BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF THE LATE LORD STANHOPE.

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HARLES Stanhope, third Earl Stanhope, was born in the year 1753. His grandfather, and his father, were both of them warmly attached to the Whig party, and on all occasions constantly supported the liberal side of all public questions. The subject of this memoir was sent very young to Eton College, from which he was removed at the age of ten, for the purpose of accompanying his father's family to Geneva, in which place the elder son soon died. Charles was now left to assume the title of Viscount Mahon; and in this state he passed ten years in that city, where his education was chiefly conducted under the inspection of M. le Sage, well known as the author of a theory of gravity, and of various tracts connected with mineralogy, che mistry, and other departments of natural philosophy. During the young nobleman's residence in Switzerland, he made a considerable progress in scientific pursuits; and while still resident in Geneva, he obtained a prize from VOL. LX.

the society of Arts and Sciences at Stockholm, for the best essay on the structure of the pendulum.

On his return to England, he appeared to inherit from his parents a set of political opinions, which would doubtless be fostered by his long abode at Geneva; and in after life, he was not unfrequently regarded as carrying his notions of liberty to an extravagant length. His honesty and integrity, however, were unquestionable; and it cannot be doubted, that although mistaken in his judgment, he acted from conviction. His first appearance in the political world was as a candidate for Westminster, in which, however, he did not succeed he was afterwards

returned for the borough of Wycombe, and continued a member of the lower House, till the death of his father in 1786, gave him a seat as a Peer of the realm.

Although Lord Stanhope was chiefly known by his contemporaries as a politician, it is rather as a philosopher, that he has made himself generally known to the world. Of his works which relate to a strictly scientific ob2 F

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ject, his treatise on electricity seems to stand first, in which he endeavours to establish some new principles respecting the electric fluid. In this piece he attempts to prove the existence, and to explain the effect, of what he calls the returning stroke, namely an action induced at a considerable distance from the principal discharge, depending upon the tendency of the fluid to equalize itself in all bodies. Since the publication of this hypothesis, some accidents from lightning have occurred, which seem the best accounted for by it, and which indeed cannot be easily explained upon any other principle. In this treatise, the great object of practical utility is not neglected: the best method of preserving buildings from the effects of lightning is minutely considered, and exact directions are laid down for accomplishing this purpose.

Another object of great practical utility was, the means of preserving buildings from fire. This object he endeavoured to accomplish by practising the simple and well known expedient, that combustion can never take place where the air is excluded. To illustrate this principle, and at the same time to bring the fact to the test of very ample experiment, he caused to be erected a wooden house rendered fireproof, and after filling the lower chamber with a collection of very inflammable materials, he set fire to it. The result was, that during the burning, a number of persons of distinction who were present in the upper apartment, sat without any inconvenience in the

same. An account of these experiments was published in the Phil. Trans. for 1778.

Another object which engrossed a considerable share of Lord Stanhope's attention, was, the employment of steam for the propulsion of vessels. For a period of 20 years he continued his experiments, and is said to have spent large sums of money in prosecuting them. In the meantime, Mr. Fulton had the same objects in view; and although it is known, that they both, at one period, frequently conversed on the topic of steam-vessels, it is probable that no documents exist which can decide on the share which each of them had in this curious invention.

His Lordship also published a pamphlet on the means of preventing frauds on the gold coin; and afterwards, on bank-notes; in both cases proceeding upon the obvious principle of employing very skilful workmen, whose performances could not be imitated by those who engage in attempts at forgery. He is further well known for having suggested some important improvements in the construction of the printing press, by which a single stroke upon the center of the machine, is rendered equal to one of double the force at each end.

Lord Stanhope died in December 1816, in the 64th year of his age, exhibiting in the last scene of his life an uncommon degree of philosophical resignation.

BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF PROF. SMITH AND MR. CRANCH.

Chretien Smith was born in the year

year 1785 of respectable parents, near the town of Drammen in Norway. Early in life, being then destined for the profession of medicine, he acquired a decided taste for botany, especially that part of it which belongs to the investigation of the cryptogamic plants. For this purpose, when only in his 22nd year, he took a journey to the mountains of Tellemarck, where he made so many discoveries of new mosses and lichens as to acquire considerable celebrity for his botanical acumen. He paid a second visit to these mountains in 1812; and the reputation he now acquired was such as to point him out to the patriotic society of Norway, as a proper person to explore the valleys of Walders, Guldtransdal, and Romsdal, about the 62nd degree of latitude. This object he accomplished in a very satisfactory manner; and he devoted his attention especially to ameliorating the condition of the inhabitants of that sequestered district, by teaching them the best means of improving the few advantages afforded them by a barren soil and an inclement climate.

By the death of his father, Mr. Smith came into possession of a small patrimonial estate; and he determined to devote this independence to foreign travel for the purpose of studying natural history. He had received the appointment of professor of Botany in the university of Christiania; and one object of his travels was, to form a collection of plants for a new botanical garden which had been established there. He first came to London, and visited the principal gardens near it; then

went to Edinburgh, and after examining its mountains, with those of the north of England and Wales, made an excursion to Dublin, and finally returned to London about the close of 1814. He met at Sir Joseph Banks's with the distinguished naturalist Von Buch, and they agreed upon an expedition to the Canaries, where they passed between six and seven months, and returned to England in December.

In London he remained a short time, chiefly for the purpose of arranging his botanical treasures; but while he was thinking of returning to his native country, an offer was unexpectedly made to him of the appointment to the botanical department in the expedition for exploring the African river of Zaire, which he embraced with his accustomed zeal and enthusiasm. The expedition left Falmouth on the 19th of March, and it was nearly two months before they arrived at the mouth of the Zaire. For the first time the professor made a short excursion on shore on July 7; and in his journal he describes the vegetation as magnificent and extremely beautiful. The subsequent history of the expedition is little else than a relation of disappointments and disasters. It was found that the information obtained in England was extremely defective and erroneous. The magnitude of the Zaire had been much exaggerated. It was found, almost at the commencement, to be difficult and nearly impracticable for the larger vessels; and at the distance of 130 or 140 miles from its mouth, a succession of rapids completely obstructed even the 212 passage

passage of the canoe. Captain Tuckey and his companions were under the necessity of travelling on foot along the banks of the river; and it was not long before fatal fevers began to manifest themselves. The captain, on September 9th, found himself obliged to turn his back on the river. Professor Smith had as yet preserved his health; but within four days he was himself attacked with a fatal disease. He was taken ill before they reached the vessels. Becoming dangerously indisposed, he was at length carried on board, but he now refused to take any thing either in the form of food or medicine. On Sept. 21st, he became delirious, and died on the following day.

John Cranch, born at Exeter in 1785, was the son of poor parents, of whom he lost his father at the age of ten. His mother, unable to take upon herself the care of his education, consigned him to the care of an uncle, with with whom he passed six years. Notwithstanding the disadvantages of his situation, his natural genius soon began to display itself; and in the little leisure which was allowed him, he drew up correct and classical descriptions of all the insects which he was able to procure. He also, by his unaided exertions, acquired a knowledge of the Latin and French languages, so that he was able to understand the descriptions of the zoological writers that were written in them. Being apprenticed by his uncle to a shoemaker, at its conclusion he went to London, probably with the idea of renouncing his trade, and devoting himself to a life of science; he

was, however, compelled to leave the capital, and resumed his mechanical occupation in his native county. Shortly after his return, he married, probably to a person of some property, since we are informed that his domestic circumstances were so much improved by this event, as to enable him to consign his business entirely to his journeymen, while he devoted his own time and attention almost exclusively to the pursuit of natural history. He commenced his career as an author about this period, by some short essays in the " Weekly Examiner;" and he gradually acquired a collection of subjects in natural history, the reputation of which extended to the metropolis. Dr. Leach, of the British Museum, in company with other naturalists, visited Mr. Cranch, and expressed his admiration of his collection of shells, crustacea, insects, birds, &c. all assembled by himself, and disposed with the greatest accuracy; and he found him conversing on all subjects connected with natural history, with modesty, but with that confidence which is the result of knowledge.

When the expedition to the Zaire was planned, Mr. Cranch was immediately thought of as a person peculiarly fitted for the undertaking; and the offer being made to him he immediately accepted it, though not without "some painful struggles with his feelings," probably owing to a presentiment that he was not likely to return. His ardour, however, did not relax during the short period in which he was

enabled