Mr. URBAN,

October 8.

IF the alteration of the axiom "De mortuis nil nisi bonum" into "De,mortuis nil nisi verum," be entitled to our strict observance, it is equally just and incontrovertible that the whole truth should be told; and I am induced to insist the more strenuously on this from the sensations of surprize and regret with which I perused the very brief Memoir of our lamented friend Mr. Alexander, which appeared in your last Number; in which no mention appears of his abilities, and where his character is dismissed in some half-dozen words, with a quaintness which might grace a tombstone indeed, but which is altogether inadequate to do justice to the amiable qualities of the deceased.

It was of little consequence to you or me, Mr. Urban, or to the numerous circle of Mr. Alexander's friends, that even those few lines should appear; we knew and respected him when living, and revere his memory now that he is numbered with the dead but the pages of your Magazine will hand down the scanty tribute of praise; let them therefore preserve along with it the following sketch of departed worth; hasty and superficial indeed, but flowing warm from the heart of the writer, who is proud to acknowledge a friend and benefactor in the subject of it.

Permit me to use an observation from the summary of the character of the late Duke of Dorset, which also appeared in your last Number: "If the following is subject to the charge of partiality, it is only intended for that class of readers who are inclined to allow that a partial Friend may be an houest Chronicler, and that it was impossible to know the subject of it," intimately, "without being partial to him."

I have no doubt of the correctness of the Memoir alluded to as far as it goes; its parsimonious brevity is what I object to; and although I possess not ability, or materials to supply its deficiency, I crave your permission to furnish what I can towards it.

1

The Memoir does not account for the manner in which Mr. Alexander's time was spent from the date of his becoming a student at the Royal Academy in 1784, at the age of 17, until he received his appointment in the suite of Lord Macartney in 1792; yet there is no period of a man's life that is of more importance to be well spent, or which has greater influence on his subsequent pursuits. These eight years were occupied by a sedulous attention to Art in general, and more particularly in painting duplicates, or copies of pictures, in which department of Art he received the GENT. MAG. October, 1816.

marked approbation and encouragement of Sir Joshua Reynolds, which induced him for a time to cultivate it as his principal object. That this portion of time was passed in studies that eminently qualified him for the stations he afterwards filed, will be readily admitted, on glancing at the prints engraved for Sir George Staunton's Account of the Embassy to China, those to Vancouver's Voyage, and his own work of the Costume of China: it will there be seen and acknowledged, that his pencil has ranged from the human figure to landscape, from landscape to architecture, from architecture to marine scenery, with a success that could only have resulted from regular and severe application during the above period.

My information is not particular enough to enable me fully to state the circumstances attending his appointment in the suite of the Embassy to China, or even his precise rank in it, though he certainly was not chief draughtsman, as the Memoir would incline its readers to imagine, and as the publick might incline to think from the plates to the official work of Sir George Staunton. That situation was filled by one whose abilities in Art had little to do in procuring his nomination; and Mr. A.'s duty was undoubtedly considered subordinate, and was treated as such both in pay and rank: however, none but sterling merit will abide in the day of trial, and the junior Artist found the weight of two situations devolve on himself from the inexperience of his nominal Chief. The additional labour and anxiety thus created was amply repaid by the unqualified approbation of his superiors; and Alexander's spirited and faithful delineations of Chinese character, costume, and scenery, were universally commended by all in a capacity to judge of their correctness,' and have since been most favourably received by the publick.

The intervening years after his return in 1794, until he became Drawing-master to the Military College, were occupied in preparing his Chinese subjects for the Engraver, in superintending and publishing his plates of headlands, and in making the drawings for Vancouver's Voyage. If we look at his professional avocations throughout his life, it is apparent that his talents had been chiefly employed on subjects which demanded strict accuracy as a leading qualification in their delineator; and which had formed and trained him, as it were, for the purpose of producing those finished representations of the Antiquities in the British Museum now in a course of publication. The Author of the Memoir has omitted to state (what

perhaps

"An

Scholarships, for the sons, or the orphans, of Clergymen of the Church of England, whose circumstances are such as not to enable them to bear the whole expence of sending their sons to the University *.The first publication by this learned Divine was, his Prize "Dissertation on the Causes which principally contribute to render a Nation populous," 1756, 4to. His other publications are: "An Enquiry into the Divine Missions of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ; so far as they can be proved from the circumstances of their Births, and their connexion with each other," 1761, 8vo. A second edition of this "Enquiry" appeared in 1797, to which were then first prefixed, "Arguments in Proof of the Authenticity of the Narratives of the Births of John and Jesus, contained in the two first chapters of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke," 8vo. "A Sermon preached in Lambeth Chapel at the Consecration of Dr. Thomas, Bishop of Rochester," 1774, 4to. Attempt to ascertain and illustrate the Authority, Nature, and Design of the Institution of Christ, commonly called the Lord's Supper," 1780, 8vo. In the following year, Dr. Bagot (afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph) addressed a Letter to Dr. Bell on the subject of this Dissertation. "An Enquiry whether any Doctrine relating to the Nature and Effects of the Lord's Supper can be justly founded on the Doctrine of our Lord recorded in the sixth Chapter of the Gospel of St. John," 1790. 8vo. In 1787, he published a curious Tract by the late Pierre François le Courayer, D. D. intituled, " Declaration de mes derniers Sentimens sur les différens Dogmes de la Religion." The MS. of this work had been given by Dr. Courayer himself to the Princess Amelia, who left it as a legacy to Dr. Bell Soon after the original work was published, a Translation of it appeared, under the title of "A Declaration of my last Sentiments on the different Doctrines of Religion, By the late Pierre François Le Courayer, D. D. Author of the Dissertation on the validity of English Ordinations,' and Translator of The History of the Council of Trent,' by Fra. Paolo Sarpi, and of The History of the Reformation,' by John Sleidan Faithfully translated from the original French, just published from the MS. of the Author. To which is prefixed, An Account of Dr. Courayer'." The Translator (now known to be the late Rev. Dr. John Calder) says, "The publick undoubtedly is much obliged to the very respectable Dignitary of the Church of England, who has favoured them with

* Some particulars of this noble benefaction have been already recorded in Vol. LXXX, ii. 420.

the original of the following Declaration, and who was induced to the publication by a liberality of sentiment, and upright views of usefulness, that do him great honour, and have distinguished him through the course of his public life. As this gentleman seems very desirous it should be known to the publick that he has no concern in the following translation, the Translator takes this earliest opportunity to meet his wishes, and second his advertisement, by declaring, with the utmost sincerity, that, to the best of his knowledge, he never saw the Editor of the original, nor ever had any correspondence with him on this or any other occasion.""Traité ou l'on éxpose ce que l'Ecriture nous apprend de la Divinité de Jésus.: Christ. Par P. F. de Courayer," 1810. 8vo.,

RICHARD REYNOLDS, ESQ.

Sept. 10. Died at Cheltenham, in his 81st year, Richard Reynolds, of Bristol, a member of the Society of Friends; who, in the full possession of those faculties which had long been dedicated with humble piety to the service of his Redeemer, fullof faith, of days, of riches, and of honour, was gathered to his fathers, as a shock of corn fully ripe. His remains were interred on the 17th of Sept. in the graveyard of the Friends Meeting-house in the Friars, in Rosemary-street, when the most heartfelt testimonies of respect and regret were paid by all ranks to their common benefactor.Mr, Reynolds was formerly an eminent manufacturer in Bristol; and afterwards in the concern well known by the name of The Coalbrooke-Dale Company,' from which he had retired many years. This good man's charities were unparalleled in Bristol since the days of Colston: but they were not confined to that city, for he had agents established in different parts of the country, whose business it was to seek for cases of distress in their respective neighbourhoods, and to recommend them to his consideration; so that thousands, who never heard the name of their benefactor, often partook of his bounty. Such, however, was his singular modesty, such his truly Christian meekness, that no exact estimate can be made of the sums he employed in this It is believed that his expenditure in charity was nearer 10,000l. per annum than 50007. (as has been stated), and that it frequently exceeded that sum; indeed it is asserted, on good authority, that in one year the expended nearly 20,000. in acts of benevolence. He united, in a remarkable manner, great liberality with just discrimination; and, although the sums he annually distributed were large, yet he never relieved any object without previous investigation; he was therefore seldom imposed upon: and that wealth,

way.

of

of which he only considered himself the steward, was employed almost invariably in aiding the friendless and distressed. His modesty and humility were as distinguished features of his character as his liberality; for, in the practice of his long and well-spent life, the precept Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth," was strictly fulfilled. The influential example of this excellent man has given the tone to the philanthropic exertions of his fellow-citizens, who have formed a charitable Institution to perpetuate his memory. At a General Meeting of the Inhabitants of Bristol, convened by public advertisement, for that purpose, the following resolutions were unanimously agreed to: 1. That in consequence of the severe loss Society has sustained by the death of the venerable Richard Reynolds, and in order to perpetuate as far as may be the great and important benefits he has conferred on the City of Bristol and its vicinity, and to excite others to imitate the example of the departed Philanthropist, an Association be formed, under the designation of" Reynolds's Commemoration Society." 2. That the Members of this Society do consist of life-subscribers of ten guineas or upwards, and annual subscribers of one guinea or upwards. 3. That the object of this Society be, to grant relief to persons in necessitous circumstances, and also occasional assistance to other benevolent Institutions in or near this City, to enable them to continue or increase their usefulness; and that especial regard be had to the Samaritan Society, of which Richard Reynolds was the founder. Among numerous testimonies to the excellence of this good man's character from some of the most respectable and enlightened citizens of Bristol, a just, eloquent, and affecting eulogy was pronounced by the Rev. W. Thorp; and the promptness and cordiality with which the infant Institution was supported, prove that they did not plead in vain for an imitation of the virtues and benevolence of Richard Reynolds. A whole-length Portrait of this revered man, which during his life-time was concealed, from regard to his known humility, has been publicly exhibited at Bristol, as well as a half-length, which is about to be engraved; both are esteemed faithful likenesses.

REV. EDWARD V. BLOMFIELD. October 9. Died, at his rooms in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, the Rev. Edward V. Blomfield, son of Charles Blomfield, esq. of Bury St. Edmunds, and brother to the illustrious scholar of the same name. It is with much grief that we have to record the death of this amiable and accomplished youth, whose prema

To those readers who take an interest in the literary reputation of Cambridge, it is unnecessary to remark that Mr. Blomfield's academical career was distinguished by every honour that could adoru the brow of youth, or give an earnest of future excellence. His Ode on the death of Professor Porson is worthy of its subject, and abounds in the genuine language and feeling of Poetry. The greater part of it is now, alas! too applicable to himself: ως βεβαχ ως αργαλέαις αναγκαις το πριν ηδιστον Σοφίας αγαλμα νερτέρων άμησε κοπις· τεῶν δ ̓ ως κύδος αμαυρον

αλσεων, Γραντα, ζαθέαν τε παγάν

οιχεται

But it was not by varied learning alone that Mr. Blomfield was distinguished: he was a Christian as well as a scholar. Those virtues which shed a lustre on private life, shone with peculiar splendour in him. His company was much sought after by those whose pursuits were congenial to his own, and they will all bear witness to the engaging suavity of his disposition. Amongst his companions might be numbered the present Greek Professor, Mr. Mouk; Dr. Kaye, Master of Christ College; with many others of similar worth and learning: • His amor unus erat.'

Mr. Blomfield was a writer in the "Museum Criticum," published at Cambridge; and had just completed an English translation of Matthiæ's Greek Grammar, from the German. He was also engaged in a most laborious undertaking, a Greek and English Lexicon, which had been con→ templated by the late learned Gilbert Wakefield, but given up for want of sufficient encouragement. In the prosecution of this work Mr. Blomfield would have been assisted by some of the most distinguished scholars of the day. But it has pleased a wise and mysterious Providence to cut short this project, and to giveus another lesson of the shortness and uncertainty of human life. O fallacem hominum spem fragilemque fortunam, et inanes nostras contentiones; quæ in medio spatio sæpe franguntur et corruunt, et ante,