my lords, any state is better than despair. Let us at least make one effort; and, if we must fall, let us fall like men!"

The duke of Richmond having replied to this speech, Lord Chatham attempted to rise again, but fainted, and fell into the arms of those who were near him. The house was instantly cleared, and medical assistance procured. He was conveyed to his seat at Hayes, where he expired on the 11th of May, 1778, in the seventieth year of his age.

In figure, Lord Chatham was dignified and commanding. "There was a grandeur in his personal appearance," says a writer, who speaks of him when in his decline, "which produced awe and mute attention; and though bowed by infirmity and age, his mind shone through the ruins of his body, armed his eye with lightning, and clothed his lip with thunder."- "He was born an orator," says Wilkes, "and from nature possessed every outward requisite to bespeak respect, and even awe: a manly figure, with the eagle eye of the great Condé, fixed your attention, and almost commanded reverence the moment he appeared; and the keen lightning of his eye spoke the high respect of his soul before his lips had pronounced a syllable. There was a kind of fascination in his look when he eyed any one askance. Nothing could withstand the force of that contagion. The fluent Murray has faltered, and even Fox shrunk back appalled from an adversary 'fraught with fire unquenchable,' if I may borrow an expression of our great Milton. He had not the correctness of language so striking in the great Roman orator, but he had the verba ardentia,—the bold, glowing words."

Captain Cook.

BORN A. D. 1728.-died a. D. 1779.

JAMES COOK, the celebrated navigator, was the son of James Cook, a native of the county of Northumberland. His father's station was no higher than that of a farm-servant, and he was married to a woman in his own sphere of life. Young Cook was born on the 27th of October, 1728, at Morton in Cleveland, Yorkshire. He received the first rudiments of education from the school-mistress of his native village; afterwards, on his father's removal to Great Ayton, he was put to a dayschool, at the expense of Mr Skottowe, his father's employer, where he was instructed in writing and the first rules of arithmetic. About the age of thirteen he was apprenticed to a haberdasher at Snaiths, about ten miles from Whitby; but upon some disagreement taking place between him and his master, he indulged his own inclination in binding himself an apprentice to Messrs Walker of Whitby, who had several vessels in the coal-trade. After serving a few years in the situation of a common sailor, he was made mate of one of Mr Walker's ships.

Early in the year 1755, when hostilities broke out between France and England, Cook entered on board the Eagle, of sixty guns, to which vessel Sir Hugh Palliser was appointed. He now distinguished himself as an active and useful seaman, and his promotion was forwarded by a letter of recommendation from Mr Osbaldeston, member for Scarborough. On the 15th of May, 1759, he was appointed master of the Mercury, which soon after sailed to America, and joined the fleet un

der Sir Charles Saunders at the siege of Quebec. On this occasion he was recommended by Captain Palliser to the difficult and dangerous service of taking the soundings of the St Lawrence, between the island of Orleans and the north shore, previous to military operations against Quebec. This task he performed in a masterly manner; and soon afterwards was employed to survey the river below Quebec. After this, he was appointed master of the Northumberland, stationed at Halifax. At this period of his life it was that he first read Euclid and studied astronomy and some other branches of science. In the year 1762 he was with the Northumberland at the recapture of Newfoundland. In the latter end of the same year he returned to England, and married.

Early in 1763, when Admiral (then Captain) Greaves was appointed governor of Newfoundland, Cook went out with him to survey the coasts of that island. In 1765 he was with Sir William Burnaby on the Jamaica station; and that officer having occasion to send despatches to the governor of Yucatan, selected Cook for that mission, which he executed in a highly satisfactory manner. A relation of the voyage and journey which he undertook on this occasion was published in 1769, under the title of Remarks on a passage from the river Balise, in the bay of Honduras, to Merida, the capital of the province of Yucatan.' His first astronomical paper was printed in the 57th volume of the Philosophical transactions. It is entitled An observation of an Eclipse of the Sun at the island of Newfoundland, August 5th, 1766, with the longitude of the place of observation deduced from it.' Cook's observations were made at one of the Burgeo islands near Cape Ray. It obtained for him the character of an able astronomer.

The spirit for geographical discovery, which had gradually declined since the beginning of the 17th century, was now beginning to revive. Two voyages of this kind had been performed in the reign of George II., the one under Captain Middleton, the other by Captains Moore and Smyth, both with a view to discover a north-west passage through Hudson's bay to the East Indies. Two others, under Captains Byron, Wallis, and Carteret, had been undertaken soon after the conclusion of the peace in 1763, by order of George III., and before the return of these navigators, another voyage was resolved upon for astronomical purposes. It having been calculated that a transit of Venus over the sun's disk would happen in 1769, a memorial to his majesty was presented by the Royal society, setting forth the great importance of making proper observations on that phenomenon, and praying that a vessel might be fitted out, at the expense of government, for conveying proper persons to one of the Friendly islands, in order to make the necessary observations. This request being complied with, Dalrymple, an eminent member of the Royal society, was appointed to the command of the expedition. But in the execution of the project, an unexpected difficulty occurred. Mr Dalrymple, sensible of the impossibility of guiding a vessel through unknown and dangerous seas without any proper command over the crew, demanded a brevet commission as captain of the vessel. This commission, however, Sir Edward Hawke absolutely refused to sign, declaring, when pressed upon the subject, that he would Such as had formerly been granted to Dr Halley, in a voyage of discovery made

Ly him.

rather suffer his right hand to be cut off than intrust any of his majesty's ships to the command of a person who had not been properly bred to the service. In this dilemma, Cook was proposed by Mr Stephens; and his recommendation being seconded by Sir Hugh Palliser, he was immediately appointed to the command of the vessel, with the rank of lieutenant in his majesty's service.

Mr Cook's commission was dated, May 25th, 1768, and a vessel of 370 tons, named the Endeavour, was provided for him. While the necessary preparations were making for the voyage, Captain Wallis returned. It having been recommended to this gentleman to fix upon a proper place for making the intended astronomical observations, he had chosen the island, named by him George's island, but since known by the name of Otaheite, for that purpose. This selection was approved of, and directions were accordingly given to Mr Cook, with whom Mr Charles Green was joined in the astronomical part. The expedition was likewise accompanied by Mr Banks, afterwards Sir Joseph Banks, Dr Solander, and several other men of science.

On the 30th of July, 1768, Cook set sail. During the voyage he approved himself an able seaman, and a judicious commander. On erecting their observatory, an accident happened which nearly disconcerted the whole scheme. This was the loss of their quadrant, which had been stolen by some of the natives; but, through the exertions of Mr Banks, it was at last recovered, and the observations proceeded with. After a stay of three months, when preparing to take leave, a disagreeable and trying circumstance occurred, the desertion of two of the seamen, who, having married young women of the country, determined to take up their residence in it. Cook was now obliged to seize some of the chiefs, and to inform them that they could not obtain their liberty unless the deserters were recovered. This resolute conduct had the desired effect; the deserters were given up, and Cook set sail, along with Tupia, who had formerly been the prime minister to Obera, a princess of the island, and a boy of thirteen years of age, both of whom were desirous of accompanying him to England.

While Cook proceeded to visit some other islands, Tupia occasionally acted as interpreter. On his arrival in New Zealand, Cook found the people extremely hostile and insolent. At their first meeting, one of the natives having threatened to dart his lance into the boat, was shot dead. Another, having carried off a hanger, was fired at with small shot, and upon his still refusing to restore it, was fired at with ball and killed. This, however, produced very little effect on the rest, till several muskets were fired with small shot, which wounded three or four more. Next day the commander, having determined to force some of the natives on board, in order to conciliate their affections by kind treatment, directed his men to follow two canoes which he perceived under weigh before him. One escaped; but the other, not observing the boats in pursuit, was overtaken, on which the savages plied their oars so briskly that the ship's boats were not able to keep up with them. Tupia, whose language the New Zealanders understood, called to them to return, with assurances that no harm would be done them; but they continued their flight. A musket was then fired over their heads with a view to intimidate them, but upon this they prepared to fight, and on the coming up of the boats began the attack with so much vigour, that the

lieutenant's people were obliged to fire upon them with ball, by which four out of seven that were in the boat were killed; the other three jumped into the water, and were taken on board. This part of Cook's conduct was highly inconsistent with that humanity for which he was in general so eminently distinguished. Aware of the censure it merited, he has offered the following apology for the transaction :-" These people certainly did not deserve death for not choosing to confide in my promises, or not consenting to come on board my boat, even if they had apprehended no danger; but the nature of my service required me to obtain a knowledge of their country, which I could no otherwise cbtain but by forcing myself into it in an hostile manner, or gaining admission through the confidence and good will of the people. I had already tried the power of presents without effect, and I was now prompted by my desire to avoid farther hostilities, to attempt to get some of them on board, the only method we had left of convincing them that we intended them no harm, and had it in our power to contribute to their gratification and convenience. Thus far my intentions certainly were not criminal; and though in the contest-which I had not the least reason to expect-our victory might have been complete without so great an expense of life; yet in such situations, when the command to fire has once been given, no man can pretend to restrain its excess, or prescribe its effect."

Having spent six months in circumnavigating and exploring the islands of New Zealand, Cook sailed from thence on the 31st of March, 1770. From New Zealand he proceeded to New Holland, and on the 28th of April came in sight of Botany bay. Here all their endeavours to induce the natives to have any intercourse with them proved ineffectual, though happily there was no blood spilled in any quarrel.

During their navigation round New Holland, the coasts of which are full of dangerous rocks and shoals, our navigators were brought into many perilous situations. But from the time they quitted the coast of New Holland, till they arrived at Batavia, they encountered no other perils than such as are common in sea-voyages. They were obliged, however, to stay for some time at the latter place to repair their damages. Here poor Tupia, with his boy Tayeto, fell sacrifices to the unhealthiness of the climate, as well as the surgeon, three seamen, and a servant. After leaving Batavia, the seeds of disease again broke out amongst them in the most violent and fatal manner, insomuch that in the course of about six weeks, they lost one of Mr Banks' assistants, Mr Sporing, Mr Parkingson, his natural history painter, Mr Green the astronomer, the boatswain, carpenter, and mate, Mr Monkhouse, midshipman, the corporal of the marines, two of the carpenter's crew, and nine seamen. After touching at St Helena, they continued their voyage for England, where they arrived on the 11th of June, 1771. On the 29th of August the same year, his majesty testified his approbation of Mr Cook's conduct by appointing him a captain in the navy. On this occasion Cook wished to have been advanced to the rank of post captain, which, though not more profitable than the other, is more honourable; but this being inconsistent with the rules of preferment in the navy, the earl of Sandwich, at that time at the head of the admiralty, could not agree to it.

Captain Cook was not allowed to remain long inactive.

The idea of

a southern continent had been renewed by the publication of Dalrymple's Historical collection of voyages to the Pacific ocean.' To determine the question finally, Captain Cook was again sent out. The object of this voyage was not merely to settle the question just mentioned, but to extend the geography of the globe to its utmost limits. That the expedition might have every advantage, it was determined to employ two ships, on the choice and equipment of which the utmost at tention was bestowed. The larger of the two, of 460 tons burden, was named the Resolution; the smaller, of 336 tons, had the name of the Adventure. The complement of men on board the former, of which Captain Cook was commander, was 112: of the latter, commanded by Mr Tobias Furneaux, 81. Mr Hodges, an excellent landscape painter, was engaged to make drawings and paintings; Mr John Reinhold Forster, with his son, were both engaged to explore and collect the natural history of the countries which they visited; and Mr William Wales and Mr William Bayley were engaged by the board of longitude to make celestial observations. They were furnished with the best instruments of every kind, and among the rest with four time-pieces; three constructed by Arnold, and one by Kendal, on Harrison's principles. Captain Cook's instructions were not only to sail round the globe, but to sail round it in high southern latitudes, and to make such traverses as might finally resolve the question concerning a southern continent.

In pursuance of these instructions, he set sail on the 13th of July, 1772, and on the 29th of the same month he reached the Madeiras. On the 6th of December, being in the latitude of 50° 40′, he fell in with islands of ice, and continued among them in various latitudes till the 17th of January, 1773, when he set sail for New Zealand, which he reached on the 27th. The reception of our navigators by the New Zealanders was much more friendly than in the former voyage; there were no contests with the natives, nor the smallest apparent remembrance of former hostilities. Having spent a considerable time among the South sea islands, Cook returned to New Zealand, and thence set sail for the southern part of the continent of America. Here he explored a number of islands, and then returned to England, where he arrived in safety on the 30th of July, 1774, having been absent three years and eighteen days. In all that time he had lost only one man, who died of a disease probably begun before he had set out on the voyage. The account of this voyage was written by Captain Cook and young Forster, the naturalist; but the publication was superintended by Dr Douglas. The reception our navigator now met with was suited to his merit. He was immediately raised to the rank of postcaptain, and soon after unanimously elected a member of the Royal society, from whom he received the prize of the gold medal for the best experimental paper that had appeared throughout the year.

The third voyage of this celebrated navigator was not undertaken by any express command of his majesty. Captain Cook had already done so much, that it was thought but reasonable he should be allowed to spend the remainder of his life in quiet. Still, however, there were some undetermined points in the science of geography which very much engaged the attention of the public. These were chiefly to discover the connection between Asia and America, and to determine