(James), Marquis of Montrose, was comparable to the greatest heroes of antiquity. He undertook, against almost every obstacle that could terrify a less enterprising genius, to reduce the kingdom of Scotland to the obedience of the king; and his success was answerable to the greatness of the undertaking. By valour, he in a few months almost effectuated his design; but, for want of supplies, was forced to abandon his conquests. After the death of Charles I., he, with a few men, made a second attempt, but was immediately defeated by a numerous army. As he was leaving the kingdom in disguise, he was betrayed into the hands of his enemy, by the Lord Airlon, his intimate friend. He was carried to his execution with every circumstance of indignity that wanton cruelty could invent; and hanged upon a gibbet 30 feet high, with the book of his exploits appended to his neck. He bore this reverse of fortune with his usual greatness of mind, and expressed a just scorn at the rage and the insult of his enemies. We meet with many instances of valour in this active reign; but Montrose is the only instance of heroism. He was executed May 21st, 1650. See BRITAIN, No. 137, 138, 143, 165.

(Sir Richard), lord viscount Preston, eldest son of Sir George Graham of Netherby, in Cumberland, Bart., was born in 1648. He was sent ambassador by Charles II. to Louis XIV. and was master of the wardrobe and secretary of state under James II. But when the Revolution took place, he was tried and condemned, on an accusation of attempting the restoration of that prince; though he obtained a pardon by the queen's intercession. He spent the remainder of his days in retirement, and published an elegant translation of "Boethius on the consolation of philosophy." He died in 1695.

(George), clock and watch maker, the most ingenious and accurate artist in his time, was born in 1675. After his apprenticeship, Mr Tregon received him into his family, purely on account of his merit; and treated him with a kind of parental affection as long as he lived. Besides his universally acknowledged skill in his profession, he was a complete mechanic and astronomer; the great mural arch in the observatory at Greenwich was made for Dr Halley, under his immediate inspection, and divided by his own hand; and from this incomparable original, the best foreign instruments of the kind are copies made by English artists. The sector by which Dr Bradley first discovered two new motions in the fixed stars, was of his invention and fabric; and when the French academicians were sent to the north to ascertain the figure of the earth, Mr Graham was thought the fittest person in Europe to supply them with instruments; those who went to the south were not so well furnished. He was for many years a member of the Royal Society, to which he communicated several ingenious and important discoveries; and regarded the advancement of science more than the accumulation of wealth. He died in 1751.