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birds, and other animals, living in constant dread of a prison, in November 1799 he was arrested, and taking a house within the rules, it became a rendezvous for all his pro- fligate companions. He was intoxicated frequently, lay the night through on the floor, and the ruin of his health and cha- racter was complete. In 1802 he was re- leased under the Insolvent Act, but was broken-hearted, downcast, harassed by diseased fears, and his sight and intellect both impaired. In this state he was soon a prisoner again for a publican's score, and overwhelmed with misfortune and despair, died in a spungmg-house in Eyre Street, Cold-Bath Fields, on October 29, 1804. His neglected, wronged wife died three days after, and both were buried together in the new ground attached to St. James's Chapel, Hampstead Road.
His works were founded upon the every- day life about him, and were over and over again repeated, his boon companions fre- quently nis models. His pictures, hastily conceived, were painted with little thought or previous study. They display little mind or invention, yet, easily understood by all, they were popular, and he enjoyed a reputation in his day which has not been maintained. In his colour the greys and ochres predominate ; his landscape is want- ing in atmosphere ; his painting slight, and frequently slovenly. He was largely assisted by his pupils, and his works have been the prey of many copyists. There is a spirited etching by him of ' A Fox with a Pullet.' His life was written, with critical observations on his works, by J. Hassell, 1804 ; by his friend, G. Dawe, 1807 ; by Blagdon. with list of the possessors of ms principal pictures, and 20 large tinted illustrations, 1806 ; and in the ^Memoirs of a Picture,' bv William Collins, 1805.
MORLEY, Frances, Countess, amateur. Daughter of Thomas Talbot. Esq. Married, in 1809, to the first Earl of Morley. She made many good copies from the old mas- ters, which decorate the drawing-room and other apartments at Sal tram. Died Decem- ber 7, 1857.
MORRIS, Robert, architect Practised in the early part of the 18th cetitury. He built Wimbledon House for Lord Spencer, a well-balanced, neat elevation, published in Wolfe and Gandon's work ; a small man- sion for Mr. T. Wyndham, on the Thames, at Hammersmith, of a simple and pleasing elevation ; and the Duke of Argyll's seat at Coome Bank, Kent. He published, 1728, ' An Essay in Defence of Ancient Architec- ture ;' 1734, 'Lectures on Architecture ;' 1754, * Rural Architecture.'
MORRIS, Thomas, engraver. Born
about 1750. Was the pupil of Woollett,
and much employed by Alderman Boydell.
Jle died towards the end of the century.
298
Among other works, he engraved two large- sized street views, after Marlow — ' View of St. Paul's ' and ' V iew of the Monument/ 1795, both boldly executed and crowded with figures ; ' Sladdaw/ after De Louther- bourg ; ' Landscape and River/ after R. Wilson ; ' Hawking and Fox Hunting/ after Gilpin ; ' La Femme rusee/ after Collet.
MORRISON, Sir Riohard ? Knt, archi- tect. Was the son of an architect at Cork, and originally intended for the Church, but became a pupil of Qandon, the well-known architect of Dublin. He then had a civil appointment in the Ordnance, which he held only a short time, when, taking up the
Eractice of his profession, as an architect, e obtained considerable employment. He built the Clinical Hospital at Dublin, and several of the county court-houses. He acquired a good property, and was knighted by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1841. Died at Dublin, aged 82, October 31, 1849. MORTEN, Thomas, subject painter. Was born at Uxbridge in 1836. He studied at Mr. Leigh's art school, and was largely employed in designing for the illustration of periodical and other works. His designs for an edition of ' Gulliver's Travels ' showed much invention and humour. He exhi- bited at the Royal Academy, in 1863, ' Conquered, but not Subdued ; ' and in 1866, his last work, 'Pleading for the Prisoner/ which was of much promise. But greatly embarrassed in his affairs, he un- happily committed suicide, September 23, 1866.
f MORTIMER, John Hamilton, A.R.A., history painter. Born in 1741, at East- bourne, where his father owned a mill, and afterwards held the office of collector of customs. He imbibed a love of art from his uncle, who was a painter of some ability, and was sent to London, and placed for three years under Hudson, studying at the same time in the Duke of Richmond's Gal- lery, and later at the St. Martin's Lane Academy. He is also said to have studied under Edge Pine, and Reynolds. With such teaching he acquired a good knowledge of the figure, and obtained several premiums from the Society of Arts for his drawings from the antique. In 1763 he gained the Society^ first premium, and in 1764, in competition with Romney, the award of 100
Siineas for his ' St. Paul preaching to the ritons/
He was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and exhibited with them occasionally from 1763 to 1773. In the latter year he was vice-president of the Society, and was looked upon as of much promise, though he did not gain employ- ment. He disliked portraiture, and was not happy in his likenesses. His portrait, how- ever, painted by himself, is in the National
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