FRANCIS, Sir Pi:Emir, son of the Rev. Dr. Philip Francis, author of a well-knowa translation of Horace, was b. at Dublin, Oct: 22, 174Q, and educated. at St. Paul's school, London, where he had for a school-fellow Henry S. Woodfall, afterwards the printer of the Public Advertiser, and the publisher of the Letters of Junius. In 1756, he obtained a place in the office of Mr. Fox, then secretary of state, which he retained under his suc cessor, Mr. Pitt. In 1760, he became secretary to the earl of Kinnoul, who had been appointed British ambassador to Portugal; and on his return to England in 1763, he received an appointment in the war-office. Ten years later, he was sent out to India, as a member of the council for the government of Bengal, with a salary of £10,000. Here he came into collision with the governor-general, Warren Hastings, and so far did the:quarrel proceed, that a duel wag the consequence, in which F. was severely wounded. In Dec., 1780, he resigned his situation, and returning to England, entered parliament for the borough of Yarmouth, in the isle of Wight, in 1784. He never obtained a
reputation as an orator, but his great abilities and extensive information always com manded the respect and attention of the house. The prosecution of Hastings, begun in 1786, was hailed by him with malignant joy, and it must be confessed that he displayed a most ungenerous alacrity and activity in furthering the designs of the committee of impeachment. In his political opinions, F. was a decided and consistent whip, at a time when whigism meant very much the same as the radicalism of a later period. He exulted at the success of the French revolution, was an active member of the association of " friends of the people," and ably supported the efforts of Fox and Grey for a reform in the representation of the nation. He withdrew from parliament in 1807, and died Dec. 22, 1818. F. wrote upwards of twenty political pamphlets. He has also been con sidered by many to have the best claim to the authorship of the Letters of Junius (q.v.).