266 also lost his brother Richard; but though this reiterated stroke of death deeply affected him, it neither relaxed the vigour of his mind, nor lessened the interest which he took in public affairs. BURKE. Soon after the death of his son, his majesty bestowed on him a pension of 1200l. for his own life and that of his wife, charged on the civil list, and two other pensions of 2500i. for three lives, payable out of the four and a half per cent. These gifts were represented as a reward for having changed his principles, and deserted his friends, and drew down some severe censures from Lord Lauder- dale and the Duke of Bedford. These he repelled in a "Letter to a noble Lord, in which he gives a sketch of his political life, and of the beneficial measures in which he had been engaged. Not content, however, with vindi- cating his own claim to a pension, he gives a retrospective view of the means by which the Duke of Bedford's ances- tors acquired their property. This account of the Russell acquirements is generally conceived to be erroneous, and can only be attributed to irritation and anger at the cen- sure passed by that nobleman, on what he regarded as a squandering of the public money. When the appearance of melioration in the principles and government of France, induced his majesty to make overtures for peace to the French Directory, Burke re- sumed his pen, and, in bis "Thoughts on the Prospect of a Regicide Peace," expressed himself strongly against the safety of such a measure. This was his last work, and in point of style and reasoning, not inferior to any he had produced on the subject of the French character and government, From the beginning of June 1797, his health rapidly declined; but his understanding exerted itself with undi- mipished force, and uncontracted range. On 7th July, he spent the morning in a recapitulation of the most im- portant actions of his life, the circumstances in wbich he acted, and the motives by which he was prompted. Dwel
