JOHN HORNE TOOKE.

OHN HORNE TOOKE was born in Westminster, in 1736. His father was a poulterer, who had acquired considerable property. John, the third son, was educated both at Westminster and Eton, whence he was removed to St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1756, he had entered himself of the Inner Temple; but, & the request of his family, he consented to be ordained, and was inducted to the chapelry of New Brentford, which his father had purchased for him. Three years afterwards, he accompanied, as travelling tutor, the son of Mr. Elwes of Berkshire, in a tour to France. On his return, he took a warm share in politics, in behalf of Mr. Wilkes, to whom, on a second visit to Paris, he was personally introduced. When he returned to England, he resumed his clerical functions, and obtained some distinction in the pulpit, until the return of Wilkes plunged him again into politics. He was the principal founder of the Society for supporting the Bill of Rights; and, in 1770 and 1771, a public altercation took place between Messrs. Wilkes and Horne, on account of the attempts made by the former to render the society instrumental to the discharge of his private debts. It was through his means that two printers of the newspapers were, in 1771, induced to violate the orders. of the House of Commons, by publishing their debates, which brought on those proceedings which terminated in a

defeat of the House, and the unopposed practice of such publication ever since. The same year also witnessed his contest with Junius, in which, in the general opinion, he came off victor. In 1773, he resigned his clerical gown, and shut himself up in retirement, with a view to study for the bar; and it was by affording legal advice to Mr. Tooke of Purley, in his opposition to an enclosure bill, and defeating the same by a boldness of stratagem peculiarly in character, that he acquired the good will, and ultimately shared in the fortune, of that gentleman. He was a warm opponent of the American war, and was prosecuted for sedition for the wording of a resolution, by which the Constitutional Society voted £100 to the widows and children of the Americans who fell in the battle of Lexington. For this obnoxious paragraph he was tried at Guildhall, in 1777, on which occasion he defended himself with his characteristic spirit and acuteness, but was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, and a fine of £200. In 1779, after having fully prepared for the bar, he applied for admission to the society of the Inner Temple, and was refused, on the ground that he was still a priest, and ineligible-a decision which destroyed all his future views in this profession. In 1780, he published a keen review of Lord North's administration, in a pamphlet entitled Facts; and in 1782, a Letter on Parliamentary Reform, with a Sketch of a Plan, which did not embrace the principle of universal suffrage. About this time, he became the avowed friend of Mr. Pitt, then also favourable to parliamentary reform, and a vehement opponent to Mr. Fox, for his coalition with Lord North. In 1786, he appeared in a character more important to his lasting reputation than that of a subordinate politician, by the publication of an octavo volume, entitled Epea Pteroenta, or the Diversions of Purley, which he afterwards extended to two volumes quarto. This celebrated work contains those ideas concerning grammar, and the formation of words, of which the germ had appeared in a letter to Mr. Dunning some years before. Of these, one of the most prominent was the derivation of prepositions and conjunctions from verbs and nouns, and, in consequence, assigning them a determinate meaning, often different from that which had been arbitrarily given to them. The knowledge of language and logical acuteness which he displayed in this performance, raised him to a high rank as a philologist. In 1788, he published Two Pair of Portraits, the figures in which were the two Pitts, and the two Foxes, of the past and present generation, the preference being given to the Pitts. In 1790, he offered himself as a candidate for Westminster, in opposition to Mr. Fox and Lord Hood, when he distinguished himself by a strong vein of humour, in his daily addresses to the populace; and, although he failed, he received one thousand seven hundred votes, without solicitation or corruption. In the year 1794, he was apprehended and committed to the Tower on a charge of high treason, founded on the presumed objects of the corresponding

societies to overthrow the constitution. His trial, with that of the other parties accused at the same time, holds a conspicuous place in the historical annals of a period rendered so remarkable by the excitement produced by the French revolution. The trial of Mr. Tooke, although maae interesting by the ease, self-possession, and acuteness displayed by the accused, was deprived of much political importance by the previous acquittal of Hardy insuring his own. From this time, however, he was more cautious in his company, and seems to have declined the visits of persons of violent characters and principles at Wimbledon. After the death of Mr. Tooke of Purley, he had taken his name, in consequence of inheriting a portion of his fortune. In 1796, he again offered himself for Westminster, and failed; and in 1801, he accepted a seat for Old Sarum, on the nomination of Lord Camelford. His parliamentary career was neither long nor distinguished; but an attempt to exclude him, on the ground of ordination, was turned aside by the minister, Mr. Addington, who substituting a bill to determine the future ineligibility of persons in that predicament, the political life of Mr. Tooke closed with the dissolution of parliament in 1802. In 1805, he published a second part of the Diversions of Purley, which is chiefly dedicated to etymology, and adjectives and participles, and their formation; but also abounded, like the former, with various satirical strictures on literary characters of note. He died at Wimbledon, in 1812, in his seventy-seventh year. His latter days were cheered by easy circumstances, and the attention of numerous visitors, whom he treated with great hospitality, and amused with his conversation, which was singularly pleasant and lively, although, at the same time, he would often make his guests objects of his satire, which he would cover with the most imperturbable countenance. At the same time his manners were polished. He manifested a libertinism, in his habits and discourse, very unbecoming his profession. As a scholar, he possessed considerable learning; but his knowledge of modern languages was more considerable than of Greek and Latin: his acquaintance with the Gothic was very extensive. He was never married, but left natural children, to whom he bequeathed his property.

OHN OPPY, or OPIE, the son of a carpenter in the parish of St. Agnes, near Truro, in Cornwall, was born there in 1761. At an early age he displayed a superior understanding, and being sent to the village school, became the wonder of his instructors and playmates. It is said that at the age of ten he could master Euclid, and at twelve set up an evening school, and taught writing and arithmetic. He had previously indicated a strong love for art, to which his attention was first called by seeing a companion draw a butterfly. He copied it with success; and afterwards meeting with the picture of a farm-house, was not content till he had procured canvas and colours, and produced from 1emory a tolerable resemblance of it. He then tried his hand a portrait, and succeeded in making so good a likeness of his

father, that the latter began to regard his son's preference of the pencil to the hammer with less harshness than usual. He subsequently painted the portraits of all his family; and his talents at length attracting the notice of the celebrated Dr. Wolcot, then a physician at Truro, he was taken into his house, but in what capacity is doubtful. The doctor, however, encouraged and employed his abilities; sat for his own portrait to him, and recommended him several sitters in the neighbourhood. At the age of nineteen he returned home in a handsome dress, with twenty guineas in his pocket; gave the money to his mother, and, avowing his intention of commencing artist in London, proceeded immediately to the metropolis. He arrived in London on the 25th of November, 1782, when he is said to have been "a rude clownish boy, with lank, dark hair, and a green feather." He was placed, by Wolcot, to lodge with Hearne, the engraver, in St. Martin's Lane, who finding him visited as a sort of wonder, by many people of distinction, observed, that he ought to be a little more fashionable in his appearance. "No, no," replied Wolcot; "you may depend upon it, in this wonder-gaping town, that all curiosity would cease if his hair were dressed, and he looked like any other man; I shall keep him in this state for the next two years at least." The popularity of the "Cornish Wonder," as he was called, was almost instantaneous; the nobility flocked to his house in such crowds, that he jocularly observed to Northcote, "He must place cannon at the door to keep the multitude off from it."

He now called himself Opie, instead of Oppy, (though we may here observe, that one of his biographers says the former was his proper name ;) took a house in Orange Court, Leicester Fields, and studied hard to improve his style, in which he perceived many defects, though the public, as yet, saw none. He also acquired some knowledge of French and Latin, and increased his fortune by marrying a well-portioned but ill-tempered woman, from whom he at length obtained a divorce. He alluded to this circumstance in one of his witty sayings, while passing St. Giles's Church, where his marriage ceremony had been performed. "I was married at that church," he exclaimed to a friend of avowed skeptical opinions, who was walking with him; "And I," said his companion, "was christened there." "Indeed!" replied the painter, "it seems they make unsure work at that church, for it neither holds in wedlock nor in baptism."

Portrait painting was Opie's chief occupation on his first arrival in the metropolis, and, among others, he executed an admirable head of Charles Fox; but it was his murder of James the First of Scotland, Jephtha's Vow, and other historical performances, exhibited by him at Somerset House, that obtained him an admission to the Academy in 1786. He was subsequently enrolled among the academicians; and on the ejection of Barry, he became a candidate for the professorship of painting, but yielded it, without opposition, to Fuseli. It was, however unanimous'y given to