Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/17

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Baker
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Baker

for converting the Irish parliament house into a bank. The superintendence of that work was given, however, to another architect, Francis Johnstone. He died on 7 June 1836.

[Duhigg's History of the King's Inns, 1806; Mulvany's Life of J. Gandon, Dublin, 1846; Dict. Architectural Publication Society, 1853; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists, 1879.]

BAKER, Sir HENRY WILLIAMS (1821–1877), hymn writer, was the son of Vice-admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker, C.B., by his marriage with Louisa Anne, only daughter of William Williams, Esq., of Castle Hall, Dorset. His father served with distinction at Guadaloupe in 1815. His grandfather was Sir Robert Baker of Dunstable House, Surrey, and of Nicholashayne, Culmstock, Devon, on whom a baronetcy was conferred in 1796. Sir Henry Williams Baker was born in London on Sunday, 27 May 1821, at the house of his maternal grandfather; and after completing his university education at Trinity College, Cambridge, took his B.A. degree in 1844, and proceeded M.A. in 1847. In 1851 he was presented to the vicarage of Monkland near Leominster. On the death of his father, on 2 Nov. 1859, he succeeded him as third baronet. In 1852, while at Monkland, Sir Henry wrote his earliest hymn, 'Oh, what if we are Christ's.' Two others, 'Praise, O praise our Lord and King,' and 'There is a blessed Home,' have been referred to 1861 ((Selborne's Book of Praise, pp. 176, 207-8, 288-9). Sir Henry Baker's name is chiefly known as the promoter and editor of 'Hymns Ancient and Modern,' first published in 1861. To this collection Baker contributed many original hymns, besides several translations of Latin hymns. In 1868 an 'Appendix' to the collection was issued, and in 1875 the work was thoroughly revised. The hymnal was compiled to meet the wants of churchmen of all schools, but strong objections were raised in many quarters to Sir Henry Baker's own hymn addressed to the Virgin Mary, 'Shall we not love thee. Mother dear?' Sir Henry Baker held the doctrine of the celibacy of the clergy, and at his death the baronetcy devolved on a kinsman. He was the author of 'Daily Prayers for the Use of those who have to work hard,' as well as of a 'Daily Text-book' for the same class, and of some tracts on religious subjects. He died on Monday, 12 Feb. 1877, at the vicarage of Monkland, and was buried in the churchyard of the parish. Stained glass windows have been put up to his memory in his own church and in All Saints, Notting Hill.

[Foster's Baronetage, 1882; Gent. Mag., June 1796 and Dec. 1859; Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1877; Annual Register, 1877; Literary Churchman, 24 Feb. 1877; Academy, 24 Feb. 1877; Church Times, 16 and 23 Feb. 1877; Guardian, 21 Feb. 1877; Earl Selborne's Book of Praise, 1865; Miller's Singers and Songs of the Church. 1869; Stevenson's Methodist Hymn Book, illustrated, with Biography, &c., 1883.]

BAKER, HUMPHREY (fl. 1562–1587), writer on arithmetic and astrology, was a Londoner. In 1562 he published 'The Wellspring of Sciences,' said by Henry Phillippes, who edited and enlarged the work in 1670, to have been one of the first and 'one of the best books on arithmetic which had appeared up to that date in this country.' Phillippes does not name Cocker, who had given to the world his celebrated book two years previously, but he can hardly have considered Baker's work superior or even on a par with it. Baker was an enthusiast for his science. In the dedication of his edition of 1574 'to the Governor, Consuls, Asistentes, &c. of the Company of Merchentes Adventurers,' he excuses himself for not entering fully into the merits of arithmetic, on the ground that 'where good wine is to sell, there neede no garlande be hāged out.' He nevertheless proceeds to state that it is well known 'that the skil hereof immediately flowed from the wisdome of God into the harte of man, whome he coulde not conceave to remayne in the most secrete misterie of Trinitie in Unitie, were it not by the benifite of most Devine skill in Numbers. … Take away Arithmetick, wherein differeth the Shepparde frō the sheepe, or the horse keeper from the Asse? It is the key and entrance into all other artes and learninge, as well approved Pythagoras, who caused this inscription to be written (upon his schoole doore where hee taught Philosophy) in greate letters, "Nemo Arithmeticæ ignanarus hic ingrediatur."' He calls the rule of three 'the golden rule.' Phillippes added considerably to Baker's book in his edition, giving us, among other things, a chapter 'Of Sports and Pastime done by numbers. To know what number any one thinketh,' &c. In the library of the British Museum there are six different editions of Baker's work, from 1574 to 1655, besides Phillippes's edition of 1670.

Baker also translated from the French and published in London in 1587 a little book in black letter entitled 'The Rules, &c. touching the use and practice of the common almanacs which are named Ephemerides, a brief and short instruction upon the Judicial