1825.] 
now several works cf a similar descrip- 
tion, continues to maintain its high charac- 
ter. To this, the philosophical acquire- 
ments of the Editor, who possessed an ex- 
tensive knowledge of many departments of 
physical science, were, in a great degree, 
conducive ; and various papers by himself, 
in the earlier yolumes, are by no means the 
least interesting of theirconteuts. During 
- the last three years, however, the ravages 
of the disorder which has terminated in,his 
death, disabled him from taking an active 
part in conducting the work. 
Dr. Tilloch devoted much of his valuable 
time to the Steam-engine, and had a large 
share in suggesting and maturing the im- 
provement on what iscalled Woolf’s engine. 
The ruling passion may be said, in Dr. 
‘Tilloch, to have been strong almost even in 
death ; for he had entered a new patent for 
a steam-engine only a fortnight before death 
closed his eyes, and the world lost a man 
who had devoted a long life to the advance- 
ment of science. This melancholy event 
took place at his house in Barnsbury-street, 
Islington, on the 26th of January last. 
In private life, Dr. Tilloch was amiable ; 
in conversation, acute, intelligent and com- 
mupicative ; few persous possessed a clearer 
understanding, ora warmer heart. We have 
already stated that Dr. Tilloch was one of 
the proprietors of the Star newspaper, and 
for many years he took an active share in 
its management ; for the last: five years, 
however, the editing has been confided to 
other hands, and the opportunities which a 
long and protracted sickness enabled him 
to devote to study were appropriated to 
science, in the promotion of wkjch he was 
always ardent and persevering. 
Dr. Tilloch was a member-ef_ several 
literary and scientific soeieties, and few 
individuals had stronger claims to such 
distinction. 
WILLIAM OWEN, ESQ., R. A. 
This distinguished artist died on Friday, 
Feb. 11, aftera protracted illness, in nearly 
his 60th year; not, however, by the natu- 
ral progress of disease, but by having lauda- 
num administered instead of other medi- 
eime, through the mistake of a chemist’s 
boy, in inverting the labels of two different 
bottles. Mr. Owen was a native of Wales, 
and came to London with the late R. P. 
Knight, esq. The professional character 
of Mr.Owen, and his rise and progress in his 
art deserve more ample notice, than we have, 
at present, either the leisure or the docu. 
ments to prepare. As a portrait painter, 
he had himself the discriminative modesty 
which usually accompanies genuine merit, 
heel to acknowledge, that he did not ap- 
pooch Reynolds ; and it may be added, 
t the description of merit he did-possess, 
was, ina considerable degree, of a distinct 
character from that of the yet unriyalled 
glory of the English school of portraiture. 
he eminence he attained was the result 
Obituary of the Month» 
283 
as much, at least, of -unwearied dili- 
gence as of genius; andthe evidence of 
its not being grounded upon early attain- 
ments in science,—that of anatomy, and 
diligent study of the naked figure, in par- 
ticular,—was conspicuous to the critically. 
discerning eye : for if his style, in some par- 
ticulars, was vigorous, the drawing both of, 
his heads and hands was frequently feeble ; 
and his preportions did not come out suth- 
ciently intelligible, if we may so express 
ourselves, through his drapery.* This was, 
perhaps, the principal reason why he did 
not much succeed in displaying the ele- 
gance of the female form, and why bis hap- 
piest efforts in this way displayed rather the 
prettinesses of the artist, than the genuine 
characteristics of feminine loveliness. - In 
the sphere of his academic duties he was 
greatly respected ; and the liberal manner 
in which he communicated his advice com- 
manded the love and gratitude of the stu- 
dents. Many of his numerous unfinished 
portraits, Mr. Leahy, who occupies his 
painting rooms, has, we understand, been 
of late employed in completing. Mr. 
Owen was originally a pupil of Cat~- 
son’s, R.A.; and, like his more distin- 
guished colleague, Stothard, was originally. 
a coach-painter. His funeral, which took 
place on the 19th, was a private one; but 
was attended by the president of the R.A., 
and by his old friends, Messrs. Westma- 
cott, Phillips and Thompson. He_ has 
left a widow and an only son, the Rey. 
Wm. Owen, to deplore his loss. 
J.H. PARRY. 
Tut late Mr. John Humfreys Parry. was 
born in 1787, near Mold, in Flintshire. 
His father, who was Rector of Llanferns, 
sent him at a proper age to the grammar. 
school at Ruthin; and on his remeyal 
placed him in the office of his maternal 
uncle, Mr. Wynn, a Solicitor, at Mold, 
with a view to the profession of the law. 
He subsequently entered himself a student 
of the Middle Temple, and was called to 
the bar in 1811. Asa barrister, he chose 
the Chester circuit, and for some time 
‘practised with every prospect of success ; 
but becoming possessed of property, by 
the death of his father, and being -at- 
tached to the social pleasures.of the me- 
tropolis, his practice gradually dwindled, 
till, at length, he lost all connexion with 
the bar. Mr. Parry married a daughter 
of «Mr. Thomas, a respectable solicitor, of 
Llanfyllin, 
* We do not mean to insinuate, that the dissecting _ 
knife should be conspicuous in the strokes of the 
pencil, and the muscles and arteries be seen through 
the clothing, as is frequently the case in the 
figures of one of the great artists of the day, and in 
those of some of his imitators; but the drapery 
of the clothed figure, whether imitative or fanciful, 
cannot be properly laid by the artist whose imagina- 
tion is not completely possessed of the sii 
and naked proportions of the form. 
202 
