Mr Nash died at his house in St. John's-court, Bath, on the 3d of February, 1761, aged 88 years, and was buried at the expence of the corporation.-A few days after his decease, his corpse was conveyed to the Abbey-Church, in great solemnity :-At five the procession moved from his house: the charity-girls two and two preceded; next the boys of the charity-school, singing a solemn occasional hymn; next a large band of music, sounding at proper intervals, a dirge; three clergymen immediately preceded the coffin, which was adorned with sable plumes, and the pall supported by six senior aldermen; the Masters of the Assembly Rooms following as chief mourners. The crowd was so great, that not only the streets were filled, but even the tops of the houses were covered with spectators. Two literary tributes of respect were paid to the memory of the deceased King of Bath; one in English and the other in Latin, the former written by Dr. Oliver, we have here inserted. A faint Sketch of the Life, Character, and Manners of the late Mr. NASH. "Imperium in imperio. "De mortuis nil nisi bonum." Bath, February. 13, 1761. was This morning died RICHARD NASH, Esq. aged eightyeight. He was by birth a gentleman, an ancient Briton; by education, a student of Jesus College in Oxford; by profession, His natural genius was too volatile for any. He tried the army and the law, but soon found his mind superior to both. He was born to govern; nor his dominion, like that of other legislators, over the servility of the vulgar, but over the pride of the noble and the opulent. His public character was great, at it was self-built and self-maintained; his private, amiable, as it was grateful, beneficent and generous. By the force of his genius he erected the City of Bath into a province of pleasure; and became, by universal consent, its legislator and ruler. He planned, improved, and regulated all the amusements of the place; his fundamen tal law was that of good breeding; held sacred decency and decorum his constant maxim. Nobody, however exalted by beauty, blood, titles, or riches, could be guilty of a breach of it unpunished-the penalty, bis disapprobation and public. shame. To maintain the sovereignty he had established, he published rules of behaviour, which from their propriety, ac quired the force of laws; and which the highest never infring ed, without immediately undergoing the public censure. kept the men in order; most wisely, by prohibiting the wear ing swords in his dominions; by which means he prevented sudden passion from causing the bitterness of unavailing repentance. In all quarrels he was chosen the umpire-and so just were his decisions, that peace generally triumphed, crowned with the mutual thanks of both parties. He kept the ladies in good bumour most effectually, by a nice observance of the rules of place and precedence: by ordaining scandal to be the infallible mark of a foolish head, and a nialicious heart; always rendering more suspicious the reputation of her who propogated it, than that of the person abused. Of the young, the gay, the heedless fair, just launching into the dangerous sea of pleasure, he was ever, unsolicited, (sometimes unregarded): the kind protector: humanely correcting even their mistakes in dress, as well as improprieties in conduct; nay, often warning them, though at the hazard of his life, against the artful snares of designing men, or an improper acquaintance with women of doubtful characters. Thus did he establish his government on pillars of honour and politeness, which could never be shaken; and maintained it, for full half a century, with reputation, honour, and undisputed authority, beloved, respected, and revered. Of his private character, be it the first prise, that while, by his conduct, the highest ranks became his subjects, he himself became the servant of the poor and the distressed; whose cause he ever pleaded amongst the rich, and enforced with all the eloquence of a good example; they were ashamed not to relieve those wants, to which they saw him administer with so noble a heart, and so liberal a hand. Nor was his munificence confined to particulars, he being to all the public charities of this city a liberal benefactor; not only by his own most generous subscriptions, but by always assuming, in their behalf, the character of a sturdy heggar; which he performed with such an authorative address to all ranks, without distinction, that few of the worst hearts had courage to refuse, what their own inclinations would not have prompted them to bestow. Of a noble public spirit and a warm grateful heart, the obelisk in the Grove, and the beautiful needle in the Square, are magnificent testimonies. The one erected to preserve the memory of a most interesting event to his country the restitution of health, by the healing waters of this place, to the illustrious Prince of Orange, who came hither in a most languishing condition; the other, a noble offering of thanks to the late Prince of Wales, and his royal Consort, for favours bestowed, and honours by them conferred on this city. His long and peaceful reign, of absolute power, was so tempered by his excessive good nature, that no instance can be given either of his own cruelty, or of his suffering that of others to escape its proper reward. Example unprecedented amongst absolute monarchs.-READER, this monarch was a man, and had his foibles and his faults; which we would wish covered with the veil of good-nature, made of the same piece with his own: but truth forceth us unwillingly to confess, his passions were strong; which, as they fired him to act strenuously in good, hurried him to some excesses of evil. His fire, not used to be kept under by an early restraint, burst out too often into flaming acts, without waiting for the cool approbation of his judgment. His generosity was so great, that prudence often whispered him in vain, that she feared it would enter the neighbouring confines of profusion; his charity so unbounded, that the severe might suspect it sometimes to be the offspring of folly or ostentation. With all these, be they foibles, follies, faults, or frailties, it will be difficult to point out, amongst his contemporary Kings of the whole earth, more than one who hath fewer, or less pernicious to mankind. His existence (for life it scarcely might be called) was spun out to so great an age, that the man was sunk, like many former heroes, in the weakness and infirmities of exhausted nature; the unwilling tax, all animals must pay for multiplicity of days. Over his closing scene charity long spread her all-covering mantle, and dropped the curtain, before the poor actor, though he had played his part, was permitted to quit the stage. Now may she protect his memory! Every friend of Bath, every lover of decency, decorum and good breeding, must sincerely deplore the loss of so excellent á governor; and join in the most fervent wishes (would I could say hopes) that there may soon be found a man able and worthy to succeed him.'” No monument was erected for him in the Abbey-Church, where he was buried, till the year 1790, and then, by a subscription of a 'few individuals, set on foot by Dr. Harrington, an eminent physician of this city, by whom the following elegant inscription was written: MORTI, (ULTIMO DESIGNATOR) ANN. DOM. MDCCLXI, ETAT. SUE LXXXVII. If social virtues make remembrance dear, Under this inscription is cut in marble, the arm of Death striking his dart at a falling crown and sceptre, with the motto Mr. Collett succeeded Mr. Nash in the office of Master of the Ceremonies; but did not reign long defore Mr. Derrick was chosen to that office, and kept it till his death in 1769. notwithstanding he met with great opposition. Two candidates offered themselves to succeed him, viz. Mr. Brereton and Mr. Plomer, who were both powerfully supported by the * Tacitus de Petronio Arbiter. company then at Bath. A paper war commenced, and was a long time continued; a poll carried on, in which each claimed a superiority of number in consequence of which, both acted as Master of the Ceremonies, for one night. A com mittee was then chosen from among the friends of each party, who agreed to allow each candidate a ball, and equally to divide the surplus of that year's subscription, amounting to near 5001. between them, on condition that they resigned their pretensions to the Mastership of the Ceremonies, which they consented to: and Captain Wade, nephew to the late General Wade, was appointed to that office, and officiated at a splendid ball on the 18th of April, 1769, to the great satisfaction of the company; who instantly opened a subscription to present a gold medalion to the Captain, to be worn by him as a proper mark of distinction.. On the 8th of July, 1777, Mr. Wade resigned his office; when no less than seven candidates immediately started to be his successor. This contest was at last left between William Brereton and William Dawson, Esqrs. and it being the wish of their friends to preserve the peace and harmony of Bath, it was proposed that Mr. Brereton should officiate at the Lower, and Mr. Dawson at the New Rooms; and accordingly in October following they were both elected to that office. In three years after Mr. Brereton resigned, and Richard Tyson Esq. was elected in his place. And on Mr. Dawson's resignation in 1785, Mr. Tyson was unanimously elected for the New Rooms, and Mr. King was elected for the Lower Rooms, without opposition. In the year 1805, Mr. Tyson resigned, when Mr. King was elected for the New Roonis, and Mr. Le Bas for the Lower Rooms. Mr. King wears the medallion that was presented to Mr.. Dawson, which is of fine gold, enamelled and enriched with brilliants. One side displays a figure of Minerva, over which is the motto Desus et Tutamen, and under, Dulce est despere in Loco; round these a rich border of enamel of the high Barre colour: on the reverse, Arbiter Elegantiarum, Oct. 1777, decorated with leaves of laurel and palm, beautifully enamelled on a blue ground in their proper colours.-And Mr. Le Bas 1 Every subscriber to the balls, whether lady or gentleman, resident-inBath, has a right to vote for Master of the Ceremonies. |