in respect to his own tomb, a material omission had occurred; for, in consequence of not being under-drained, it was occasionally liable to be overflowed; and was nearly full of water at the time of his decease.

The wish of Mr. Tooke that his corpse might be deposited in his garden, without ceremony and without ostentation, was very common in former times, and is not singular in our own age: one instance exactly similar occurred in the case of Baskerville, the celebrated printer; and another nearly so, in that of Mr. Thomas Hollis, who, after employing more than half his large fortune to the noble purpose of rescuing the works of departed genius from the rust of time, and the support and defence of the liberties of his country, died in 1774, and was buried, according to his desire, in one of his own fields, at Coroscombe, in Devonshire.

The following is the last letter ever penned by Mr. Tooke. It was written exactly twentyone days before his death, and is addressed to Dr. Pearson, in consequence of having heard that he had been bitten by a mad dog.

MY DEAR SIR,

"Wimbledon, Feb. 26, 1812.

Though I have forborne to write, because I "would not be troublesome, yet I am very

"anxious about your health. For God's sake, "let some of your family tell me how you

Immediately after this the patient became worse, and he talked no more of future improvements. But no change whatsoever appears to have taken place in respect to his firmness and resolution.

Death, the very sound of which seems sa dreadful to others, had no terrors in store for him. Even his facetiousness did not seem to abandon him on this occasion; for he declared himself fully prepared for the last act of the tragedy; and ridiculed the fears of the citizen of Strasburgh, who, on being condemned to perish, requested to be allowed to close the scene with his favourite diversion of skittles; and on being indulged in his wish, kept bowling on with a view of protracting his existence, until the executioner was obliged to get behind and cut off his head.

He had now lingered during a considerable time on a bed of sickness, when one of his daughters observed a livid spot on one of his feet, that alarmed her exceedingly. Her presages were but too true, for it was at once the sign and the

effect of a mortification! This intelligence was immediately communicated to his medical attendants, and his friend and neighbour, sir Francis Burdett, who happened to be in town. Next day he repaired to Wimbledon, and, discovering little or no alteration, was not in the least aware of the approaching catastrophe. The last conversation that took place was sufficiently remarkable; for, while yet in perfect possession of his senses, and uncertain of his impending fate, although conscious it could not be long protracted, the patient eagerly inquired concerning the effect produced on the house of commons, by the motion relative to the punishment of soldiers?

Towards the afternoon, Dr. Pearson arrived, and that, too, at a critical moment; for his patient had been taken suddenly ill, and the symptoms were such, as announced a speedy dissolution.

He seemed, as usual, perfectly resigned to his fate, but he soon became speechless and nearly insensible. Yet, as he had once before been relieved by cordials, notwithstanding he was told it was now in vain, the member for Westminster prepared to administer one with his own hand. Having knelt for this purpose, the dying man opened his eyes for the last time, and see

ing who it was that presented the potion, he swallowed it with avidity. Mr. Cline now entered the apartment, and no sooner was the arrival of that gentleman whispered in his ear, than, although unable to utter a single word, he exhibited symptoms of approbation; and, as if all he desired in life had been at length gratified, soon after concluded his earthly career.

Thus died, in his own house at Wimbledon, exactly at a quarter before ten o'clock, during the night of Wednesday, March 18, 1812, John Horne Tooke, in the seventy-seventh year of his age; a man equally singular in his character, his opinions, and his fortunes.

In person, he was five feet eight inches and a half high. His face was short and rather oval. The occiput, however, was of considerable dimensions, and he might therefore literally be denominated long-headed. The same has been observed of Pericles, who, on this very account, obtained a particular appellation*.

On application to Mr. Chantry, the statuary,

* This great man, under whose administration, Athens proved at once flourishing and fortunate, was sometimes denominated Schinocephalus, from the resemblance of his head to a sea-onion; and sometimes Cephalegeretes, or head-compeller, as if his had been an assemblage of many heads.-See Plut. in Vit.

he has communicated the following dimensions of Mr. Tooke's scull, taken by him, when he modelled the bust, and kindly reduced his scale to the standard of vulgar admeasurement. The width of the os occipitis, was exactly six inches and three quarters; the os frontis five inches and a quarter; the greatest width between the extremitities of both, eight inches and three quarters.

The artist remarks that all the parts were well defined and highly finished, so as to exhibit a flowing curvilinear surface, combined with a marked character.

He was also pleased to add, that the head possessed a complete resemblance to the bronze bust of Voltaire, lately in possession of lord' Kinnaird.

Pageantry and funeral pomp were always odious to him; and he was determined that the little he had to leave should not be either lessened or swallowed up, after the modern manner, by means of an expensive burial. In imitation, therefore, of a great man of antiquity the common friend of Brutus, Cæsar, and

* "Elatus est in lecticulâ, ut ipse præscripserat, sine ulla pompâ funeris, comitantibus omnibus, bonis, maximâ vulgi frequentiâ. Sepulcus est juxta viam Appiam, ad quintam lapidem, &c.-T. Pomp. Attici Vit.