641 



JOHNSTON, JAMES T. W. 



JOMELLI, NICOLO. 



642 



Botany ' and the ' Annals of Natural History,' attest the value of his 

 labours in this department of zoology. At the time of his death he 

 was occupied on a distinct work devoted to the description and 

 illustration of the British Annelidas. 



From time to time all the forms of Invertebrate life engaged hia 

 attention, and although much greater attention had been paid to the 

 Mollusca than to the other classes, his contributions to the natural 

 history of these animals constitute some of his most valuable labours. 

 His papers on the Mollusca were numerous. The result of his study 

 and observations on this class of animals was given in a large work 

 entitled 'An Introduction to Conchology, or Elements of the Natural 

 History of Molluscous Animals,' published in 1850. Dr. Johnston 

 did not confine his attention to the Invertebrate animals : he loved 

 the sea-side, and whatever the waves of the ocean brought to the 

 shore he studied with diligence. Thus many of his papers embrace 

 descriptions of fish Cetacea, and other inhabitants of the sea". Nor 

 did he limit himself to the study of the animal kingdom. In his 

 constant journeys in his laborious practice no plant of the district 

 escaped his attention, as is shown in his interesting work entitled 

 ' Botany of the Eastern Borders.' It was his observant eye that first 

 detected the new water-weed (Anacharit ahinastrum) in the lake at 

 Dunse Castle in 1838, and again in the waters of the Whiteader in 

 1841. Few men have lived with higher claims to the name of a 

 naturalist, and few have contributed more largely to the literature of 

 the natural history of Great Britain. He took great interest in the 

 spread of natural history literature, and was one of the founders of 

 the Ray Society for the publication of works on natural history, and 

 was one of the secretaries of the society till his death. He was a 

 man of the most genial and kindly disposition, and greatly beloved in 

 the circle of naturalists by whom he was surrounded, and whom he 

 often met in the Naturalists' field club he had established. He was 

 well read in the literature of natural history, and nothing delighted 

 him more than imparting his copious stores of information to others. 

 His correspondence was extensive, and many a living naturalist is 

 indebted to him for encouragement in the prosecution of his earliest 

 labours. In the latter part of his life he was not spared those trials 

 which come upon the learned as well as the unlearned, and these acting 

 upon a susceptible mind probably hastened the attack under which 

 he sunk. He was seized with paralysis, and died on the 3rd of July 

 1855. 



JOHNSTON, JAMES T. \V., late Professor of Chemistry in the 

 University of Durham. He was born at Paisley, about the year 1796. 

 His father subsequently removed to Manchester, and afterwards 

 returned again to Scotland, residing at Kilmarnock. During this 

 time the education of young Johnston depended chiefly on his own 

 efforts ; he was however so successful that he was enabled to obtain 

 his own livelihood by giving private instruction to pupils in the 

 University of Glasgow. In 1825 he removed to Durham, where he 

 opened a school. In 1830 he married the daughter of Thomas 

 Ridley, Esq., of Park-end. By this marriage hia circumstances were 

 so much improved that he gave up his school, and determined to put 

 in execution a plan he had long conceived of devoting himself to the 

 study of chemistry. He accordingly repaired to Sweden, and became 

 a pupil of the celebrated Berzelius. He made so much progress iu 

 liii chemical studies, and became so well known as a chemist, that on 

 the establishment of the University of Durham he was invited to 

 take the readership in chemistry and mineralogy. This took place iu 

 1833, whilst he was yet pursuing his studies on the Continent, and the 

 chair was not occupied till he returned to fill it. On his return, he 

 took up his residence at Edinburgh, and devoting himself to the 

 department of agricultural chemistry he became appointed chemist to 

 the Agricultural Society of Scotland. On the dissolution of this 

 society, he left Edinburgh, and resided permanently in Durham. He 

 now occupied himself principally with the production of works on 

 the relation of chemistry to agriculture. In this he was very success- 

 ful, and few writers have been more extensively read in this depart- 

 ment of literature. His 'Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry and 

 Geology ' are an able exposition of the application of tho principles of 

 chemical and geological science to the art of agriculture. He also 

 published a ' Catechism ' on the same subject, which at the time of 

 hia death, in 1855, had gone through thirty-three editions, and has 

 been translated into almost every European language. He had 

 travelled in America, and was well known as an agricultural chemist 

 iu the New World ; and his works there have as large a circulation as 

 in hia own country. Hia experience of America he gave to the world 

 in a work entitled ' Notes on North America,' in which he discusses 

 many of the important agricultural questions connected with the 

 resources of that great country. He was an eminently popular writer 

 and teacher, and all his writings exhibit an enthusiasm which 

 renders thrm attractive even to the unscientific reader. One of the 

 most popular and the last of his works was hia ' Chemistry of 

 Common Life,' which has had a vast circulation, and done much for 

 diffusing a knowledge of the principles of chemistry involved in the 

 ordinary occupations of human beings. In some parts of this work 

 he has unintentionally fallen into error ; and it is perhaps only right 

 to state here that the remarkable statement made in that work with 

 regard to arsenic-eating amongst the inhabitants of Styria and other 

 parts of Europe, has been recently shown to be without foundation. 



BIOO. DIV. VOL. m. 



This work originally appeared as a series of magazine articles. Pro- 

 fessor Johnston contributed to the ' Edinburgh Review ' and other 

 journals. He has also published many papers in the Transactions 

 and Proceedings of scientific societies. In the summer of 1853 he 

 was travelling on the Continent in his usual health, when he was 

 suddenly seized with spitting of blood, which terminated ia a rapid 

 decline, and he died at Durham on the 18th of September of that 

 year. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1837, and was 

 a member of other learned societies. 



JOINVILLE, JEAN, SIRE or LORD DE, born of a noble family 

 of Champague, was brought up in the court of Tbibaut, king of 

 Navarre and count of Champagne, then one of the most polished 

 courts in Europe. Joinville followed Louis IX. in his first crusade iu 

 1248, with a body of several hundred armed men, which he raised 

 among his tenants ; and he was present at the taking of Damiata, and 

 at tbe disastrous campaign of Jlassoura, in which Louis and most of 

 his army, with Joinville among the rest, were taken prisoners. Join- 

 ville narrowly escaped being killed by the Egyptians; but the ransom 

 being paid, he followed the king to Acre, and was present at the war 

 which was carried on in Palestine, until he returned to Frauce with 

 Louis in 1254. Being a great favourite with the king, and almost 

 constantly near his person during the six years of that crusade, hia 

 narrative of that period, written in a simple unpretending utyle, is 

 extremely interesting. It is entitled ' Histoire de St. Louis, IX. du 

 uom, Roi de France, par Jehau Sire de Joinville,' and has been often 

 republished. One of the best editions is that by Ducange, fol., 1668, 

 with useful notes and learned dissertations. It has been translated 

 into English by T. Jobnes, 2 vols. 4to, 1807. The character of Join- 

 ville, a favourable specimen of a feudal lord in that, the golden age of 

 chivali-y, valiant, gay, witty, generous, shrewd, and yet at times 

 careless through vivacity of temper, somewhat worldly and proud of 

 hia rank, but withal good-natured and sociable, forms a happy contrast 

 with the piety, austerity, and simplicity of Louis, who however 

 esteemed and loved Joinville for his sincerity and abilities, as much as 

 Joinville cherished Louis's honesty and goodness of heart, of which he 

 gave numerous and affecting proofs iu his narrative. Joinvillf, after hia 

 return to his native domain, did not forsake the king, but frequently 

 repaired to his court, and continued to enjoy Louis's confidence. When 

 Louis, in 1269, set out on hia second expedition, in which he died at 

 Tunis, he invited Joinville to join him, who however excused himself. 

 Joinville kept away from the corrupt court of Philip le Bel, but after- 

 wards he ia said to have joined the army which Louis X. collected at 

 Arras against the Flemish. He died not long after; but the precise 

 epoch of his death is not known. Joinville and his predecessor 

 Villehardouin are among the oldest of the French chroniclers who 

 wrote in the vernacular tongue. 



JOMELLI, NICOLO, one of the few celebrated composers of the 

 early part of the last century, whose works justify the encomiums 

 bestowed on them, was born in 1714, at A.versa, according to Mattel 

 at Avellino, says Burney both places being near Naples. He was 

 initiated in music by the Canon Muzzillo, and afterwards studied at 

 one of the Neapolitan conservatories, first under Feo, then as the pupil 

 of Leo, confessing himself chiefly indebted to the latter for having 

 inspired him with a true feeling for the art. Subsequently however, 

 when he turned his attention to sacred music, he derived considerable 

 improvement in the more elaborate branches of composition by his 

 intercourse with the learned Padre Martini. 



Jomelli produced his first opera at Naples, when only twenty-three 

 years of age; and so speedily acquired fame, that in 1740 he was 

 summoned to Rome, where he composed two operas, and was warmly 

 patronised by the Cardinal Duke of York. Next year he proceeded to 

 Bologna, and brought out his ' Ezio.' He then returned to the papal 

 capital, and produced one of his finest works, ' Didone.' This led to 

 his being invited to Venice, at that time the great theatre for the 

 display of musical excellence, whore hia 'Merope' for the Teatro Fenice, 

 and a ' Laudato' for the church of Santo Marco, well sustained hia 

 reputation. The failure of his ' Armida,' iu the following year, at 

 Rome, determined him to visit Germany, and at Vienna he formed an 

 acquaintance with Metastasio, which ripened into a friendship of the 

 closest kind, that death only terminated. To the enlightened conver- 

 sation arid judicious criticisms of the Imperial poet he always confessed 

 his obligations, and ascribed much of the success of his later produc- 

 tions. He set the ' Achille in Sciro,' and got up afresh the ' Didone,' 

 of his illustrious friend, both of which were received by the Germans 

 with enthusiasm. 



Metastasio, speaking of Jomelli, in several letters, says, " He is of a 

 spherical figure, pacific disposition, with an engaging countenance, 



most pleasing manners, and excellent morals He is the best 



composer for words of whom I have any knowledge. .... If ever 

 you should ses him, you will be attached to him; he ia certainly the 

 most amiable gourmand that ever existed." 



At Vienna Jomelii remained two years, where he devoted no incon- 

 siderable portion of hia time to the empress Maria Theresa, to whom 

 ho gave instructions in music. He was afterwards recalled to Rome, 

 and there produced several operas, also his famous oratorio 'La 

 Passione.' The Duke of Wiirtsmberg now prevailed on him to visit 

 Stutgardt, in which city he resided nearly twenty years, aud composed 

 an, incredible number of Italian operas, most of them however now 



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