The Sun.
London, England, 1808-10-05 00:00:00

JOHN HORNE TOOKE.

Thisextraordirtary man yesterday dosed his earth-
, ly career at Wimbledon, and though his abilities
were great, and his knowledge extensive, the death
of such a man cannot certainly be deemed a loss to
the Country.—He was the son of 'Mr. HORNE,' a
poulterer, who resided in the Haymarket, where,
we believe, the subjett of our present notice was
born. JOHN HORNE, very early in life, manifested
talents above the level of his rank in society,ind
his father, with a natural and laudable ambition,:
resolved :to give him all the advantages of echi4,,,
cation., and in due time he became a Member of
the Church. He very soon discovered a ten-
dency to political discussions, and was much
more inclined to engage in party transaetions
than to pursue the proper duties of his calling.
—His abilities, however, were not of such a cast as
would have rendered' him a distinguished figure- in
public life, if he had not formed associations, with,.
men of higher consequence 'and better known tai.
flit world. At the period we allude to, the spirit
of party was more prevalent in the City than it has
been at any subsequent period. Alderman BECK.
,FORD was a great man in his day, in that part of the
metropolis, and Mr. HORNE, by
,conneaing himself
with that turbulant charadter, soon rose into notice.
• But he rose still higher by his connection with Mr.
WiLkEs, and when. he thought his name would
stand by itself, he became:jealous 'of the popu-
larity of the man whose .friendship had prin-
cipally rendered him conspicuous. Hence he
coutrived to quarrel with that great DemagOgue,
in order to lnave an opportunity of displaying
his literary talents, and no doubt in hopes to
elevate himself into the situation of Chief Manager
of the Party, A public controversy took. pine be-
tween these two political adventurers, but WILKES
was decidedly superior to his antagonist in wit,
spirit, and manners.—HOßNE was-obliged to explore
the, recesses of private life, in order tOtlegrade his
adversary, and the World with contempt saw him
drag forward circumstances that rather excited its
pity towards Wrmitcs than that indignation which
his opponent laboured to excite. From this period
WILKES anti' tie were bitter enemies; hut HoaNE
sunk in public opinion, without lowering the (hied ;
of his enmity,
.whose character and necessities were
before not unknown.
The next circumstance which raised Mr. Hotly'. 2
into notice Was the controversy which took place be-
tween him and the celebrated JUNIUS, who, refer-
rng to the dispute between him and WILKES, men-
tioned HORNE in terms of .bitter contempt. Ho pre
ventured to answer Juistus, and had the advantage
of the latter in argument, because JUNIUS had
brouglit charges against HORNE which he could not
prove. But in point of satire, spirit, eloquence,
and .1 he general style of composition, JUNIUS was
Much superior. The Letters of JUNIUS to HORNE
will always be read ,with pleasure by many who will
not take the trouble of wading through those of the
latter.

From this period HORNE began to be considered as.
a man who was more inclined to disturb the public
peace than to serve his country. He was repre-
sented as a gloomy Monk, whom nobody could
trust, and whose disposition was chiefly gratified
when his talents were exercised in mischief. He
attacked Government on the snbjed of the Ameri-
can War, was prosecuted, and suffered fine and im-
prisonment, yet public opinion was against him,
and none of his sufferings or exertions could procure
him popularity. He then became sensible that, as
a' Minister of the Gospel, he could not excite much
confidence or respell, or possibly from some change
in his religious opinions,-and was induced to throw
off his clerical garb, in hopes to obtain admission to
the Bar; Ali his efirts, however, were unsuccess-
ful, and he soon tunied his thoughts towards phi-
fological enquiry, for which he was amply qualified
by the acuteness of his mind, and his proloubd
rary acquisitions. The work he published on that
subject will always be a monument of his ingenuity,
his shrewdness, and his learning. But even in these
recondite disctissions, he could not lay aside his party
feelings, and his book is disgraced by several politi-
cal allusions, wholly unsuitable to the nature 'of
such a work.

For souse time he devoted himself to the athuse-
mcnts of private lite, and literary exercitations ; but
when Mr. Fox appeared as a Candidate for the re-
resentation of Weittninster, HORNE started from
retirement, and came forward as a competitor.
Here he was again disappointed. He then published
Chit-ratters of the late inestimable Mr. PITT and Mr.
Fox, which he entitled A Pair of Portraits. The,
former he mentioned in terms of the highest praise,
and the latter he blackened with all possible re-
proach. Yet he afterwards joined with the man
whom he had assailed with such rooted malevolence,
and employed his pen in the most virulent abuse
up-
uu the great Minister whom he hid before held forth
as a character near perfection in public and in private
life.

At length Mr. HORNE obtained a seat in Parlia-
ment, and remained there for pne Session ; but, he
evidently disappointed his friends as well as the pub-
lic; for though he was prompt and shrewd, he ap-
peared to be more a humourist' than a Statesman.

He could cite au adage, tell a story, sand raise a
laugh, but he.threw out ut) lights calculated to guide
the public counsels, and improve the condition 'of his

country.

With the latter part.pf hi 3 history the Public are well
acquainted, and therefore it may be passed slightly
over. The same jealousy which marked his entrance
into public life, characierrzed his condo& when he
was verging upon the end of life. He treated the
wretched PAUI,I. with courtesy and apparent friend-
ship, sill he found that the latter became a man of
importance with the person whom they had both an
interest in pleasing, and then he, without mercy,
attacked his viatim in public, and probably contribut-
ed to drive the object of his enmity to that dreadful
resource which put a period to his follies, his
miseries, and his life.

Mr. HORNE took the addition of ToOKE to his
name-in compliment to a Gentleman by whose
bounty he was chiefly supported, and from whom
he expected a considerable legacy, which we believe
he did not obtain. In private lite,'and in his
inter-
course with people who were not conneaed with
him on. political grounds, he was very agreeable, in-
struative, and entertaining, tull of anecdote, ready at
'repartee, jocose, and good-humodred. Indeed his
social qualities were of so plearsant and unaffed-

ed a nature that hli chargler must have been
his public disappointments,
much improved in private, notwithstanding all
as, for many years
towards the decline of life, there was nothing
of that
,monkish gloom which was formerly imputed
to him ; but he was, on the contrary, accessible,
easy, polite, and conciliating. He had been sensible
for some time that his end was approaching, yet his,
goOd-humour did not abate : he received the atten-
tion and.iindness of his friends. with gratitude and
cheerfulness, and bore his sufferings with firmness
and tranquillity. Upon the whole he possessed such
abilities, and such .knowledge, that it is much to be
regretted, that he ever engaged in politics, since lie
might have benefited mankind by a proper exercise
of his powers, and his death would have excited die
regret of the friends of talents and leaming.