the inferiority of the sex. Whereas the real truth is, that their intellect has not been equally cultivated with that of the lords of the creation! We do not indeed agree, in every respect, with the system of the late Mrs. Woolstoncraft. But we are firmly perfuaded, that the minds of females should be carefully cultivated in the early part of life. To them, hath Providence committed the care of our infancy and childhood, and a greater responsibility cannot be incurred. Let their minds therefore be stored with the choiceft information.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We thank a Constant Reader for his hints, and he will perceive from this Number that some attention has been paid to his friendly suggestions.

Lines on Hope, and alfo Alonzo, are too imperfect for infertion.

We particularly thank Oxonienfis for his communications, and hope to hear often from him. We also wish that he could procure us fome more pieces by the late ingenious Mr. Thyer, of Manchester.

Cheetham's Poems shall be reviewed in our next Number. Also, LORD ORFORD'S Works.

Retrospection-Lines on Good Friday-Strictures on the Verfification and Sentiment of Modern Poetry, together with other favours, are under confideration.

"Anecdotes" offered by our Cambridge Correspondent will be gratefully received.

To our Correfpondents in general, we would recommend the expressing of their fentiments with conciseness and accuracy -and the tranfmitting their pieces to us at an early part of the month. An attention to these particulars will facilitate their infertion.

THE

MONTHLY VISITOR.

JUNE, 1798.

BRIEF MEMOIRS OF EARL HOWE.

O

a a

Todevothy portion of our pages to detail of

Naval

de

gree of pleasure to the generality of our Readers. The infular fituation of Britain renders her exertions by fea of peculiar importance both to our commercial interests and to the existence of our national dignity. With alacrity, therefore, do we record the particulars which have marked the life of the illustrious subject of these memoirs.

EARL HOWE was born in or about the year 1722. He is the second son of Scrope Viscount Howe, of Clarrawly, by Lady Charlotte, daughter to the Baron Kilmansegg, in Germany, who was Master of the Horse to King George I. as Elector of Hanover. The fubject of our memoirs appears to have possessed an early predilection for the fea, for at a tender age he entered into the naval service. Of the particulars of his life during this period we are ignorant. This must be attributed to a defect in our naval annals. Ships are mentioned without specifying the names of their officers. The deficiency of which we complain will, we truft, be remedied for the future by the undertaking of J. Charnock, Esq. who has announced a Naval History, which promifes to be not unworthy of the countenance of the British nation.

By the Navy Lift it appears, that in 1746 Earl Howe VOL. IV.

:

K

was

was made a poft captain in the Triton man of war, and in 1752 appointed to the command of the Dolphin. At the time of his former promotion he was only twentyfour years of age, and had scarcely reached his thirtieth year at the period of his latter advancement. There was, we doubt not, a sufficient display of merit to juftify his elevation to these posts of honour. And it must afford fatisfaction to our Readers to know these first steps by which this eminent perfonage hath arisen to his present celebrity.

At the commencement of the year 1755, when some misunderstandings were taking place between France and Britain, Admiral Boscawen was fent to watch the motions of the enemy along the American coaft. In this squadron Earl Howe commanded the Dunkirk. His ship, together with the Defiance, fell in with two French men of war, upon which a fierce and bloody engagement ensued. So closely did they engage with each other, that a Frenchman on the yard-arm being killed, dropped into the Dunkirk. The enemy were captured after a most obstinate struggle. Thus did our young hero ftrike the first blow of that famous contest in which our naval efforts were diftinguished by peculiar glory. On board the French prizes were eight companies of land forces, and the Governor of Louifbourg, together with the fum of 30,000l. In the command of this ship Earl Howe continued till the expedition was undertaken against Rochfort, when he was promoted to the Magnanime, of 74 guns, in the fleet of the celebrated Admiral Hawke. Rochfort is a handfome and confiderable fea-port town of France, in the territory of Aunis, with a very commodious harbour, and one of the most famous in the kingdom. The expedition against this place did not fucceed. Our hero, however, diftinguished himself in the business. Upon a fort, fituated in the island of Aix, in the mouth of the Charante, leading up to Rochfort, he poured fuch a broadfide, that the French colours were struck. Such