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OBITUARY.-Sir J. Perring, Bart.-J. Baker, Esq.

SIR JOHN PERRING, Bart. Jan. 30. In Burton-crescent, aged 66, Sir John Perring, Bart. Alderman of London, a Commissioner for issuing Exchequer Bills, and F.S.A.

Sir John was the eldest son of Philip Perring, of Membland, co. Devon, Esq. by his wife Susanna, daughter, and eventually heiress of Ricbard Legassick, Esq.; and his family was of considerable antiquity in that county. He was elected Alderman for Broad-street Ward in 1798; served the office of Sheriff of London in 1800, and was elected Lord Mayor in 1803. At the general election

in 1806 be was returned to Parliament for Romney; and, having lost his seat at the dissolution in 1807, he was a few years after elected for Hythe, which piace he represented in three parliaments until 1820. He was raised to the dignity of a Baronet by patent dated Oct. 3, 1808.

Sir John was for many years an eminent merchant and banker in the City of London. Shortly after the panic in 1825, the banking-house in which he was a sleeping, but the monied partner, suspended its payments; and the demands of the creditors could not be satisfied without the sacrifice of Sir John's fine estates.

By his wife Dame Elizabeth, daughter of John Cowell, of Stratford, Esq. and who died Dec. 13, 1811, he bas left issue two sons and three daughters: 1. Sir John Perring, bis heir; 2. the Rev. Philip Perring, Rector of North Huish, Devonshire; he married in 1825, Frances-Mary, only daughter of Henry Roe, Esq.; 3. Elizabeth, married in 1822 to the Rev. John George Storie, Vicar of Camberwell; 4. Jane, and 5. Laura, both unmarried.

Sir John possessed many noble qualities: a bigh sense of honour and integrity; great kindness and benevolence of heart; and manners the most hospitable and obliging. His remains were interred on the 11th of February, in a vault beneath St. Pancras Church.

JOHN BAKER, Esq.

At Canterbury, aged 76, John Baker, Esq. for many years one of the representatives of that city in Parliament.

This gentleman was a native of Canterbury, where his family have long resided; his father, George Baker, Esq. who was a respectable practitioner of medicine and surgery there, left him a considerable fortune; which he himself enlarged by marriage with Jane, eldest daughter of the Rev. James Tattersall, Rector of St. Paul's Covent-garden, and sister to the late Rev. W. D. Tattersall, M.A. F.S.A. of whom we gave a memoir in our vol. XCIX. pt. ii. p. 88.

[Feb.

Mr. Baker resided for a considerable time at Hawkhurst Lodge, in the Weald of Kent, a house built by his uncle, John Baker, Esq. who was receiver-general for the county. Whilst there resident, he became one of the greatest hopplanters in that district; he removed to St. Stephen's, near Canterbury, on establishing the Union Bank there.

In 1796, Mr. Baker became a candidate to represent bis native city in Parliament. He started on what was called the independent interest, together with John Sawbridge, Esq. a Major in the East Kent Militia, and son of the London Alderman of that name. On this occasion Mr. Baker stood at the bead of the poll, having no less than 774 votes, while his colleague had 744; but the election was declared void, on the petition of Sir J. Honywood and Geo. Gipps, Esq. in consequence of the provisions of the Treating Act.

But a

At the second election, which took place soon after, they again had a majority of votes, although not one publicbouse had been opened in their interest, nor a single cockade distributed. protest having been entered against their eligibility, another Committee of the House declared Sir John Honywood and Mr. Gipps to be the sitting members.

In 1802 Mr. Baker once more became a candidate, and was returned in conjunction with the late Hon. Geo. Watson, uncle to the present Lord Sondes, without any opposition, a circumstance very unusual in the electioneering history of Canterbury. He was again returned at the general elections of 1806, 1807, and 1812, and retired at that of 1818. In politics he was always a consistent Whig.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Baker, it has been said, "was one of the handsomest men in England. Although he is now (1805) become corpulent, and makes use of spectacles, yet he is still considered one of the best gentlemen billiard players in this county. He excels still more at whist, being reckoned by some as equal to the late Mr. Aiderman Sawbridge, in his best days."

Mr. Baker has left two sons and two daughters: 1. George Baker, Esq. of St. Stephen's, Canterbury, a barrister at law; he married in 1812 Mary-Anne, daughter of the late Very Rev. Gerrard Andrewes, Dean of Canterbury; 2. the Rev. John Baker, Vicar of Thorp Arch, Yorkshire, and of West Bourne, Sussex; he married his cousin Frances, daughter of the late Rev. John Tattersall, Vicar of Harewood, Yorkshire, and one of his Majesty's Chaplains; 3. Elizabeth, mar

OBITUARY.-L.-Gen. Shank,-Capt. Richards, R.N. 177

troops in Upper Canada, in the summer of 1796. He received the rank of Lieut.Colonel Jan. 1, 1798, and in April the Lieut.-Colonelcy of his regiment. He returned to England in 1799.

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ried 1st to the late Lieut.-Col. Taylor, and secondly, to Lieut.-Col. Munro, of the Royal Horse Artillery; and 4. Jane, unmarried.

LIEUT.-GENERAL SHANK.

Oct. 16. At Glasgow, Lieut.-General David Shank.

On the 4th June 1776 this officer was appointed Lieutenant in the Loyalists, under the Earl of Dunmore, in Virginia. He was present at the defence of Guyns Island, and other skirmishes; and served as a volunteer in the battle of Long Island, Aug. 27, 1776. In March 1777 be received a Lieutenancy in the Queen's Rangers. He accompanied Gen. Howe's army into New Jersey; and was engaged in the battle of Brandywine, Sept. 11, 1777, when out of twenty-one officers of that corps fourteen were killed and wounded. Lieut. Shank commanded the piquet of the regiment at the battle of Germantown, near Philadelphia, on the 4th October, and had the good fortune to check the column of the enemy that attacked the right of the army, for which he received the thanks of Major Wemyss, who at that time commanded the regiment. Lieut. Shank continued with the army on its retreat from Philadelphia, and was present at the battle of Monmouth. In October. 1778 he succeeded to a company. After the siege of Charlestown be returned to New York with Sir Henry Clinton, and was engaged in the skirmish at Spring

field.

In August 1779 Capt. Shank was selected by Lieut.-Col. Simcoe to command a troop of dragoons, and he afterwards commanded the cavalry of the Queen's Rangers in the expedition to Virginia, during which he was most actively employed, particularly in a se vere action at Spencer's Ordinary.

At the close of the war Capt. Shank returned home, and in Oct. 1783, the corps being disbanded, was placed on half pay, on which he continued, till 1791. His friend Col. Simcoe being then appointed Lieut.-Governor of Upper Canada, with leave to raise a small corps of 400 rank and file, he was appointed senior officer, and left, under the patronage of the Marquis of Buckingham, to raise the men in England, which having accomplished, this corps had leave to take again the name of the Queen's Rangers, were equipped as a light infantry corps, and embarked for Canada in April 1792. He received the brevet of Major 1st March 1794. MajorGen. Simcoe, on his return to Europe, left Major Shank in command of the GENT. MAG. February, 1831.

From that time he continued at home, in the expectation of employment under Gen. Simcoe, until, at the peace of Amiens, the Queen's Rangers were reduced. On the 3d Sept. 1803 he was appointed Lieut. Colonel in the Cana. dian Fencibles. He received the rank of Colonel in 1808, of Major-Gen. 1811, and Lieut.-General 1821.

CAPT. RICHARDS, R. N.

Dec. 27. In Paddington-street, Maryle-bone, aged 70, John Richards, Esq. K.C. a Captain in the Royal Navy.

Capt. Richards entered the navy in Oct. 1775, under the patronage of Capt. (afterwards Sir Charles) Thompson; and was a Midshipman on board the Alcide 74, commanded by that gallant officer, in the several actions with the Comte de Grasse, off Martinique, the Chesapeake, and St. Kitt's, in 1781 and 1782. He was also present at the defeat and capture of the same celebrated French Admiral, on the memorable 12th April, 1782. The Alcide returned to England in June, 1783; and from that time until Feb. 1786, Mr. Richards was attached to the Triumph 74, the guardship at Portsmouth. During the Spanish armament be again served with Capt. Thompson, in the Elephant 74. His commission as a Lieutenant was dated Nov. 15, 1790.

Lieutenant Richards was appointed to the Barfleur 98, bearing the flag of RearAdm. Faulknor, April 2, 1791. After the breaking up of the fleet which had been equipped in consequence of the dispute with Russia, be successively joined the Falcon sloop and Assurance 44, Capts. Jas Bissett and V. C. Berkeley, under whom he was principally employed at the Leeward Islands; he thence re turned home in the summer of 1794, as first of the Asia 64, Capt. John Brown, He had previously shared the severe duty required in operations against Martinique, during which he served on shore, in the seamen's battery, with 100 of his crew under his command.

His next appointments were to the Fury sloop, employed in Channel service; and May 15, 1795, to the Alfred 74. The latter formed one of the fleet which sailed from St. Helen's, under Rear-Adm. Christian, in Nov. 1795; but she was twice obliged to put back in stress of weather, the latter time dismasted. After refitting at Portsmouth,

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OBITUARY.-Capt. Richards, R.N.

she was placed under the orders of ViceAdm. Cornwallis, with whom she finally took her departure for the West Indies, Feb. 29, 1796, and within a few days she captured la Favorite, French national ship of 22 guns, and re-took two of the convoy, which had been dispersed by a heavy gale.

On her arrival at Barbadoes, the Al. fred joined the expedition then about to sail against St. Lucia; and after assisting at the reduction of that island, she

proceeded to Jamaica. On her way thither she captured la Renommée, French frigate, of 44 guns and 320 men; of which Lieut. Richards was appointed acting Captain by Capt. Drury, who accompanied his report to Commodore Duckworth with very strong recommendations for bis further advancement. He was, notwithstanding, ordered to resume bis former station; in which he continued for two years longer; acting as Captain during the absence of Capt. Drury, in June, 1796; assisting at the reduction of Trinidad, in Feb. 1797; and again acting as Captain for Capt. Totty, in April that year.

On the 16th Feb. 1798, Lieut. Richards volunteered to head the Alfred's boats in an attack upon a French corvette, which had been sent to reconnoitre the Saintes, and when chased from thence had succeeded in getting within range of the batteries at Basseterre, leaving the British ship becalmed some distance in the offing. Observing that the greater part of the enemy's crew were employed in towing, he shoved off in a fast rowing gig, dashed along. side, and boarded her without waiting for any support. The Frenchmen who remained on board were fortunately so surprised at his audacity, and intimidated by the approach of other boats, that they ran below, and were secured under hatches without making any resistance. The prize proved to be le Scipio, of 20 guns.

We next find Lieut. Richards in the Queen Charlotte, a first rate, bearing the flag of his early patron, Sir Charles Thompson; after whose demise (March 17, 1799), he proceeded with Rear-Adm. Whitshed to the Mediterranean station, and was there promoted into la Courageuse sloop, stationed as a receiving ship at Port Mahon. This appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, Dec. 26, 1799.

On the 20th June, 1800, Capt. Rich ards received an order to act as Captain of the Culloden 74, which he brought bome in a very leaky condition. His hext appointment was to la Victorieuse of 12 guns; and in that vessel he went

[Feb.

back to the Mediterranean with despatches for the commander-in-chief, whom he rejoined in Marmorice bay, Jan. 7, 1801. During the Egyptian campaign la Victorieuse was principally employed in blockading Alexandria, off which port she captured several vessels laden with supplies for the French army. Capt. Richards likewise assisted at the reduction of Marabout Castle, which was situated about seven or eight miles from that place, and protected one of the entrances of the western harbour. For his gallantry on this occasion he was presented with a gold snuff box and shawl by the Capitan Pacha, and several other articles of value by different Turkish commanders.

About the same period, the Peterel sloop and la Victorieuse having driven a French transport brig on shore, their boats, which were sent to save the enemy from being murdered by the Arabs, were, with one exception, stove during a sudden gale, and their crews consequently exposed to very great danger. At this trying moment the commander of la Victorieuse ordered two spare topmasts to be battoned together, and boats' mas's stepped in the fid-holes; by which means the raft, having one man on it, was sailed on shore, and every person, both English and French, rescued from destruction. On the 21st August, 1801, the western bogaze having been discovered and accurately surveyed, la Victorieuse entered the port of Alexandria in company with three other British and the same number of Ottoman sloops, for the purpose of supporting the left flank of the troops under Major-Gen. Coote, in an attack upon the French posts. On this occasion the combined squadron was led by Capt. Richards, under the immediate orders of Capt. the Hon. Alex. Cochrane, then on board la Victorieuse. At the conclusion of the campaign, Capt. Richards was presented with a Turkish gold medal, in common with his brother officers. He afterwards visited Cyprus, Smyrna, and Constantinople, where he was invested with a pelisse by order of the Grand Seignor. He subsequently proceeded to Athens, Zante, Malta, Palermo, Cagliara, Marseilles, Lisbon, Ceuta, and Tangiers.

In Nov. 1802, la Victorieuse made a second trip to the Bosphorus, for the purpose of landing Mirza Aboo Talib Khan, a distinguished Persian traveller, who had long been resident in London, and a narrative of whose travels, written by himself and translated by the Hon. East India Company's Professor of Oriental Languages, was published in 1810.

1831.]

OBITUARY.-Lt. Col. Twigg-Capt. Kipling.

Capt. Richards's next appointment was, July 1, 1804, to the Broderscarp sloop, stationed as a guardship in Whitstable Bay, where be continued until Oct. 1805. During that period he detained and made prize of a neutral ship, with a valuable cargo of hemp and tallow, bound to a French port. On the 18th Sept. 1806, he commissioned the Forester, a new brig of the largest class, in which he was employed escorting the trade to and from the Baltic, and occasionally cruising on the coast of Holland.

In June, 1808, he was entrusted with the command of a small squadron stationed off Goree; and soon after sailed from Spithead, with 500,000 dollars on board for the use of the Spanish patriots, and seven sail of transports; two, laden with ordnance stores, be left at Corunna, and the others, with provisions, he conducted to the West Indies. At Barbadoes he joined Sir Alex. Cochrane, by whom he was successively employed in the blockade of Martinique and Guadaloupe. In June, 1809, he removed, at Antigua, to the Abercrombie 74; but on Aug. 31 following, he left her in consequence of having been promoted to post rank, and appointed by the Admiralty to the Cyclops 28. He returned home by Halifax, and was allowed the expenses of his passage from thence to England in a packet.

LIEUT. COL. TWIGG.

Dec. 17. In Kenton-street, Brunswick-square, Lieut.-Col. Joseph Twigg.

Having served a twelvemonth in the Suffolk Fencibles, this officer was appointed in 1795 Lieutenant in the 6th West India regiment, with the skeleton of which he proceeded to Martinique and Domingo, at which latter place the mortality of the officers was so great, that those of the 6th were appointed to do duty with other corps. Lieut. T. having narrowly escaped from repeated attacks of fever, was sent home invalided. At the close of 1798 be exchanged to the 4th foot, in which he purchased a Captaincy in 1800. He was then appointed on the staff of the Lieut.-Governor of Portsmouth, where he remained until 1802; when, to avoid reduction, he exchanged into the 60th foot, the 6th battalion of which he joined in Jamaica, In 1805 he was appointed to the staff as Major of Brigade, and attached to Ma jor-Gen. Carmichael, to whom he shortly after became military secretary. He was appointed to a Captaincy in the 54th foot Jan. 19, 1809; and in June that year he accompanied the MajorGeneral in the expedition to Domingo ; he was sent with the summons, and to

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settle the basis of capitulation; and on the reduction of the island, brought home the despatches.

In 1810 be returned to Jamaica; joined, and did duty with his regiment, until it was ordered home in 1811. He was then, by Lieut.-Gen. Morrison, selected to remain, and take the command of the 5th West India regiment, in consequence of the illness of its Major; on whose death he succeeded to the vacant Majority, July, 9, 1812, having received that rank by brevet Jan. 19 preceding. He continued in the West Indies until obliged, from ill health, to return to England.

In Nov. 1814 he embarked with his regiment in the expedition against New Orleans, and commanded it in the attack on the American lines, January 8, 1815. He afterwards proceeded with the regiment to Jamaica, and after some further service returned to England. He was promoted to be Lieut.-Colonel by brevet 1816, of York Chasseurs 1817, and of the 9th veteran battalion 1819.

CAPTAIN KIPLING.

Dec. 2. At Barnard Castle, Captain Robert Kipling, late of the 43d light infantry.

He enlisted into that regiment as a private in 1772, having previously served three years in the Durham militia. He was with the regiment at the battle of Bunker's Hill, and through the whole of the ten years' American War. Having by his merits raised himself to the rank of Captain, he was allowed to sell his commission; but was appointed, at his wish, extra recruiting officer, which service he performed for many years.

On his retirement, he received a sword with the following inscription on the blade and on the scabbard-"To Capt. Robert Kipling, this sword is presented by his brother officers as a small token of their sincere regard, and of the high sense they entertain of his meritorious services during a period of thirty-five years, in the different ranks of Private, Corporal, Serjeant, Serjeant-Major, Adjutant, Ensign, Lieutenant, and Captain, in His Majesty's 43rd Light Infantry regiment."

THE COUNTESS DE GENLIS.
Dec. 31. At Paris, aged 84, the
Countess de Genlis.

This extraordinary woman, who dur ing the greater part of a century had excited so much attention, both as a politician and a savante, published a few years ago an autobiography, of which a translation, in eight volumes,

OBITUARY.-The Countess de Genlis,

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was published in England in 1825, and from which the substance of the present article will be principally derived.

Her paternal name was St. Aubin, and she was born near Autun. She inherited no fortune; but being of a noble family, was received at the age of four years as Canoness of the noble Chapter of Aix; and after that time was called La Comtesse de Lancy. As she grew up she was distinguished for her general talents and accomplishments (and especially that of music, playing exquisitely on the harp, which was then a rare accomplishment) and a handsome person. These qualifications soon obtained her admission into the best society. She had also many admirers; but chance appeared to decide her lot in marriage. A letter which she had written to one of her acquaintance fell into the hands of the Count de Genlis, a young nobleman of considerable fortune and a good family, who was so charmed with the style that he aspired to acquaintance with, and afterwards became the husband of the fair writer, when she was only in the seventeenth year of her age. By means of this union Madame de Genlis had access to the family of the Duke of Orleans, whose son, then Duke de Chartres, bad a rising family, which he determined to place under her care for their instruction; this scheme was put in practice in 1782. Meantime the Count de Genlis had accompanied General Lafayette to assist the Americans in their war against England; and shortly afterwards reports became prevalent relative to an alleged liaison be tween Madame de Genlis and the Duke de Chartres; which was subsequently strengthened into a general belief by the mysterious appearance of an adopted daughter, afterwards known by the name of Pamela. This foundling, was educated with the children of the Duke, and experienced all the care of the most affectionate mother from the Countess de Genlis, who in her own Memoirs gives, notwithstanding the calumny we bave alluded to, a very distinct account of the birth of this girl, who was subsequently married to the unfortunate Lord Edward Fitzgerald, and is now the wife of Mr. Pitcairn. She states that she was the daughter of a gentleman of high rank named Seymour, who married a low-born woman, and went off with her to Newfoundland, where he died; that then his wife returned with her infant to England, but his family refusing to acknowledge ber, she was reduced to great distress, and laboured for her maintenance. A Mr. Forth was comtuissioned by the then Duke of Orleans

[Feb.

to send over a young English girl to
converse with his children, so that they
might become acquainted with the lan-
guage. Pamela was selected, and Ma-
dame de Genlis became much attached
to her, and adopted her as her daughter.
There was a sufficient quantity of en-
thusiasm about the Countess to render
such a step on her part perfectly natural,
and easily to be accounted for.

It was during her engagement as preceptress of the Duke de Chartres's children that Madame de Genlis began her career as a writer, by works of education, which were soon found in the band of all fashionable mothers of families. "The Theatre of Education," " Adela and Theodore," "The Tales of the Castle," and the "Annals of Virtue," of the Countess de Genlis, were among the most popular and most excellent works ever produced of their kind. But Madame de Genlis's ambition was not to be satisfied hy the production of works on education merely; and the Parisians were astonished to see a religious work proceed from the Palais Royal, the object of which was to prove that religion is the basis of all happiness and all philosophy. This work was, however, properly speaking, only edited by the accomplished Countess, and the Abbés Lamourette and Gouchat bad contributed largely to the materials.

The warmest admirers of Madame de Genlis must, however, acknowledge that her religion savoured too much of the French school, to be considered perfectly pure either in principle or action.

In 1791 she resigned the situation of governess of the Duke of Orleans' children, but she shortly after resumed it, in consequence of Mademoiselle d'Orleans being dangerously ill. She, however, stipulated that she should immediately depart for England with her pupil. Accordingly, in October 1791, she visited this country, and resided three months at Bath, nine months at Bury St. Edmund's, and made a tour through various parts of the kingdom. In the history of her own life, which we have before alluded to, she makes many severe strictures on the thoughts and actions of the English nation.

In September 1792, in order that Mademoiselle d'Orleans should not be included in the decree of the National Convention against emigrants, Madame de Genlis hastily returned to Paris, and resigned her charge; but as on the following day, she and her charge were declared to be emigrants, and were ordered to quit France without delay, she bad determined to return again to England, when the Duke of Orleans en

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