becoming a public speaker; but in this new situation, he applied himself to public business with that ardency which was natural to him in every thing he undertook: He attended the House with the most scrupulous punctuality, and became a very useful member, especially in those laborious committees in which all important matters are patiently investigated and arranged, previously to their being submitted to the determination of the House. Political subjects had long occupied his active mind; and he had corresponded on the most interesting topics with some of the first characters of the age. Among these political correspondents was the celerated Dr BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, himself a printer, to whom, in 1769, he had addressed a series of queries respecting the American discontents, which evinced that he entertained very just conceptions on the important consequences of that dispute, and much patriotic anxiety to investigate the proper means by which the grievances of these invaluable colonies might be removed, and permanent harmony restored between the two countries. These queries were published in the London Chronicle for 28th July 1778.

IN the succeeding Parliament, Mr STRAHAN was returned as one of the members for Wotton-Basset in the county of Wilts. In his parliamentary conduct, he was a steady supporter of the North administration; and, when that party had finally to quit the direction of public affairs, in spring 1784, he lost his seat in Parliament by the dissolution consequent upon that change. Finding the infirmities of age advancing, and that his health had suffered from the long sittings and late hours which had been occasioned by the political warfare of the last Parliament, he took no measures for resuming a seat in the House of Commons. Without any formed disease, his strength was visibly declining; and, though his spirits survived his strength, even the vigour and activity of his mind began sensibly to decay. By a gradual decline of his corporeal and mental faculties, he died in the 71st year of his age, on the 9th of July 1785. By will he left L.1000 to the London Company of Stationers, with directions that the interest should be yearly divided among decayed printers, in portions of five pounds

each.

THE foregoing digression could not have been brought into any other part of these memoirs more conveniently than the one it now occupies, as it does not interfere with any particular portion or incident in the life of Mr SMELLIE, and is in itself an isolated circumstance, which, as it had no connexion with any other part of his life, appears to have led to no future consequences whatever. It merely serves to shew the interest that was taken by very respectable persons in the welfare of Mr SMELLIE; and gives an opportunity to notice one of his most respectable friends, who was an honour to his country, and to his profession as a printer, and a munificent patron of literature and learned men.

It has been already mentioned that, on the dissolution of the copartnery between BALFOUR, AULD, & SMELLIE, a new company was immediately entered into by Mr JOHN BALFOUR and Mr SMELLIE, which commenced business on the 12th November 1771. In the former copartnership of BALFOUR, AULD, & SMELLIE, the two latter, as the active partners, were each allowed twelve shillings weekly, in name of salary for their trouble in managing jointly the concerns of the company.

In this new copartnership, Mr SMELLIE WAS allowed ninety pounds a-year, as a compensation for taking the whole charge upon himself, very nearly three times as much as his allowance from the former company; for which he was bound to devote his whole time to the superintendence of the work in the printing-house, to correct all the proof sheets, to post the books, to draw out accounts, to collect and pay money, and, in general, to execute the whole duty belonging to the master of a printing-house.

SOMEWHAT more than two years after the establishment of this new copartnery, Mr SMELLIE made a successful application to the late HENRY HOME, Lord Kames, to aid his industry by becoming surety or bondsman for him to the Royal Bank of Scotland, that he might be accommodated with a credit or cash account to the extent of two or three hundred pounds. In a transaction of this nature, which is almost universal in Scotland, a person in business grants a bond with satisfactory cautioners or sureties to a bank for a certain specified sum; and acquires thereby a right to draw upon the bank for any part, or the whole of that sum, as needed. Interest

at the rate of five per cent. per annum is always charged against him by the bank for all advances. He fills into his cash account, as he is able, all cash received by him which he may not have immediate occasion for, and such good discountable bills as come into his hands. If at any time he may have overpaid the bank, he is allowed three per cent. per annum upon the balance in his favour. lance of principal and interst is struck yearly; and the amount, whether for or against him, constitutes the first article in his debit or credit of the account of the ensuing year.

A ba

THE following letter, which has no date in its remaining copy, must have been written considerably posterior to the 12th November 1771, on which day Mr SMELLIE commenced his new copartnership with Mr BALFOUR; how long afterwards we have no means of precisely ascertaining; but, from his mentioning the increase of his business during the past two years, it was probably written in the spring of 1774. The answer to this letter, or that announcing the accomplishment of its object, which immediately follows, is dated on the 28th May 1774. Without often attending minutely to chronological arrange