ever, Wilkie thought on Mr. Wadmore's remark, and the figure of a Light Dragoon was substituted. As there seemed little chance of obtaining a picture, Mr. Wadmore said he should like the original sketch for the figure of the Life Guardsman, and Wilkie said he would send it to Chapelstreet as early as he could, mentioning 40%. as the price. A few days afterwards the picture was sent, no longer the unfinished sketch of one figure, but beautifully finished, and another figure introduced, together with a dog, "to break the horse's legs," as Wilkie said. On Mr. Wadmore's seeing how much had been done, he at once said, "But I must give you something more, Mr. Wilkie, for it is a picture now-not the sketch you sold me."-"No," said Wilkie, "it was all contemplated at the time." This picture, under the name of a "Trumpeter of the Life Guards," was sold at the recent sale of Mr Wadmore's collection at Christie's for 2141. 10s.

But, whilst covering his walls with the productions of modern artists, Mr. Wadmore also directed his attention to the old masters. Having been introduced to Mr. Bryan, the author of the Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, he with him became a purchaser of the picture of "The Virgin and Child, with the figure of St. Roch," by Annibale Caracci, together with the "Mars and Venus" by P. Veronese, and the "St. John" of L. da Vinci, from the collections of the Duke of Orleans and Marshal Ney. Subsequently the celebrated picture by A. Caracci became Mr. Wadmore's alone, and it has now been sold for 3361.

He did as much for water-colours as for oil, and his carefully selected portfolios, eight in number, attested the extent of his purchases and his taste. He was by no means a purchaser for the sake of names, but appreciated the beautiful wherever he met with it, and thus assisted many young men in the commencement of their struggle for fame. Still his collection contained some-nay, many-specimens of the first painters, by Turner, Stanfield, Roberts, Cox, Copley Fielding, Stothard, Chambers, Wright, Denning, Hart, J. Nash.

In

deed, Mr. Wadmore sought the fine arts in all forms-in prints and etchings, of which he had a large collection; in books, of which he had a well-selected library, containing some very rare specimens of medieval MSS. and early printing. He was for many years a member of the Astronomical Society, and of the Club, consisting only of twenty-one members; also of the Numismatic Society, with which he was some time connected. He was a member of the Graphic, and oftentimes a contributor from his stores of art. He

gratuitously contributed to Rees's Cyclopedia an article on the uses of the Theodolite and Surveying. Towards the close of his life, when he had removed from Marylebone to Upper Clapton, he felt a greater disinclination to mingle in society. His latter years passed by calmly: in the morning, reading; in the evening, telling stories of the past, mingled with pleasing anecdotes of painters with whom he had associated. Towards the close of last year he was evidently more infirm, and on the night of the 23rd December he became rapidly worse, and towards morning quite insensible, and, after lying in that state three or four hours, quietly breathed his last, attended by his children. A plain polished granite tomb covers his grave in Highgate Cemetery.

His pictures were brought to sale, by Messrs. Christie and Manson, on the 5th and 6th of May. They were 186 in number, of which 75 were by ancient masters, and the remainder of the English school, past and present. The former, though among them were several of good quality and character, were but little sought after, and, with the exception of the three following, did not reach an average of fifty pounds each: these were, a charming Landscape by Ruysdael, which realised 142 guineas; the Jewish Bride, by G. Dow, 140 guineas, and the picture by Annibale Caracci, already mentioned. The present demand for works of eminent English artists, and the increased value attaching to them, may be gathered from the large sums paid on this occasion for the pictures of those painters whose productions are just now most in request. A Landscape by Creswick was knocked down for 55 guineas, and Danby's Enchanted Island for 46 guineas. Greenwich Hospital from Blackwall Reach, by G. Vincent, a deceased artist, whose name never ranked among our foremost men, realised 2461. 158. There were several other pictures by the same hand; among which, a Fair on Yarmouth Sands brought 651. 28. a View of Yarmouth Jetty 291. 8s. 6d., and a View near Norwich 251. A Sea-shore, with Fishermen talking and sleeping, by G. Morland, sold for 221.; and The Coronation of Robert Bruce, by W. Fisk, for 671. 48. Three small and early works of Webster were run up to prices that are not likely to be sustained in another generation; they were, Il Penseroso, a man sitting in the stocks, sold for 2621. 10s.; The Dirty Boy, 3461. 10s.; and Sketching from Nature, 352 guineas; the last represents the interior of a cottage, and the artist has introduced into the work his own portrait, and those of his father, mother, and sister. An admirable specimen of David Roberts's

Mr. Holmes supplied a list of the Venetian ambassadors to England, with an account of their various Relations of this country existing in print or in manuscript. He supplied numerous additional notes to the last two editions of Wordsworth's Ecclesiastical Biography, and also to Pepys's Diary, and Evelyn's Life of Mrs. Godolphin.

In 1852 he edited a new edition of Cavendish's Life of Cardinal Wolsey, with numerous historical and biographical notes (see our vol. xxxvii. p. 494).

Mr. Holmes was the adviser of the Earl of Ashburnham in the formation of his valuable collection of Manuscripts.

"Mr. Holmes," says a correspondent of the Atheneum, "was distinguished by a rare strength of memory, combined with great general capacity and activity of mind, which he had especially exercised in historical, biographical, and bibliographical studies. It may easily be conceived with what advantage he was able to use these powers in the service he had undertaken. The catalogue of the Arundel and Burney collections of manuscripts, comprising works in theology, classical literature, history, civil law, and other subjects, is a witness of his abilities. Completeness and precision of description distinguish this work among others of a similar nature; and these excellences may (without disparagement to the able officers concerned in the publication) be referred mainly to the example and the exertions of Mr. Holmes. He continued the habit of minute inquiry during the whole period of his service in the British Museum; and this principle of thorough investigation, combined with rare bibliographical information, has been of permanent use to the department. He had been of late chiefly occupied in compiling a catalogue of the manuscript maps and plans dispersed among the different collections, which have hitherto been either imperfectly described, or altogether unnoticed. Of this important and extensive work he was engaged in revising the final sheets when death snatched him away from amongst us. Never man had a kinder heart or a more candid nature; and the memory of his worth will be preserved with the sincerest affection by his coadjutors in the Museum."

He married Mary-Anne, eldest daughter of Mr. Charles Rivington, the late highly respected bookseller of St. Paul's Churchyard and Waterloo Place, and has left three sons and two daughters. The eldest son is at the university of Cambridge. The second son has been since his father's death placed in the Manuscript department of the British Museum; and the third is a midshipman on board the Neptune in the

Baltic. The small private library of Mr. Holmes was sold by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson on the 15th of June.

MR. WILLIAM PICKERING.

April 27. At Turnham Green, aged 58, Mr. William Pickering, late of Piccadilly and formerly of Chancery-lane, bookseller and publisher.

Mr. Pickering was, in 1810, apprenticed to John and Arthur Arch, the Quaker publishers and booksellers, of Cornhill. In 1820 he commenced business for himself in a small shop in Lincoln's-inn-fields, where he published the first of a series of miniature Latin and Italian classics so beautiful and correct as fairly to entitle him to adopt the Aldine device on the titles of his future publications, which included the carefully edited British Poets, Bacon's Works by Montague, the Bridgewater Treatises, Walton's Angler illustrated by Inskipp and Stothard, the works of Herbert, Taylor, Milton, and many others. The application of dyed cotton cloth instead of paper for boarding new books was first made by him in 1825. The experiment was continued in the issue of the Oxford classics, as also in the reprints of Hume and Smollett, Gibbon, Robertson, and Johnson.

Mr. Pickering's taste and judgment in printing and bookbinding were only exceeded by his extensive knowledge of rare and curious books. This knowledge, rarer in booksellers than it was formerly, united to the most perfect integrity, gained for him through life the friendship and esteem of all classes of book-loving people. It may be said of William Pickering-as William Pickering remarked when his friend Thomas Rodd died-that he took much knowledge of old books out of the world. His death was preceded by a long and painful illness, produced originally by mental anxiety arising from a tedious litigation which ended in his ruin, and from severe affliction in his family. Although it is expected that his estate will pay 20s. in the pound, his three daughters are left totally unprovided for.-Athenæum.

Mr. Pickering has left one son, who is about to enter into his business in connexion with Mr. Toovey, who has succeeded to the book-establishment in Piccadilly; and we are happy to report favourably of the subscription which has been entered into for the benefit of Mr. Pickering's daughters.

MR. HENRY HARRISON. Dec. 16. At New York, aged 40, Mr. Henry Harrison.

The subject of the present brief memoir was born on the 30th of April, 1813. He

was the second son of the Rev. William Harrison and Maria Kelsal. His grandfather, the Rev. Ralph Harrison, formerly preached at the Dissenting Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester, in combination with Dr. Barnes, who was a popular preacher in his day. His father conducted public worship at a small Dissenting Chapel at Blackley, near Manchester.

Mr. Harrison's early life was charactised by the liveliness of his disposition and the quickness of his intellect. When yet very young he displayed considerable powers of memory, which, united with a readiness of perception, gave promise of unusual ability. He was first educated by his father, who, like many others of his profession, united the business of a schoolmaster to his ministerial duties. Subsequently he was placed with Mr. Dixon, a respectable tutor, who still conducts a commercial academy in the neighbourhood of Manchester; and at a later period he was instructed by the Rev. Dr. Beard, who had recently returned from the Unitarian College at York.

Dr. Beard endeavoured to include in his instructions a more extended course of education than is imparted in the majority of schools, particularly wishing to excite in his pupils a taste for literature, and to encourage the practice of English composition. Mr. Harrison, even at this early period, evinced a remarkable facility of writing, and the poetical compositions which he began to send to the Manchester newspapers and the Christian Teacher (a journal then conducted by Dr. Beard) display a nice appreciation of the delicacies of this department of letters. Unfortunately these fragments of poetry are too widely scattered to be easily brought together; nor did Mr. Harrison seem to attach any value to them so soon as the occasion which prompted them had ceased to interest him. They embraced various subjects and styles of composition, some being translations from the Greek and Italian authors, and others original compositions or imitations of our classical writers. They were for the most part simply signed with his initials, H. H.

But Mr. Harrison did not merely distinguish himself in compositions of this nature he showed himself possessed of that versatility of mind which finds comparative ease in most mental exercises, and to which a powerful memory no doubt largely contributes. In the study of languages he made large proficiency, reading the Greek and Latin classics with a degree of facility which is seldom acquired. He also possessed a competent knowledge of French and Italian literature.

At the completion of his educational
GENT. MAG. VOL. XLII.

pursuits Mr. Harrison was apprenticed to Mr. Atkinson, a solicitor, in Manchester, with whom he passed creditably through the usual period of apprenticeship. In 1836 he went to London to be admitted as a solicitor, but returned immediately to his native town, where he commenced the practice of his profession.

The talent which Mr. Harrison possessed was united with a vivacity of disposition and confidence in his own ability, which led him to underrate the importance of assiduity and energy. Either he neglected the advantages which his position presented or did not sufficiently rouse himself to overcome its difficulties. In 1837 he left hurriedly for Dublin, without any sufficient motive, and without the knowledge of his friends. Here he maintained himself in a state of obscurity unworthy of his talents, apparently devoid of that ambition which is so necessary to stimulate industry. He was at length induced to return to Manchester, but being still unsettled, he eventually sailed to New York in 1844, and from that city he never returned. It must be admitted that ambition has a large share in stimulating the industry of the most devoted student. That which is supposed to be done for the love of letters, is, in reality, often dictated by a love of approbation. If Mr. Harrison had possessed a larger share of ambition he would have done more for himself and more for others, and in seeking honourable distinction he would have exchanged obscurity for honour and affluence. J. B. H.

DEATHS,

ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. Jan. In Van Diemen's Land, Lucy, wife of John Brooks Jarman, esq.; also his son, aged 6 months.

Jan. 12. In Australia, aged 24, Augustus-Ambrose, fourth son of the late Rev. Henry Arthur Beckwith, M.A. Vicar of Collingham.

Jan. 27. At Wellington, New Zealand, aged 38, Mr. Charles Henry Piper, only surviving son of the late Thomas Piper, esq. of Dorking.

At Melbourne, aged 27, Mr. Francis Grain Wyatt, late surgeon of the ship Nimrod, youngest son of the late Robert Wyatt, esq. of Frewen Hall, Oxford.

Feb. 3. At Callao, aged 33, Capt. H. B. Mackenzie, youngest son of the late Andrew John Mackenzie, esq. of London.

Feb. 12. At sea, on board the Hotspur, Capt. Charles Richard Woodhouse, 63d Bengal N. Inf.

March 17. At Geelong, in Australia, Graham

Colvile, esq. late of the 43d Light Inf. second surviving son of Fred. C. A. Colvile, of Barton House, Warwickshire.

At Melbourne, Australia, aged 29, John Holden Oliver Williams, only son of the late William Browne Williams, Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.

March 26. At Calcutta, aged 28, Mr. James Allen Turner, eldest son of Mr. Turner, Stuckey's Bank, Chard. He was an enterprising young man, and devoted his leisure hours to literary pursuits, He has left a widow.

N