him to himself, but we believe it still remains a very difficult task for his warmest panegyrists, to prove, to the satisfaction of the world that he was consistent.

BURNET, (WILLIAM) governor of the colonies of New-York and New Jersey, was the son of the celebrated Gilbert Burnet, bishop of Salisbury, in England, a gentleman well known for his zeal in promoting the revolution, which finally placed the present family upon the throne of Great Britain, and al-' so distinguished as a writer, by his "History of the Reformation," his "Exposition of the thirty-nine articles of the church of England," and his "History of his own times."

His son William, the subject of this memoir, had been a man of considerable fortune, previous to the bursting of the South Sea bubble, in 1720, which had reduced many of the most opulent families in Great Britain to indigence. Finding himself then involved in the general calamity, he was glad to accept of commissions for the governments of New-York and New-Jersey, with a view to his retrieving his fortune, in a course of years.

He arrived at New-York, 17th September, 1720, when he took upon himself the government of that province. Mr. Burnet was a man of sense and polite breeding, sprightly, and of a social disposition. He studied the arts of recommending himself to the people; had nothing of the moroseness of a scholar, affected no pomp, but visited every family of reputation, and often diverted himself in free conversation with the ladies, by whom he was greatly admired. By such conduct, as well as by his moderation and integrity, in discharging the duties of his office, he greatly conciliated the affections of the inhabitants.

Of all the governors of New-York, none of his predecessors had such extensive and just views of

Indian affairs, and the dangerous neighbourhood of the French, as governor Burnet, in which Mr. Livingston was his principal assistant. His attention to these matters appeared at the very commencement of his adininistration; for, in his first speech to the assembly, he laboured to implant the same sentiments in the breasts of the members; endeavouring to alarm their fears, by the daily advances of the French, their possessing the main passes, seducing our Indian allies, and encreasing their new settlements in Louisiana.

The address of the assembly, in answer to this speech, contained a passage, manifesting, in the strongest terms, the confidence they reposed in him. "We believe," said they, "that the son of that wor thy prelate so eminently instrumental under our glori ous monarch, William III. in delivering us from arbitrary power, and its concomitants, popery, superstition and slavery, has been educated in, and pos sesses those principles, that so justly recommended his father to the council and confidence of protestant princes; and succeeds our former governor, not only in power, but inclination to do us good."

From such a congeniality of sentiment between the governor and legislature, the public business proceeded without suspicion or jealousy, and nothing intervened to disturb the tranquility of the political state. Among the most remarkable acts passed at this session, we may reckon that for prohibiting the sale of such goods to the French, as were proper for the Indian trade. This was a favourite act of the governor's, and though a law very advantageous to the province, became the source of an unreasonable opposition against him, which continued throughout his whole administration. Mr. Burnet's scheme was to draw the Indian trade into our own hands, and to obstruct the communication of the French with our allies, which gave them frequent opportunities of seducing them from their fidelity. Amongst those who were more immediately prejudiced by this new regulation, the

importers of those goods from Europe, were the chief: and hence the spring of their opposition to the go

vernor.

None of his predecessors did so much business in Chancery as he. The office of Chancellor was his delight, in the exercise of which, he made a tolerable figure, although he was no lawyer, He had, however, one fault, which was very unsuitable for a judge, viz. the precipitance of his decisions, for he used to say of himself, "I act first, and think afterwards." Several very important decrees of this court, had at last excited great clamour amongst the people, and that circumstance together with the act for prohibiting the sale of Indian goods to the French, occasioned so great a diminution of his interest, that in the year 1727, an assembly was elected, a great majority of which was against him.

After this short view of his conduct as governor of New-York, we shall now take some notice of his administration in the colony of New-Jersey. Early in the spring of 1721, the assembly having met, he addressed them in a congratulatory speech upon the present state of affairs, and after telling them that he had no reason to doubt of their determinations to sup port his majesty's government in such an honourable manner as would become them to offer, and him to accept, very disinterestedly adds, "in doing this, I must recommend to you not to think of me, so much as of the inferior officers of this government, who want your care more, and whose salary has hitherto amounted to a very small share of the public expence, and as an inducement to their compliance in this respect, he adds, "I cannot neglect this occasion of congratulating you upon the treasures lately discovered in the bowels of the earth, (alluding to the copper mines,) which cannot fail of circulating for the general good, the increase of trade, and the raising the value of estates." Although the Assembly's answer in general, expressed great approbation of the gover

nor's speech, yet in that paragraph, which respects the copper mines, they do not seem to have attached the same importance to that discovery as his excellency. It is this, we thankfully acknowledge your Excellency's congratulation, and doubt not when the ima ginary treasure, except Mr. Schuyler's, becomes real, the country will not be wanting in their duty to his majesty in making your Excellency and the officers of the government partakers of the advantage." Sundry bills were prepared during this session, one of which had a title too singular to be omitted; " An act against denying the divinity of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the blessed trinity, the truth of the holy scriptures, and spreading atheistical books." Assemblies in the colonies had rarely troubled themselves with these subjects, perhaps never before nor since; but it was supposed to have originated from the governor, who had a turn that way, and had written a book to unfold some part of the apocalypse; the bill, however, was rejected.

Although Mr. Burnet's administration had, upon the whole, been satisfactory to the Colonies of NewYork and New-Jersey, yet in consequence of complaints against him for his conduct, in the court of Chancery, which we have already mentioned; he was superceded in 1728, and appointed governor of New-Hampshire and Massachusetts. He was very fond of New-York, and left it with reluctance. His marriage with the daughter of Mr. Vanhorne, soon after his arrival, had connected him with a numerous family; and, besides an universal acquaintance, there were some gentlemen, with whom he had contracted a strict intimacy and friendship.

The excessive love of money, a disease common to all his predecessors, and to some who succeeded him, was a vice from which he was entirely free. He sold no offices, nor attempted to raise a fortune by indirect means, for he lived generously, and carried scarce any thing away with him but his books. These and

the conversation of men of letters, were to him inexhaustible sources of delight. He had, likewise, made some useful astronomical observations; but, by his "Comments on the Apocalypse," he exposed himself, as other learned men have done, who have written on that subject, to the criticisms of those who have not abilities to write half as well. This book we have never seen, but from the opinion of a gentleman on whose judgment we can implicitly rely, we are satisfied it would be highly prized by those who are fond of diving into the prophecies contained in the sacred scriptures.

When Mr. Burnet was entering Boston, he was received with unusual pomp, and met by a greater cavalcade than had ever been seen there before. In his

first speech to the Assembly, he urged this grand appearance, as a proof of their ability to support his majesty's government in a very honourable manner, and, at the same time, acquainted them with the king's instructions to insist upon an established salary, and his own determination firmly to abide by his orders. The assembly, from the beginning, seemed determined to oppose any permanent establishment, and would only allow him such annual grants as to them should seem proper. A serious dispute ensued, and both parties remained inflexible. An opposition so violent and unexpected had the most evident effect upon the spirits of the governor, who, at last, fell sick of a fever, and died at Boston, after a few days illness, 7th September, 1729, leaving the controversy between him and the general court still undetermined.

Upon his death, the resentment which had been raised against him, almost immediately ceased. Many amiable parts of his character revived in the minds of the people. He had been steady and inflexible in his adherence to his instructions, but discovered nothing of a grasping or avaricious mind. It was the mode, not the quantum of his salary, upon which he insist ed. In his disposal of public offices he gave the pre

V ol. I. No. 7.

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