Henry VII. and of an Indiaman in the reign of Elizabeth. The Cinque ports, where the merchants chiefly embarked in foreign commerce resided, are to be considered as the dock-yards of former times; for it was from them that our kings in periods of emergency were supplied with their navy. It is recorded to the glory of Edward IV. that he possessed several vessels of war of his own; while "the maiden queen," exclusive of those hired by her orders, could boast of a navy of about twenty-six "ships-royal." But what an immense difference is there in point of size and expence between the "Great Harry" of a former period, which cost fourteen thousand pounds in the reign of Henry VII. and a first-rate of the present day, carrying one hundred and twenty guns, manned by twelve or fourteen hundred seamen and marines, and spreading out whole acres of canvas to catch the gale, so as to bring this floating castle within gun-shot of the enemy ! It is our naval power that in every age has constituted the pride, the glory, and the defence of the British isles; and it is by this alone that we are to rise or fall in the scale of nations. In the early periods of our history we combated with various success the freebooters of the north, who invaded our coasts, and made predatory incursions against the inhabitants. At length, by means of a superior fleet, we ourselves unfurled the English cross on the opposite shores of the continent, and obtained a variety of important conquests, of which the little isles of Guernsey and Jersey alone still appertain to us. Spain, which, by the policy and good-fortune of Charles V., had become the most formidable power in Europe, braved us in vain, during the reign of his son, with her numerous armada. The Dutch also, under the auspices of a Van Tromp and a De Ruyter, attempted without effect to obtain the mastery over us; for notwithstanding they were aided by the genius of a De Witt, they failed; nor have the French, although commanding such an extensive line of seacoast, and possessed of so many local advantages, been able to cope with us in our proper element. If it be inquired by what magic we have achieved this, the answer is obvious; our victories have sprung out of our freedom. It is those just and equal laws which regulate persons and property by the rule of right, that have made us what we are. It is they, that, by conferring security, † have expanded the wings of commerce to every breeze, and nerved the arms of our sturdy islanders with redoubled strength; it is they, that, by adding to the resources, have multiplied the strength of the country, and enabled us more than once to bid defiance to all the great maritime powers of Europe. Under these auspicious circumstances, a wonderful race of men has been reared or rather created: in one age, a Drake and a Raleigh; in another, an Anson "Strongest by sea, strongest by land," was a favourite maxim of this great statesman. "La liberté politique dans un citoyen est cette tranquillité d'esprit qui provient de l'opinion que chacun a de sa sureté." De l'Esprit des Loix. and a Hawke; while of late years a whole galaxy has been spread above the nautical horizon, which will sparkle for ages with the names of a Duncan, a Hood, a Howe, a St. Vincent, and a Nelson. George Keith Elphinstone, Baron Keith of Stonehaven-Marischal in the county of Kincardin, North Britain, was born about the year 1747 or 1748. The Elphinstones, like the Gordons, the Frasers, the Sinclairs, and a number of other great northern families, are supposed to have come originally from the continent. The ancestor of this nobleman was a German of the name of Elvington, who having repaired to Scotland during the reign of Robert I. resolved to settle in that country. He accordingly married Margaret, daughter of Sir Christopher Seton; a lady who was related to the royal family, and appears either to have been an heiress, or to have obtained crown lands by way of dower, in the fertile shire of Lothian, which her husband called after his own name.* From this chief, usually considered as the founder of the family, descended Alexander, who in the 33d year of David II.† exchanged his estate of Kinchibar with Alexander, the son of Adam More, for the lands of Arthberg, in the county of Stirling, which were called Elphinston, and became the resi dence of his descendants. Sir Alexander, one of these, was created a baron in 1509, and the title has descended in regular succession during many generations. Charles, the tenth Now changed into the appellation of Elringston. + 1362. Lord Lord Elphinstone,married Clementina, only daughter of John Earl of Wigton, by whom he had a numerous family. George Keith, the subject of this memoir, was the fifth son; and as the profession of arms is the appanage, and not unfrequently the only one, which the younger male branches of the Caledonian nobility can claim, it was determined, as his eldest brother was to have the land, that he should seck for fortune and employment from the sea. The Scots have always been considered as a mili tary nation; and their reputation in this point of view had long been established in the armies of the continental princes, before a generous policy, first pointed out by the late Earl of Chatham, gave a new direction to their youth both at home and abroad. But although they were allowed to excel in the land service, they seldom applied themselves to naval affairs; for until of late the commerce of that part of the island was inconsiderable, and none of their sovereigns had evermaintained any establishment in the shape of a navy. It is not a little remarkable however, that the family of which we now treat, for upwards of half a century has devoted itself to the sea service, and produced a number of most excellent officers. * Lord Keith's great uncle, Marischal Keith, was one of the favourite generals of Frederick II. king of Prussia. This cele brated officer was descended from one of the most illustrious families in Scotland, to whose honour it ought to be recorded, that, with a degree of munificence befitting a sovereign house,they founded the college of New Aberdeen, which is still calledby their name, in 1539. It was to this profession that Mr. Keith Elphinstone was destined. Notwithstanding the melancholy fate of an elder brother, George, who was lost in the Prince George in 1758, he was stationed on board a king's ship, and taught at an early age to contend with the three boisterous elements, fire, air, and water. The quarter-deck of a man of war may justly be considered as a national school for the instruction of a numerous portion of our youth; there it is that they acquire a habit of discipline, and become instructed in all the interesting minutiae of the service. Punctuality, cleanliness, diligence, and dispatch, are regularly inculcated, and such a habit of sobriety and even of self-denial acquired, that cannot fail to prove highly useful. By learning to obey, they are also taught betimes how to command; and it becomes daily more necessary indeed, that a lad who, like many others, may hereafter attain the rank of post-captain in the service before he is three-and-twenty years of age perhaps, should either be endowed with, or enabled at least to acquire, some small degree of discretion. By the regulations of our naval code, a most extraordinary latitude in respect to power and responsibility are attached to the command of a ship; for no less than five or six hundred of his fellow-men are placed under the absolute superintendence, control, and disposal of a single officer. It were to be wished therefore, as most of these enter the service while mere boys, and before their education has been completed, that attention were paid not only to their morals |