William Richard Morfill

“ Certainly few foreigners were better acquainted than he with the languages and customs of the mountaineers of the Caucasus, among whom he had established such friendly relations that he was admitted into their most remote fastnesses. ”

“ GREIG, ALEXIS SAMUILOVICH (1775–1845) , admiral in the Russian service, son of Sir Samuel Greig [q. v.] , was born at Cronstadt on 18 Sept. 1775. As a reward for the services of his father, he was enrolled at his birth as a midshipman in the Russian navy. He first distinguished himself in the war between Russia and Turkey in 1807, at which time he had attained the rank of rear-admiral. After the engagement off Lemnos in that year, in which the Turks suffered a severe defeat, he was sent by Admiral Seniavin in pursuit of some ships which had escaped to the gulf of Monte Santo ”

“ He introduced the writings of Comenius, and his charity to poor scholars was so profuse that it brought him into actual want. In 1644 Milton addressed to him his treatise on education; the pamphlet is full of praise of Hartlib. In the same year he was summoned as a witness on an unimportant point against Laud (Laud, Works, iv. 314) . He published a great number of pamphlets at this time upon education and industrial matters. In 1646 a pension of 100l. a year was conferred upon him by the parliament for his valuable works upon husbandry. ”

“ His funeral oration was pronounced by Tricoupi, the future historian of the war. Finlay speaks of him as the best foreign officer who embarked in the Greek cause, and declares that he was the only foreigner in whose character and deeds there were the elements of true greatness. ”

“ Talhaiarn enjoyed a considerable reputation among his countrymen as a president at their eisteddfodau, but he became most celebrated as a writer of Welsh words to the old Welsh airs. The latter are now more often sung with Talhaiarn's words than with those of any other writer. His lighter lyrical pieces are vigorous and racy, and deserve their popularity. But he took great liberties with the Welsh language, both by the copious introduction of English words and by the use of English syntax. ”

“ Hartlib was an indefatigable writer, a man of honourable and benevolent character, and highly esteemed by the most illustrious of his contemporaries. His ingenious works, chiefly pamphlets on education and husbandry, illustrate the economic and social condition of his English contemporaries. The abridged titles are: 1.‘Conatuum Comenianorum Præludia ex Bibliotheca S. H. Oxoniæ,’ 1637. 2. ‘Reverendi et Clarissimi Viri Johannis Amos Comenii Pansophiæ Prodromus,’ 1639. 3. ‘A Briefe Relation of that which hath been lately attempted to procure Ecclesiasticall Peace among Protestants,’ 1641, 4to. 4. ”

“ Langbaine says 'this play is commended by some for an excellent comedy.' Genest says the humour is 'of the lowest species.' Howard's second comedy, 'The English Mounsieur,' published in 4to in 1674, was first acted at the Theatre Royal 8 Dec. 1666. Nell Gwyn seems to have taken the part of Lady Wealthy, Lacy that of Frenchlove, and Hart of Wellbred. Pepys was present, and described the piece as 'a mighty pretty play, very witty and pleasant: and the women do all very well; but above all, little Nelly.' Pepys saw the comedy again performed on 7 April 1668 (Pepys. Diary, iii. 25, 420) . ”

“ A daughter was born after his death. There is a portrait of him engraved by his elder son after a drawing by Sharpies, and a tablet to his memory in Bishopstone church bears an inscription in verse composed by Hayley. Hurdis is at best a pale copy of Cowper, a poet who does not furnish a powerful original to an imitator. The blank verse in which most of the poetry of Hurdis is written is flaccid and monotonous. Still, here and there we come upon elegant lines, and the poet shows a feeling for nature. ”

“ They embrace a great variety of subjects, including scenes from the bible, historical pictures, maps, portraits of his chief contemporaries, views of cities, flower and fruit pieces, and various illustrations to books. His clever sketches of costume, his views of old London and other cities are invaluable to the historian. His engravings are executed with much spirit and carefully finished. They have steadily risen in value. An exhibition of them was held in London in 1875 at the Burlington Fine Arts Club.
The following are Hollar's more characteristic works: 1. ”

“ His letters to Boyle indicate that he was in bodily suffering, and Worthington's diary, where he is frequently mentioned, shows that money was forwarded to him from his friends. The parliament paid his pension irregularly. ”

“ He first became popular among the Greek sailors by saving the corvette of Tombazes off Cape Baba, to the north of Mitylene, which had accidentally got within range of the Turkish fire. When the naval campaign was concluded, Hastings joined the troops engaged in the siege of Nauplia, and assisted in the defence of the little port of Burdzi, which was held by the Greeks. The town fell into their hands on 12 Dec. 1822. About this time Hastings raised a company of fifty men, whom he armed and equipped at his own expense. ”

“ Paul's,’ and Stapleton's ‘Juvenal.’ About 1654 he was employed in the house of Faithorne the engraver, and also by Stent and Overton the printsellers, who, according to Vertue, gave him very small pay, it seems about fourpence an hour ‘at his usual method by the hour-glass.’ Vertue tells us that he had it on the best authority that for the view of Greenwich, a large engraving in two plates, Hollar received from Stent only thirty shillings. The hour-glass by which the artist worked is constantly represented in his portraits. ”

“ The family is now extinct in Bohemia, and no clear traces of it are to be found after 1643, but a house still standing in the Neustadt, Prague, is said to have belonged to them. It has undergone considerable alterations. ”

“ During the latter years of his life he suffered a great deal from gout and an internal disease. In 1869, finding that his ailments were incurable, he made an attempt upon his life, from the effects of which he died on 13 Oct. ”

“ John and the Prophet Daniel are opened,’ &c., 1651, 8vo. 12. ‘An Invention of Engines of Motion lately brought to Perfection,’ &c. 13. ‘An Essay for Advancement of Husbandry Leaning, or Propositions for the errecting a Colledge of Husbandry,’ 1651, 4to. 14. ‘The Informed Husband-Man, or a brief Treatise of the Errors, Defects, and Inconveniences of our English Husbandry in Ploughing and sowing for Corn,’ &c., 1651, 4to. 15. ‘Samuel Hartlib, his Legacie, or an Enlargement of the Discourse of Husbandry used in Brabant and Flaunders,’ &c., 1651, 4to. 16. ”