Scotland, in which post he was acknowledged to have shown decided
ability as an administrator. From 1763 to 1778 he was one of the
commissioners of customs. He died at Wimbledon 22 December 1779
(_Musgrave's Obituary_), described in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ as a
"gentleman well known in the literary world, and universally esteemed
for his unwearied services and attachment to government."

Throughout his long years of public service he wrote numerous
pamphlets, largely on economic and political questions. Merely the
titles of a few may be sufficient to indicate the nature of his
interests. _An Essay towards Deciding the Question whether Britain be
Permitted by Right Policy to Insure the Ships of Her Enemies _(1747);
_Observations on the Past Growth and Present State of the City of
London_ (containing a complete table of christenings and burials 1601-
1750) (175l); _A Letter Balancing the Causes of the Present Scarcity
of Our Silver Coin_ (1757).

It would be a mistake, however, to consider Morris merely as a
statistical economist and Whig party hack. A gentleman of taste and
wit, the friend of Hume, Boswell, and other discerning men of the day,
he was elected F.R.S. in 1757, and appears to have been much
respected. In later life Morris had a country place at Chiltern Vale,
Herts., where he took an active delight in country sports. One
of his late pamphlets, not listed in the _D.N.B_. account of him,
entertainingly illustrates one of his hobbies. _The Bird-fancier's
Recreation and Delight, with the newest and very best instructions for
catching, taking, feeding, rearing, &c all the various sorts of SONG
BIRDS... containing curious remarks on the nature, sex, management,
and diseases of ENGLISH SONG BIRDS, with practical instructions for
distinguishing the cock and hen, for taking, choosing, breeding,