The National Register. — London, England, 1812-05-24 00:00:00

N I 11 7 24. political life, he never was induJed to deviate from it, to gain any advantage however important. His kind-lieartedness was displayed towards all, what ever be their sex, age, or condition, who approached him in want and distress. No pressure of important occupa tions prevented the exercise of his friendly attentions and sympathies t()wards the humblest of his acquaintance.— Relief was made doubly sweet by the delicacy with which it was gra:ited. Whenever it was possible, the hand of benevolence was concealed, and the grateful heart knew not for whom to address supplications to the throne of heavenly mercy. 'We hay*/ to add the following instances of beneficence, to those we gave in our last ; they are equally g►eat, and hitherto secret : When Mr. PERCEVAL lived in Lincoln's-Inn-fields, pre viously to his being a member of Administration, he de shed Mr. AsiiFIELD, the clerk of the parish, to apply to him for money whenever he could find opportunities of relicvinos deserving families in distress. Mr...A.snnimn ~cc~irwntily received from Mr. PERCEVAL ) very conside7 table swn►y or money for this benevolent purpose, awl one funny in particular received at least 1001. in that way. It is supposed that this branch of charity cost Mr. PlinciivA L upwaids of 5001. per annum, and this out Of the earnings of a most laborious profession, whilst he had to provide for a numerous and growing family. A Bar rister, with whom Mr. PERCEVAL was slightly acquaint ed, and who, during a short time that he was in Parlia ment, voted on the different side from that on which he did, beillg encumbered in his affairs, so as to be unable to go the circuit,. Mr. Pt:ma:vat. sent him five hundred. pounds.. When Mr. - (about the year 1808 or 9) solicit ed a remuneration tin- having saved the KING from the insults of the mob, in October 1795, in St. James's Par k, Mr. I'EacEvAr. declined granting any remuneration out of the public money, but voluntary gave towards a private subscription, the sum of 1001. An application was made to Mr. PERCEVAL, a very few years ago, for an increase of allowance to Mr. Dr Lisit,r, a French Emigrant, who was then 104 years of age, and in great want of some additional attendance and comfort. Mr. PI:RCEVAL said to the person who made the applicaticar, that he considered the case to be so very dis tr,sing that the poor man should, in future, have 501. pa an in addition to his former small allowance. This Alms. DE Lisr,E has hitherto received, and as he and his friends believed, horn the public pbrse. But since Mr. PEitcsvalfs death, it has been discovered, that rather thax break through any regulations regarding allowances to Emigrants, Mr. PERCEVAL has actually paid the above additbnal allowance to Mons. DE LISLE, from his own pocket. Mr. PracrVaes piety was not less sincere and fervent than his charity was great. A constant attendant on di vine worship, his devotion was unaffected and most ex. emplary. When high in the law he would never permit consultations to be fixed on a Sunday, unless on business • that could not admit of delay, and then not till Divine service was over. Mr. PEIiCEVAL was of small stature, he had a round face with rather a pallid complexion, in which, however, was strongly depictil the amenity c.f his disposition. His (Jtportment was not commanding, but it was gentlemanly and attractive. In the early part of hii professional career his oratory V ia% strongly marked with diffidence, and the timidity of 4' 5 disposition. There was, however, a cleArness and ele- 309 gance in his mode of delivery, by which he arrested and engaged the attention, if he did not ccrmmand it by the fo; Cc of eloquence. But when he became a Statesman, and took the lead in the Senate, his oratory grew much more imprcs4ive. _ Those who knew Mr. PERCEVAL most intimately, were the warmest admirers of his perfections. Never did any man carry into public life so much of piety and of vir tue. He might be said to have been Christianity per sonified. A striking example of what elevation of cha racter in public, as well as private life, true Christian piety reduced ir►to practice, is capable of producing. Quando ullum invenies parem ? Two or three years ago Mr. PLOWDEN, author of the History of England, had discovered a mode of preserving meat without salt.—An application was made to Mr. PER CEVAL to obtain his sanction to this invention, with a view to its being adopted by the navy. A reference was made to the Victualling Board, which did not, however, give it much countenance. Mr. PEIICKVAL then suggested that Mr. Pi.owDEN had better obtain Patents ia three parts of the United Kingdom, that the usefulness of the discovery might be fairly tried. On Mr. PLowDEN's declaiing that he was unable to comply with this sug gestiOn, for want of friends, Mr. PERCEVAL immediately wrote him an order, on his banker, for 300 guineas. About seven or eight years ago, when Mr. PERCEVAL was Treasurer of Lincoln's Inn, he was applied to by a *..friend of his to give his vote, as Treasurer of that Inn, for a young - Man to be elected a Tancred Student. His an. sever was, it being some time before the vacancy was to happen, that he would not then engage his vote, as he did not know who would be the candidates, and that he meant to give his vote to the most proper object. A few days before the election, Mr. PEACEVAL told his friend that he had had many applications, and that, therefore, he wished his friend would inquire into the circumstances Of the young man he had interested himself for, that Mr. P. might ascertain whether he was as proper an object as the other applicants. The result of the inquiry was, that he was as proper an object, and Mr. P. promised his vote. The next day; however, Mr. P. sent a note to his friend, to say lie was vexed and mortified to find that a prior pro mise had been urged to him, which had been made long before he ever supposed he should be in that situation, and which he must, therefore, pe.tform ; but that he had a plan, if his friend would confer with him upon it, and assist him in executing it, by which he thought, if the young man should lose his election from Mr. P. not Voting for him, his disappointment might, in some degree, be lessened. .Accordingly his friend conferred with him, and Mr. P. having inquired how much the income of the Studentship was, and for what length cf time it was held, and being answered that it was 601. per annum, and was holden for 8 years, he they. replied, that he had made . up his mind to enter into a bond for the payment of that sum for eight years, if the young man should lose his elec tion by his not voting for him. .On his friend urging that there was no necessity for this, he said, on that head he ; grad determined, and all he wished of his friend was, that he would so contrive, that if the young man should lose his election, he might receive this sum annually, without knowing to whom he was obliged, and in a manner not to injure any feelings of delicacy. \Viten the Tellership of the Exchequer became vacant by the death of Mr. IiDEM, Mr. PititegVAL offered it to Mr. Foxes, wilco declined it, urging him to gilts it to ilia ITIIE NATIONAL REGISTER.