The noble Marquis has ever since lived in retirement at his princely mansion at Stowe, which has been so often celebrated by our best writers, that it needs no mention here, exercising his power and influence to the satisfaction of all, and maintaining an honourable and dignified style of life becoming his high rank and large fortune. His Lordship's parliamentary interest is supposed to be, one representative for the county of Bucks, two for the town of Buckingham, and two for St. Maw's, in Cornwall. EARL TEMPLE. This nobleman is the eldest son of the Marquis of Buckingham, and is representative in parliament for the county of Buckingham. He has already shewn his hereditary parliamentary talents on several occasions, but more particularly in the case of Mr. John Horne Tooke, a clergyman, who was elected member for Old Sarum. As soon as Mr. Tooke had taken the usual oaths and his seat, Lord Temple rose and said, that in his opinion a clergyman was not eligible to a scat there, and therefore he would bring the matter fully before the house. There was some debate on the subject, which ended in the appointment of a committee to search for precedents, and to report on the When the committee had made their report, the house ordered it to be taken into consideration on the 6th day of May 1801, at which period Lord Temple entered with considerable ability into a minute and historical deduction of facts relative to any case. possible possible right or claim that clergymen could have to a scat in parliament. In the reign of Charles the First, an act passed prohibiting the clergy from the exercise of any temporal power whatever, and in the year 1666 their former right to sit in parliament was given up, and in lieu of it they were allowed to vote for representatives. In no one instance since the reformation had they ever claimed a right to sit in parliament as representatives of the commons, although during the reign of Elizabeth they presented a petition on this subject, describing themselves as the fittest persons to maintain the queen's prerogative. This being rejected, a similar petition was presented in the reign of James the Second; which experienced a similar fate. Thus it was evident they had twice solicited this as a favour, which they would not have done, if they had conceived that they possessed a right. It had been affirmed that the reverend gentleman in question was no longer in holy orders, but this was said to be impossible, as the clergy could not abdicate their functions: they could not divest themselves of the solemn engagements entered into at the time of their ordination, in consequence of which this reverend gentleman had enjoyed certain privileges, and was open to them yet; for if any patron presented him now with a benefice, though he had thrown off his gown, he would not be under the necessity of a new ordination in order to accept of it. His Lordship concluded with moving that a new writ be issued for Old Sarum. This was undoubtedly the proper mode of proceeding; but the minister (Mr. Addington) thought that a bill, to exclude the clergy from parliament, was preferable. He accordingly brought such a bill in ; and it passed into a law. Earl Temple married the daughter and heiress of the late Duke of Chandos; by whom he has a son, Lord Cobham. His countess is a peeress in her own right, by the title of Baroness Bruce, which her ladyship inherits from the Bruces of Scotland; Henry, the second Duke of Chandos, marrying the eldest daughter and co-heiress of Charles Lord Bruce, son to Thomas Earl of Aylesbury. RIGHT HON. THOMAS GRENVILLE. This gentleman is the second son of the late Right Hon. George Grenville, and is next brother to the Marquis of Buckingham. He is esteemed an able speaker in parliament, and is a gentleman of easy and elegant manners, happily tempering the spirit and dignity of the man of honour* with the politeness and agreeable polish of good breeding. In the politics of the year 1782 he not only adhered to Mr. Fox, but continued attached to that party for some years; and so high did Mr. Fox and the Marquis of Rockingham estimate his talents, that had Lord Rockingham lived, he was intended to have been appointed ambassador to France, to negociate the peace with M. de Vergennes, the most subtle minister at that time in Europe. * This alludes probably to some expressions which passed between him and the Hon. Mr. Hampden, now Lord Hampden, at the election at Aylesbury, for the county of Buckingham, in the year 1780. This course of politics occasioned a difference with his noble relatives, and prevented his being a member of that parliament which was elected in the year 1784. But in the following, which was convoked in 1790, he was chosen for Aldborough, in Suffolk, by the interest of Mr. Fox's friends. At the general election in the year 1796, having been reconciled to his relations, he was elected one of the representatives for the town of Buckingham. When the king of Prussia seceded from the continental confederacy against France, in March 1794, Mr. Grenville was some time after appointed minister extraordinary to Berlin, with the view of re-uniting his Prussian majesty with the allies. But this appoint. ment being made in the depth of that uncommonly severe winter, during which the British troops suffered so dreadfully in their retreat through Holland, (1795) his voyage to the continent was attended with the most perilous circumstances. The frost became so intense, that the vessel in which he embarked could not, on account of the ice, approach nearer to the shore than four or five miles, and she was accordingly obliged to return to England. But such was his anxiety and zeal, that notwithstanding the severity of the season he resolved to make another effort. He therefore put to sea, and the most desperate excrtions were made to reach the land, but without effect; for the vessel became so fixed in the ice that she could not be moved either way, and she soon became a wreck, so that part of the crew perished. Mr. Grenville got upon the ice, and had only time to to preserve his dispatches, for he saved nothing else. He was now upwards of three miles from the land. In this most perilous and distressing situation he proceeded with great difficulty and danger, until he reached the shore. He stopped only to obtain some necessaries, and then proceeded with all possible haste to Berlin. But the French government having gained information of this embassy before Mr. Grenville set off, they sent the Abbé Sieyes to Berlin to prevent the king of Prussia from abandoning his new engagements. The Abbé Sieyes succeeded, and confirmed the Prussian cabinet in their resolution of neutrality; consequently Mr. Grenville's mission was completely counteracted, most probably owing to his being sent too late. Upon the death of Lord Sidney, in the year 1800, Mr. Grenville was appointed chief justice in eyre south of Trent, in his lordship's room; which place he holds for life. He is unmarried. RIGHT HON. WILLIAM WYNDHAM GRENVILLE, [Although we have given a life of this nobleman before, in volume iii, page 420, yet the following short account, being written by another gentleman, well acquainted with the family, and consequently of more presumed accuracy, we cannot refuse affording it a place, our wish being always to state every character with the utmost correctness.] He is the third son of the late Right Hon. George Grenville, and second brother to the Marquis of Buckingham. 1803-1804. |