No. XXII.

JOHN PADDEY, Esq.

THIS HIS gentleman deserves mention on account of his lineage. He was born in 1738, and died at Kensington, near London. His mother, Lady Anne Paddey, was daughter of Charles Duke of Cleves and Southampton, a son of Charles II. The deceased was, accordingly, the last surviving descendant in the third degree from King Charles, by the Lady Barbara Villiers, daughter of Viscount Grandison, who was slain fighting for King Charles I., against the Parliamentary army, in 1642.

It ought to be remembered also, that his grandfather was brother to the celebrated George Villiers Duke of Buckingham, who was made cupbearer to James I. on account of his fine person. That sovereign, perceiving his education had been neglected, actually condescended to become his schoolmaster; he then appointed him a gentleman of His Majesty's bedchamber and Knight of the Garter, a dukedom next awaited his ambition; and he had the disposal of all places both in church and state.

In the next reign, he became also the favourite of Charles I. and thus enjoyed the rare good fortune of enjoying the unlimited confidence of two succeeding monarchs. He was stabbed by Felton, August 23, 1628, at the time when he was about to embark at Portsmouth, in a second expedition against France.

Mr. Paddey lived in great obscurity, at Kensington in the county of Middlesex, where he died in 1817.

No. XXIII.

RIGHT HON. FRANCIS NORTH, EARL OF GUILFORD.

LORD NORTH AND GUILFORD, HEREDITARY HIgh stewarD OF THE BOROUGH OF BANBURY, PATENT COMPTROLLER and SEARCHER OF THE CUSTOMS, AND LL. D.

ROGER NORTH, who flourished during the reign of Edward IV., appears to be the common ancestor of this family. From him descended Edward, created a peer by Mary, on Feb. 17, 1554. But for wealth, and consequence, we are to look to Sir Francis North, Knight, a very able lawyer, who became first Solicitor, then Attorney-General, next Chief Justice of the King's Bench, and was finally nominated Keeper of the Great Seal, during the reigns of Charles II. and James II. with the title of Lord Guilford. He was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge; and while presiding in the Court of Chancery, is said to have been rather too favourable to the interests of the crown, for a great, upright, and independent judge. Happily for his memory, two events occurred, to shelter his reputation, and enhance his merits; for he was succeeded on the bench, by the infamous Jefferies, while his life was written, and his conduct displayed in the most favourable colours, by a near relation.

This nobleman, who was the author of a philosophical Essay on Music; is known to have exhibited considerable skill on the Bass-Viol, an instrument now become obsolete. According to tradition, he employed a musician to lull him to sleep; and if we are to believe his enemies, he was accustomed "to ride on a Rhinoceros." This accusation is seriously termed

permitted to sell his commission, at the same time, by way of especial favour, retaining his rank in the army. But the good and amiable Earl did not stop here, for he projected something far better for the officer who had been so many years under his protection. Colonel M'Mahon (for so he was now called) seemed to be formed by nature for a courtier. He made a most graceful and elegant bow, which he regulated in due proportion to the rank and influence of those he addressed. His voice was exactly modulated so as to soothe and to please; for it exhibited those under-tones which never disturb the nerves of the great and powerful. He also wrote a letter in the politest style possible, and with all due observance of etiquette: nor was he unacquainted with the arts of rendering himself useful on every possible occasion.

With the full possession of these qualities, he was introduced to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, at a period when the royal residence of Carlton House, was in a state of eclipse. But he remained long enough in the adjoining mansion in Pall-Mall, to behold all its former splendour revived and augmented; and the Regency conferred on, and enjoyed in full plenitude, by his new protector. One of the first acts of the Prince, after being placed at the head of the executive government, was to reward his fidelity, and from being private secretary, the Colonel accordingly became keeper of the Privy Purse, a Privy-Counsellor, and SecretaryExtraordinary.

As His Royal Highness, in his capacity of Duke of Cornwall, had himself been for several years in opposition, Sir John had a delicate task to perform, when he beheld his patron dismiss the whigs, and take other men to his bosom, and his councils. The Earl of Moira and he, were of course no longer of the same party; and all the Right Honourable Secretary's quondam friends, seemed to have bid an eternal adieu to Carlton House. A feeble and inefficacious attempt, was, however, at one period made, to nominate the above-mentioned nobleman, Premier: but, as it proved difficult, if not impossible, to arrange the subordinate characters, this ap

pointment never took place. His lordship, notwithstanding this, was offered the Viceroyship of Ireland,; but Lord Moira refused to return to his native country, unless he could carry the olive-branch thither to the Catholics. At length, he repaired to India, as Governor-General, with a great salary, and an immense patronage; and has been lately advanced in - the peerage, to a marquisate. How far Sir John McMahon, may have contributed to the latter event, we know not; but it is most likely, as he has never been accused of ingratitude, that he did all in his power to return the numerous good offices conferred on himself, while a poor, unknown, and unfriended youth. For the patriots, with whom he had leagued in former times, he always had at command, a handsome bow, an undeviating smile, and an uniform compliment. We have known him, not only disclaim any pretensions to influence himself, but jocularly to assert that "his Royal Highness possessed little or none!" Another courtier, of still older date, carried this much further; for reversing the noble saying of a King of France, that he forgot all the injuries done him as Duke of Orleans ;" this bold statesman observed on one occasion, to a most meritorious, and much injured officer: "that George II., was not bound by the promises of the Prince of Wales !" We are sure that the Monarch himself would most heartily have disdained so base and so mean a sentiment, and we are conscious, that the subject of this memoir, always endeavoured to reflect honour on the Regent.

At length, after the lapse of many years, Sir John M'Mahon, began to feel the pressure of disease, if not of old age; and the demise of his wife, a few months before, was the forerunner of his own fate. He had resigned his station about the person of the Prince, some time previously to his demise, but he appears still to have retained no inconsiderable share of influence, which he exercised in behalf of several respectable branches of his family. In 1814, he procured for his halfbrother, now the Right Honourable Sir William McMahon, a baronetcy, and also provided for him handsomely, by means

of a negotiation with the late Right Honourable John P. Cur. ran, who was prevailed upon to resign the Mastership of the Rolls, in consequence of obtaining a very large pension. Another half-brother, who had acquired considerable rank in the army, was honoured with the high and confidential station of Aide-de-Camp, to the Prince of Wales, with a reversion of his own title.

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Having retired to Bath, for the benefit of the air and waters, Sir John M'Mahon died there, September 12, 1817, leaving behind him a large fortune, which could never possibly have been obtained from the income of his several places, all of which did not exceed the sum of 3000l., or 4000l. per The assertion, however, is ridiculous, that at the time of his demise, he had, " a floating balance at his banker's, of 70,000l.," for he was too well acquainted with the value of money, to lose the interest of so large a sum. A little before his last illness, he built a beautiful little villa, in Kent, on an estate which he had purchased, within ten or twelve miles of town. In his person, he was small, and devoid of beauty. His face too, was seamed and scarred with the smallpox; but as his conversation was pleasant, and he possessed all the graces, any impression arising from a transient view, soon wore off, and was obliterated. By his will, dated April 26, 1816; the Right Honourable Sir William McMahon, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, is left his sole executor, and residuary legatee, with a bequest of 20,000l. The personal property, is sworn to be under 90,000l. ten thousand pounds are given to Colonel (now) Sir Thomas M'Mahon, Bart.; to SusanElizabeth Wylde, otherwise Mitford, 5000l.; "to Thomas Marrable, Esq., a dear and esteemed friend, 2000, and with my last prayers," adds he, "for the glory and happiness of the best-hearted man in the world, the Prince Regent, I bequeath him, the said Thomas Marrable, an invaluable servant.'

"To Sir Walter Farquhar, Bart., the preserver of my life for many years, 600 guineas;" and to another medical attendant, "500l.”