HOWE HUNT. 



527 



his delineations of animals. Every individual ani- 

 mal in his pieces, even though the group might be 

 numerous, was seized and represented in some atti- 

 tude or movement, characteristic of the race, or of 

 the breed for even breeds are distinguished from 

 one another by such peculiarities. In this lay his 

 great art and merit ; and hence the fidelity of his 

 paintings is always to be recognised at a glance ; 

 for, though few people, perhaps, could describe any 

 creature's characteristic attitudes, if asked to do 

 so, almost every one can distinguish the verisimili- 

 tude of such peculiarities, when set before him by 

 the pencil. However, having once succeeded in 

 giving character of this kind to his representations 

 of animals, he was too apt to rest contented there, 

 and to neglect or slur over the finishing. 



After the battle of Waterloo, Howe was in- 

 duced to visit the scene of action, and returning 

 home, he completed a large panoramic view of the 

 contest, in one month, although he had four thou- 

 sand feet of canvas to cover with men and horses. 

 The panorama was highly successful both in Edin- 

 burgh and Glasgow, drawing for a long period 

 thirty pounds a-night, half of which fell to the 

 painter's share. Howe resided about two years in 

 Glasgow at this period, in circumstances which 

 were always fatal to his best interests. He was 

 idle, had plenty of money, and was greatly deficient 

 of that useful element of character, usually termed 

 steadiness. The consequence was, that he became 

 a dupe to all who chose to prey upon his simpli- 

 city, and indulged in a continued round of dissipa- 

 tion. At the close of the term mentioned, he re- 

 turned to Edinburgh, sunk in spirits, injured in 

 constitution, and without a penny in his purse. 



Fortunately at this time he was invited by the 

 Hon. Mr Maule to Brechin castle, to paint some 

 pieces there. The invitation was accepted, hap- 

 pily for the artist, because the quiet of a country 

 residence partly restored the health that had been 

 dissipated. After a stay of four months, during 

 which time he adorned the walls of Brechin castle 

 with various proofs of his genius, Howe returned 

 to Edinburgh master of several hundred pounds, 

 which he lodged in one of the banks the first 

 money of his so placed. He now began to work 

 diligently, and to show something like a firm re- 

 solution to avoid his late errors ; but his better 

 genius did not long retain the ascendancy, and be- 

 fore the close of 1821, he was under the necessity 

 of removing his lodgings to Newhaven, in the 

 hope that the change of air might benefit his again 

 weakened frame, as well as that the seclusion of 

 the place might be productive otherwise of good. 

 He resided here with a respectable private family, 

 and was soon able to resume his professional avo- 

 cations. A number of large compositions, many 

 hundred sketches of an unique character, and 

 countless portraits of single animals, were pro- 

 duced by him during the next few years, being 

 executed partly at the request of employers, and 

 partly at the instigation of his own fancy. His 

 wonderful skill in depicting animals remained undi- 

 minished by time, though he grew always more and 

 more careless as to the proper completion of his 

 pieces. So universally admitted were his powers, 

 that the most celebrated artists of the day not un- 

 frequently made use of his talents in filling in cattle 

 into their best productions. During the years which 

 he spent at Newhaven, he entered on a task which, 

 if completed, would have proved a lasting benefit 

 to his country, as well as a durable memorial of 



his own genius. This was a work on British Do- 

 mestic Animals, of which Howe was the painter, 

 and Lizars the engraver. Several numbers were 

 published, containing pictures of cattle of various 

 kinds and breeds, besides horses, cows, sheep, &c. 

 Unfortunately, the work did not succeed, and was 

 accordingly abandoned. 'The latter years of Howe's 

 life were spent in Edinburgh. In 1834, he took 

 up his residence with an old pupil of his own, Mr 

 Robertson, with whom he remained till the period 

 immediately preceding his death, which event took 

 place on the llth July, 1836. 



HUME, DAVID, baron of the exchequer in 

 Scotland, and nephew of the illustrious historian, 

 was born in 1756, and died at his house, Moray 

 Place, Edinburgh, Aug. 30, 1838. He filled 

 various important situations with great ability, 

 having been successively sheriff of Berwickshire 

 and of West Lothian, professor of Scotch law in 

 the university of Edinburgh, and one of the barons 

 of exchequer, which latter office he held till the 

 abolition of the court in 1830. But his most im- 

 portant service, and that which will render his 

 name coeval with the criminal jurisprudence of his 

 country, is his great work on the Criminal Law of 

 Scotland, which has long been considered as the 

 text-book in that department of jurisprudence, and 

 is constantly referred to as authority both by the 

 bench and the bar. It was published in two vols. 

 quarto, under the title of " Commentaries on the 

 Law of Scotland, respecting the description and 

 punishment of Crimes." Baron Hume left in the 

 hands of the secretary of the royal society of Edin- 

 burgh, a valuable collection of MSS. and letters 

 belonging or relating to his celebrated uncle. 



HUNT, HENRY, late M. P. for Preston ; a well- 

 known popular orator among the early radicals, 

 was born at Widdington Farm, in the parish of 

 Uphaven, Wiltshire. For many years he regu- 

 larly attended Devizes Market, seldom, if ever, 

 missing a market day. After his father's death he 

 was elected chairman of the table in the principal 

 dining-room of the farmers at the Bear inn ; the 

 daughter of the landlord of which inn, Miss Hal- 

 comb, he married. Though fond of pleasure, no 

 man attended more strictly to his farming busi- 

 ness, and the farms of no man in the kingdom 

 were managed better, or were in higher condition. 

 He had also the best flock of Southdown sheep in 

 the county, the wool of which sold for the very 

 highest prices. In the year 1861, when the ap- 

 prehension of an invasion was so great that the 

 lord lieutenant of the county caused letters to be 

 written to the churchwardens, requiring from every 

 parish a return of all movable property, live and 

 dead stock, &c., in Mr Hunt's schedule were enu- 

 merated wheat, 1,600 sacks; barley, 1,500 quar- 

 ters; oats, 400 quarters; hay, 250 tons; cart 

 horses, 30, value from 30 to 70 guineas each ; 

 working oxen, 10; cows, 20; sheep, 4,200, &c. ; 

 altogether valued at upwards of 20,000. ; the 

 whole of which he voluntarily tendered to the 

 government, to be at their disposal in case of an 

 invasion. He also engaged to enter himself and 

 three servants, completely equipped, and mounted 

 upon valuable hunters, as volunteers, into the 

 regiment of horse that should make the first 

 charge upon the enemy. This liberal and patriotic 

 offer was talked of all over the country, and he 

 received the thanks of the lord lieutenant. The 

 years 1801 and 1802 may be said to have been the 

 zenith of the farmer's glory : wheat being at this 



