Having completed his eightieth year, emaciated with age and sickness, he died on the 23d of July 1773, deservedly regretted by a numerous acquaintance. He was buried in the church yard of West-ham, his native parish, where a stone, with a plain inscription was erected, to perpetuate to posterity his skill as an artist, and his knowledge as a zoologist. EPITAPH. Here lies interred, THE BODY OF GEORGE EDWARDS, Esq. F R S. FORMERLY LIBRARIAN TO THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, In which Capacity, As well as in Private Life, He was universally, AND DESERVEDLY ESTEEMED. HIS NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS Will remain A Lasting Monument of his Knowledge AND INGENUITY. BIOGRAPHICUS. DEVON WATER *, A POEM. All these, kind nature did impart, To please the eye, and captivate the heart. HARD ARD by Ochil's tow'ring hills is seen, Around thee lies the varied landscape wide, Thus, Devon! I have tried to spread thy fame; THE CELL OF SOLITUDE. DIM as the fleeting visions of the night, A dark tow'r tott'ring clos'd th' extended view; While round its spires, illum'd with feeble light, The flitting bat, and boding ravens flew. Rent was the hanging arch-the domes o'erthrown; 'Twas where a turret rear'd its moss clad brow; Gloomy it stood, in falling pomp sublime, And show'd the mould'ring wrecks around below. Here on her hand her drooping head reclin'd, In graceful ringlets fell her amber hair! But the wild harp that to the blast complains, Sooth'd with melodious plaint her raptur'd ear; Deep, solemn, awful, roll'd the varying strains, Such strains the seraphims with transport hear. SONG. THE silver rain, the pearly dew, The gales that sweep along the mead, Shall things inanimate be kind, Ah, pity, if you scorn t'approve, PLAN FOR ESTABLISHING A BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT, AS PROPOSED IN PARLIAMENT BY SIR JOHN SINCLair. Ir has long been justly complained of, that, whilst every attention has been paid to trade, and every encouragement given to commercial industry, agriculture has been totally neglected; though, at the same time, it is hardly necefsary to observe, that manufactures and commerce are neither so permanent a source of national prosperity, as the proper cultivation of the soil; nor do they furnish occupation to a description of persons, so remarkable for the integrity of their private conduct, so little inclined to disturb the peace and good order of society, or so able to defend their country, by their personal vigour and strength, as the farmer and the husbandman. : It may be said, that public attention and encouragement can be of no service to agriculture. But in the first place it is to be hoped, that any idea of that kind will not be given way to, until the experiment is fairly tried in the second place, no ground fhould be given to the farmer to imagine that his interests are neglected, or his profefsion despised and in the third place, there is every reason to believe, that public countenance at least, instead of being useless, cannot fail to be attended with the happiest consequences in promoting agricultural improvement. There are three points on which the prosperity of agriculture must depend.. 1. Upon giving the farmer an opportunity of acquiring, with as little trouble and expence as pofsible, full information respecting the best and most advantageous methods of managing his farm. 2. Upon June 19. exciting a spirit of industry and experiment among that description of men. 3. Upon the farmer having a sufficient capital or credit to carry on his operations. With the last it is impossible that the public can have any connection: but in regard to the two first points, it is evident that government may, at a small expence, give the farmer all the information that is necessary; and, either by honorary rewards, or even by giving every active and intelligent cultivator an opportunity of corresponding with a respectable public board, on subjects connected with his pursuits, may make agriculture so much a topic of conversation among that class of men, may turn their attention so much to the improvement of the soil, and may excite such an ardour for that purpose, that the happiest consequences may be expected both to the individuals engaged in that particular profefsion and to the kingdom at large. It is on these principles that Sir John Sinclair takes the liberty of suggesting the following plan of a board of agriculture. His original idea was to restrict it to the melioration of British wool alone; but he is now satisfied, that with much the same trouble, and at nearly the same expence, the same board may successfully direct its attention to every point connected with the internal improve, ment of the country. Plan of the Board. It is proposed that the board fhall consist of twenty. four members, in the same manner as the present board of trade*, but not to be restricted to members of his Majesty's Privy Council, as the President of the Royal Society, and other persons, who are not in either House of * With, however, an unlimited number of Corresponding Members. |