Engraved by B. Hill from a Printing by Ser Joshua Leynolds.

Published April 12 1824. by Bar Cradock telo London

J:1:1826.

OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER

OF THE

RIGHT HON. EDMUND BURKE;

WITH SPECIMENS OF HIS POETRY AND LETTERS,

AND AN

ESTIMATE OF HIS GENIUS AND TALENTS,

COMPARED WITH THOSE OF HIS

GREAT CONTEMPORARIES.

BY JAMES PRIOR, ESQ.

SECOND EDITION,

ENLARGED TO TWO VOLUMES

BY A VARIETY OF ORIGINAL LETTERS, ANECDOTES, PAPERS AND OTHER ADDITIONAL MATTER.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY.

1826.

ΤΟ

JOHN WILSON CROKER, Esq.

LL.D. F.R.S. M.P. &c. &c. &c.

SECRETARY OF THE ADMIRALTY.

SIR,

An attempt to sketch the life and character of one of the greatest men of modern times may, with peculiar propriety, be addressed to one of his distinguished countrymen, who is himself connected, not only with that part of Ireland where Mr. Burke spent his earlier years, but also with his family; who likewise acquired his relish for learning in the same venerable academic retreat; who possesses much of his taste, much of his acknowledged love for the Fine Arts, much of his literary talents, and no ordinary share of his laborious devotion to public business.

That it is wholly worthy of your acceptance, or of the memory of the distinguished man of whom it treats, 1 am by no means