462 
He finished his pupillage with him 
at Neuville, in Flanders; from 
whence he went to. the royal aca- 
demy at Paris, and practised under 
that excellent sculptor, the late 
M. Pigal; from thence he remoy- 
ed to Italy, and in Rome and Flo 
rence he continued many years, 
studying from the antique, and co- 
pying busts and statues for the no- 
bility and gentry who were then 
making the tour of Europe. He 
was at Rome in the jubilee year, 
1750, and gained a prize medal, 
given by Benedict the XI Vth, being 
said to be the first Englishman that 
had ever obtained one for sculpture. 
Ue returned home in the year 1755, 
after an absence of 16 years, in the 
company of those eminent artists in 
their different lines, the late sir 
Wm. Chambers, and Mr. Cipriani, 
with whom, and sir Joshua Rey- 
nolds, he continued on the most 
cordial terms of friendship during 
the remainder of their lives. In 
his private life, he was universally 
beloved, being of a placid temper, 
mild in his manners, benevolent, 
and hospitable; an indulgent and 
affectionate parent, and a kind 
master; all his habits were tempe- 
rate, which contributed very much 
to his longevity. 
In Pall-Mall, aged 73, after a 
long and lingering illness, Mr. James 
Christie, many years well known 
and justly celebrated as an aucti- 
oneer, and the successful disposer 
of property of every kind, whether 
by public sale or private contract. 
With an easy and gentleman-like 
flow of eloquence, he possessed, in 
a great degree, the power of per- 
suasion, and even tempered his pub- 
lic address by a gentle refinement of 
manners. His remains were inter- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
red, on the 14th, in St. James’s bue 
rial-ground. 
DECEMBER. 
Ist. The mansion-house of Nans- 
wydden, the seat of the rev. Mr, 
Hoblyn, in the parish of St. Co- 
lumb, accidentally caught fire this 
night, which was discovered by a 
man-servant, who was in bed, and 
felt himself incommoded by his room 
being full of smoke. ‘The alarm was 
instantly given, and the family with 
some difliculty escaped unhurt. It 
is supposed to have been occasioned 
by a candle, not properly extin- 
guished, having been carelessly put 
into a drawer where there happened 
to be somelinen. Nearly the whole 
of the furniture, books, and other 
property, were destroyed; and 
this elegant fabric, one of the most 
complete buildings in Cornwall, was 
in a few hours reduced to a heap of © 
rubbish. It was built by the late 
Robert Hoblyn, esq. M. P. for 
Bristol, was 18 years in building, 
and is said to have cost upwards of 
30,0001. ; the lead on its roof being 
estimated at more than 10001. A 
view of this house makes plate VIII. 
of Dr. Borlase’s Natural History of 
Cornwall, when it belonged to Mr. 
James Hoblyn. A splendid cata- 
logue of the library of printed 
books, collected by Robert Hoblyn, 
esq. was printed in two large 8vo. 
volumes, 1769. This library hav- 
ing been offered to sale all together 
by Mr. Quicke, who married Mr. 
Hoblyn’s widow, was sold by auc- 
tion, by Baker and Leigh, March 
2, and twenty-four following days, 
1778. A 
2d. This morning, about two 
o'clock, 
