Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 27.djvu/128

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Holderness
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Holdsworth

to the king. He was a great disciplinarian. Michael Wise [q. v.] used to call him ‘Mr. Snub-Dean.’ For the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal he wrote a very able work entitled ‘A Treatise on the Natural Grounds and Principles of Harmony,’ 1694 (another edition, with additions by G. Keller, 1731). He was, however, compelled to resign his sub-deanery, according to the ‘Old Cheque Book’ (p. 19) before Christmas 1689. Luttrell (Brief Historical Relation, i. 425) writes that he was ‘to be displac't’ in December 1687. On 25 May 1687 he was preferred by the dean and chapter of St. Paul's to the rectory of Therfield, Hertfordshire (Clutterbuck, Hertfordshire, iii. 589), and during his incumbency he gave the treble and saints' bell, and built the gallery in the belfry (Salmon, Hertfordshire, p. 349). His last work, ‘A Discourse concerning Time, with Application of the Natural Day, and Lunar Month, and Solar Year as natural; and of such as are derived from them, as artificial parts of time, for measures in civil and common use; for the better understanding of the Julian Year and Calendar,’ appeared in 1694 (other editions in 1701 and 1712). Holder died on 24 Jan. 1697–8 in his eighty-second year, at Hertford (Probate Act Book, P.C.C. 1698, f. 36b), and was buried by his wife in the undercroft of St. Paul's, where there is a monument to his memory (Bentham, Church of Ely, p. 248). He married in 1643 Susanna, only daughter of Christopher Wren, dean of Windsor and Wolverhampton, and sister of Sir Christopher Wren (Wood, Fasti Oxon. i. 393). She died on 30 June 1688. Holder had a considerable share in the education of Sir Christopher Wren.

[Wren's Parentalia, pp. 141, 181; Ward's Lives of Gresham Professors, p. 109; Warton's Life of Bathurst, pp. 154–5; Addit. MS. (Cole) 5871, f. 49; Burney's Hist. of Music, iv. 3; Wood's Fasti Oxon. (Bliss), ii. 245; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 743; Hawkins's Hist. of Music, iv. 504, 541; Letters from Bodleian Library, &c., 1813; Will registered in P.C.C. 39, Lort.]

G. G.

HOLDING, HENRY JAMES (1833–1872), artist, youngest son of Henry Holding, an amateur painter, was born at Salford, Lancashire, in November 1833. At an early age he was employed as a pattern-designer to calico-printers, but soon took to the career of an artist, following the example of three of his brothers. All the members of the family were artists, but none received any regular art training. Before attaining his majority, Holding exhibited in Manchester, Liverpool, and London, his favourite subjects being marine and torrent scenery, which he painted in both oil and water-colours. His last work, ‘Bettws-y-Coed,’ exhibited in 1872, was considered his best. Another excellent picture is his ‘Finding of the Body of Rufus by the Charcoal-burners,’ exhibited in 1862. He died on 2 Aug. 1872 in Paris, whither he had gone on a sketching tour and for the benefit of his health. He was buried in the English cemetery at Paris, since demolished.

An elder brother, Frederick Holding (1817–1874), long resident in Manchester, painted with success in water-colours, showing much skill in figure-drawing. He drew the illustrations for Southey's ‘Battle of Blenheim,’ Manchester, 1864, and other books, and towards the close of his life was scenic artist at the Theatre Royal and the Prince's Theatre, Manchester.

[Letter in Manchester City News, 3 May 1890, by G. W. Holding; Manchester Royal Institution Exhibition Catalogues.]

C. W. S.

HOLDSWORTH, DANIEL, D.D., (1558?–1595?), classical scholar. [See Halsworth.]]

HOLDSWORTH, EDWARD (1684–1746), Latin poet and classical scholar, son of Thomas Holdsworth, rector of North Stoneham, Hampshire, was born there on 6 Aug. 1684, and baptised on 3 Sept. He was educated at Winchester College, and in 1694 was elected a scholar at the age of nine. On 14 Dec. 1704 he matriculated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, but in July of the following year migrated to Magdalen College, on his election as a demy, graduating B.A. on 22 June 1708, and M.A. on 18 April 1711. For some years he remained at Oxford as tutor of his college, but in 1715, when his turn came to be chosen fellow, he resigned his post and quitted the university, through his objection to recognise the new government by taking the oath of allegiance. During the rest of his life he acted as tutor at the houses of those who shared his political opinions, or travelled abroad with their children. Pope wrote to him (December 1737), asking him to support Harte's candidature for the poetry-professorship at Oxford, (Pope, Works, Courthope's ed. x. 226–7). Spence met Holdsworth at Florence in 1732, and in the ‘Polymetis’ (2nd edit. pp. 174, 277) praises him for understanding Virgil best of any man that he ever knew, and for being ‘better acquainted with Italy as classic ground than any man’ then living. It was the habit of Holdsworth to study Virgil's works