with Belgium. At a critical moment in the affairs of the new kingdom, during the riots at Brussels in 1834, he commenced a correspondence with the ‘Times’ newspaper, and his letters were translated and reproduced in continental journals. His services were acknowledged by Leopold, and partly owing to his influence he, in 1839, received the appointment of British consul to the state of Massachusetts, whither he repaired in the summer of that year, and took up his residence at Boston. At this period the controversy between the American states and the British provinces relative to the north-eastern boundary was the absorbing topic. Grattan made himself completely master of the subject, and communicated his opinions to Lord Ashburton when that nobleman arrived in the United States in 1842 as minister plenipotentiary for the purpose of settling the boundary question. Grattan was unanimously chosen by both parties to assist at the negotiations at Washington, and contributed to the conclusion of the treaty of 9 April 1842. In the United States Grattan gained considerable reputation as a speaker and raconteur. Returning to England in 1846 he was permitted, in consideration of his services, to resign his consulship in favour of his eldest son, Edmund (now Sir Edmund) Grattan. From this period he chiefly resided in London, where he resumed his literary labours, and among other works produced, in 2 vols., in 1862, ‘Beaten Paths and those who trod them,’ which contains his autobiographical recollections. He died at his residence in Jermyn Street, London, 4 July 1864, leaving a daughter and three sons. He was the author of the following works: 1. ‘Philibert, a Poetical Romance,’ Bordeaux, 1819. 2. ‘Highways and Byways, or Tales of the Roadside picked up in the French Provinces by a Walking Gentleman,’ 1823, 2 vols.; 2nd series, 1825, 3 vols., and 3rd series, 1827, 3 vols. 3. ‘The History of Switzerland’ (anon.), 1825. 4. ‘Ben Nazir, the Saracen, a Tragedy,’ 1827. 5. ‘Traits of Travel, or Tales of Men and Cities,’ 1829, 3 vols. 6. ‘The History of the Netherlands to the Belgium Revolution in 1830’ (Lardner's ‘Cyclop.’ vol. x. 1830). 7. ‘The Heiress of Bruges, a Tale of the Year Sixteen Hundred,’ 1831. 8. ‘Jacqueline of Holland, an Historical Tale,’ 1831, 3 vols. 9. ‘Legends of the Rhine and of the Low Countries,’ 1832, 3 vols. 10. ‘Agnes de Mansfeldt, an Historical Tale,’ 1836, 3 vols. 11. ‘The Boundary Question raised and Dr. Franklin's Red Line shown to be the right one, by a British subject,’ New York, 1843. 12. ‘The Master Passion and other Tales,’ 1845, 3 vols. 13. ‘Chance Medley of Light Matter,’ 1845. 14. ‘The Cagot's Hut and the Conscript's Bride,’ 1852 (‘Parlour Library,’ No. 83). 15. ‘The Forfeit Hand and other Tales,’ 1857 (‘Parlour Library,’ No. 163). 16. ‘Curse of the Black Lady and other Tales,’ 1857 (‘Parlour Library,’ No. 165). 17. ‘Civilised America,’ 1859, 2 vols. 18. ‘England and the Disrupted States of America,’ 1861. 19. ‘Beaten Paths and those who trod them,’ 1862, 2 vols. Many of these works have been reprinted in various forms.
[Gent. Mag. August 1864, pp. 252–3; Colburn's New Monthly Mag. 1831, xxxii. 77–80, with portrait; Dublin Univ. Mag., December 1853, pp. 658–65, with portrait.]
GRATTON, JOHN (1641–1712), quaker, was probably born not far from Chesterfield in Derbyshire in 1641. His father appears to have been a prosperous yeoman or farmer. As a boy Gratton kept his father's sheep. As a child he took great delight ‘in playing cards, and shooting at bulls and ringing of bells,’ until he was ‘visited with the light.’ He attended various preachers and read pious books without obtaining religious peace. He joined the presbyterians, but was unable to sing psalms truthfully. After the Restoration he frequented the church, but disliked set forms of prayer. He therefore attended various dissenting conventicles, and had a controversy with Muggleton in 1669. About the same time he married, and shortly afterwards went to live at Monyash in Derbyshire. He next joined an anabaptist congregation till it was broken up by the Conventicle Act. Ultimately he joined the quaker society at Matlock, and after a short time ‘convinced his wife.’ As he states they lived together for thirty-five years afterwards, this must have taken place about 1672. Gratton now became a recognised preacher, and a letter dated 1673 shows that he made ministerial journeys. He had a number of narrow escapes from arrest under the Conventicle Act, and relates that, on the understanding that the meetings were silent, the Friends were protected by constables. In 1675 he was fined 20l. for preaching in the Vale of Belvoir, and several times was sentenced to similar fines, but, owing to the respect in which he was held, these fines were rarely enforced. About 1680 he was served with a writ of excommunication, and was subsequently lodged in Derby gaol, being leniently treated. He was moved to London by a writ of habeas corpus, but, his suit being unsuccessful, he returned to Derby, where he lay in prison, he says, ‘quietly till King James set me at liberty.’ During this period he was allowed to go home for several weeks at a
