EUROPEAN MAGAZINE Engraved by Ridley from an Original Painting by S. Drummond Anno.1793 SAMUEL MORE, Efq" Rate Secretary of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce? THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE, AND LONDON REVIEW, FOR DECEMBER 1799. MEMOIRS OF MR. SAMUEL MORE, (WITH A PORTRAIT.) EW_ private individuals have at feries of years deferved fuch commendations from numerous claffes of his fellow fubjects, as the Gentleman of whofe meritorious conduct in a very refpectable ftation, we are now to give a fatisfactory ketch, from authentic documents. Mr. Samuel More was the fon of Mr. Thomas More, a refpectable Schoolmaster in Channel-row, Weltminiter; whofe feminary ferved as an initiating branch of education to feveral young gentlemen in the neighbourhood, who at a proper age were transferred from thence, to Weftminfter fchool. It appears from the register of St. Margaret's Church, that Mr. Samuel More was born on the 30th of November 1724. The claffical education he received from his father was fufficient for the fituation in which he paffed his youthful days, being put apprentice to an apothecary in White. chapel, or its neighbourhood Spital fields. Conformable to the ufage of that fraternity, he ferved eight years with the reputation of fidelity, attention, and gradually acquired ability; which enabled him to fettle himself with well-grounded profpects of fuccefs in that profeffion, at the welt end of the town, in Jermynstreet; registered as the place of his refidence at the time of his election to be a Member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, which took place on the 23d of May 1761, on the recommendation of trons of this laudable Institution; the general and great advantages of which have been felt and acknowledged at home and abroad, throughout the whole extent of the British Empire. The alliance between the two pro feffions of Apothecary and Chemift is so clofely combined, that without a competent knowledge of the latter, it rarely happens that diftinguishing fkill and ability is to be found in the former; and, with the energetic mind of Mr. More, it might well be expected that a turn for experimental Chemistry would even gain the afcendancy, especially, after he became a member of a Society that made difcoveries and improvements in Chemistry, confiderable objects of their honorary and pecuniary rewards. Accordingly, we find that Mr. More, fo early as the year 1763, produced at the Committee of Chemifty, a compofition denominated Paftes, as a fubftitute for Cornelians, Onyx, and other precious ftones, on which Cameos and Entaglios are ufually cut, at a very great expence. Thefe Paites were approved as a proper and cheap fubftitute; and, on the report of the Committee, the Society voted Mr. More a reward of Twenty Guineas. On a further improvement, the following year, he was voted a like fum; and this probably encouraged the late Mr. Taffie to prefent to the fame Committee his well-known transparent Pastes, on which Ааза he 1 he engraved feals, with heads or coats of arms, at a very finall expence compared with thofe engraved on teel or ftones; and he received the fame reward from the Society. The original plan of the So ciety was first published in the year 1754; but it was not regularly conftituted till the month of March 1755, nor was there any permanent principal Secretary appointed before the 25th of March 1760, when the learned and amiable Dr. Templeman was elected, whofe eulogium is concifely drawn up in the Introduction to the Volume of the Society's Tran factions for the present year; and, as a just tribute to his memory, his Portrait forms the Frontispiece, engraved at the expence of the Society, from an original picture by Cofway, prefented to them by that eminent artist. In this fituation the Doctor continued difeharging the duties of his office, to the entire fatisfaction of the Society-unanimous in their efteem of his refpectable character; acquiring, year after year, the veneration of the correfpondents by his polite letters, and of the numerous candidates for, and claimants of premiums and bounties, by his regular attention and perfonal affability. As he lived refpected and beloved, to he died fincerely fegretted in the month of September 1769. And at this diftant period, an old furviving friend adds this teftimonial to the former records of his meritorious life. He was fucceeded by Mr. More, the late worthy Secretary, who was elected to that important office, upon which the reputation as well as the profperity of the Society in a great degree depends, on the 20th of January 1770. His qualifications, even at that time, were indifputable; for he had affiduoufly applied himself to the obtaining of that practical knowledge of the different claffes of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, under which were arranged the fubjects propofed at the weekly meetings of the Society, and when approved, announced to the public for annual premiums. An unremitted attendance at the various Committees, to which all propofitions are referred in order to be fully difcuffed, and afterwards reported to the Society, when they are either agreed to or finally rejected, enabled him to make a confiderable proficiency in obtaining a competent knowledge of Agriculture, Chemistry, Manufactures, Mechanics, the Polite Arts, Foreign Correlpondence, and the Com. mercial Concerns of our Colonies, prior to his election to the office of principal Secretary. The gradual decline of Dr. Templeman's health, together with a fenfe of his having thus duly prepared himself for it, encouraged him to look forward to the juft recompence for devoting the greatest part of his time to the variegated bufinefs of the Society. Gratified in his expectations, his zeal for the welfare of this molt respectful and ufeful Affociation of Noblemen, Clergy, Gentlemen, Merchants, Manufacturers, Polite and Mechanic Artifts, Tradesmen, and Artizans, all of them voluntarily contributing to promote the best interests of their unrivalled Commercial Country; many of them diftinguished individually, by titles of the higheft dignity, and holding the first ranks in the gradations of the community; but all of them, as a Society, poffeffing and enjoying the fame undistinguished rights of debate, of voting, of difpofing of the funds, and of electing its officers, manifefted itself upon all occafions; and as the Society increased in numbers, in confequence, and in national utility, fo did Mr. More's reputation for ability, and unwearied exertions to promote its fuccess. To the future biographer, as it has been fuggetted that a finifhed Life, occupying an entire Volume, compiled from the numerous and important papers he has left, may be expected, we leave the agreeable talk of detailing minutely, every praiseworthy incident of his lengthened days. Suffice it, on this occafion, to give the general outlines of this truly worthy character, conformable to the plan ufually obferved, of preferving in the literary repofitory of The European Magazine, a refemblance, when it can be obtained, and fome account, of all eminent men, who have merited the efteem of their King and Country in a military or civil capacity; or have rendered effential fervices to both, by their useful talents in the more private paths of humble life. In this point of view, Mr. More deferves a diftinguished place, and it only remains to give a fummary enumeration of the honours and rewards conferred on him by the Society at different periods, for his long and important fervices; in doing which, exact dates are not to be expected, but the writer earnestly hopes he fhall not be found deficient in accuracy with refpect to facts. As the funds of the Society increased confiderably beyond their produce in Dr. Templeman's time, Mr. More's falaty was raifed from one hundred to one hundred hundred and fifty pounds per annum, to which was afterwards added, an annual gratuity of fifty pounds for coals and candles; and, in the finishing of the house allotted to the Secretary, adjoining to the public edifice erected for the So ciety in the Adelphi, free from rent and taxes, care was taken to render it as convenient as poffible, particularly by a private stair cafe communicating with the Secretary's Office and the Committee Rooms, independant on the public entrance to the building from the street. In the beginning of the year 1785, or fome time in the feffion of the preceding winter, a worthy Member conceived the idea that an anniversary dinner, as was the long established cuftom of other public inftitutions, would have a tendency to promote the increase of the Members of the Society, and to facilitate and extend the knowledge of its general utility. One of the Vice-Prefidents, the late Sir Herbert Mackworth, Bart. a gentleman whofe fociability was of the number of his amiable qualities, zealously supported the motion when it came before the Society in that regular form. It was unanimoufly adopted, and carried into execution on the 22d of March, when the Society had their firft public dinner at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, being the anniverfary of the Inftitution: Sir Herbert Mackworth was voted into the chair; and after dinner, the accuftomary loyal toafts having been given, and followed by fuccefs to the Society, Mr. More's health was propofed by the Prefident, with a suitable concile eulogium on his diftinguished fervices: it was accordingly drank with every token of general approbation; and, in return, Mr. More delivered his thanks in a manly, eloquent, and modeft fpeech. The Gold Medal was the next honour bestowed by the Society on their deserving Secretary, which he wore afterwards at the annual dinners, at the annual elec tions, and upon all other public occafions. Finally, to grace his latter days (if rightly informed), when he had completed the twenty-fifth year of his Secretary fhip, the Society, in a very full affembly, refolved that Mr. More be defired to fit for his picture for the Society, and to choose what artist he thinks proper. He accordingly selected from our many excellent painters, the President of the Royal Academy, Benjamin Weft, Efq. with whom, at the time, he was but flightly acquainted: we need only refer the ju dicious examiner to the portrait placed over the Chairman's feat in the Society's Committee room, to confirm our opinion, that it is one of the beft portraits from the pencil of that eminent artist; and from this portrait, the Society, not two years fince, ordered an engraving by Mr. Sharp, who has done equal justice to his subject. The engraving and the impref fions coft upwards of three hundred pounds; but the Society likewife ordered circular letters to be fent to all its Mem bers, inviting them to fubfcribe for the print. The impreffions already subscribed have refunded to the Society upwards of two hundred pounds. In the month of July laft, Mr. More paid a vifit, by invitation, to the Earl of Egremont, at his feat at Petworth in Suffex, where he first discovered the approaches of his diffolution. He returned weak and languid; but his affiduity con tinued, and, as the winter meetings approached, he continued the duties of his office, by preparing papers for the several Committees. In this employment he paffed the morning of Monday the 7th of October; the next day he was confined to his chamber; on the following Thurfday, October 11th, he expired: the pe riod of a gradual decay; having enjoyed a robust conftitution, fubject to no ferious illness, except temporary fits of the gout. He was in the 75th year of his age, and had he furvived to the 20th of January 1800, he would have been thirty years, an officer of the Society. His funeral was private, but most honourably attended by his Grace the Duke of Nor folk, Prefident; Francis Stephens, Efq. F. R. and A. S. one of the Vice-Prefi dents; and his executors combe, Efq. and Captain Towrie of the Navy, both Members of the Society. His remains were interred in the burial ground of St. Margaret's parish, in the Broadway, Westminster. New THOMAS MORTIMER, A very early Member of the Society. Weft-fquare, Dec. 15, 1799. For an account of this Gentleman, see our Magazine for last April. ΤΟ SIR, IT TO THE EDITOR OF THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. Αιδως ἔσ' αγαθω. T has been a matter of much difpute among those who differ from one another in conftitution and difpofition, whether Impudence or Modelty be the more defirable. The advocates for the former are, generally fuch as have either vicious and debauched principles, or those who have received in their foreheads the ftamp of what is called a liberal and polite education. If their affurance arifes from the corruption of their morals, it will difplay itself in a thoufand loofe, difhoncurable, and villanous actions: if from education, it will be seen by that readinefs of fpeech, and eafy treedom of action, which diftinguishes the fine gen tleman from the awkward fquire. There is another kind of Impudence, properly fo called, which springs from both thefe fountains conjointly. This is that inetti-, mable treature which the rake of quality can boast of as entirely his own: unless, perhaps, the gamefter, whore, and jockey, whom my Lord is most intimate with, have wit and credit enough to borrow a little from his large ftock. Thefe are all, in a greater or lefs degree, the advocates for Impudence; while Modely is fupported by a fober filent train, who have neither refolution in themfelves, nor intereft with others, fufficient for pleading her caute effectually. For fhail I, fays the man of pleature, carry along with me an ingredient that will mbitter my cups, and render them unpalatable and nauseous? Will thofe who eagerly grafp at fame, be perfuaded filently to withdraw themfelves, or top their ears, and refufe to hear the voice of the charmer? Or laftly, Will the man of the world take to his bofon ɑn undower'd virgin, though ever fo beauteous and amiable? It is true, indeed, that Modetty will reftrain us in the pur fuit of pleature, and often hinder us from receiving that loud applaufe which we have delerved; but it by no means follows, that it will hinder us from rifing in the world. A decent affurance and fpirit is fo far from being incompatible with real Modefty, that it feems to me rather the mark by which it is to be known. It I might be allowed the privilege which the schoolmen take, of defining words according to the ideas they HES. have of them, I might be led, perhaps to say, that true Modesty is that secret check and restraint which a man fuffers when he is near committing an act either infamous or immoral; and the cenfure which he pafies on every thought, as well as deed, that is not strictly conformable to reafon and prudence. Hence it may be seen that a man, though ever fo modelt, may acquire a freedom of air, and readi. nets of expreffion; for genuine Modelty is not like the paint which decayed beauty wears in public, but is an ornament never to be put off. It is the friend and conftant handmaid of virtue; attends us in the clofet as well as in crowds; pries into our fecret thoughts, and fpies out all our ways. A man poffeffed of this will blush in fecret at the recollection of any little indecorum, even years after the commiflion-of it; for he will not more regard the opinion which others may entertain of air action, than his own private cenfures. But as true Modesty will always put us on examining our beha viour, fo will it give us a confirmed and refolute air; for he that is conscious of no ill, is ever bold and courageous. Yet there is a falle Modeity, not unfrequently combined with the true, which will make us appear diffident, and act with an unbecoming retraint, even in things which we are certain lay within our reach. This latter kind, which I am speaking of, is very different from the former, and arifes generally from a ridiculous education. It may not unproperly be called an unfpirited sheepifhnets, which renders its unhappy poffeffor loft to himfelf, to his friends, and country. When I see a man of learning and genius browbeaten and derided by a pert infufficient coxcomb, whose only merit it is to have had a town education, I cannot help lamenting this want of fpirit in the one, while I admire the Impudence of the other. And perhaps the open triumphs which a fet of men, ignorant and debauched, gain over others who are ten times more learned and virtuous, merely by their matchlefs affurance, may give occafion to our frequent difputes bere, whether Im-. pudence or Mcdefty be the most preferable? I fhall not pretend to decide a point which is fo much contested; unless, by drawing the following characters, it may be gathered how amiable true Modesty is; |