resolution, and one tremendous cannonade raged from van to rear. Every ship was desperately engaged with an opponent, and Earl Howe fought the French Admiral Villaret Joyeuse, who sailed on board the Montague, of 120 guns. Thus awfully sus tained, the vigour of the contest endured for two hours, when the French Admiral bore away, and was followed, in great confusion, by every vessel in his fleet which could make sail. Those that were disabled by the fire of this short but decisive battle, were abandoned to the mercy of the British, who made capture of seven vessels of the line, and, as soon as the smoke cleared away, saw another sink. The force of the French consisted of 26, while that of the English amounted to 25 sail of the line; and the loss of the latter was 281 killed, and 781 wounded; while the damage on board the seven ships captured, alone, reached the number of 690 killed and 790 wounded. On the morning of the 13th instant Earl Howe was seen with his prizes in the offing near Portsmouth: he landed during the day, and received the applauses of a crowded populace, and the military honours of the fort and garrison. In the course of the same month, the King, Queen, and Royal Family, proceeded in their state barges, to pay him a visit on board the Queen Charlotte, where his Majesty held a naval levee, and, in testimony of his congratulatory approbation, presented the conquering Admiral with a sword studded to the hilt with diamonds, and valued at the sum of three thousand guineas. In acknowledging the graciousness of his sovereign upon this occasion, Howe gave another striking proof of the generous modesty of the British sailor, by turning towards his crew when he had to return thanks, and nobly exclaiming-'Twas not I, but these brave fellows, that gained the victory. Arrived in London, his lordship next enjoyed the satisfaction of receiving the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and the Common Council of London, who presented him with the freedom of the city in a gold snuff-box. Who fell gloriously, in the Memorable Victory This Monument was erected at the Public Expense He continued to hold the command of the Channel fleet until the month of May, 1795, when the feeble state of his health compelled him to strike his flag. He resumed the duties of a command, however, during the following year, and sailed at the head of the western squadron; but no opportunities of action, and no unusual difficulties, presented themselves before him. At home however, the length and merit of his services were noticed by his appointment to be General of the Marines, and Admiral of the Fleet; and upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the Order of the Garter, he was still farther honoured by being enrolled amongst the knights under its ensign. Though now retired to domestic life, and formally separated from the cares of office, still another opportunity occurred in which his old age was to be powerfully employed in the service of his country. In 1797, a desperate mutiny broke out on board the fleet; every officer was thrown into chains, the crews menaced the most awful measures, and the greatest alarm spread over the nation. In this emergency, Earl Howe was again called upon by the Government; and nothing could be more consistent than to require that great man to compose internal dissensions, who had so often and so successfully overcome foreign hostility. Beloved by the fleet, he had no fear from their exasperation, and consequently proceeded calmly on board of the revolted vessels at the very moment that they were preparing to hang their Admiral and Captains up by the yard-arm. Unarmed he went amongst them, and the intrepidity of the action roused every generous feeling which distinguishes the British sailor, and he was received with shouts of congratulation. His experience had already suggested to the ministry the most pru dent measures to be adopted, for the purposes of mutual conciliation, and his personal address here succeeded in softening down every symptom of exasperation. In short the fleet he had so repeatedly conducted to glory on the sea, he now led back in loyalty to the land. The popularity of this exemplary conduct he lived not long to enjoy; a mortal illness seized upon his debilitated frame, in the month of September, 1799, and he expired full of glory, and fondly surnamed the Father of the Fleet, leaving two daughters to deplore his loss. SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. DR. JOHNSON'S monument stands against the north-east pier in St. Paul's Cathedral: it is a single statue, in an attitute of deep thought, chiselled with strong freedom, but no very pleasing effect. The costume is Roman and inappropriate; it was erected in 1775; and is the work of John Bacon, the sculptor, who received 1100 guineas for the labour. Dr. Parr wrote the Latin epitaph, of which the following is a translation : *To Samuel Johnson, A Grammarian and Critic -: Most learnedly read in the English authors, For the brilliancy of his periods, and the weight of his words, And a singular example of the best of men; Who lived 75 years, two months, and fourteen days, Died on the Ides of December, in the year of Christ, 1784, A. . SAMUELI JOHNSON, Scriptorum. Anglicorum. Litterate. Perito, Homini. Optimo. Et. Singularis. Exempli, Decessit. Idib. Decembr. Ann. Christ. clǝ. lǝcc. lxxxiiil |