[IS ROYAL HIGHNESS EDWARD,

HDUKE OF KENT, the fourth for of his prefent Majeity, was born the ad of November 1767.

In the fpring of 1785, he was fent to the Continent to complete his education. His Royal Highness remained about a twelvemonth at Lunenburg, and afterwards at Hanover, till October 1787, when he went to Geneva, where he refided till the beginning of 1790; at which time he left Geneva, and re. turned to England. During his stay on the Continent, he was much admired by all who knew him, and his conduct was unftained by any of thofe fashionable vices or exceffes, which fometimes mark and difgrace our young Nobility in foreign countries. In April 1789, whift at Geneva, he was appointed Colonel of the 7th regiment, or royal fufileers.

Shortly after his arrival in England, his Royal Highnefs was fent upon duty to Gibraltar, where his regiment was alfo ordered. He remained there till June 1791, when he failed with his regiment for Quebec. In October 1793, he was promoted to the rank of MajorGeneral.

While in Canada, his Royal Highness made repeated applications to be employed on actual fervice, and at lait obtained permiffion to join the army under Sir Charles Grey, then going to attack the French West India Settlements. The orders for this purpose did not reach his Royal Highnefs till January 1794, when in that country all communication by water was frozen up, and the French party was then fo powerful in America,that it was thought extremely hazardous for one of his rank to attempt paffing through the United States.

To make or find a difficulty where his duty calls him, is, however, a thing unknown to his Royal Highness; he

immediately, therefore, before his in

tentions could be made public, fet off for Bolton, travelling with great rapidity, crofling the lakes upon the ice, and fortunately upon his arrival at that place, he found an English packet there, in which he inftantly failed for the Weft Indies.

After a narrow efcape from one of the enemy's privateers on his paffage, his Royal Highness reached the army in fafety, juft at the commencement of the fiege of Fort Bourbon, in the Illand of Martinique. He there took the command of the brigade of grenadiers, and in the courfe of the fiege, and dur ing the remainder of that glorious campaign, particularly diftinguished himfelf by his uncommon zeal and activity, conftantly sharing in every danger and hardship with the meaneft foldier in the army.

Upon the reduction of the French Weft India Islands being completed, his Royal Highnefs, finding his health confiderably impaired by fatigue and the effects of the climate, embarked for Halifax in the Blanche frigate; and fhortly after his arrival in Nova Scotia, he was appointed to the command of the troops in that province.

During a refidence of feveral years in that country, his conduct univerfally excited the higheft admiration and esteem. The following sketch, which was written at that time by a Gentleman, who had every opportu、 nity of being well-informed on the fub. ject, contains a very accurate and particular account of his character and mode of life.

"His Royal Highnefs conftantly rifes before day-light, both in fummer and winter; and this he has invariably prac tifed through life. The inftant he is up, he drinks coffee, which is prepared for him over-night; the hair-dreffer of the regiment then attends him the first of

any

any officer, which prevents all murmuring in others at being obliged to drefs and be in the field at fo early an hour; and it is a rule with him always to fet the example, when he thinks any thing neceffary to be done by thofe under his command, which may be deemed an inconvenience or a hardship.

"When dreffed, he regularly infpects the accounts of his houfehold for the preceding day he then, in fummer, exercifes his regiment for about two hours, always giving the word of command, and explaining every manœuvre himfelf: in the field, he appears to great advantage, being perfectly matter of his profeffion, and having a remarkably powerful and diftinct voice, with great coolness and precition in the delivery of his orders. By his attention and perfeverance, he has brought his regiment to a degree of perfection, in point of difcipline and appearance, hardly to be equalled in the British fervice.

"His Royal Highnefs is extremely attentive to the real welfare of the troops, and charitable to their families when in want or diftrefs; and few Officers poffefs in a higher degree thofe qualities which fecure the affection and Confidence of the army. They fee that zcal or merit, even in the lowest ranks, never efcapes his notice, or goes unrewarded; that though ftrict in his difcipline, he is perfectly impartial, and impofes no duties but what are effentially requifite to the existence of a well-regulated army, and that he always fpares himself less than any other man

under his command.

"The bufinefs of the garrifon is entirely tranfacted by himself; he fees, hears, and determines every thing, and is at all hours acceffible upon duty; fo that whoever has occafion to wait upon him, let his rank be what it may, is certain of feeing his Royal Highnefs, and of having an immediate and explicit anfwer.

"In his mode of living he is very abstemious, never exceeding two glaffes of wine at dinner, nor was he ever in his life known to be intoxicated yet he frequently fees company, and keeps an elegant table, where the utmost free dom and good-humour prevails, though without ever deviating into any improper exceffes.

"To every fpecies of gaming his Royal Highness is an open and avowed enemy, and fo effectually checks it in

others, that this vice is unknown in the garrifon. The only amufement of which he partakes, is a play occafionally acted by the Officers, which he patronizes and encourages.

"To thofe who merit his confidence or protection, he is ever a most firm and fteady friend, and omits no opportunity in his power of ferving them; and fuch is his integrity, that no confideration was ever known to induce him to fwerve from a promise he had once given.

"In his family, he is a most kind and indulgent maiter, free from caprice or paffion; a remarkable proof of which is, that all his principal fervants are the fame which first attended him on his outfet in life.

"To the poor he is a liberal benefactor; and even when in embarrassed circumstances, arifing from loffes by fea and other unavoidable expences, he conftantly dedicated £500 a-year of his income to the relief of private indigence and diftress.

"His Royal Highness has fhewn the most unremitting attention to the fecurity and welfare of the province, and to the fafety of the garrifon : all the fortifications have been repaired, and several new works have been added where they were required; fome of which were entirely planned by himself, and reflect great credit on his judgment as an engineer. Telegraphs have been erected throughout the country, by which every fpecies of intelligence can be conveyed with the utmost rapidity and precifion; and by his prudence and moderation, the greatest harmony has invariably fub fifted between the military and civil

powers.

"The Legiflative Affembly of the Province have lately unanimously voted five hundred guineas, for the purchase of a diamond ftar, to be prefented to him in their name, as a teftimony of the refpect and affection they fo defervedly felt for his perfon and character."

In the fall of 1798, his Royal Highness was obliged to leave Halifax, and to return to England for medical advice, in confequence of a fevere hurt which he received in his left thigh,from his horfe's falling, and rolling upon him. His departure from Nova Scotia on this occation was univerfally lamented as a public calamity; and he failed from that country followed by the tears and prayers of thoufands.

On his arrival in England, he had the

the fatisfaction to find, that his conduct whilft abroad was highly approved of by his Majelty, the Minifters, and the nation at large, and he was every where received with the moft flattering marks of esteem and applaufe; and fhortly afterwards, in April 1799, he was created Duke of Kent and Strathevie, and Earl of Dublin, with an establish ment of 12,000l. a-year.

In May following, his health being then re-established, his Royal Highnels was appointed General and Commander in Chief of all the Forces in British North America; 'to which country he failed foon after in the Arethufa fri. gate.

The news of his intended return to America, diffused the most lively fatiffaction throughout the British domi. nions in that quarter of the globe; and on his landing again at Halifax, he was welcomed with the most un. bounded demonftrations of joy by all ranks of people.

On affuming the fupreme command in America, his Royal Highness devoted himself, with the moft unceafing affiduity, to the duties of that important truft; among many other beneficial regulations which he framed, he established a clear and uniform fyftem of conducting the public bufinefs throughout the different departments in that country, on a plan equally calculated to prevent all irregularity or confufion in accounts, or any improper expenditure of public money. So intenfe was the application of his Royal Highness, that he materially injured his health, as he experienced in confequence fuch fevere and repeated bilious attacks, that in the courfe of a twelvemonth he was under the neceffity of foliciting permiffion to pass the enfuing winter in England.

It was at one time in agitation to have fent his Royal Highneis as Com

mander in Chief to Ireland, had the Lord Lieutenant been withdrawn on the Union being completed, as was at first intended; and few Officers could' have been felected better qualified for fuch a fituation; as, independent of his military abilities, he poffeffes great prudence, firmnefs, and moderation, and has ever been fingularly happy in gaining the affection and confidence of all clates of people wherever he has commanded; a point of infinite importance in the prefent temper and difpofition of that country.

His Royal Highnels at prefent refides chiefly at Kenfington Palace, where he leads a quiet retired life, mingling but little in the gaiety or diffipation of the metropolis, to which he always had an averfion.

From principle, he has uniformly avoided intermeddling in any thape with party or politics, though he poffelfes every requifite to thine in a public affembly; for to a clear and comprehentive mind, he unites great gene ral information, with a moit perfuafive and graceful delivery; and in private circles he is much admired as a corre& and elegant fpeaker.

In his perfon, his Royal Highness is tall and elegantly proportioned, with a remarkable fine countenance, and bears a ftriking refemblance to his Majefty, efpecially in the profile. From hardhips and change of climate, molt of his hair in front has fallen off, which rather adds to the dignity of his appearance as a foldier, a profellion to which his life has been dedicated, and in which he is an enthufiait !

We thall conclude by obferving, that as a public character, he is defervedly refpected and admired, and in private life, no man is more univerfally be. loved than the Duke of Kent, by all who have the hippinefs of being ac quainted with him..

heavy rain, attended with many claps of thunder at a confiderable distance.

After this there was a thort interval of calm, when a ball of fire, about half the diameter of a full moon, ftruck the fide of the inn where I was fitting with a fhort but amazingly loud expiofion, which I can refemble to nothing better than rooo of Signor Torre's balons ing off at the fame time.

go

Immediately after this immenfe noise, I heard the cries of two women in the 3 next