(Henry), earl of Surry, a soldier and a poet, the son and grandson of two lord treasurers, dukes of Norfolk, was born probably about the year 1520, and educated in Windsor castle, with young Fitzroy of Richmond, natural son to king Hen. VIII. Wood says, from tradition, that he was some time a student at Cardinal College, Oxford. In his youth he became enamoured of the Fair Geraldine, whom his sonnets have immortalized. In 1532, Howard with his companion Richmond was at Paris, where they continued some time. The latter died in 1536; after which our young hero made a tour to Italy, and at Florence, like a true enamorado, published a challenge against all comers, whether Christians, Jews, Saracens, Turks, or cannibals, in defence of the beauty of his fair Geraldine; and was victorious in the tournament instituted by the grand duke on the occasion. The duke, we are told, was so charmed with his gallant exploits, that he would gladly have retained him at his court; but he rejected the invitation, being determined to maintain the superlative beauty of his Geraldine in all the principal cities in Italy. This romantic revolution was however frustrated by the command of his sovereign, Henry VIII., to return to England.

In 1540, he signalized himself in a tournament at Westminster, against Sir John Dudley, Sir Thomas Seymour, and others. In 1542, he marched, under the command of his father, against the Scots; and in the same year was confined in Windsor castle for eating flesh in Lent, contrary to the king's proclamation. In 1544, on the expedition to Boulogne in France, he was appointed field marshal of the English army; and after the taking of that town, in 1546, made captain-general of the king's forces in France. He was at this time knight of the garter. In the same year, attempting to intercept a convoy, he was defeated by the French, and soon after superseded in his command by the earl of Hertford.

Surry, after his return to England, conscious of his former services, and peevish under his disgrace, could not help reflecting on the king and council. This was his first step towards destruction. He had married Frances, the daughter of John earl of Oxford; and, after her death, is said to have made love to the princess Mary. For this the Seymours, rivals of the Norfolk family, and now in favour with the king, accused him of aspiring to the crown; adding, that he already presumed to quarter part of the royal arms with his own; but, whatever might be the pretence, the cause of his ruin was the jealousy and power of his enemies. In short, the destruction of the Howards being determined, Surry, and his father the duke of Norfolk, were committed to the Tower, in December 1546; and on the 13th of January following, Surry was tried at Guild hall by a common jury, and beheaded on Tower-hill on the 19th day of the same month, nine days before the death of the king; who thus, that the measure of his crimes might be full, finished his life with the murder of his best subject. The accusations brought against this amiable and innocent young nobleman on his trial, were so extremely ridiculous, that one is astonished how it was possible, even in the most despotic reign, to find a judge and jury so pusillanimously villainous as to carry on the farce of justice on the occasion. We boast of our excellent constitution, and our trial by juries; but this example may teach us, that our constitution and our juries are not incompatible with despotic monarchy. He was first interred in the church of All-hallows, Barkin, near Tower-hill; and afterwards, in the reign of king James I., removed to Farmingham in Suffolk, by his son Henry, earl of Northampton.

As to the character of this unfortunate earl, all our poets have sung his praise. Mr Walpole begins his anecdotes of Surry, with these words: "We now emerge from the twilight of learning to an almost classic author, that ornament of a boisterous, yet not unpolished court, the earl of Surry, celebrated by Drayton, Dryden, Fenton, Pope, illustrated by his own muse, and lamented for his unhappy death: a man (as Sir Walter Raleigh says) no less valiant than learned, and of excellent hopes." Leland calls him the conscript enrolled heir of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder, in his learning and other excellent qualities; and the author of The Art of English Poetry says, that the earl of Surry, and Sir Thomas Wyatt, may be justly called the reformers of our poetry and style. His poems were published in 1557, 12mo; and in 1565, 1574, 1585, 1597, 8vo. Several of the sonnets are by Sir Thomas Wyatt and others.

(Charles), an able statesman and experienced seaman, was the son of lord William Howard, baron of Effingham, and born in 1536. He served under his father, who was lord high admiral of England, till the accession of queen Elizabeth. In January 1573, he succeeded his father in his title and estate: after which he successively became chamberlain of the household and knight of the garter; and in 1585 was made lord high admiral, at that critical juncture when the Spaniards were sending their Armada, in their opinion, to the assured conquest of this kingdom. When he received intelligence of the approach of the Spanish fleet, and saw the prodigious consequence it was to get out the few ships that were ready at Plymouth, he not only gave orders in every thing himself, but wrought also with his own hands, and the first night left the port with six ships. The next morning, though he had only 30 sail, and those the smallest of the fleet, he attacked the Spanish navy; but first dispatched his brother-in-law Sir Edward Hobby, to the queen to desire her to make the proper disposition of her land-forces for the security of the coast, and to haft as many ships as possible to his assistance. His valour was conspicuously displayed in his repeated attacks of a superior enemy. The coolness of his temper was no less conspicuous; and it was owing to his magnanimity and prudence that the victory was so great. The queen expressed her sense of his merit in the most honourable terms; and granted him a pension for life. In 1596, he commanded in chief at sea, as Essex did by land, the forces sent against Spain, when his prudence and moderation were among the principal causes of the success the English met with in that great and glorious enterprise; so that, upon his return the next year, he was advanced to the dignity of earl of Nottingham. Howard. The next eminent service in which his Lordship was engaged was in 1599, when the Spaniards seemed to meditate a new invasion. Her majesty, who always placed her safety in being too quick for her enemies, drew together, in a fortnight's time, such a fleet, and such an army, as took away all appearance of success from her foreign and domestic enemies; and she gave the earl the sole and supreme command of both the fleet and army, with the title of lord lieutenant general of all England, an office unknown in succeeding times. When age and infirmity had unfitting him for action, he resigned his office, and spent the remaining part of his life in ease and retirement, till the time of his decease, which happened in 1624, in the 87th year of his age.

Howard (John), Esq; a man of singular and transcendent humanity, was the son of a reputable tradesman in St Paul's church-yard. He was born about the year 1725 or 1726; and at a proper age was put apprentice to Mr Nathaniel Newnham, a wholesale grocer in Watling Street. His father died, leaving only this son and a daughter, to both of whom he bequeathed handsome fortunes; and by his will directed that his son should not be considered of age till he was five and twenty. His constitution was thought very weak, and his health appeared to have been injured by the necessary duties of his apprenticeship; and therefore, at the expiration of it, he took an apartment in a lodging-house in Church-street, Stoke Newington, Middlesex; but not meeting with the tenderest treatment there, he removed to another lodging-house in the same street, which was kept by a widow lady Mrs Sarah Lardeau, a worthy sensible woman, but an invalid. Here he was nursed with so much care and attention, that he resolved to marry his landlady out of gratitude for her kindness. In vain the expostulated with him upon the extravagance of such a proceeding, he being about 28 and she about 51 years of age, and 20 years older in constitution: but nothing could alter his resolution, and they were privately married about the year 1752. She was possessed of a small fortune, which he presented to her sister. During his residence at Newington, the minister of the dissenting meeting-house there resigned his office, and a successor was elected; and Mr Howard, who was bred a dissenting, and steadfastly adhered all his life to that profession, proposed to purchase the lease of a house near the meeting-house, and to appropriate it as a parsonage-house for the use of the minister for the time being, and contributed £50. for that purpose. His wife died November 10, 1755, aged 54; and he was a sincere and affectionate mourner for her death. About this time, it is believed, he was elected F.R.S. In the year 1756 he had the fortune to experience some of the evils which it afterwards became the business of his life to redress. He embarked that year in a Lisbon packet, the Hanover, in order to make the tour of Portugal; when the vessel was taken by a French privateer. "Before we reached Bret (says he)" I suffered the extremity of thirst, not having for above 40 hours one drop of water, nor hardly a morsel of food. In the cattle at Bret I lay six nights upon straw; and observing how cruelly my countrymen were used there and at Morlaix, whither I was carried next, during the two months I was at Carhaix upon parole, I corresponded with the English prisoners at Bret, Morlaix, and Dinan; at the last of those towns were several of our ship's crew, and my servant. I had sufficient evidence of their being treated with such barbarity, that many hundreds had perished, and that 36 were buried in a hole at Dinan in one day. When I came to England, still on parole, I made known to the commissioners of sick and wounded seamen the sundry particulars, which gained their attention and thanks. Remonstrance was made to the French court: our sailors had redress; and those that were in the three prisons mentioned above, were brought home in the first cartel ships.—Perhaps (adds Mr Howard) what I suffered on this occasion increased my sympathy with the unhappy people whose case is the subject of this book."

He afterwards, it is said, made the tour of Italy; and at his return settled at Brokenhurst, a retired and pleasant villa in the New Forest, near Lymington in Hampshire, having, April 25, 1758, married a daughter of Edward Leeds, Esq; of Croxton, Cambridgeshire, king's serjeant. This lady died in 1765 in child-bed, of her only child, a son, who unfortunately became lunatic. After her death Mr Howard left Lymington, and purchased an estate at Cardington, near Bedford.

"While he lived here in retirement (says Mr Palmer†), it was his meat and drink to make his neighbours happy. His neat but humble mansion was ever hospitable to a few select friends, but was never the scene of riot or luxurious banqueting. Though polite to all, he neither sought nor admitted the company of the profligate, however distinguished by rank or fortune.—His charity had no bounds, except those of prudence; and was not more commendable for the extent of it, than for the manner in which it was exercised. He gave not his bounty to countenance vice and idleness, but to encourage virtue and industry. He was singularly useful in furnishing employment for the labouring poor of both sexes, at those seasons when a scarcity of work rendered their situation most compassionate. And at other times, though never inattentive to the tale of woe, he was not easily imposed upon by it, but made himself acquainted with the case. He had indeed a general acquaintance with the cases and characters of the poor around him, and made it his business to visit the abodes of affliction. In circumstances of bodily disorder he often acted the part of a physician as well as a friend. But his kindness was not confined to the bodies of his fellow-creatures, it extended to their spiritual and immortal part. He carefully watched over the morals of his neighbourhood, and used his advice, his admonitions, and influence, to discountenance immorality of all kinds, and to promote the knowledge and practice of religion. As a most effectual means to this great end, he provided for the instruction of poor children, by erecting and supporting schools, which he carefully superintended. In short, he was a universal blessing to the village where he resided, in every part of which are to be seen the pleasing monuments of his munificence and taste.—His liberality extended also to adjacent places, in which there are many who will call him blessed. Nor was it confined to persons of his own religious persuasion, but comprehended the necessitous and deserving of all parties; while he was particularly useful in serving the interest of the Christian society to which Howard, which he belonged. What wonder if such a man were universally beloved? Was it possible he should have an enemy? One however he had (and I never heard of more), an idle and dissolute wretch, who, having been often reproved by him for his vices, formed the desperate resolution to murder him as he was going to public worship, which he almost always did on foot. But Providence remarkably interposed to preserve so valuable a life, by inclining him that morning to go on horseback a different road."

But the sphere in which he had hitherto moved was too narrow for his enlarged mind. Being named in 1773 to the office of sheriff of Bedfordshire, from that time his scene of usefulness was extended. His office, as he himself observes, brought the distresses of prisoners more immediately under his notice. A sense of duty induced him personally to visit the county jail, where he observed such abuses, and such scenes of calamity, as he had before no conception of; and he soon exerted himself in order to a reform. With a view to obtain precedents for certain regulations which he purposed, he went to inspect the prisons in some neighbouring counties. But finding in them equal room for complaint and commiseration, he determined to visit the principal prisons in England. The farther he proceeded, the more shocking were the scenes presented to his view: which induced him to resolve upon exerting himself to the utmost, in order to a general reform in these horrid places of confinement; considering it as of the highest importance, not only to the wretched objects themselves, but to the community at large. Upon this subject he was examined in the house of commons in March 1774, when he had the honour of their thanks. This encouraged him to proceed in his design. He revisited all the prisons in the kingdom, together with the principal houses of correction. He also in 1775 enlarged his circuit by going into Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, where he found the same need of reformation.

One grand object which he had in view was, to put a stop to that shocking distemper called the jail fever; which raged so dreadfully in many of the prisons, as to render them to the last degree offensive and dangerous: A distemper, by which more had been taken off than by the hands of the executioner; and which, in several instances, had been communicated from the prisoners into the courts of justice, and had proved fatal to the magistrates and judges, and to multitudes of persons who attended the trials, as well as to the families of discharged felons and debtors. Another end he proposed was, to procure the immediate release of prisoners, who, upon trial, were acquitted, but who often continued long to be unjustly detained for want of being able to pay the accustomed fees: As also to abolish many other absurd and cruel usages which had long prevailed. But the great object of all was, to introduce a thorough reform of morals into our prisons; where he had found the most flagrant vices to prevail in such a degree, that they were become seminaries of wickedness and villany, and the most formidable nuisances to the community; in consequence of the promiscuous intercourse of prisoners of both sexes, and of all ages and descriptions; whereby the young and less experienced were initiated, by old and hardened sinners, into all the arts of villany and the mysteries of iniquity; so that, instead of being reformed by their confinement (which should be the chief end of punishment), those that were discharged became more injurious to society than before.

In order to the attainment of these great objects, Mr Howard spared no pains nor expense, and cheerfully exposed himself to much inconvenience and hazard; particularly from that malignant distemper, of which he saw many dying in the most loathsome dungeons, into which none, who were not obliged, besides himself, would venture. "I have been frequently (says Mr Howard) asked what precautions I use to preserve myself from infection in the prisons and hospitals which I visit. I here answer, next to the free goodness and mercy of the Author of my being, temperance and cleanliness are my preservatives. Trusting in divine Providence, and believing myself in the way of my duty, I visit the most noxious cells; and while thus employed, I fear no evil. I never enter an hospital or prison before breakfast; and in an offensive room, I seldom draw my breath deeply."

His laudable endeavours he had the pleasure to see, in some instances, crowned with success; particularly in regard to the healthiness of prisons, some of which were rebuilt under his inspection. Through his intervention also, better provision has been made for the instruction of prisoners, by the introduction of bibles and other pious books into their cells, and a more constant attendance of clergymen. The gaolers likewise have, by act of parliament, been rendered incapable of selling strong liquors, which had been the source of much drunkenness and disorder. But a minute detail of particulars is not to be expected here; for these the reader is referred to Mr Howard's publications, which show that much is yet wanting.

But in order to a more general and happy regulation, and the reformation of criminals, he determined to visit other countries, to see the plans there adopted; in hope of collecting some information which might be useful in his own country. For this purpose he travelled into France, Flanders, Holland, Germany, and Switzerland. Afterwards through the Prussian and Austrian dominions. He visited also the capitals of Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and Poland, and some cities in Portugal and Spain. In all these expensive and hazardous journeys, he denied himself the usual gratifications of travellers, and declined the honours which were offered him by persons of the first distinction, applying himself solely to his one grand object. To him the inspection of a jail, or hospital, was more grateful than all the entertainments of a palace. With what astonishment and gratitude he was received by their miserable inhabitants may easily be imagined, since while he made observations on their situation, he meditated their relief; and many distressed prisoners abroad, as well as at home, partook of his bounty, and some were liberated by it; for he considered all of every nation, and people, and tongue, as brethren. Nor was he sparing of advice, or of reproof, as he saw occasion, to persons of rank and influence, whereby the miseries of their countrymen might be relieved. As he courted the favour of none, neither did he fear the frowns of any; but, with a manly freedom and a Christian fortitude, spoke his mind to crowned heads. (particularly the late emperor of Germany) in a manner to which they were not accustomed; which, however, in a person of such disinterested views, procured him reverence and esteem, and in some instances proved effectual for relieving the miserable and oppressed. On his return, he published in 1777, "The State of the Prisons in England and Wales, with Preliminary Observations, and an Account of some foreign Prisons," &c. And in 1778 he took a third journey through the Prussian and Austrian dominions, and the free cities of Germany, and likewise extended his tour through Italy, and revisited some of the countries he had before seen. The observations he made in this tour were published in an appendix, 1780; containing also some remarks respecting the management of prisoners of war, and the hulks on the Thames. But wishing to acquire some further knowledge on the subject, he in 1781 again revisited Holland and some cities in Germany. He visited also the capitals of Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and Poland; and in 1783 some cities in Portugal and Spain, and returned through France, Flanders, and Holland. The substance of all these travels was afterwards thrown into one narrative, which was published in 1784. He also published a curious account of the Batile, in 8vo; that infamous French prison happily now no more.

His travels and exertions, however, were not yet at an end. He conceived a further design, which was to visit the principal lazarettos in France and Italy, in order to obtain information concerning the best methods to prevent the spreading of the plague, with a view to apply them with respect to other infectious disorders. Not gaining all the satisfaction here which he wished for, he proceeded to Smyrna and Constantinople, where that most dreadful of human distempers actually prevailed, "pleasing himself (as he said) with the idea of not only learning, but of being able to communicate somewhat to the inhabitants of those distant regions." In the execution of this design, though he was so much exposed to danger, and actually caught the plague, "that merciful Providence (as himself piously remarks) which had hitherto preserved him, was pleased to extend his protection to him in this journey also, and to bring him home once more in safety." In his return he revisited the chief prisons and hospitals in the countries through which he passed; and afterwards went again to Scotland, and then to Ireland, where he proposed a new and very important object; namely, to inspect the Protestant Charter Schools, in some of which he had before observed shameful abuses, which he had reported to a committee of the Irish House of Commons. In this more extensive tour, he took a particular account of what he observed amiss in the conduct of this noble charity, with a view to a reformation, and not without considerable success. In the course of these journeys, particular cities and communities were not unmindful to pay him proper respect. At Dublin, he was created by the university a Doctor of Laws; and the city of Glasgow and the town of Liverpool did honour to themselves by enrolling him among their members. Upon his return home, having again inspected the prisons in England, and the hulks on the Thames, to see what alterations had been made for the better (which he found to be very considerable, though yet imperfect), he published the result of his last laborious investigations, in "An Account of the principal Lazarettos in Europe, with various Papers relative to the Plague, together with further Observations on some Foreign Prisons and Hospitals, and additional Remarks on the present State of those in Great Britain and Ireland," with a great number of curious plates. The work likewise contained Observations on Penitentiary Houses, which had been encouraged by act of parliament, for the correction and reformation of criminals, of which he and Dr Fothergill had been nominated by the king to be superintendents. Before these, he published the Grand Duke of Tuscany's "new Code of Criminal Law with an English Translation:" and of all his publications he gave away a vast number of copies among his acquaintance in the most liberal manner. His laying open the horrors of delirium in a neighbouring country had very nearly exposed him to the sufferings of them; and had it not been for the timely notice of our ambassador, he had ended his days in the Batile.

Not satisfied, however, with what he had already done, he concludes his "Account of Lazarettos" with announcing his "intention again to quit his country, for the purpose of revisiting Russia, Turkey, and some other countries, and extending his tour in the East. I am not insensible (says he) of the dangers that must attend such a journey. Trusting, however, in the protection of that kind Providence which has hitherto preserved me, I calmly and cheerfully commit myself to the disposal of unerring wisdom. Should it please God to cut off my life in the prosecution of this design, let not my conduct be uncandidly imputed to rashness or enthusiasm, but to a serious deliberate conviction that I am pursuing the path of duty, and to a sincere desire of being made an instrument of more extensive usefulness to my fellow-creatures than could be expected in the narrower circle of a retired life." Accordingly, to the great concern of his friends, he set out in summer 1789 on this hazardous enterprise; the principal object of which was to administer a medicine in high repute at home, in malignant fevers. Under a strong persuasion that it would be equally efficacious in the plague. In this second tour in the East "it did please God to cut off his life:" for, having spent some time at Chernov, a new settlement of the Empress of Russia, in the mouth of the Dnieper or Boryatines, toward the northern extremity of the Black Sea, near Oczakow, he caught, in visiting the Russian hospital of that place, or as some say a young lady who was ill of the same complaint, a malignant fever, which carried him off on the 20th of January, after an illness of about twelve days: and after having been kept, according to his express directions to his servant, five days, he was buried, by his own desire, in the garden of a villa in the neighbourhood, belonging to a French gentleman from whom he had received great civilities, by his faithful servant who had attended him on his former journeyings, and whom he expressly enjoined not to return home till five weeks from his death. While absent on his first tour to Turkey, &c. his character for active benevolence had so much attracted the public attention, that a subscription was set on foot to erect a statue to his honour, and in no long space above L. 1500 was subscribed for that purpose. purpose. But some of those who knew Mr Howard best, never concurred in the scheme, being well assured that he would neither countenance nor accede to it; and in consequence of two letters from Mr Howard himself† to the subscribers, the design was laid aside. It has, however, been resumed since his death: And surely, of all the statues or monuments ever erected by public gratitude to illustrious characters either in ancient or modern times, none was ever erected in honour of worth so genuine and admirable as his—who devoted his time, his strength, his fortune, and finally sacrificed his life, in the pursuits of humanity:—who (to adopt the expressive words of Mr Burke‡) “visited all Europe [and the East], not to survey the sumptuousness of palaces, or the stateliness of temples; not to make accurate measurements of the remains of ancient grandeur, nor to form a scale of the curiosity of modern art; not to collect medals, or to collate manuscripts; but to dive into the depth of dungeons; to plunge into the infection of hospitals; to survey the mansions of sorrow and of pain; to take the gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt; to remember the forgotten; to attend to the neglected; to visit the forsaken; and to compare and collate the distresses of all men in all countries. His plan is original; and it is as full of genius as it is of humanity. It is a voyage of discovery, a circumnavigation of charity; and already the benefit of his labour is felt more or less in every country.”