to be received with kindness, and a speedy redress of all grievances was immediately promised.

Mr. Irwin, in the course of the next year (1778) married Miss Brooke. This lady, was nearly related to the celebrated Henry Brooke, a native of Ireland, who, after composing a poem, entitled, "Universal Beauty," which obtained the approbation of Pope, wrote the celebrated tragedy of Gustavus Vasa, and the novels, called "the Fool of Quality," and "Juliet Grenville."

His suspension having been taken off by order of the Court of Directors, and he himself restored to his former station in the service of the East India Company, Mr. Irwin now determined to return to Asia. Equally undismayed and undeterred by the miseries and mishaps which had attended him during his former perilous journey, he actually set out again on a similar one in 1780. His experience, however, proved eminently serviceable to him, on the present occasion, and his route over land was far more fortunate, as well as expeditious now than before.

On his arrival at Madras, a new and most distressful scene presented itself. When he left India, the Company's servants were divided among themselves, and many flagrant instances of insubordination had actually taken place; but now, the very existence of its dominions was threatened, and insult superadded to misfortune. A superior French fleet, under the Bailli de Suffrein, more than once threatened the Company's settlements, and the drawn battles of Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, conferred but little security on their maritime dominions. In addition to this, Hyder Ally had over-run the Carnatic, and his light troops occasionally advanced to the very walls of Fort St. George, while the finances of the English in that quarter of the world, as well as their energy, seemed to be paralyzed. On this occasion, the knowledge, integrity, and abilities of Mr. Irwin proved peculiarly serviceable: and he was employed more than once on missions of no little consequence to the prosperity of the Company, which, by a display of its resources, coupled with many singular instances of good

fortune, at length contrived to surmount all its difficulties, and prove far more powerful and flourishing than before.

The late Lord Macartney, who was no bad judge of the human character, now invoked the aid and services of Mr. Irwin; and in consequence of this selection, he was nominated a member of the committee "for the management of the territory and revenues of the Carnatic." This nobleman afterwards employed him in a situation of peculiar delicacy and importance this was the superintendance and administration of the provinces of Tinnivelly and Madurah. To his lot, also, fell the necessary but arduous task of conciliating the Polygar chiefs, with whom he accordingly entered into direct and immediate negotiations, for the purpose of keeping the districts now under his management in a state of quiet and security. Without this, it was impossible either to govern the country, raise crops, obtain rents, or levy taxes. The neighbouring Poly. gars were, before this period, a kind of free-booters, who de scended on the peaceable inhabitants_of the plains, and swept away the fruits of their labours. When the country ap pertained to the Nabob, they were constantly in arms; and such were the oppressive exactions of his Highness's servants and managers, that they were rather encouraged than deterred, during the existence of his government. But the ceded districts were now managed with ability as well as justice; and an armed force was prepared, ready to march at a moment's notice, in order to punish all infractions. But it was seldom that Mr. Irwin had occasion to recur to military coercion; for the system regularly adopted by him was both liberal and lenient and, accordingly, he soon won the esteem and confidence of the natives, by his unvarying integrity and good conduct. According to the very flattering report of the committee of enquiry, "no force was required in this district to overawe the Polygars; and their confidence in the Company's justice was such, that a single message drew the most powerful of them from their woods to pay their tribute, or give any other proof of obedience that was demanded: they protected the property of the government and of the husbandman, paid the stipulated

tribute, with the greatest part of their fixed balances, and in less than two years the Company had received nearly half the amount of the nabob's collection, in eighteen.'

Some changes having taken place in the management of these districts, Mr. Irwin returned to Europe in 1785, and after reposing himself for a time in the bosom of his family, he recurred once more to his literary pursuits, and published several of his compositions, both in prose and verse. The Court of Directors, in testimony of his services, voted him a handsome sum of money, by way of indemnification for the services he had performed, and the losses he had sustained, and in 1792, he was appointed with some other respectable gentlemen, to superintend the Company's affairs in China. He returned in 1794, and having now obtained an honourable independence, aspired soon after to be a director himself; but without that success to which his merits and knowledge so fully entitled him. This doubtless proceeded from the amiable simplicity of his character for no one was ever less embued with that little cunning, usually dignified with the appellation of " a knowledge of the world." He now passed his time in retirement, devoting himself to the social converse of a few persons whom he esteemed. His leisure hours were, as formerly, occasionally devoted to the Muses, and he, at length, expired at Clifton, on October 14, 1817, leaving behind him the character of a man, so uniformly good and amiable, "that he never lost a friend, and never made an enemy." Mr. Irwin was a member of the Royal Irish Academy; and although not born in the sister kingdom, he always exhibited a strong attachment to the soil of his forefathers.

List of the Works of Eyles Irwin, Esq.

1. St. Thomas's Mount, a Poem, 4to. 1771.

2. Bedukah, an Indian Pastoral, 4to. 1776.

3. Adventures during a Voyage up the Red Sea, and a Jour

ney across the Desart, 1 vol. 8vo. 1780.

4. Eastern Eclogues, 4to. 1780.

1

5. Epistle to Mr. Hayley, 4to. 1783.

6. Ode on the Death of Hyder Ally, 4to. 1784.

7. Triumph of Innocence, an Ode, 4to. 1796.

s. Inquiry into the feasability of Buonaparte's Expedition to the East, 8vo. 1796.

9. Buonaparte in Egypt, 8vo. 1798.

10. Nilus, an Elegy on the Victory of Admiral Nelson, 4to. 1798.

11, The failure of the French Crusade, 8vo. 1799.

12. The Bedouins, 12mo. 1802.

13. Ode to Iberia, 4to. 1808.

14. Elegy on the Fall of Saragossa, 4to. 1808.

15. Napoleon, or the Vanity of human wishes, 2 parts, 4to.

1814.

DAUGHTER OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT, AND CONSORT OF HIS SERENE HIGHNESS, THE PRINCE OF SAXE-COBOURG.

THE Princess Charlotte-Caroline-Augusta, was the only child of his Royal Highness George-Augustus- Frederick, Prince of Wales, by Caroline-Amelia-Elizabeth, second daughter of the late Duke of Brunswick, whose mother, Augusta, was eldest sister of his present Majesty George III. Her Royal Highness was born at Carlton-House, on the 7th day of January 1796, precisely nine months after the solemnization of the nuptials between her august parents, who were first cousins. The birth as usual in such cases, was accompanied by an extraordinary degree of publicity; for there were present on that occasion, the sole surviving brother of his present Majesty *, the late Archbishop of Canterbury

His Royal Highness the late Duke of Gloucester.