Biographical Outlines Part 9

Was born at Hereford. He is generally considered to have been altogether the most famous actor ever known on the English stage. He was also a good writer of light literature: he died in London.

SIR WILLIAM BLACKSTONE.

Born 1723.-Died 1780.-George I.-George II.-George III.

This eminent lawyer is best known by his _Commentaries_ and _a.n.a.lysis of the Laws of England_, in which the information is conveyed in very clear and beautiful English: he was born in London.

DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON,

Born 1709.-Died 1784.-Anne.-George I.-George II.-George III.

The son of a bookseller at Lichfield, was a man of immense learning and capacity. His _English Dictionary_, _Essays_, _Rambler_, _Idler_, _Ra.s.selas_, and _Tour to the Hebrides_, show his great range of knowledge and powers of mind. His life has been admirably written by his friend James Boswell.

CHARLES EDWARD STUART.

Born 1720.-Died 1788.-George I.-George II.-George III.

This Second Pretender to the British crown was the grandson of James II.

of England. He embarked in the _Dentelle_ from the Loire month, and landed in Inverness.h.i.+re, near Moidart, and soon raised 1,600 men. He entered Perth, Linlithgo, and took up his abode in Holyrood Palace. The Highlanders' charge at Prestonpans chiefly won the engagement there, and a second at Falkirk; but at Culloden the unfortunate Pretender was obliged to see that any attempt to disturb the English throne was a vain bubble. The Duke of c.u.mberland, known as the Butcher, committed atrocious cruelties after the battle. Charles Edward was once saved by Flora Macdonald, and again by hiding in a cave on Mount Benalder. At length a French privateer came off the Scottish coast, and after many hairbreadth escapes, he reached France in safety. Lords Kilmarnock, Balmerino, and Lovat were executed for their share in this rebellion of '45. He died at Rome in 1788.

THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH.

Born 1727.-Died 1788.-George I.-George II.-George III.

This famous painter was for a long time self-taught, and his genius was first made known by his painting the head of a thief, who was looking over the wall of the garden in which the boy was painting by stealth.

The head was so strikingly like, that the man was convicted upon it.

JOHN WESLEY,

Born 1703.-Died 1791.-Anne.-George I.-George II.-George III.

The founder of Methodism, was born at Epworth, Lincolns.h.i.+re. He was a missionary for three years in North America among the Red Indians. In his day the English Church was characterized by a great want of vigour and discipline, and Wesley and his disciples did a great work in rousing the zeal of the Church, from which he had no intention of separating, and stirring up a spirit of labour and good works. Wesley was a preacher of great eloquence, with an aptness of ill.u.s.tration which was very attractive to the cla.s.ses to whom he chiefly addressed himself.

SIR RICHARD ARKWRIGHT.

Born 1732.-Died 1792.-George II-George III.

A manufacturer, originally a hairdresser at Bolton, in Lancas.h.i.+re, was the inventor of the spinning jenny: he had large mills at Cromford, near Derby, was knighted in 1786, and died possessed of great wealth.

ADMIRAL LORD RODNEY.

Born 1718.-Died 1792.-George I.-George II.-George III.

This famous admiral was born at Walton-on-Thames. He gained a great victory over the French under Comte de Gra.s.se, which won for the admiral his peerage. He fought a great battle off Cape St. Vincent, and captured four Spanish s.h.i.+ps. After winning the battle he went on to relieve Gibraltar.

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

Born 1723.-Died 1792.-George I.-George II.-George III.

This great painter was most celebrated for his portraits, especially his exquisite pictures of children. He also painted historical subjects, and published his discoveries on painting, which were the substance of his lectures before the Royal Academy. Sir Joshua was a Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Inst.i.tutions. He was born at Plympton, in Devons.h.i.+re.

EDWARD GIBBON.

Born 1737.-Died 1794.-George II.-George III.

A celebrated historian, whose chief work was the _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_, a standard and cla.s.sical work; the only fault in which is that it contains an attack on the Christian religion. It was written chiefly at Lausanne, in Switzerland, where he often stayed.

JOSIAH WEDGWOOD.