very full, and written entirely by himself * — of various communications received from several flag-officers and others, who served under him, and now living ; — and of a few very interesting letters from his Majesty George III., and George Prince of Wales, to a member of the Howe family.

With regard to the second question : if our naval writers of novels and romances, in humble imitation of a celebrated novelist of former days, when the navy no more resembled the navy now, than their humour does that of Smollett, had not been so wholly taken up in their works of fancy and ima¬ gination — some of them tending to degrade ra¬ ther than exalt the naval character — instead of ap¬ plying themselves to naval biography, in which there is ample scope, the landsman would in all probability have left the task to one of the pro¬ fession.

And lastly, if traversing the Atlantic to the 80th degree of north latitude — to the 40th degree of south latitude ; and the Eastern Ocean to the 40th degree of north latitude ; crossing in these pas¬ sages the Equinoctial line six times — may not have converted the landsman into a seaman, yet they may be assumed as having afforded him the means

VI

PREFACE.

of knowing something of a ship and of what be¬ longs to the naval service ; added to which, a ser¬ vitude of nearly thirty-three years in the Admi¬ ralty is not likely to have diminished that know¬ ledge; but he has not troubled himself nor the reader much with naval tactics and naval discipline.

It was the possession of the materials above mentioned, together with the official documents to which I had access, and many of which are now for the first time made public, that induced me to undertake the “ Life of Lord Howe,” from whose distinguished and honourable character the rising officers of the British navy, and its future heroes, may take an useful example — a better they cannot follow — in all the branches of the naval service. I have made such free use of Lord Howe’s letters and Journal, containing his own account of his acts, and his opinions and sentiments in his own words, on a variety of subjects, mostly professional, that a considerable portion of the latter part of the nar¬ rative may almost be considered as autobiographi¬ cal ; but unfortunately the younger part of his life affords no such valuable materials.

If I entertained doubts of engaging in the task, which I certainly did from the want of all private correspondence with or from the Noble Earl, that

PREFACE.

Vll could throw any light on his moral character, his opinions or sentiments, previous to his arriving at his flag, those doubts at once gave way to the flattering approbation, and the expression of a de¬ sire on the part of his late Majesty, that I should undertake it. His commands on this occasion were personally conveyed to me only a few days before the commencement, or rather indication, of the fatal illness which deprived the nation of a Sove¬ reign eagerly devoted to its honour and its interests — of a Prince punctual in the discharge of his public duties, easy of access, and always ready to oblige, and to do a good-natured act — of a Man kind-hearted, amiable, and affectionate in all the relations of private and domestic life.

His Majesty was pleased to say that, having un¬ derstood I was about to employ myself in writing the Life of the late Lord Howe, he was glad to hear it was likely to fall into such safe hands, for the Admiral was a great favourite with his father, and indeed a sort of connexion of the family ; that he knew the present Earl had for some time past been desirous of finding some one qualified to write the life of his grandfather, and ought to

consider himself fortunate . The King

then entered into the history of Lord Howe’s life,

Vlll

PREFACE.

went over the leading features and events that distinguished it, which an extraordinary memory enabled him to do with a degree of correctness quite surprising ; he pointed out some passages in the Earl’s life, not generally known, and which he said would require caution in touching upon, and that he was desirous of mentioning them to me. Though this interview, with which I was honoured, happened on the Sunday immediately preceding the last levee he ever held, I could not discover, on that day, any difference from his usual cheerfulness, manner, or appearance.

The great deficiency in the correspondence and papers of the Howe family is thus accounted for :

- — A chest of papers, after the death of the Earl, and another at the decease of his sister, Mrs. Howe, came into the possession of the youngest daughter, Louisa Catherine Marchioness of Sligo, as the executrix of both. The present Marquis had them sent to his seat at Westport, in Ireland, where, in consequence of a fire which broke out and destroyed many things in the library, it is supposed these papers shared the same fate. The Marquis has caused every search to be made for them, but without success. From the circum¬ stance of Lord Howe having written so great a

PREFACE.

IX.

number of letters to one individual, commencing towards the latter part of his life, and from the character of the Honourable Mrs. Howe, univer¬ sally known to the fashionable and literary portion of the society of London, there cannot be a doubt that a large mass of curious and valuable corre¬ spondence must have been destroyed; but it can be as little doubted that much still remains in the possession of individuals.

Biographers are generally found to be panegy¬ rists ; some there are, however, who undertake to write a life for the savage pleasure of tearing it in pieces. I have no motive nor influence what¬ ever to sway me in either category. I have con¬ scientiously praised Lord Howe ; truth and justice demanded it at my hands — truth, after a careful revision of the record of his acts, and a fair esti¬ mate of his professional and moral character — and justice, that the memory of their spotless author and possessor should not altogether perish.

It remains only for me to express thus publicly my acknowledgments to those from whom I have received valuable assistance, and in an especial manner to Captain Lord Radstock, for the un¬ wearied pains he kindly took in procuring, and endeavouring to procure, all the information and

X

PREFACE.

materials that could be had in the most likely quarters; and to Captain Sir Lucius Curtis for the full permission he liberally gave me to make use of the valuable collection of letters addressed by the Earl to his late father. Sir Roger Curtis. I wish also to acknowledge, with thanks, the obli¬ gation I feel myself under to Admiral Sir Robert Stopford and Admiral Sir Robert Barlow, who most readily (Sir R. Stopford voluntarily) gave me such information as, from their having com¬ manded frigates in the battle of the 1st of June, and enjoyed the friendship of the Noble Earl, they were able to give. I received, also, communica¬ tions from several other flag-officers who served as lieutenants in the same battle; of the flag-officers none remain ; and of the captains who received medals not one is left. In conclusion, I cannot omit rendering the thanks that I feel to be due to Henry Bedford, Esq., Keeper of the Admiralty Records, by whose valuable assistance much time, and a great deal of the tedious labour of research, have been spared to me.

John Barrow.

Chapter I.— ADVANCEMENT IN THE NAVY. . p. 1

Genealogy of the Howe family — Richard Howe sent to Eton— thence to sea — Destined for the South Seas with Commodore Anson — Goes to the West Indies under Sir Charles Knowles — Action of the Burford — Appointed to the Comet, bomb — to the Baltimore in the North Seas — Admiral Vernon — Engaged with two French frigates — Re¬ ceives the rank of Captain, and appointed to command the Triton — Joins Sir C. Knowles in the West Indies — Commands the Glory and goes on the African station— Appointed to the Mary yacht.

Chapter II.— EXPEDITIONS TO THE COAST OF FRANCE. . 19

Howe having obtained the rank of Captain joins Admiral Boscawen in the Dunkirk — Proceeds off Newfoundland — Howe attacks the Alcide and Lys — Various accounts of this action — Commands a squadron for the protection of Jersey and Guernsey — Takes Chausse — French abandon their designs on the Channel Islands— Expedi¬ tion to the Coast of France on a great scale — Characters of those employed — Howe joins it in the Magnanime— Attacks and carries Isle d’Aix — Discussions of the military officers respecting the attack upon Rochefort — Given up — Another expedition — Mr. Pitt’s object in persevering in them — Its naval force — Extent of naval and land forces — Howe appointed to command the one, as Commodore — the Duke of Marlborough the other — Land at Concale — St. Maloes — Howe’s character — They fail before Cherburg, and return — A third expedition — The land forces under Lieut. General Bligh — Attack Cherburg and succeed — Proceed to the westward — Land troops at St. Lunaire Bay — Arrangements for embarking troops at St. Cas — Disasters at this place — Return to England.

Chapter III.— VARIOUS SERVICES, CIVIL AND MILITARY. 55

Commodore Howe marries — His brother, the Earl Howe, is killed — His remuneration for the Duke of Marlborough and others — The equipment and reception of the Duke of York — Joins Sir Edward Hawke — Action with the fleet of Conflans — The Admiral’s account xii

CONTENTS.

of the battle very defective — Walpole’s edition of it — Magnanime attached to the Channel fleet — Howe the first Colonel of Marines — Establishment and abolition of that and the generals of Marines — George II. gives the first uniform to the navy — Howe flag-captain to the Duke of York in the Princess Amelia — Fire in the Princess Amelia — Becomes a member of the Board of Admiralty — Treasurer of the navy — Advantages of these situations in a naval point of view — Lord Sandwich, an able First Lord of the Admiralty — His opinion as to timber and seamen — Howe purchases a place called Porters — Description of— Imitation of the Queen Charlotte’s aftercabin — Round-sterns and stern-galleries.

Chapter IV.— AMERICAN COMMAND. * . 78

Lord Howe nominated, but not appointed, to command the Mediter¬ ranean fleet — His speeches in Parliament, as member for Dartmouth — Obtains an increase of half-pay for captains in the navy — Ap¬ pointed commander-in-chief of the American station — Gets ac¬ quainted with Dr. Franklin while in England — Their correspondence — Action of Sir Peter Parker— The two brothers publish their decla¬ ration — Lord Howe writes to Washington, who returns his letter — Writes to Franklin, without any good effect — A committee of Congress wait on Lord Howe — No result from it — Accident by'firing a salute ; court-martial, and proceedings thereon — The Hon. Henry Blackwood’s case— Arrival of Count d’ Estaing's fleet — Howe seeks him in order to give battle — A violent gale of wind — Effects of it on the two fleets — Action of the Isis of 50 guns with the Caesar of 74 — Letter of Captain Raynor describing it — D’Estaing, with his crippled fleet, takes refuge in Boston — Howe resigns his command to Admiral Byron — His brother had previously resigned to Sir Henry Clinton — A tournament given on* the occasion — Character of Lord Howe — Contracts a friendship, which ceases only with his death.

Chapter V.— RELIEF OF GIBRALTAR. . . 121

Debates in Parliament on American affairs — The part taken by Lord Howe — Declines serving under the then administration — Change of ministers — Appointed by Lord Keppel to the command of the Channel fleet — Sent first to the North Sea ; then off Ushant — State of preparations for the siege of Gibraltar — The attack of, de¬ scribed by an Italian officer — Total destruction of the floating

CONTENTS.

xiii batteries — No intelligence of this had reached England when Lord Howe was ordered to proceed for the relief of the garrison — Loss of the Royal George, one of his squadron — Of Admiral Kempenfelt, and his signals — Attention of Lord Howe to naval tactics and evolu¬ tions — Anecdote, relating to his proposal for a night action — Arrival at, and passage through, the Strait of Gibraltar — Spanish fleet at anchor in the Bay — Convoy of transports and store-ships driven through the Strait — Covered by the fleet — Tremendous gale of wind — Loss of Spanish ships— Spanish fleet passes the Strait — • Howe succeeds in relieving the garrison— Repasses the Strait, and offers battle off Cape Spartel — The combined fleets, forty-four sail of the line, to thirty-four English — Partial action, which terminates in the combined fleet making for Cadiz — General Elliot’s opinion of Lord Howe, and praise of Captain Curtis — Courteous conduct of the Due de Crillon and the French princes towards General Elliot — Howe, having made two detachments of fourteen sail of the line, returns with the rest of his fleet to St. Helen’s.

Chapter VI.— FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY. . 163

Lord Howe appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, vice Keppel — Quells a mutiny in the Janus — Keppel restored by the coalition ministry — Debates in the Lords — Change of ministers — Lord Howe re-appointed to the Admiralty — Duties of this department, and qualifications of its Chief— Difficulties and annoyances of — Patronage of — Promotions and appointments — Comparative state¬ ment of Lord Howe’s promotions, and those of the present time — Debates in Parliament on Lord Howe’s brevet promotion — Charac¬ ter of Lord Howe, as given by both parties — Orders in council for the promotion of admirals — State of the list of captains — Proposal for a retired list — Motion on the subject in the House of Commons — Lord Howe resigns — Cause of it — Question on the eligibility of naval officers or landsmen being at the head of the Admiralty — Lord Howe created an English peer, as Earl Howe and Baron of Langar.

Chapter VII.— COMMAND OF THE CHANNEL FLEET. . 198

Appointment to command in the Channel Soundings — To hoist the union at the main, in the Queen Charlotte — State of the flags — The ships and flag-officers under his command — Secret orders from the cabinet — Ordered to strike his flag — Promises himself the plea¬ sures of rural dissipation — On the temporary separation of his xiv

CONTENTS.

daughter— Made Vice-Admiral of England— His mind always in the service — Appointed a second time Commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet — Mast-heading — Puts to sea — Gets sight of the French fleet — Inferiority of our ships in sailing — Partial action of the Latona — Fleet returns to port — State of the ships — The block¬ ading system — Clamour against Lord Howe — Epigram.

Chapter VIII.— THE VICTORY OF FIRST OF JUNE. . 221

List of the Channel fleet under Lord Howe — Engages Bowen as master — Sails— Takes and destroys several prizes — Extract of Lord Howe’s private journal from the 28th of May to the 1st of June, both inclusive — Arrival of the fleet with the captured ships — Return of killed, wounded, and prisoners — Second Gazette account of officers who distinguished themselves — Offence taken by those not men¬ tioned — Not intended by Lord Howe to he made public — Captain Molloy asks for a court-martial — Dismissed from command of the Caesar — Collingwood’s name omitted — Brought forward after Sir John Jervis’s action offCape St. Vincent — His “ spiteful satisfaction” in making an unfavourable comparison between this action and that of 1st of June— Howe’s estimate of Jervis’s action — Howe’s corre¬ spondence with Lord Chatham respecting the publication of officers’ names — His unwillingness to consent to it, and reasons why — Lord St. Vincent’s suppression of Nelson’s name — The question of the enemy’s disabled ships being suffered to escape — Opinions of flag-officers now living — The King’s visit to Portsmouth — Promotions, honours, &c. — Lord Howe receives the thanks of both Houses of Parliament— The King’s letter to Mrs. Howe and her reply — Va¬ rious anecdotes respecting the battle of 1st of June — the Marl¬ borough, Brunswick, Audacious, Defence, &c. — Lady Mary Howe’s letter to her sister Lady Altamont.

Chapter IX.— COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE WESTERN FLEET . 291

Resumes the command at St. Helen’s — Puts to sea with a splendid fleet — Makes several detachments — Driven back by bad weather to Torbay — Hears of five sail of French ships of the line at sea — Hastens off Ushant, and cruises to the westward — Wishes to re¬ sign — Prevented by the King — Report of French fleet being at sea — Sails and ascertains it was not so— Rejoices at Bridport’s victory — Gives up prize-money and all advantages of commander-in-chief

CONTENTS.

XV to the fleet actively employed — Plan of keeping a fleet at St. Helen’s — Subordination of seamen in the fleet — Fault of the captains — Gallant conduct of Sir A. Douglas — Soldiers serving as marines — Discussions with Horse Guards— Complains of his infirmities — General of Marines — Vice and Rear-Admirals of England — Medals, delay in distributing — Consequences of — Activity of his mind in naval concerns — Resignation of his command.

Chapter X.— THE YEAR OF MUTINIES, 1797. . . 321

The year 1797 pregnant with mutiny in the fleet — Distinguished also for two general and various single actions — Lord Howe re¬ ceives petitions from several ships — Sends them to the Admiralty — Writes to Portsmouth — Mutiny breaks out there — The Board of Admiralty proceeds thither — Returns re infectd — Proceedings of Government seem to be satisfactory to the men — Mutiny breaks out again — Lord Howe requested to go down — Visits the ships — • Confers with the delegates in the Queen Charlotte — Exacts con¬ ditions from them, before he interferes — Terminates their discon¬ tents satisfactorily — Consents to the removal of certain officers from their ships, a sine qua non on the part of the crews— List of the numbers of officers removed — Letter to the Duke of Portland — Mutiny at the Nore — In Lord Duncan’s fleet — In Lord St. Vin¬ cent’s, off Cadiz — Prompt and decisive measures of his Lordship put a stop to it — Mutiny at the Cape — Decisive measures of Lord Macartney and Admiral Pringle — Improved condition of the sea¬ men of the navy.

Chapter XI.— RETIREMENT, ILLNESS, AND DEATH. 359

Lord Howe finally retires from public life — His family — Accession of fortune— Patronises a farmer’s son— Observations on, and praise of, Duncan’s victory — Trial by court-martial of Captain Williamson —Howe’s recollection of this officer’s conduct on a former occasion —His long confinement by ill health— Reflections on discipline— A family ship — High praise on Lord St. Vincent as a naval officer — Opinion in favour of appointing young officers to command ships of the line — Comments on the action of the Mars with L’Hercule Praise of Lord Nelson — Round sterns of ships — Temperance of Lord Ho we — His French cook — His two last letters : the first, containing a comment on Suwarrow’s action with the French, and on his own battle of the 1st of June ; the second, written sixteen days before xvi

CONTENTS.

his death, on domestic matters, and his own infirmities — By the death of Dr. Warren, and in the absence of Dr. Pitcairn, has re¬ course to electricity — Supposed to have driven the gout into his head — Dies — Consolatory letter from George the Third and George Prince of Wales — Mrs. Howe’s admirable reply to the former — Attentions of the King, Queen, and Royal Family to the Countess Howe — Intended marriage of Lady Mary with Lord Morton — Death of this amiable Lady, followed 'by that of the Countess — Two excellent letters of condolence from the good King George the Third, and one from the Prince of Wales — Loss of Mrs. Howe’s papers and correspondence much to be regretted — Probability of much being still in private hands.

Chapter XII. — MISCELLANEOUS TRAITS OF CHARACTER. 399

General observations*— Howe and Wolfe— Howe’s bravery and cool¬ ness never disputed — Comparative instance of the latter — His person, features, and manners described — Erroneous character of him by the Americans — His humane and benevolent character exemplified— His generosity — His good nature, in a long instruc¬ tion to Captain Fanshawe, how to conduct himself at Court — His kindness to young officers — Interesting account given by Sir

\ Robert Barlow in consequence of this — Free from anger or resent¬ ment — The word blockhead the strongest of reproach in four hundred letters — Irritating conduct of Lord Bridport borne with calmness — A solitary quarrel with, and challenge to, Captain Lord Harvey — Full apology of the latter — Howe’s readiness to bestow praise on naval officers — On frigate captains not rewarded — In¬ stances of his attention to naval science — His domestic circle — Howe, St. Vincent, and Nelson, the three greatest naval officers of their times — Their characters compared — Brief summary of that of Earl Howe.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE BINDER.

Portrait of Lord Howe to face Title. Fac-simile of a letter of George III., p. 1. Fac-simile of a letter of Lord Howe, p. 147.

THE LIFE

OF

ADMIRAL EARL HOWE.

Chapter I. Advancement In The Navy

Genealogy of the Howe family — Richard Howe sent to Eton — thence to sea — Destined for the South Seas with Commodore Anson— Goes to the West Indies under Sir Charles Knowles — Action of the Burford — Appointed to the Comet, bomb — to the Baltimore in the North Seas — Admiral Vernon — Engaged with two French frigates — Re¬ ceives the rank of Captain, and appointed to command the Triton — Joins Sir C. Knowles in the West Indies — Commands the Glory and goes on the African station — Appointed to the Mary yacht.

Without considering it necessary, for the present purpose, to trace the pedigree of a family to a remote origin, it may not be deemed irrelevant on the part of the biographer to point out, when such is the fact, how a succession of eminent and noble characters in the same family, so far from diminishing the exertions of their descendants to follow them in the paths of honor and glory, have contributed, as in the case of the family of Howe, to render their names worthy of those of their ancestors.

In the reign of Charles II., the eldest son of this

B house (John Howe and of his wife Jane Grubham) was created a baronet, and liis brother, George Howe, a knight, as due recompenses for their respective services, both being gentlemen eminent in the county of Notts. Sir John Howe, the second son of the first Sir Richard Grubham Howe, having married Annabella, the youngest of the three natural daughters of Emanuel Scrope, Earl of Sunderland, became possessed of that portion of the Scrope estate situated in Notts ; this lady was legitimized by Act of Parlia¬ ment, and became the Lady Annabella Howe. They left four sons, the eldest of whom, John Howe, was Member of Parliament for Cirencester, inherited the family estates in Gloucestershire, held high offices under King William and Queen Anne, and was the immediate ancestor of the Lords Chedworth, a title now extinct.

Charles, the third son, left only one daughter ; and Emanuel, the fourth son, did the same, having married Ruperta, the natural daughter of Prince Rupert, third son of Frederick, called King of Bolibmia, by Eliza¬ beth, daughter of James I. He was a General in the army and Envoy Extraordinary to the Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I. ; and from this cir¬ cumstance probably originated that intimacy with the Royal House of Hanover, which subsists to the pre¬ sent day.

Reverting now to Scrope, the second of the four sons of Sir John Grubham Howe and Lady Annabella: lie was born in 1648, and inherited from his mother the Nottingham portion of the Scrope estates, was Member of Parliament for Nottingham in the reigns of Charles II., William III., and Queen Anne, and joined the Earl of Nottingham in 1668, in his adhesion to King William on his landing, was created Baron Clenawley and Viscount Howe in 1701, and Avas also made a Groom of the Bedchamber. In the chapel, in the south aisle of the church of Langar, is a monumental bust of this Lord HoAve, on a marble pedestal, bearing this inscription : “ Erected to the memory of the Right Honorable Scrope, Lord Viscount Howe, who departed this life the 16th day of January, 1712, aged 64 years. At the revolution in the year 1 688, he remarkably distinguished himself in the preservation of the religion and liberties of his country, Avhen popery and arbitrary power threatened the subversion of both. He married ’ Anne, the daughter of John, Earl of Rutland, by whom he had issue one son, who died young, and two daughters.

* Also Juliana, the daughter of William, Lord Ailington, by whom he left issue tivo sons and three daughters.”

Emanuel Scrope Howe, the eldest son, succeeded his father in 1712, and Avas Member of Parliament for Nottingham. In 1732 he was appointed Governor of Barbados, Avhere he is said to have died by drink¬ ing the milk of cocoa nuts, when heated, in March 1734. He married Mary Sophia Charlotte, daughter

b 2 of Baron Kielmansegge, Master of the Horse to George I. when Elector of Hanover, by Sophia Charlotte, daughter of Count Platen, of the Empire ; she was afterwards created by George I. Countess of Darlington. They left four sons and four daughters, the eldest of whom, George Augustus, of great pro¬ mise, fell universally lamented in America, and the title and estate devolved on the second son, Richard, the subject of the present memoir.

It is remarkable enough, and can only be explained by the circumstance of the fire at Westport, that no family records have been discovered which throw any light on the early life, the education, genius, and dis¬ position, of any of the four brothers, sons of the Viscount Howe of Langar. All that is known of Richard Howe is, that he was born in 1725, and is supposed to have been sent to Eton about the usual age, though it is not certain whether he had not pre¬ viously been at Westminster. His name does not appear on the lists of Eton, which, however, seem to have been very imperfectly kept about the year 1735, after which there is a gap of twenty years. On refer¬ ence to the Provost, he states, “In my boyhood I un¬ derstood that he left Eton in the second or third form.” It was in the year last mentioned, being then ten years of age, that Richard had the misfortune to lose his father, who, as already stated, died at Barbados, after having exercised the functions of Governor of that colony between two and three years. In a