The importance, both in prisons and hospitals, of preventing the occurrence or spread of iufectioue diseases, producad in Mr. Howard a desire to witness the working and success of the Lazaretto system in the south of Europe, more especially as a safeguard against the plague. Danger or disgust never turned Lim from his path ; but on this occasion he went without even a servant, not thinking it right, for convenience sake, to expose another person to such a risk. Quitting England in 1785, he travelled through the south of France and Italy to Malta, Zante, and Constantinople ; whence he returned to Smyrna, while the plague was raging, for the purpose of sailing from an infected port to Venice, where he might undergo tho utmost rigour of the quarantine system. He returned to England in 1787, resumed his home tours, and in 1789 published the result of his late inquiries in another important volume, entitled `An Account of the principal Lazarettos in Europe, &c., with additional Remarks on the Present State of the Prisons in Great Dritaiu and Ireland.' The same summer he renewed his course of foreign travels, meaning to go into Turkey and the east through Russia. He had however proceeded no farther then the Crimea when a rapid illness, which he himself believed to be an infectious fever, caught in prescribing for a lady, put an end to his life on the 20th of January 1790. He was buried at Dauphiny, near Cherson, and the utmost respect was paid to his memory by the Russian government. The intelligence of his death caused a profound feeling of regret in his native country, and men of all classes and parties vied in paying their tribute of reverence to his memory. A marble statue by Bacon of 'the philanthropist' was erected in St. Paul's Cathedral by a public subscription.
Mr. Howard's piety was deep and fervent, and his moral character most pure and simple. His education had been neglected, so that his
literary acquirements were small; neither were his talents brilliaut. But he was fearless, single-minded, untiring, and did great things by devoting his whole energies to one good object. The influence of disinterestedness and integrity is remarkably displayed in the ready access granted to him even by the most absolute and most suspicious governments, in the respect invariably paid to his person, and tbo weight attached to his opinion and authority. He was strictly economical in his personal expenses, abstemious in Ma habits, and capable cf going through great fatigue; both his fortune and his con stitution were freely spent in the cause to which his life was devoted. The only blemish which has ever been suggested as resting upon his memory is in connection with his conduct to his son. Mr. Howard was a strict, and has not escaped the charge of being a severe parent. The son, unhappily, in youth fell into dissolute habits, which being carefully concealed from the father, and consequently unchecked, brought on a disease which terminated in insanity. He survived his father nine years, dying on the 24th of April 1799; hat be remained till his death a hopeless lunatic. The question of Howard's alleged harshness to his son has been thoroughly Investigated and effectually disproved. (See Dixon's ' Life of Howard.') That his devotion to the great philanthropic object to which he gave up his life may not have interfered with his paternal duties It is of course impossible to affirm; but that John Howard was an affectionate and kind-hearted father, as well as a single-minded benefactor to his species, there can now be no reasonable doubt.
(Lira of John Howard, by Ailrin and Dixon.)