has scattered about me, I am stripped of all my honours, I am torn up by the roots, and lie prostrate on the earth. There, and prostrate there, I most unfeignedly reognize the divine justice. … I greatly deceive myself, if in this hard season I would give a peck of refuse wheat for all that is called fame and honour in the world." In the course of May 1795, he published his letter to Sir H. Langrishe on the disastrous effect of the recall of Lord Fitzwilliam upon the hopes of the Roman Catholics, and the welfare of Ireland. His most important utterances of these years were his Letters on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France. Burke's views regarding the French Revolution altered the attitude of the King and the court party towards him, and but for the death of his son he would probably have accepted the peerage the King was anxious to confer. In October 1795, pensions to the amount of £3,700 per annum were, at the express wish of the King, settled upon him. For the acceptance of these pensions he was attacked in the House of Lords and elsewhere. He defended himself in his Letter to a Noble Lord, stated to have been the most brilliant specimen of withering sarcasm and dignified resentment that the English language ever exhibited." His few remaining years were passed in retirement at his estate of Beaconsfield, where, however, he at times aided by his pen the solution of important public problems. Many measures—educational, philanthropic, and otherwise, engaged his attention; whilst most of his time was given to agriculture, in which he delighted. He wrote much concerning Ireland; indeed his last thoughts were turned towards her at a time when matters were precipitating towards the Insurrection and Union. That he desired a closer and a more workable union between Great Britain and Ireland than the constitution of 1782 admitted, cannot be doubted; but one does not gather from his writings that an incorporative union would have met his approval. His last publication was in 1797, on the affairs of Ireland. In February of that year his declining health made desirable a visit to Bath, where at an earlier period of his life he had derived considerable benefit. There he lived for about four months—his health rapidly sinking. In May he was brought back to Beaconsfield. His last moments were occupied in giving directions relative to his affairs, and listening to a paper by Addison on the immortality of the soul. During the reading he became faint, and desired to be carried to his bed. The attendants had taken him in their arms, when his breathing became difficult, he uttered an almost inarticulate blessing, and expired (9th July 1797), aged 68. His remains, in accordance with his express desire, were interred at Beaconsfield. "My body, I desire to be buried in the church at Beaconsfield, near to the bodies of my dearest brother and my dearest son, in all humility praying that as we have lived in perfect unity together, we may together have a part in the resurrection of the just." "Thus died," says the Encyclopædia Britannica, "Edmund Burke, one of the greatest orators, statesmen, and authors of his age; a man whose name will long continue to be celebrated; and one who, had he fallen during the meridian of his fame and character, would have scarcely been considered as second to any man, either of ancient or modern times." Lord Brougham writes of him: "With the exception of his writings upon the French Revolution—an exception itself to be qualified and restricted—it would be difficult to find any statesman of any age whose opinions were more habitually marked by moderation; by a constant regard to the results of actual experience, as well as the dictates of an enlarged reason; by a fixed determination always to be practical, at the time he was giving scope to the most extensive general views; by a cautious and prudent abstinence from all extremes, and especially from those towards which the general complexion of his political principles tending, he felt the more necessity for being on his guard against the seduction." Burke left the whole of his property to his "entirely beloved and incomparable wife, Jane Mary Burke." She survived until the spring of 1812, having lost the use of her limbs by rheumatism some time previously. Most of her property fell to her relations, the Nugents. Some of the statuary formerly at Beaconsfield is now in the British Museum. The most complete edition of Burke's Works and Correspondence is that of 1852, in 8 vols. 8vo. 50* 59 60 61 313
Burke, John, genealogist and archivist, was born, probably at Elm Hall, County of Tipperary, in 1787. He planned, in conjunction with his son, the present Sir Bernard Burke, C.B., the numerous genealogical and heraldic dictionaries, since amplified and perfected by the latter. The name Burke is now inseparably associated with all information connected with pedigrees, records, and critical and exact knowledge of the genealogy, heraldry, and family history of the United Kingdom. John Burke died at Aix-la-Chapelle, 27th March 1848, aged 61. 7 53
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