The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-11 00:00:00

FRANCIS MASPRES, cuiszroit BARON OF
THE EXCHEQUER.

We byre to announce the death of this distinguished 11
individual, who yesterday morning rinsed his long and
valuable life, at the advanced age of nicety-Three. Baron
mauves was of a refugee family ; his grandfather came
.v.r with King William; and his mind, as might na-
,,,ntly be expected, was early imbued with a hatred of
,wry thing in the shape of religious persecution. He was
3 Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and very early dis.l
glared that profound knowledge of mathematics, to the'
reeuliar study of which he had devoted himself, and to
,high he was no doubt excited by the many celebrated
❑nus which, in this department of science, have done
locour to that celebrakd University. lle published, as
,oly as 17f.9, ■ work on the negative sign, 311 which he
. .

.•
..veal against the received doctrine of negative quantities ;
did sometime afterwards published his valuable collection
the Pripet/era Logurilhndiei, in six vols. Sto. ; a work
Life Annuities, and several historical works, among
shicb WV' Alan's Hi:fury of Me l'orliamestfp lid Lad-
: o's Ltllers. It was to the liberal and enlightened
vitronage of Baron Mown* that the public are indebted
the Rev. John Ilellina s valuable translation of 1)oN r •
Nlasli/n::iosi Analutiehe. It had been translated
.aany years before by the then late Professor Colson, the
;nquisions commit ntatiw on the Flexions of Newton. Baron
llaserm• who in his early life had known Colsuo, and had
room to infer, from his conversation, that he had written
a treatise en the higher geometry, which he had never
published, was desirous of discovering this manuscript, and
of giving it to the world. In his search be found, not the
sork he looked for, hut the translation just mentioned ;
and after removing scone pecuniary difficulties, which,
without such generous assistance, would probably bev3 been
for ever withheld from the world, he obtained a copy of
it, and put it into the hands of Mr. Hellion, who under-
took to become its editor, and under whose inspection it
was printed in INDS.*
In private life, the disposition of Baron Menem was
liudne st itself,and his integrity was the result of a mind
gliciplined front early life in all its feelings, and disin-
terested in all its habits. In politics he was a Whig of
the Old School; averse from all wild innovation, hut
loving liberty for the sake of humankind, and despising
all coo promire with despotism. His religious tenets were
thine of a strict and staunch Unitarian, but with perfect
poll feeling towards every one of different sentiments, and
doming it the lwight of injustice to chastise any man's
enoicience, or to silence any man's opinion. Ills memory—
at will often happen with hose Moose lives have been de-
voted to abstract studies—had faikl him almost totally
for many months before his death. lie teas never married,
311(1 lira left no very tics, relatives ballot !dm. Ile (lied
his house at Reigate, in Surrey, to whish 'Ace lie had
Ism removed some time before his death, W:teevcr is
appointed to the vacant situation of Cftrsitor Baton the
li:chequer will probably have duties to perform b;:vinid
those which have been hitherto annexed to it, as the e:c-
pedisucy of making sans arrangement in this respect has
been, we know, fur some time under the consideration of
Government.

• Vidt rdldrergh Review.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Last night Mr. KIWI MIS to have appeared as Riehard
Vie 'Third, fur the first time since the Easter recess at this
theatre. A fuller house assembled on the occasion than
teen his celebrity in this part led us to expect. There
appeared to be an increase of curiosity to see him,
which arose, it in to be presumed, solely from
his long absence. However, to the great disap-
pointment of the audience, he did not appear. Mr.
Dunn (the Stage Manager) come forward before the rising
of the curtain, to bespeak the indulgtsice of the audience
fat Mr. Nlacready, who had consented to play the part in
emnequenee of the indisposition of Mr. Kean, who was at
Derby. Mr. Bunn offered to read a certificate of his
Hines, and utter inability to attend to his professional
'fha• audience did not require the document
to be read. but there was an immediate buzz, and
not a few ill-natured whisperinga breathed, which
were not very charitable, and which wen•, we hope,
not very true. Mteready's Richard is not much to
our taste. There is not hustle enough in his style of
acting to All the stage as Kean glues, in the two last acmo
at the play ; am! in the early WOWS there is a dark malig-
nity in his voice and manner, which is quite inconsistent
with the character of Richard as t+hakspea►e drew it. His
►:cent with Lady .Inn walla scene of barefaced villainy ; it
had "no relish of hyponisy" in it. Mr. Kean has been
winning his way lately with the public, and such competi-
tion as Mr. Macready a Richurd is nut likely to bring him
into disfavour.