" It was probably either the reserve of his manners," says Cuvier, " or the modest tone of his writings, that procured him the uncommon distinction of never having his repose disturbed either by jealousy or by criticism. Like his great countryman Newton, whom he resembled in so many other respects, he died full of years and honours, beloved even by his rivals, respected by the age which he had enlightened, celebrated through out the scientific world, and exhibiting to mankind a perfect model of what a man of science ought to be, and a splendid example of that success, which is so eagerly sought, but so seldom obtained." The last words that he uttered were characteristic of his unal terable love of method and subordination: he had ordered his servant to leave him, and not to return till a certain hour, intending to pass his latest moments in the tranquillity of perfect solitude: but the servant's impatience to watch his master diligently having in duced him to infringe the order, he was severely re premed for his indiscretion, and took care not to repeat the offence, until the scene was finally closed. Mr Cavendish died on the 24th of February 1810 ; and was buried in the family vault at Derby. He left a property in • the funds of about L.700,000, which he divided into six equal parts, giving two to Lord George Cavendish, the son of his first cou sin, one to each of his sons,' and one to the Earl of Bessborough, whose mother was also his first cou sin. Some other personal property devolved to Lord George as residuary legatee; and a landed estate of L. 6000 a year descended to his only brother, 111r Frederic Cavendish of Market Street, Herts, a single and of habits of life so peculiarly retired, that 'any further increase of income would have been still more useless to him than it had been to the testator.
Much as Mr Cavendish effected for the promotion of physical science throughout his life ; it has not beery unusual, even for his warmest admirers, to ex press some regret that he did not attempt to do still more after his death, • by the appropriation of a small share of his immense and neglected wealth, to the perpetual encouragement of those Objects, which he had himself pursued with so much ardour. But however we might be disposed to lament such tut omission, we have surely no reason to complain of his determination to follow more nearly the ordinary course of distribution of his property, among those whose relationship would have given them a legal claim to the succession, if he had not concerned him self in directing it- We may observe on many other occasions, that the most successful cultivators of science are not always the most strenuous promoters of it in others ; as we often see the most ignorant per. sons, having been rendered sensible by experience of their own deficiencies, somewhat disposed to overrate the value of education, and to bestow more on the im provement of their children, than men of profounder teaming, who may possibly have felt the insufficiency of their own accomplishments for insuring success in the world. But even if Mr Cavendish had been in clined to devote a large share of his property to the establishment of fellowships or professorships, for the incitement of men of talents to a more complete de• votion of their lives to the pursuit of science, it is very doubtful whether he could have entertained a reasonable hope of benefiting his country by such an institution : for the highest motives that stimulate men to exertion are not those which are immediately connected with their pecuniary interests : the senators and the statesmen of Great Britain are only paid in glory; and where we seek to obtain the cooperation of the best and the most enlightened indisi. duals in any pursuit or profession, we must hold out ag incentives the possession of high celebrity and public respect; assured that they will be incompan• bly more effectual than any mercenary considerations, which are generally found to determine a crowd of commercial speculators to enter into competition for the proposed rewards, and to abandon all further con. cern with the objects intended to be pursued, as sem as their avarice is gratified. To raise the rank of science in civil life is therefore most essentially to promote its progress ; and when we compare the state not only of the scientific associations, but also of the learned professions in this country and among our neighbours, we shall feel little reason to regret the total want of pecuniary patronage that is remarkable in Great Britain, with respect to every independent department of letters, while it is so amply compensated by the greater degree of credit and respectability at tached to the possession of successful talent. It must not however be denied, that even in this rimed view there' might be some improvement in the public spirit of the country : Mr Cavendish was indeed neither fond of giving nor of receiving praise; and be ryas little disposed to enliven the intervals of his serious studies by the promotion of social or convivial cheer fulness : but it would at all times be very easy for an individual, possessed of high rank and ample for tune, of correct taste and elegant manners, to confer so much dignity on science and literature by showing personal testimonies of respect to acknowledged merit, as greatly to excite the laborious student to the unre mitting exertions of patient application, and to rouse the man of brilliant talent to the noblest flights of gentes.
Gentleman's Magazine, 1810, ii. P. 188.—Aikin's General Biography, Vol. X.—Chalmers's Biogra phical Dictionary, Vol. VIL—Thomson's Annals, Vol. I.—Cuvier, Histoire de la Claw des Scances Mathematiques, 1811. P. cxxvi. (L. z.) - CELEBES, an extensive island in the Indian ar chipelago, situated between Java and Borneo, and extending from about 2° north, to 6° south latitude, and 119° to east longitude. It is of the most irregular form, consisting of four long peninsulas, united together at a central point. It was first dis covered by the Portuguese in 1525. In 1660, that people were driven out by the Dutch, who had to sustain a long series of contests with the natives, till, in 1699, they succeeded in forming a permanent settlement. Their principal establishment has always been Fort Rotterdam, at Macassar, on the western coast of the island, situated in 5° 9' south latitude, and 119° 48' east longitude. The fort is about 800 feet from the sea, well fortified with high and strong walls. The town lies on a plain to the north, and is tolerably built ; the streets broad and crossing each other at right angles. The trade is not considera ble, the country affording few articles of export ex cept rice and a number of slaves for the supply of Java. The chief object of the Dutch in this settle ment, was to secure their communication with the spice islands. They had repeated attacks to sustain from the Rajah of Macassar, whose power, in 1778, they finally subverted, and transferred the superiori ty to their ally, the of Bony. His territory is situated round the great bay on the southern coast, called the Bay of Bony, Sewa, or Ruggeas. The inhabitants are termed Bonginese, or Bonnians, cor rupted by the English into Buggesses. These are a very remarkable people, and possess many excel lent qualities. In a manuscript account which we have seen, written by a gentleman long resident in this part of India, they are considered as by much the most meritorious of the inhabitants of the East India islands. They manufacture the cotton of their own country, and of Java, into a species of cloths, which, from their superior quality, are in universal de mand throughout the archipelago. Their permanent residence he states to be around a great lake in the in terior, which they leave at the commencement of the season favourable for navigation. They then sail down a river into the bay of Bony, whence they spread themselves over all the neighbouring seas. There is not a coast from the extremity of New Hol land to the Malay peninsula, in which their prows are not habitually seen. Besides exchanging their own commodities for those of their neighbours, they act as carriers between the countries that lie remote from each other. Our informant describes their conduct as traders to be not less upright and ho. nourable than it is active and enterprising. They defend themselves and their property against the at tacks of the Malay pirates with the most heroic and desperate valour. Thorn, in his Account of Jaya, mentions an instance in which a Bonginese crew, being overcome and boarded, set fire to a bar rel of powder which was on board, and thus blew up at once themselves and their assailants.
In 1814, the Rajah of Bony being considered ini mical to the British Government, an expedition against him was sent from Java under General Nightingale. It arrived at Macassar on the 7th of June, and immediately landed. The British force, led by Col. Macleod, attacked the town and palace, and carried them in about an hour, though with some loss, the Rajah escaping into the interior of his. dominions. A new government was then esta blished ; but the revolution in Europe has, we be-, lieve, restored this settlement to the Dutch, its for mer possessors.
The interior of Celebes, and the remainder of its coasts, are almost entirely unknown. The Great Bay of Gonong Tello, on the east coast, presents many natural advantages. Gold is exported from its coasts, and the amount is Said to be capable of almost indefinite augmentation. Tortoise shell is likewise produced in considerable quantity. Ben tham Bay, to the south-east of Macassar, has a with some trade : the country round produces ex cellent rice.
The exports are nearly similar to those of Bor neo. Gold is found, as there, in alluvial soil, wash ed down by the riversA Sometimes even springs, slightly impregnated with that metal, issue from the rocks. The total value of the gold exported is esti mated by Mr Hamilton at L.120,000. (East India Gazetteer.) The cotton cloths manulhctured in Ce lebes, called cambays, are universally worn through, the Indian islands ; but their use does not extend farther. The imports coincide precisely with thOse of Borneo. (B.)