and naturally desired and hoped for the evangelization of India. But his zeal was under the restraint of knowledge, and he knew how to reconcile private aspiration with public duty. Like Sir John Lawrence, he advocated toleration for the native religious systems, and at the same time deprecated Government support of them in any way. "India," says a writer in the Pall Hall Gazette, "has produced many great men, some of whom have done more for their country, but there were few upon whom the stamp of genius was more visibly impressed than upon Herbert Edwardes." The life of Sir Henry Lawrence was completed
by Mr Herman Merivale, and was published in 1873.EDWARDS, Bryan (1743-1800), the well-known historian oE the West Indies, was born at Westbury, in Wiltshire, on the 21st of May 1743. His father died in 1756, and his education and maintenance were undertaken by his maternal uncle, Zachary Bayly, a wealthy West Indian merchant. He had been placed by his father at the school of a dissenting clergyman in Bath, where he received a careful training in English composition ; his uncle s agent, however, removed him to a French boarding Bchool, on discovering that he had received no instruction in classics. Edwards went out to Jamaica to join his uncle, in whom he seems to have found everything he could desire, the most enlightened mind, the sweetest temper, and the most generous disposition. To this was added a truly paternal regard for himself, which was returned with all the warmth of filial affection. His uncle, finding him possessed of literary talents, but deficient in classical acquirements, engaged a Mr Teale, a clergyman and formerly master of a free grammar-school, as resident tutor for him. The relationship proved a very agreeable one to both teacher and pupil, though the training imparted was somewhat fragmentary. A large proportion of their time was spent in tasting the beauties of Dryden and Pope, and in laughing at the comic sallies of Moliere. Edwards, upon the whole, acquired during this period small Latin and less Greek ; but he continued to practise composition both in prose and verse, and the two companions sent occasional pieces to the colonial newspapers. On the death of his uncle Edwards succeeded to his property; and, in 1773, he became heir to the much larger estate of Mr Hume, also of Jamaica. In 1784 he published Thoughts on the Proceed ings of Government respecting the Trade of the West Indian Islands with the United States of America. This was followed by a speech delivered at a free conference between the Council and Assembly at Jamaica, held November 25, 1789, on the subject of Wilberforce s propositions con cerning the slave trade. It was in 1793, however, that he published his great work, on which he had been many years engaged, entitled History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies, 2 vols. 4 to. On the question of slavery and the slave trade he naturally took the planter s view, but he expressed himself with modera tion and candour. In 1796 he published, in one volume quarto, a History of St Domingo, which had then excited a deep interest, on account of the insurrection of the slaves, and the consequent establishment of an independent negro government. In 1801 a new edition of both these works was published, in three vols. 8vo, under the general title of History of the West Indies. A fifth edition issued from the press in the year 1819. When Mungo Park returned from his celebrated journey in Africa, Edwards, from his oral information, drew up a report of it, which was sub mitted to the African Society, and published in their Transactions. Park afterwards incorporated the greater part of this into the general narrative of his Travels, in preparing which he availed himself much of the assistance and suggestions of Edwards. After a lengthened residence in Jamaica Edwards returned to England, and in 1796 became M.P. for the borough of Grampound, which he continued to represent till his death, July 15, 1800. He left a short narrative of his life, which was prefixed to the edition of his history published in 1801.
EDWARDS, George (1693-1773), a celebrated antiquarian and ornithologist, was born at Stratford, in Essex, on the 3d April 1693. He was originally apprenticed to a tradesman in Fenchurch Street, London ; but obtaining by accident access to a number of books on natural history, painting, astronomy, and antiquities, he lost his inclination for mercantile pursuits, and acquired a desire for foreign travel. In 1716 he visited the principal towns in Holland, and two years afterwards travelled in Norway and Sweden. In 1719 he went to Paris for the purpose of studying its natural history collections, and during his stay in France he made two journeys of a hundred miles each, the first to Chalons in Champagne, and the second on foot to Orleans and Blois. On his arrival in England he closely pursued his favourite study of natural history, applying himself to drawing and colouring such animals as fell under his notice. Birds first engaged his particular attention, and having purchased some of the best pictures of them, he made a few drawings of his own, which were admired by the curious, who encouraged the young naturalist by paying a good price for his early labours. In 1731 he made an excursion to Holland and Brabant, where he collected several scarce books and prints, and had an opportunity of examining the original pictures of several great masters, at Antwerp, Brussels, Utrecht, and other cities. In December 1733, by the recommendation of Sir Hans Sloane, the pre sident of the college of physicians, he was chosen librarian to that body, and had apartments assigned him in the college. Here he had the opportunity of a constant recourse to a valuable library filled with scarce and curious books on the subject of natural history, which he so assiduously studied. By degrees he became one of the most eminent ornithologists in his own or any other country. He published the first volume of the History of Birds in 1743, a second volume in 1747, a third in 1750, and a fourth in 1751. In 1758 he continued his labours under a new title, that of Glean ings of Natural Histonj. A second volume of the gleanings was published in 1760, and a third in 1764. The two works contain engravings and descriptions of more than six hundred subjects in natural history not before described or delineated. He likewise added a general index in French and English, which was afterwards perfected with the Linnasau names by Linnaeus himself, who frequently honoured him with his friendship and correspondence. In 1750 he received the gold medal of the Royal Society, given annually on St Andrew s day to the author of any new discovery in art or nature. He was, a few years afterwards, elected fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries, London, and also a member of many of the academies of sciences and learning in different parts of Europe. After the publication of his last work, having arrived at his seventieth year, and finding his sight beginning to fail, and his hand losing its wonted steadiness, he retired from public employment to a little house which he had purchased at Plaistow. The conversation of a few select friends, and the perusal of a few select books, were the amusement of the evening of his life ; and now and then he made an excursion to some of the principal cities in England, particularly to Bristol, Bath, Exeter, and Norwich. His general health began to fail some years before his death, which took place on the July 23, 1773.
guished metaphysician and divine of America, was the son of the Rev. Timothy Edwards, and of Esther, daughter of the
Rev. Solomon. Stoddard, of Northampton, and was born at