LINE, alias Hall, FRANCIS (1595–1675), jesuit and scientific writer, was born in 1595, most probably in London, though two catalogues of members of the Society of Jesus state that he was a native of Buckinghamshire. He entered that society in 1623, was ordained priest in 1628, and was professed of the four vows on 20 Aug. 1640. For many years he was professor of Hebrew and mathematics in the college of the jesuits at Liège. He was sent to the English mission about 1656, and for a short time he served in the Derby district. During 1659 and several succeeding years he was labouring in the London district; and in 1665 he was stationed in the Lancashire district. During the time that he was serving the English mission he constructed the curious dial which was set up in the king's private garden at Whitehall on 24 July 1669. In 1672 he was again at Liège, where he was spiritual father, and where he died on 25 Nov. (N.S.) 1675 (Florus Anglo-Bavaricus, p. 37).
His works are:
- ‘Refutation of the attempt to Square the Circle,’ London, 1660, 8vo; written in consequence of the acrimonious obstinacy with which his friend Father Gregory à Vincentio had defended his book ‘De quadraturâ Circuli’ against the unanswerable reply of Huyghens.
- ‘Tractatus de Corporum Inseparabilitate,’ London, 1661, 8vo. A reply by Gilbert Clerke was published under the title of ‘Tractatus de Restitutione Corporum in quo experimenta Torricelliana et Boyliana explicantur, et Rarefactio Cartesiana defenditur,’ London, 1662, 8vo. Another reply is entitled ‘A Defence of the Doctrine touching the Spring and Weight of the Air, proposed by [the Hon.] Mr. Robert Boyle, in his new Physico-Mechanical Experiments; against the objections of F. Linus. By the Author of those Experiments,’ London, 1662, 8vo.
- ‘An Explication of the Diall sett up in the Kings Garden at London, an. 1669. In which very many sorts of Dyalls are conteined; by which, besides the Houres of all kinds diversly expressed, many things also belonging to Geography, Astrology, and Astronomy are by the Sunnes shadow made visible to the eye. Amongst which, very many Dialls, especially the most curious, are new inventions, hitherto divulged be [sic] None,’ Liège, 1673, 4to, pp. 60 and 18 copperplates. It was also printed in Latin, Liège, 1673, 4to, pp. 74. Pennant says the description of this remarkable dial surpassed his powers (Description of London, p. 110). It stood on a pedestal, and consisted of six parts, rising one above the other, with multitudes of planes cut on each, which were so many dials subservient to the purposes of geography, astrology, and astronomy.
- ‘A Letter [dated 6 Oct. 1674] animadverting on Newton's Theory of Light and Colors,’ in ‘Philosophical Transactions,’ ix. 217 (see Brewster, Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton, 1855, i. 79).
- ‘Some Optical Assertions concerning the Rain-bow, transmitted from Liege, where they were publicly discussed in August last: Delivered here in the same Language [Latin], wherein they were communicated,’ in ‘Philosophical Transactions,’ 26 Sept. 1675, x. 386
- ‘A Treatise on the Barometer.’
- ‘Tractatus de Horologiis,’ manuscript, pp. 82, with illustrations, preserved in the library of the university of Liège.
[Bodleian Cat.; De Backer's Bibl. de la Compagnie de Jésus; Florus Anglo-Bavaricus, p. 49; Foley's Records, vi. 417, vii. 461; Oliver's Jesuit Collections, p. 135; Playfair's Works, 1822, ii. 379; Southwell's Bibl. Scriptorum Soc. Jesu, p. 234; Watt's Bibl. Brit. under ‘Linus;’ Wheatley's London, Past and Present, iii. 125; Whewell's Hist. of the Inductive Sciences, 1837, ii. 354, 355.]
LINES, SAMUEL (1778–1863), painter, designer, and art instructor, was born in 1778 at Allesley, near Coventry, where his mother was mistress of a boarding-school. On his mother's death in his boyhood he was placed in the charge of an uncle, a farmer, who employed him in agricultural work. Lines, however, managed to teach himself the rudiments of drawing and painting, and in 1794 he was apprenticed to Mr. Keeling, a clock-dial enameller and decorator of Birmingham, for whom he worked as designer. He was employed in a similar capacity by Mr. Clay, the papier-mâché maker, and also by the die engravers Wyon and Halliday. Among other objects he was frequently employed to design presentation shovels and swords of state, manufactured by Mr. Gunby of Birmingham, a great amateur of art, with a fine private collection, and Gunby's gallery was freely open to Lines, as well as to his contemporary David Cox the elder. In 1807 Lines commenced teaching drawing in Birmingham, using casts to draw from; he set up a school in Newhall Street, met with success, and was able to build himself a house in Temple Row, where he resided for the remainder of his life. In 1809 Lines, with Moses Haughton the elder [q. v.], Charles Barber [q. v.], John Vincent Barber [see under Barber, Joseph], and other artists established a life academy in Peck Lane, New Street, which was in 1814 removed to larger premises in Union Passage. It was in this room that the first exhibition of the works of Birming-
