appointed Mr. Jefferson to succeed him as ambassador at the court of France. In the interval he negotiated and signed two treaties of amity and commerce, one with Sweden, and the other with Prussia. During his residence in France, he was the idol of the literary and political circles of Paris, while his genius and talents were held in the highest estimation. On his arrival in this country, he was received with universal applause; and the citizens, in order to express their approbation of his invaluable services. abroad, immediately appointed him president of the supreme executive council.

In 1787, he was a delegate to the grand convention, which framed the constitution of the United States.

In 1788, he retired wholly from public life in consequence of the complication of diseases which for a number of years had laid waste his strength, and now entirely prevented him from attending to business. For the last twelve months, he was confined almost entirely to his bed. On approaching the confines of another world, he reasoned like a philosopher, and often expressed a grateful sense of the many blessings received from

the Supreme Being, who had raised him from his humble origin to such consideration among men.

On the 17th April, 1790, in the eightyfourth year of his age, he departed this life in the city of Philadelphia. Almost to the last moment his mental faculties remained unimpaired, and with a pious resignation he commended his spirit to the will of Heaven. After his death the posthumous honours conferred on his memory and services, were but little short of enthusiastic.

Congress ordered a general mourning for him in America for the space of one month. Obsequies were solemnized in Paris, and funeral panegyrics delivered by order of its municipality. The national assembly of France decreed a mourning of three days, and addressed a letter of condolence to the American congress, in which they style him the Nestor of America.

His works, philosophical, political, and literary, have been published in England, France, and America,

MACREADY.

The following incident displays Mr. Macready's courage and humanity, in so pleasing a point of view, that we are confident our readers will be gratified by its recital :When Mr. Macready was performing at the Birmingham Theatre, in August 1823, he had left the house after the Tragedy of Hamlet, in which he had delineated, with his accustomed ability, the philosophic Prince, and was proceeding on foot to his lodgings, when he approached a small cottage in flames,surrounded by a concourse of people, eager to look on, but loath to assist: a cry of distress was heard from within: he instantly threw off his coat, and waistcoat, and with the greatest agility sprung into the parlour window, from whence he soon issued with an infant in his grasp, and was received by the speechless mother in an agony no words can describe. The hat, coat, and waistcoat of the adventurous hero were gone, and he darted through the crowd as he was,towards his lodgings; no

one could tell the name of him who had so gallantly ventured his life; and a pecuniary reward of considerable amount was offered to the unknown by a committee of gentlemen. A circumstance occurred which brought him forward against himself: a poor fellow was apprehended selling a handsome coat, in the sleeve of which was written Mr. Macready's name: he was sent for by the police magistrates, and identified the coat stolen from him at the fire. The papers now lauded his modesty more than his intrepidity, and the thunders of applause that greeted him on his reappearance at the Theatre must have been the most grateful tribute to a feeling heart. Mr. Macready's goodness did not stop here: his benefit took place shortly after, and it was a complete bumper. He received in an anonymous letter a bank note for ten pounds, as a tribute to his humanity and courage in rescuing the Cottager's child from the flames. Mr. Macready instantly called upon the unfortunate couple, who had lost their all in the flames, and presented them with that sum, saying, he had been only the instrument in the hand of God in procuring it for them.

EDMUND KEAN.

From

THERE are few actors, perhaps not any, who have been so long accustomed to the stage as this gentleman; few who have experienced more of its vicissitudes than he has. his infancy he has, in truth, been devoted to the theatre. Mr. Kean is the son of Aaron Kean, whom some describe as a builder, and others as a tailor, and of a daughter of George Saville Carey. He was born in November, 1787, in Castle-street, Leicester-square. No sooner was he able to walk, than he was placed at Drury-Lane theatre, to act in the subordinate parts of pantomime; and to qualify him for this purpose, he was committed to a celebrated posture-master, who soon gave to his frame an unnatural flexibility. When the infant Kean was only two years old he was brought forward as Cupid, in 'Cymon.' As might have been expected, from the several operations which he had undergone,his health was injured, and his limbs were so frightfully distorted, that he was cho