Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/572

568. STAUNTON. lated Dr. Störck's treatise on Hemlock, and drew up for the “Journal Etranger,” in France, a comparison between the literature of England and France. About 1762, Dr. Staunton embarked for the West Indies, and he had the honour of receiving from Dr. Johnson a farewell letter. Dr. Staunton resided, for several years, in the West Indies, where he acquired some addition to his fortune by the practice of physic; purchased an estate in Grenada which he cultivated; and had the good fortune to obtain the friendship of the late Lord Macartney, governor of that island, to whom he acted as secretary, and continued in that capacity until the capture of it by the French, when they both embarked for Europe. Having studied the law in Grenada, Dr. Staunton filled the office of attorney-general of the island. Soon after Lord Macart ney's arrival in England, he was appointed governor of Madras, and took Mr. Staunton with him (for he seems now to have lost the appellation of doctor) as his secretary. In this capacity, Mr. Staunton had several opportunities of displaying his abilities and intrepidity, particularly as one of the commissioners sent to treat of peace with Tippoo Sultaun, and in the seizure of General Stuart, who seemed to have been preparing to act by Lord Macartney as had been before done by the unfortunate Lord Pigot. The secretary was sent with a small party of seapoys to arrest the general, which he effected with great spirit and prudence, and without bloodshed. On his return to Eng land, the India Company, as a reward for his services, settled on him a pension of 500l. per annum; the king soon after created him a baronet of Ireland, and the university of Oxford conferred on him the degree of LL.D. It having been resolved to send an embassy to China, Lord Macartney was selected for that purpose, and he took his old friend and countryman along with him, who was not only appointed secretary of legation, but had also the title of envoy-extraordinary and minister-plenipo tentiary bestowed on him, in order to be able to supply the place of the ambassador in case of any unfortunate