1829.] 
Mr. Bonington visited Italy, where he 
studied closely and profitably, and brought 
home with him some beautiful results. One 
of these—the Ducal Palace, at Venice— 
was exhibited last spring in the gallery of 
the British Institution. Altogether, it 
possessed great merit: every object in the 
piece was remarkable for its distinctness ; but 
the almost total absence of air-tint, struck 
us as a defect. Perhaps, too, it was some- 
what deficient in imaginative power. Yet 
it was impossible to look upon the picture 
without being reminded of Canaletti. It 
is understood to have been Mr. Boning- 
ton’s intention to paint a series of pictures, 
Similar in style to the Ducal Palace. As 
far as we are aware, however, he completed 
only one—the Grand Canal, with the 
church La Virgine del Salute, Venice, 
which was exhibited last summer at the 
Royal Academy. In the same exhibition 
were two other pictures; one, Henry III. 
of France; the other, a coast scene. 
Though all different in character, they were 
all highly meritorious. 
Several of Mr. Bonington’s productions 
are in the possession of the Duke of Bed- 
ford, the Marquess of Lansdowne, the 
Countess De Grey, Mr. Carpenter, Mr. 
Vernon, &c. His latest picture, we believe, 
was painted in May last. It consists of two 
female figures, and one male, in a pictu- 
resque landscape. An engraving from it 
appears in “ The Anniversary,’’ one of the 
new annuals for the forthcoming year. 
The mind of this amiable man, and 
highly-gifted artist, is said to have been 
overpowered by the numerous commis- 
sions which poured in upon him, in conse- 
quence of his rising reputation. His nerves 
were shattered—rapid consumption ensued 
—and, in about four months, he was con- 
signed to an early grave. His latest exer- 
tion was to travel from Paris to London, 
for the purpose of consulting a Mr. St. 
John Long, an unprofessional man, who 
pretends to have discovered a new mode of 
treatment for the relief and cure of pulino- 
nic complaints. 
Mr. Bonington expired on Tuesday, the 
23d of September; and, on the Monday 
following, his remains were deposited in a 
vault, at St. James’s Chapel, Pentonville. 
Sir Thomas Lawrence, Mr. Howard, Mr. 
Robson, Mr. Pugin, and other artists, paid 
their last tribute of respect to his memory, 
by following him to the grave. The funeral 
was attended, also, by private friends of the 
deceased, to the number of about thirty. 
THE HON. SIR GEORGE GREY, BART. 
The family of Grey, or de Croy, has long 
been settled in the north of England, and 
manors have appertained to it, in the county 
of Northumberland, from the period of the 
Conquest to the present day. The head of 
this family was created Baron Grey, of 
Werke, by James II. Sir Charles Grey 
K. B., the father of Sir George, t whom 
Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 
101 
this notice is devoted, was, in 1801, created 
Baron Grey de Howick ; and, in 1806, he 
was further advanced to the dignities of 
Viscount Howick, and Earl Grey. George, 
the fourth son of his lordship, and brother 
to the present Earl Grey, was born on the 
10th of October, 1767. He was bred in 
the royal navy; was a lieutenant of the 
Resolution, in Rodney’s action, in the year 
1782; and, at the commencement of the 
war in France, in 1793, he served as a lieu- 
tenant on board the Quebec frigate. From 
the Quebec, he was promoted to the com- 
mand of the Vesuvius Bomb ; and, on the 
lst of November, in the same year (1793), 
he obtained post rank in the Boyne, bear- 
ing the flag of Admiral Sir John Jervis, 
with whom he served during the memorable 
West India campaign.. He commanded 
the Boyne, at the time when that ship was 
accidentally burnt at Spithead. 
At the siege of Guadaloupe, Captain 
Grey commanded a detachment of 500 
seamen and marines, landed to co-operate 
with the army. He subsequently com- 
manded the Glory, of 98 guns, forming part 
of the channel fleet. His next ship was the 
Victory, bearing the flag of Sir John Jervis, 
with whom he continued during the whole 
period that that officer held the command 
on the Mediterranean station. He conse- 
quently assisted at the defeat of the Spanish 
fleet, off Cape St. Vincent, on the 14th of 
February, 1797. ‘ 
In 1800, when Earl St. Vincent hoisted 
his flag in the Ville de Paris, as comman- 
der-in-chief of the Spanish fleet, Captain 
Grey assumed the command of that ship, 
which he held till the 12th of March, 1801. 
He was soon afterwards appointed to the 
Royal Charlotte yacht, in attendance on the 
royal family at Weymouth, in the room of 
Sir H. B. Neale. In that service he con- 
tinued till 1804, when he succeeded Sir 
Isaac Coffin, as commissioner of Sheerness 
dock-yard. From Sheerness, he was re- 
moved as commissioner to Portsmouth ; an 
appointment which he held until the time 
of his decease. 
In the month of June 1814, his present 
majesty, then on a visit to the fleet at Spit- 
head, in company with the allied sovereigns, 
presented Captain Grey with the patent of 
a Baronetcy; and, on the 20th of May, 
1820, he was graciously pleased to confer 
upon him the order of K.C.B. 
Sir George Grey married, in the year 
1795, Mary, sister of the late Samuel Whit- 
bread, Esq., M.P. for Bedford, by whom 
he had a numerous family. He died on the 
3d of October, at his residence in Ports- 
mouth dock-yard, after along and painful 
illness. In title and estates he is succeeded 
by his eldest son. 
Commissioner Charles Ross, C. B., suc- 
ceeds Sir C. Grey at Portsmouth dock-yard. 
THE EARL OF ERNE. 
John Creighton, Earl of Erne, Viscount 
