DAM DUNCAN, created, 21

can of Camperdown, and Baron Duncan of Lundie, in the Shire of Perth, was born the ift of July 1731, at Dundee, in Scotland. He was a younger fon of the ancient and refpectable family of the Duncars, of Lundie, in the county of Perth, who poffeffed an eftate of about zool. per annum, which came to our gallant Commander about fifteen months fance, by the death of his elder brother Colonel Duncan. Lord Duncan married a paternal fifter of the prefent Lord Advocate of Scotland, and niece of Mr. Secretary Dundas, by whom he has feveral children.

He early was devoted to the fervice of his country in the Navy, and on the 25th of February 1761, was made a Captain in the fhip the Valiant; on the 24th of September 1787, he was advanced to the pot of Rear-Admiral; became ViceAdmiral in 1793, and Admiral of the Blue in 1795. He was foon noticed by the late Lord Keppel, and was with him at the taking of Havanna; and when that Nobleman was made an Admiral, he chofe his friend Duncan for his Captain, and he was afterwards one of the Members on his Court Martial.

Before the late engagement, which has covered him with laurels, Admiral Duncan had not an opportunity of atchieving any very brilliant object. It has been the courfe of his fervice rather to be useful than confpicuous. He has not been an adventurer or a quack. He was not employed upon exploits calculated either to raise his fame, or to fill his purfe. But his merits have been

life a more ftable reputation in public, or a more amiable character in private life.

The promptitude and alacrity with which he carried his fieet to fea, the skill with which he feized the proper moment of attack, the bravery and management of the action, though fplendid, are the leaft titles to our praife. The patience and conftancy with which he maintained his difficult and painful station during fo many boisterous months, and ftill more the gallantry with which, during the critical period of the mutiny, he kept his poft in the blockade of the enemy with only three fhips, when he was abandoned by all the rest of his fquadron, are proofs of heroifm, zeal, and virtue, which will be long remembered with gratitude by his country.

We cannot on the prefent occafion omit to present our readers with the following fpeech, which was made by Lord Duncan to his crew on the 3d of June 1797, and which bears every mark of authenticity in its unaffected piety, its ardent patriotifm, its indignant grief, its fimple yet impreffive eloquence, so admirably adapted to the hearts and understandings of its auditors:

"My lads-I once more call you together with a forrowful heart, from what I have lately feen; the difaffection of the fleets; I call it diffaffection, for the crews have no grievances. To be deferted by my fleet, in the face of an enemy, is a difgrace which I believe never before happened to a British Admiral; nor could I have fuppofed it poffible. My greatest comfort under B 2

God

God is, that I have been fupported by the officers, feainen, and marines, of this fhip; for which, with a heart overflowing with gratitude, I request you to accept my fincere thanks. I flatter myself much good may refult from your example, by bringing thofe deluded people to a fenfe of the duty which they owe not only to their King and Country, but to themfelves.

"The British Navy has ever been the fupport of that liberty which has been handed down to us by our ancestors, and which 1 truft we fhall maintain to the latest pofterity; and that can only be done by unanimity and obedience. This hip's company, and others who have diftinguished themselves by their loyalty and good order, deferve to be, and doubtlefs will be the favourites of a grateful country; they will alfo have from their inward feelings a comfort which will be lafting, and not like the flecting and

falfe confidence of those who have fwerved from their duty.

"It has often been my pride with you to look into the Texel, and fee a foe which dreaded coming out to meet us ;my pride is now humbled indeed!--my feelings are not easily to be expreffed!our cup has overflowed, and made us wanton. The all-wife Providence has given us this check as a warning, and I hope we shall improve by it. On him

SIR,

WE

then let us truft, where our only fecurity can be found. I find there are many good men among us; for my own part I have had full confidence of all in this fhip and once more beg to express my approbation of your condu&t.

May God who has thus far conducted you, continue to do fo; and may the British Navy, the glory and fupport of our country, be restored to its wonted fplendour, and be not only the bulwark of Britain, but the TERROR OF THE WORLD.

"But this can only be effected by a ftrict adherence to our duty and obedience; and let us pray that the Almighty God may keep us in the right way of thinking.

God bleis you all."

This fpeech is faid to have fo affected the crew, that fcarce a dry eye was to be feen on their retiring.

Lord Duncan has been through life diftinguished by unaffuming and unobtrusive fimplicity of manners. With a moft elegant perfon he ever had a manly mind. He is full fix feet three inches high; but with a character of mufcular ftrength and proportion that fets off the height: though eafy in his carriage he is erect, and it is fcarcely poffible to conceive a perfon more naturally graceful.

ERE I not perfectly confident of the patriotic fpirit with which you afcended the Chair of the Board of Agriculture, of your ardent zeal to carry the public views of that Institution into effect, and of the liberal candour with which you receive and even invite the opinions of others on the various and extended branches of your enquiries, I fhould hold it vain to addrefs you on the fubject, and to offer fentiments fo widely differing from the first principles of your undertaking; but under thefe impreflions of my mind, it would be but empty affectation in me to make any apology to you for the following obfervations, which I therefore beg leave thus publicly, without further preface, to lay before you.

The object of your last year's Committee, which I hear you mean to revive, was that of inclofing Wafles and Com

mons: I touch not on the different modes propofed, because I object to the abfolute inciofure of them in any mode. My reafons are as follow; and perhaps they will apply to all inclofures on the prefent fyftem, as well as to those of Wates and Commons; for I think ther conclutive against both, as they are now, or are propofed hereafter to be conducted.

The great principle of improving land for public advantage is to leave a portion of it fo improved publici juris, and on this principle is founded the custom in open fields of leaving one third or fourth every year, as of common right for all perfons, as well thofe of finaller property in the community, and that not in land, as thofe of fuperior rank or property, and that in land, to turn their cattle, horfes, and fheep, upon that portion, according to the extent of their several

legal

legal holdings, whether they be land or cottage, for unlimited right of common is a principle too absurd to be defended, though a custom too commonly put in practice. This abufe I would earnestly with to fee corrected by a general act, much lefs violating the fecurity of property than each individual act of inclofure or of navigation that cuts through it, or entirely takes it away; and juftly too, if the public at large is benefited by it, either through the facility given to the circulation of commerce, or by lowering the price of provifions. But is this the confequence of inclofures under the present fyftem? Is it not rather the annihilation of public right for the advancement of feparate property? And do we not find, by forty years experience at leaft (for to that period I will confine the great annual increase of inclofures) that this erroneous principle has turned both country gentlemen and their overgrown tenants into arrogant and unfeeling monopolifts; for when did you know a man, or combination of men, with exclufive rights or privileges confider the public in any other light than as an object of plunder? If they did in articles of luxury only, I fhould be lets averie (though in my heart I muft ever fcorn the narrow principle in the men), but in thofe of the neceffary fubfiftence of man, efpecially the poor and induftrious, whether labourer, tradefman, or mechanic, I hold it to be the indifpenfable duty of the legislature to withstand, in the first inftance, fo illiberal and deftructive a proceeding.

:

But will you prevent any man from improving and making the moft of his property? By no means. As far as it is confiftent with the general right of the community but I would not allow any man to acquire a duplication of his feparate property, by taking from others their fhare in the right of palture over all lands in rotation, only to enable him to lay heavier burdens on the public markets.

True it is, that the property of individuals lies moft inconveniently scattered in various parts of open fields, that tref palles on each other's lands are daily made, and that commons are overstocked and neglected; but all thefe difficulties and abules would be effectually removed

by allowing or even enforcing by law a power in commiffioners to allot and lay together for each proprietor a portion of land (quantity and quality confidered) equivalent to that which before lay dif perfed in the open fields, and even inclof. ing it, leaving one third or other reason. able portion of it open every year to a general right of common, under new regulation and controul, in which the proprietors of land would have their fhare, and keeping the other divifions in feveralty to themselves.

The waftes and commons might be improved by banking, draining, and vari ous other ways which local circumstances could point out, at the expence of every individual who had a right thereon by pa rochial levy †, to the tenfold advantage of the poor cottager and tradeiman, as well as of the rich, and to the permanent diminution of the price of provifions atmar ket; wherein, though the lower and more numerous claffes of the community would receive the most apparent daily benefit, and comfort the rich, the great, and the powerful, who are not plagued with the double diforder of pride and covetoufness, must fee that they will ultimately find the true and liberal advantage that moft properly comes to their fhare, and in the manner in which it beft becomes them to accept it. By abundance of provifions in crouded markets, and the free purchase of them at eafy rates by the earnings of their induftrious and laborious dependents and neighbours, to the incredible diminution of the poor. rates; which, though in one point of view they may be thought an honour, are in fact both a heavy burden and disgrace to this country.

I am aware that it will be faid, "Unlefs you will hold out to land proprietors the great and exclufive advantages of the prefent plan of inclofure, they will not be at the expence or rifque of it, and your fields will never be improved, but for ever lie in the unproductive and diforder ly ftate of former times."

I am ready, Sir, to own, that the immediate oftenfible profit to the great proprietor (for the finall land owner, it is well known, is often ruined by the unequal and intolerable preffure of first ad. vances) will not be fo flattering to his

cager

eager expectation; but from the collate ral and permanent advantages of this parl incloure, accompanied with the comforts that will arife to the middle and inferior orders of his fellow fubjects from the view of millions of them, who by their little claims and exercife of their common rights will not only raite provifion for their own families, but by rearing and bringing to market calves, pigs, poultry, eggs, and butter, will largely contribute to the general economy by the reduction of prices in thote mot neceffary articles. I lay, Sir, from fuch a view, which ought to make the hearts of the opulent to leap for joy, the great and liberai proprieter will not only have his full meature of delight, he will in fact alfo reap ample amends for the imagined difappointment of his fir cravings by the cafier access to his dearcft fuperfluities, as well as to the means of providing for the maintenance of his neceflary houichold. The bluffings of the poor will meet him in the morning, and bid him farewell be fore he goes to reit, and the bletlings of a gracious Providence will overfiidow and protect fuch a nation.

Thus have I, Sir, ingenuoufly thrown out my thoughts on this important fub. ject; which, if worthy of any confideration, I am fure you, and the Board at which you prefide, will reflect on with candour, and other Gentlemen may enlarge upon with more vigour of mind and frength of argument.

This one maxim I hold true and irrefragable, that though the land of the

whole kingdom fhould, under your an. fpices and zealous exertions, be brought into the highest ftate of cultivation, yet if it be all held in feveralty, and the ancient claim and right of common be extinguifhed or depreffed in the mode and proportion of the prefent fyftem of incloure, the public can reap no benefit from it; but monopoly of property among the great, and combination among their principal and independent tenants, muft annually take place, the one a practice adverse to a free conftitution, the other equally inimical to a commercial country.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

With true refpect, your's, &c. AGRICOLAJ

P.S. Allow me to add one general obfervation on the unaccountable neglect of the Legislature in refpect of timber.

Notwithstanding the acknowledged and notorious decrcafe of foreft timber, fo clearly proved, and fo forcibly urged to public confideration in the manly and patriotic reports of the commiffioners appointed by Parliament many years ago to enquire into the ftate of the crown lands, &c. no care is taken in any bill of inclofure to lay down a principle, or enforce the practice of planting, but we fee whole counties newly inclofed as bare of timber as the open fields. This is a fatal emiffion, which I hope the Houfe of Commons will immediately correct by fome ftanding order on that most important point.

I

Travelled through very difficult and dangerous roads from Grenoble to the Grand Obartienf, the chief monattery of the rigid order of the Chartreux. The general chapter of thele monks is held there once in every year. It lies about eight leagues north of Grenoble, and is built near the fummit of a very high, romantic, and steep mountain, among deep, gicomy weeds of pine trees, and rugged, favage rocks. Nature fits here indeed in great maicfty, on a fublime, craggy throne, but the situation, Lthink, infpires horror rather than penfiveness. As you alcend, a variety of calcades precipitating

Mr. Gray is mistaken, when he says, its way to wounded the aforefaid convent.

down among the fragments of the broken rocks, fill the ear with a wild kind of melody. When you have nearly gained the fummit, the clouds are under your feet, a folemn death-like filence reigns, and over-hanging rocks and tremendous precipices alarm the imagination with real dangers. Horror ubique animos, fimulipfa filentia terrent, and this filence is never interrupted but by the hideous crush of the fragments of the iplitting rock. The prefent convent is not quite on the fummit. There is a very old chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, called St. B no's Chapel, ftill nearer the fummit of the this place St. Bruno chose to retire to, and upon