1826.] 



Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 



205 



and to provide for the erection of a mau- 

 soleum. 



BEBTIE GBEATHEED, ESQ. 



Jan. 16. — Bertie Greatheed, Esq. of 

 Guy's CliflF, in the county of Wanvick, was 

 the son of Samuel Greatheed, Esq. by Lady 

 Mary Bertie, daughter of Peregrine, second 

 Duke of Ancaster. In the earlier part of 

 his life, this gentleman was distinguished by 

 his taste in literature, and, at all periods, 

 literary society constituted one of the chief 

 sources of his enjoyment. At Florence, in 

 the year 1785, he was a member of a well- 

 known select colerie, consisting of Mr. 

 Parsons, Mrs. Piozzi, the Cavalier Pinda- 

 monte (since styled " the Italian Gray"), 

 Lady Millar, Mr. Merry, &c. a society 

 which, although subsequently exposed to 

 much mortification by falling under the lash 

 of Mr. Gilford's powerful and unsparing 

 satire, in his " Baviad and Mseviad," un- 

 doubtedly possessed genius, much elegance 

 of taste, and considerable poetical talent. 



In the year 1788, Mr. Greatheed pro- 

 duced a tragedy entitled " The Regent." 

 It was brought out at Drury Lane-theatre, 

 supported by the powers of John Kemble 

 and Mrs. Siddons ; but the circumstances 

 of the time were against its full success. 

 Its very title proved injurious : it appeared 

 during the illness of the late King, when 

 party politics ran high, and tlie public mind 

 was much agitated by discussions respecting 

 the Regency. The play, however, possessed 

 some very striking scenes : it was favour- 

 ably received ; and, if not of the highest 

 order, its merits were such as to have in- 

 sured it, under more favourable auspices, a 

 considerable nm. 



Here it may not be improper to mention, 

 that Mr. Greatheed's affection for the 

 drama was not extinguished by the lapse of 

 years : even up to a recent period, its un- 

 rivalled omament,Mrs. Siddons — who, it is 

 not a little remarkable, had been, at a very 

 early period of her life, an attendant upon 

 his mother — was a frequent and ever-wel- 

 come guest at his seat at Guy's Cliff. There, 

 indeed, the hospitable owner was endeared 

 to an extensive circle of friends by the 

 amiability of his manners, his love of lite- 

 rature and the arts, and the integrity of his 

 mind. 



Mr. Greatheed had one son who died 

 abroad : many circumstances concurred to 

 render the affliction of his father peculiarly 

 poignant upon this event. Mr. Greatheed, 

 jun. possessed the most distinguished 

 talents as a gentleman artist. Being at 

 Paris, during the brief domination of Buo- 

 naparte, he was much struck by the unri- 

 valled specimens of art which then enriched 

 and adorned the public institutions of that 

 capital, and he earnestly solicited permission 

 to take copies of some of the paintings. 

 This, under the erroneous supposition that 

 he was an English artist by profession, 



was at first refused ; but subsequently, on 

 the strongrepresentation tliat he was a man 

 of fortune and consequence in his own 

 country, travelling for his amusement, per- 

 mission was granted. On the completion 

 of Mr. Greatheed's labours, Napoleon paid 

 at once the highest compliment to their 

 success, and exliibited a specimen of that 

 capricious tyranny, which some of the wor- 

 shippers of his memory seem desirous of 

 forgetting that he ever exercised. He 

 ordered the copies to be brought before 

 him ; and, upon examination, he pro- 

 nounced their merit to be too great for tliem 

 to be suffered to go out of France. They 

 consequently remained in that country 

 during the lifetime of their author ; but, on 

 Mr. Greatheed, jun.'s decease. Napoleon, 

 with a returning portion of right feeling, 

 immediately forwarded these memorials of 

 a departed son's talents to his deeply 

 afflicted father. — Mr. Greatheed, jun. had 

 married in France ; and he left one daugh- 

 ter, since united (in March 1823) to the 

 Hon. Captain Percy, son of the Earl of 

 Beverley. 



Although die habits of Mr. Greatheed 

 became more retired from the period of 

 his domestic affliction, the kindness of his 

 disposition, and the benevolence of his 

 heart remained unimpaired. The occu- 

 pation and amusement of his latter years 

 were to improve his romantic and pictu- 

 resque residence — a spot which old Leland 

 described as " the abode of pleasure, a 

 place meet for the Muses," and Dugdale, — 

 as " a place of so great delight, that to one 

 who desireth a retired life, either for his 

 devotions or study, the like is hardly to be 

 found." Mr. Greatheed always evinced 

 the warmest interest for the prosperity of 

 the neighbouring Spa of Leamington, where 

 he possessed considerable property, and he 

 kindly permitted \-isitors to see the curio- 

 sities of Guy's Cliff — a spot immortalized 

 in tradition by the great Earl of Warwick, 

 and, on many accounts, an object of interest 

 and admiration. Amongst the monuments 

 of the younger Mr. Greatheed's genius to 

 be seen there, was a portrait of Buonaparte, 

 esteemed an admirable likeness ; and an 

 original composition, the subject from Spen- 

 ser's " Cave of Despair" : — 



•• Ere long they came where that same wicked wight 

 His dwelling has, low in a hollow cave. 

 Far underneath a craggy cliff ypight, 

 Darls, doleful, dreary, like a greedy grave. 

 On top whereof aye dwelt the ghastly owl. 

 Shrieking his baleful note, which ever drave 

 Far from that haunt all other cheerful fowl ; 

 And all about it wandering ghosts did wail and howL 

 And all about, old stocks and stubs of trees. 

 Whereon nor fruit nor leaf was ever seen. 

 Did hang upon the ragged, rocky knees • 

 On which had many wretches hanged been. 

 Whose carcases were scattered on the green, 

 And thrown about the cliffs." 



-' 

 * Knowet, a Scotticism. 



