Caldwell, Andrew

, a literary gentleman of Ireland, was the son of Charles Caldwell, esq. an eminent solicitor, and was born in Dublin, 1732. He received part of his education in one of the universities in Scotland, from whence he removed to London; and after a residence of about five years at the Temple, returned to Dublin, where he was admitted to the bar in 1760; but his father being possessed of a good estate, fully adequate to his son’s wishes, | he never paid much attention to the profession of the law, and for several years before his death had entirely quitted it. His studious disposition, and taste for the tine arts, always afforded him sufficient employment, and he was a liberal patron of those who excelled in any of the various branches of art. He had studied architecture with particular attention; and about the year 1770, published, anonymously, some very judicious “Observations on the public buildings of Dublin,” and on some edifices, which at that time were about to be erected in that city at the expence of the state. The only other known production of his pen that has been published, is a very curious “Account of the extraordinary escape of James Stewart, esq. (commonly called Athenian Stewart) from being put to death by some Turks, in whose company he happened to be travelling;” the substance of which had been communicated to Mr. Caldwell by the late Dr. Percy, bishop of Dromore, as related to his lordship by Stewart himself. Of this narrative, of which only a small number was printed at London in 1304, for the use of the author’s friends, it is believed not more than a dozen copies were distributed in this country. Mr. Cald well’s love of literature naturally led him to collect an ample library, which was particularly rich in natural history. His manners were gentle and pleasing, and his benevolence, various knowledge, and cultivated taste, endeared him to a very numerous circle of friends. He died at the house of his nephew, major-general Cockburn, near Bray in the county of Wicklow, July 2, 1808, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. ¹