houses, and was for many years employed at works of this nature by John Morris of Clasement, esq. now sir John Morris, bart. He studied much the remains of Caerphilly Castle, which is in his native parish, and his principles were formed on those of its masonry. His manner of hewing and dressing his stones was exactly that of the old castle-masons, and he put them together with a closeness, neatness, and firmness, that is never seen but in those ancient edifices.

To the ample employment which his skill in architecture furnished, he added that of a farmer during the whole of his life, and on Sunday exercised the functions of a spiritual pastor among the independent dissenters. He was ordained in their communion in 1750, and officiated for forty years as minister of a congregation in his native parish. In his principles he was what is termed a moderate Calvinist. From his flock he regularly received his stipu lated salary, but as regularly distributed the whole among the poor, with a considerable addition, where necessary, from his private fortune. Thus highly respected by all sects and parties, for his extraordinary talents, piety, and probity, he died, much lamented, in 1789, and was buried In the church-yard of Eglwysilan. He left a numerous family, of which David, his second son, inherits his father's skill in bridge-building, and the others are men of talents and worth. 1

EECKHOUT (ANTONY VANDER), a celebrated painter, was born at Brussels in 1656, but it is not ascertained from what master he learned the art. He travelled to Italy with his brother-in-law Lewis Deyster, a very eminent artist, with whom he painted in conjunction, during the whole time of his continuance abroad, Deyster executing the figures, and Eeckhout the fruit and flowers, and with such perfect harmony and union, that the difference of their pencils was quite imperceptible. When he returned to Brussels, he received many marks of respect and distinction, and also an appointment to a very honourable sta→ tion; yet he soon forsook friends, honours, and a certainty of being enriched, and embarked for Italy, where he wished to spend the remainder of his days. But chance conducted him to Lisbon, where his pictures sold for an

1 From a very interesting account of this ingenious man, in Malkin's « Scenery of South Wales," 2d edit. 1807, vol. I. p. 132.

1

exceeding high price, as he painted all his subjects in the Italian taste, and, during his residence in Italy, he had taken pains to sketch so many elegant forms of fruits and flowers, that he had a sufficient number for all his future compositions. He had lived at Lisbon about two years, when he married a young lady of quality, and extremely rich, This splendid fortune probably raised him rivals, who were jealous of his prosperity. Being out one day in his coach, he was shot with a ball, of which he instantly died, in 1695; but the cause of this assassination, or who were the authors and perpetrators of it, was never dis→ covered.'

EECKHOUT (Gerbrant VandeR), another artist, eminent for the success with which he imitated Rembrandt, was born at Amsterdam, in 1621, and was a disciple of Rembrandt, whose manner of designing, colouring, and penciling, he imitated wonderfully. But although it is difficult to distinguish between several of his paintings, and those of his master, he is thought to have excelled him in the extremities of his figures. His principal employment was for portraits, and he surpassed all his contemporaries in the power he had of painting the mind in the countenance, His portrait of his own father had so much force, resemblance, and life, as to astonish even Rembrandt himself when he saw it. But, although Eeckhout painted portraits with great success, he was much more pleased to paint historical subjects, and not less happy in his execution, his composition being rich, and full of judgment; the distribution of his masses of light and shadow truly excellent; and in the opinion of some connoisseurs, he had more transparence in his colouring, and better expression than Rembrandt. His back-grounds are generally clearer than his, yet, if in this and other respects he attained to the perfections of Rembrandt, he also shared his defects; he was often incorrect in design, elegance, and grace, and was totally negligent of the costume. In the collection of the elector Palatine, a picture of this master is mentioned, as having a strong and admirable expression; the subject is "Christ among the Doctors;" another pic ture of this master, representing "Simeon with Christ in his arms," is a most excellent performance, and sir Robert

Descamps, vol. III.-Pilkington..

Strange had a third, the "Guard Room," which he praised very highly. This artist died July 22, 1674.1

EGEDE (HANS or JOHN), an enterprising Danish missionary, was a native of Denmark, born Jan. 31, 1686, and was for some time a preacher at Trundheim, in Norway. Having heard that long before his time some families of Norway had established themselves in Greenland, where the Christian religion was propagated by them, and even churches and convents built, he felt himself interested in the welfare of this colony, and curious to know its actual state; and although he was told that the ice rendered that country intolerable, that the people were savages, and that no traces were now to be found of the religion which they had been taught, he still persisted in his design of reviving an establishment there, and for some years made many unsuccessful attempts to procure the necessary means. At length Frederic IV. king of Denmark seemed disposed to second his efforts, and called together the body of merchants of Bergen, to know what assistance and what privileges they would grant to a company disposed to make the experiment of establishing a colony in Greenland. . But these merchants could not be made to comprehend the utility of the plan, and nothing was done by them as a body. Egede, however, was not wholly disheartened, but visited the merchants individually, and by dint of solicitation, obtained a subscription amounting to 10,000 crowns, to which he added 300, which was the whole of his own property. He then built vessels fit for the voyage, and provided all necessaries; the king appointed him missionary, with a salary of 300 crowns, and in May 1721, Egede set sail with his wife and children, full of ardent hopes. After many dangers, he landed on the Baals river, in West Greenland, and built a house. He now endeavoured to gain the confidence of the natives by kind approaches; he learned their language, and took every method to soften their manners, and enlighten their understandings. He also, as a very necessary step towards civilization, endeavoured to form a commercial establishment with them, and, some time after, the king sent other vessels and two more ecclesiastics to assist Egede in his undertaking. The colony then began to prosper; above 150 children were bap

3 Argenville, vol. IIL➡Descamps, vol. II.—Pilkington and Strutt.

tised and taught the principles of the Christian religion, and every thing wore a promising appearance, when, on the accession of Christian VI. to the throne, an order came to discontinue their proceedings. On this the greater part of the colonists returned home; but Egede persisted in remaining on the spot, and having persuaded about a dozen seamen to share his lot, he renewed his endeavours with success, and the following year a vessel arrived from the mother-country with provisions and men, and an order to persevere in the objects of the mission. Every suc-1 ceeding year a vessel arrived with similar assistance, and Egede received 2000 crowns by each, for the annual expences of the colony, in the promotion of which he continued to labour with great zeal, until old age and infirmities obliged him to desist, when his eldest son, Paul, was appointed his successor. After a residence of fifteen years, the good old man returned to Copenhagen, and employed the remainder of his days in teaching the Greenland language to young missionaries. He died in the

island of Falster, Nov. 5, 1758. A short time before this event, he published his "Description and Natural History of Greenland," of which there has been a French translation by Roches de Parthenay, printed at Geneva, 1763, 8vo, and the same year a German translation by Krunitz. There is also a German translation of "The Journal of his Mission," printed at Hamburgh, 1740, 4to. His son Paul, who died in 1789, wrote an "Account of his own Mission," which appeared in 1789, 8vo.1

EGERTON (THOMAS), lord Ellesmere, an eminent English statesman and lawyer, the son of sir Richard Egerton, of Ridley, in Cheshire, was born in Cheshire, about the year 1540. In 1556 he was admitted a commoner of Brasencse college, in Oxford, where he continued about three years; and having laid a good foundation of classical and logical learning, he removed thence to Lincoln's-inn, and applied himself with such success to the study of the law, that he soon became a noted counsellor *. The supe

1 Dict. Hist.

*There is a tradition that one of the first public occasions which created an opinion of lord chancellor Egerton's shrewdness and ability in his profession was shortly after he removed to Lincoln's-inn. He happened to be in court when a cause was trying, in

which it appeared, that three graziers had vested a joint deposit of a sum of money in the custody of a woman who lived in Smithfield, upon condition that she was to account for it upon their coming to demand it together. One of the graziers, by persuading her

rior abilities he displayed in the line of his profession, and his distinguished eminence at the bar, attracted the notice of queen Elizabeth, and on June 28, 1581, she appointed him her solicitor-general: the year after he was chosen Lent reader of the society of Lincoln's-inn, and was made also one of the governors of that society, in which office he continued for twelve years successively. His conduct and proficiency in the law, promoted him on June 2, 1594, to the office of attorney-general, and he was knighted soon after. On the 10th of April, 1593, he was appointed master of the rolls, when he shewed his great friendship to Mr. Francis Bacon, afterwards lord Verulam, by assisting him with his own observations in regard to the office of solicitor-general, then likely to become vacant by the advancement of Mr. Edward Coke to that of attorneygeneral, which was acknowledged by sir Robert Cecil as a favour done personally to himself. Upon the death of sir John Puckering, he had the great seal of England delivered to him at Greenwich on the 6th of May, 1596, with the title of lord keeper, by the special choice and favour of the queen, without any mediator or competitor, and even against the interest of the prime minister and his son; and at the same time he was sworn of her majesty's privycouncil. He was permitted to hold the mastership of the rolls till May 18, 1603, when James I. conferred it on Edward Bruce, afterwards baron of Kinloss.

The integrity and abilities of the lord keeper so conciliated the favour and confidence of the queen, that she

that he was commissioned to receive the money by his two partners, who were bargaining for some oxen, and only waiting for the money to conclude the purchase, prevailed upon her to entrust him with it; and he immediately absconded. The two other partners began a suit against the woman to recover their money. The cause was brought on, and a verdict would probably have been given in favour of the plaintiffs; when Mr. Egerton stepped forward, and begged leave to speak as "Amicus Curiæ," Upon obtaining permission, he took care to establish the conditions upon which the defendant was entrusted with the money. These being readily allowed to be such as above stated; "Then," aaid he, the defendant is ready to

comply with the agreement. The plain tiffs only may deservedly be charged with attempting its violation. Two of them have brought a suit against this woman to oblige her to pay them a sum of money, which, by the agreement, she was to pay to those two and to the remaining partner jointly, coming together to demand it-where is he? why does not he appear? why do not the plaintiffs bring their partner along with them? when they do this, and fulfil the agreement on their part, she is ready to come up to the full extent of it on hers; till then, I appre hend that she is by law to remain in quiet possession." This turned the cause, and a verdict was found for the de fendant.