OBITUAR Y.

*** The following additional particulars of that building : was intimate with all the our late worthy Correspondent are chiefly inferior officers, and respectfully attentive extracted from “ The New Monthly Mag." to the superiors and dignitaries, who, seeMR. JOHN CARTER, F. S. A.

ing him continually about the place, inTHE two Memoirs of Mr. CARTER, vestigated his talents, and finally introwhich appeared in the last volume of Gent. duced him into the world of Antiquaries, Mag. are both of them true; but, like the by whom he was afterwards employed and Eloges de l'Academie Françoise, they are patronized. merely panegyrical, and confined to his I learned from himself, that the first public works; but, while I subscribe to money he earned as a draughtsman was the truth of those accounts, I shall add by making drawings for booksellers: besuch particulars from my own knowledge sides other things, he made all the deas it may be useful to make known, and signs for the Builder's Magazine, of which which, I believe, the writers of those ac- work he told me the following anecdote : counts were not acquainted with. ,

When it was determined to build a It has been said he was a Roman Catho. new Sessions House on Clerkenwell Green lic, which he certainly was not, if his own instead of the old Hicks's Hall, the perassertions, repeatedly made to me when sons in authority advertised for designs, that imputation was the subject of conver- and promised to adopt that which should sation between us, are to be credited; and be approved of. Carter sent in a design, he certainly was not an Irishman. He had a which was rejected for reasons which were foolish and inveterate dislike to Ireland to him the cause of singular mortification. and every thing belonging to it ; some of He had, in the Builder's Magazine, inserted those with whom he was engaged in con- a design for a Sessions House; this detroversy knew this, and annoyed him by sign was copied by some person from the asserting that he was an Irishman who Magazine, offered to the County, accepted, chose to deny his country. This greatly and is the design for that building which mortified him, for he certainly was born is now standing on Clerkenwell Green. in his father's house in Piccadilly, and Those who possess the book may ascerpassed the early part of his life there ; tain their identity by comparison : the nor was he ever out of England, except Magazine was published before the house once or twice that he went, professionally, was built, so that there is complete eviinto South Wales.

dence that an artist of talents had his deHis education was very inferior even sign for a building of consequence reto what, in the time that he was educated, jected, in favour of a design that was might have been given to qualify him for likewise his own, but which had been those pursuits in which he subsequently either artfully or luckily borrowed from engaged. He knew no language but his an existing publication, without acknowown, and never could read or explain any ledgment, by some person who thus obinscription or epitaph that was not written tained all the credit and emolument, while in English. This threw him into a very the real inventor never received more unpleasant state of dependence in his sub- than two or three guineas for his design. sequent pursuits, and was the cause of As the evidence is complete, and the fact much uneasiness to him in the course of incontrovertible, I have much pleasure in bis life.

treatment enraged poor Carter so much, consequence of occasionally purchasing that he vowed he would never do any thing some of Carter's works, called himself his more for a bookseller, but get into some- patron, he should abandon his suit. This thing that would set him above the power he refused ; Harding made the best comof such people. He then projected his promise that he could, and Carter lost his “ Specimens of Antient Sculpture, Paint- patron, who, to save his own credit, told ing," &c.; and, as it did not consist with the story as much to the Artist's disad. his finances to employ engravers, he ap- vantage as he could make it appear. plied himself to etching, and acquired so A needy Author collected some scraps much power as enabled him to execute of information upon a particular subject that work.

from various books; and, by the help of His talents as a draughtsman were wide printing, large paper, and, without quite equal to that part of the work; but leave, copying one of Carter's most cuhe could not draw up the descriptions to rious plates, constructed a book, which he his own satisfaction, and therefore solicited chose to sell for a guinea, although the ' the assistance of gentlemen whose know- original matter it contained would not ledge enabled them to perform the task have produced the odd sbilling. Our Arin a way that greatly enhanced the value tist, knowing that the Author was not of the works. This placed him in situa- worth powder, sued the bookseller, who, tions that first converted some of his having no defence, suffered judgment to friends into enemies, and procured for go by default, and was compelled to pay him the character of a quarrelsome man ; such damages as compensated for the inand as a knowledge of the facts may af. jury sustained. These and some other ford useful cautions to others, I shall circumstances of less notoriety induced mention some of them.

persons who found they could not make In the choir of Westminster Abbey was, free with his property with impunity, to at that time, a whole-length portrait of misrepresent his motives and his actions, Richard II. which is believed to be authen. when his only object was to enjoy unmolest. tic. Carter made a finished drawihg from ed that which his industry had acquired. this pieture, and engraved it to be inserted Of the trouble and expence it cost him in his “ Specimens,” &c. A gentleman to execute this work, none but his conagreed to purchase this drawing, and in con. fidential acquaintance can judge, I shall sequence the plate was inscribed to , mention one fact among others that I esq. from the drawing in his possession. know, and which will convey some idea Whether this honour satisfied the gentle of them. man, or whether more money was asked He learned that the Corporation of for the drawing than he chose to give, I Lynn-Regis, in Norfolk, possessed a vaknow not; but, after the plate was pub- luable cup, that was given to them by King lished, he refused to take the drawing, John, at the same time that he granted which remained in Carter's hands *. their charter. Conceiving that this would

Soon afterwards Harding, a printseller, be a desirable article for his work, he undertook to publish a collection of the procured some introductions, and went most authentic portraits that he could down to make a drawing from it. The procure of Shakespeare's Characters, or Corporation at that time could not comof persons mentioned in, or connected prehend the motives which should induce with, Shakspeare's Plays. The inscrip- a stranger to go so far only to take a piction upon Carter's plate led him to ask ture as they called it; they probably sus. Mr.

permission to engrave the pected that he intended to steal, or otherhead of Richard II. from the drawing in wise injure their palladium, and abruptly his possession. The permission was gra- refused the permission' required. After ciously granted; but he was told it would repeated applications, however, they conanswer the same purpose, and save the sented_but on condition that he should trouble of bringing the drawing to town, be confined to a room in company with a if he made his drawing from the book, person chosen by themselves, but paid by which was lent him for that purpose. Car- him, whose business was to see that no ter, seeing his plate so unceremoniously improper liberties were taken with the vacopied, sued Harding for the piracy : this luable cup; and under these circumstanled to an explanation, from wbich it evi.. ces he actually made that drawing from. dently appeared that Harding was not to which he engraved the plate that is in the blame because the gentleman, when ap- “Specimens of Sculpture," &c. plied to, did not choose to acknowledge He expended considerable sums that he had not a right to grant what was other occasions to obtain materials for asked of him; and, when the fact was dis- that work, the value of which was greatly covered, very dictatorially required that, increased by the written contributions of because he had chosen to do this, and, in his antiquarian friends : but as these (ex

on

success.

own.

This, and other circumstances not neces- thought proper. Raymond, the late masary to mention, induced him to termi

nager of Drury Lane, consulted him upon nate that work when two volumes were the same subjects, and with the same complete, and begin the “ Specimens of Antient Architecture,” which is entirely his The merit for which Carter deserves to

be remembered, is the scrupulous accuBy this time his reputation for correctly racy with which he represented those ob. drawing those objects to which he directed jects that he saw; here he was always to his attention was firmly established. By be depended upon, but beyond this point investigating those objects, sometimes in he was to be followed with caution : bis comjunction with, and sometimes in op- knowledge of what he had not seen was position to, persons eminent for their obtained from books, through the ioforskill in British Antiquities, he acquired mation of others; and in combining informuch knowledge in other departments, mation thus received with his own obseras well as those to which he first directed vations, he sometimes drew conclusions bis atteution. He now formed opinions which were by no means warranted by of His own upon these subjects, which in the facts. His bigotry to his own opi. general were correct; but, when he was nions rendered him impatient of contra. mistaken, it was very seldom that he could diction, and sumetimes prompted him to be brought to acknowledge his mistake; persevere in errors which others have deand having contracted a liking for all sub- tected : still this is no impeachment of his jects of Antiquity that were connected with integrity, which was free from any wilful the people whose buildings he admired, blemish. he was not without credulity upon sub- As a companion, he was blameless, jects of which he had no knowledge, when pleasing, and had nothing that those who they happened to fall in with his own pre- associated with him could have reason to judices.

be afraid of. The same pertinacity pervaded all his He continually represented himself as actions, particularly where his profes- a solitary being, existing in life without sional pursuits were concerned. Those any natural connexions from whom he who remember the Stage when Garrick could expect any assistance when age and and Smith performed Macbeth, and Barry imbecility came upon him; and even in Othello, dressed in the laced scarlet uni- his last illness he had no person with forms of the Generals of that day, may him but a common servant, and some justly estimate the extent of the improve- old acquaintances upon whom he had no ments that have been made in every de. natural claim, out who chose to see that partment of the dresses and decorations his servant did her duty, and that he had that are now used in theatrical represen- every assistance which he chose should tations, and for the greater part of which be given to him. Such being the faci, it we are indebted to the exertions of Mr. was with astonishment that, since his Kemble. When that gentleman was en- death, I have learned that he has a sister gaged upon those subjects, he consulted living who is nearly of his own age, and Carter, who readily gave the information a brother who has several children. That that was asked of him; and, if it had been near relations should quarrel and keep possible to comply with his suggestions, separate from each other, is an occurrence he would have willingly dedicated his too common to be surprizing ; but in all whole time gratuitously to render the re- probability that was not the case here. presentations of all our old plays what he I remember bis niece living with him in called perfect in point of scenery and the capacity of a servant about two dresses; his notion was, that every play, years: she was evidently superior to particularly those of Shakspeare, should that station, and there was a mystery in have scenes exactly representing all the the business I could not penetrate: she places,' and dresses in every particular disappeared ; and when I asked why he adapted to each of the characters, which parted with a person who seemed so proshould be kept sacred to the play and per to be in his family, his answer was character intended, and not to make shift, evasive; he could not make her conform as he called it, by shufiling dresses and to all his peculiarities, and therefore put scenes backward and forward from one her away in hopes he might find one that play to another, and thus never truly re- would-a sort of proof that there was no presenting any. However desirable such dissention between them more than what a scheme, if executed, might be in some arose from his oddities, which surmountrespects, it is easy to perceive that, in prac- ed the patience of relations, who had the tice, it would be impossible, without aban. additional strong and natural motive of doning all just ideas of economy which hoping to succeed to his property, to stimushould pervade all theatrical as well as late them to conform to his wishes. all other transactions. Mr. Kemble re. Astonishment will be excited when I' ceived what information was communica- say it bas been discovered, since his death, ted, and made that use of it which he that he had purchased an annuity, for his

own

own life, of four hundred pounds, and did

Samuel Cotes, Esq. not live to receive the first quarter; Thus March 7. Died, at his house in Paradiseannihilating that property which he had row, Chelsea, in his 85th year, Samuel passed a life of industry to acquire, sub

Cotes, esq: mitted to a life of privation to preserve, This excellent and venerable old man and which he might have given to his own was son of Robert Cotes and Elizabeth relations who wanted it, or to any com

his wife. Robert Cotes was a native of mon acquaintance to whom it might have Galway in Ireland, of which town he been useful, and who could not, by any was Mayor in his 22d year, when, having possibility, have made a worse use of it fallen under the censure of the Irish than he has made himself!

House of Commons relative to a political Besides this, he is said to have left dispute which then agitated the Corporaabout fourteen hundred pounds, and his tiou of Galway, he came to London to drawings, plates, &c. &c. to two gentle. lay his case before the Queeo (Anne) in men whom he has made his executors, and Council, in which appeal his conduct was taken no notice of any of his relations. honourably borne out. Disgusted with

I have written more than I intended, the political animosities of his native and shall conclude with recommending Country, Robert Cotes determined to setJOHN Carter as a proper example to be tle in the British Capital, in ihe practice imitated by those young artists who enter of Medicine, and there, about the year life under, untoward circumstances, to 1720, married Elizabeth, daughter of shew how effectually they may, by due Francis Lynn, esq. Chief Secretary of the exertion, acquire reputation, property, and Royal African Company, by whom he rank in their profession; and to instil into had two sons, Francis, and Samuel (the every man a conviction, that industry to subject of this memoir); the former was acquire property in early life, and eco- one of the greatest English painters of nomy to preserve it, is highly praisewor. his day, and would, in all probability, thy; but that, after it is acquired, the best have successfully rivalled Sir Joshua Reyplan is to use it rationally for his own nolds, had be not been cut off in the comfort, and then to give it to those to meridian of life and professional fane. whom it may be useful.

Francis Cotes was called the Rosalba of

Englaud-he chiefly painted in crayons, Copy of Inscription on a Tombstone placed and carried that branch of the art to its on the South side of Hampstead Church. last point of excellence-a fine specimen Sacred

of this Master is yow in the Council-room to the Memory of

in the apartments of the Royal Academy Mr. John CARTER,

at Somerset-house, close by the portrait Antiquarian Draughtsman and Architect, of Sir Joshua Reynolds. The picture in and

question is a portrait of the painter's faFellow of the Society of Antiquaries ther, Robert Cotes. Francis was on? of of London.

the three Artists who received his present He was distinguished

Majesty's commands to form the Royal for his superior Knowledge Acadeiny. Stimulated by the fame and in Antient English Architecture; success of his elder brother, Samuel was in which, as a Profession,

induced to abandon the profession of he pre-eminently excelled.

physic, to which he had been educated, His zeal for the preservation of and to solicit the instructions of his bro. Antient Buildings

ther in the noble art of painting. The reand

sult answered his friends' expectations and Remains of Antiquity

his own if he did not rival bis fraternal was equal to his

master, it was because the talents of the Judgment and Science;

latter were of that superior character, and he had the high

which Nature, husbanding her resources, satisfaction of knowing

refrains from putting forth more than that his active and steady

once in the same age and country. The Perseverance

works of Samuel Cotes in crayons were had been the means of saving deservedly and highly esteemed, and he from Destruction

became the first miniature-painter of his several Antient Structures,

time. He was twice married: his first valuable Monuments

wife was a daughter of Mr. Creswick, an of the skill of our Ancestors.

East India Director ; his second, Miss He died 8th September 1817,

Sarah Sheppard, whose talents as in the 70th year of his age ;

amateur painter, elegance, virtues, and and was interred, at his own desire, lamented death, we have recorded in our near the grave of his honoured Mother. Magazine for the month of Oct. 1814. By

the former he had one daughter only, An Account of Mr. CARTER'S Sale in who died an infant; by the latter, none. our next,

A better

an

a

as

an

A better son, husband, and friend, nor quainted with Dr. Joseph Denman, a phya more honourable, kind-hearted, and sician of considerable eminence at Buxton, single-minded man, never lived. From who was pleased with his manners, with his bis early youth, Samuel Cotes was ho. active mind, and his honourable princinoured with the friendship of the noble ples; and he gave him a letter of introfamilies of Grafton and Harrington, and duction to his brother, Dr. Deurnan, of others in the same rank of life; but it Loudon. Before that time Mr. Croft had was one of the juster sources of pride to no acquaintance with Dr. Denman t; but him, that he was the kinsman of Roger this introduction naturally led to occaCotes, the illustrious Mathematician, of sio visiting at his house, and in a few Trinity College, Cambridge the friend months afterwards to Mr. Croft's inarriage of Newton, and editor of his Principia. with the eldest of his twin daughters,

which had the entire approbation of her Sir RICHARD CROFT, Bart.

parents. In this place it may not be im. Sir Richard Croft was descended from a proper to correct some misrepresentations very antient and distinguished family in which have lately been published respect. Herefordshire, in which there has been ing Dr. Denman's situation in London. the title of Baronet since the year 1671 *, Dr. Denman never was an apothecary ; and at one time a considerable estate. but, after having served nine years as a The entail of the estate was cut off about surgeon in the Navy, he settled in London 60 years ago, and the family became con

accoucheur. He never kept a siderably reduced in their circumstances. boarding-house; but had occasionally one

Herbert Croft, the father of Sir Richard, or two pupils resident in his house, in the was bred to the Law, was one of the 60 same manner as has been usual with surClerks in the Court of Chancery, and was geons even after they have arrived at for some years Receiver of the Charter- eminence'; and the number of his house house. He married for his first wife Miss pupils, throughout the whole of his life, Young, a lady of considerable fortune, amounted only to six : three of these gennear Midhurst in Sussex, and had by her tlemen have risen to distinction in their six children. Richard, who was the profession.' Dr, Denman

went youngest, was born the 9th of January, abroad with the Duchess of Newcastle ; 1762. For his second wife he married and it is believed that he never even had Miss Mary Chawner, sister of Mr. Chaw- any acquaintance with her Grace. ner, a surgeon and apothecary of re- Mr. Croft, soon after his marriage with spectability at Burton-upon-Trent.

Miss Denman, was sent to Paris, to attend Richard was first sent to a school in the the late Duchess of Devonshire, when she neighbourhood of London, and was after- was brought to bed of the present Duke. wards for several years at Mr. Manlove's In this affair a most foul calumoy has school at Derby. At a proper age he be- been oftener than once circulated against came apprentice to Mr. Chawner, and the memory of the Duchess and of Mr. when his apprenticeship was finished he Croft. In that report the Duchess is attended the Anatomical aud Medical stated to have been brought to bed of a Lectures in London for two or three sea- girl, and to have changed it for a boy sons, and was a pupil at St. Bartholomew's with a noble female friend, who Hospital, during which time he lived with brought to bed at the same time. No his father in the Charterhouse. When story was ever more untrue, or more abhis education was finished, he became the surd. There are still alive several perpartner of Mr. Chawner, his former mas- sons of most respectable character, who ter, at Tutbury in Staffordshire, and suc- were present when the Duchess was deli. ceeded him in his business there, when Mr. vered of a boy; and the other lady was at Chawper removed to Burton-upon-Trent. that time not with child. He continued at Tutbury in considerable Mr. Croft's successful attendance upon practice for four or five years, much re- the Duchess of Devonshire naturally led spected and beloved by all ranks of peo- to a great increase of his business when ple. He afterwards settled for a short he returned to London ; and Dr. Denman time as

never

was