ful discrimination, were supplied monthly by his indefatigable hand for nearly seventeen years; the last number, completing the twentieth volume, appearing in December, 1833. The progress of this publication may be adduced as an instance of exemplary regularity, which, in an undertaking depending wholly for its illustrations on a single individual, has few parallels.

In 1825 he finished his engraving of Rotterdam, from Calcott's fine picture belonging to the Earl of Essex, and shortly afterwards he issued a prospectus announcing a series of plates from the same eminent painter; of which two, Antwerp and Dover, were begun and considerably advanced. But his Rotterdam was destined to be the source of vexation and disappointment: the returns from its sale having been left for accumulation and security in the hands of agents who became insolvent, the hard earnings of his skill and industry were irretrievably lost. This event had an unfavourable influence on his plan, and he found himself compelled to suspend his operations on those plates, the rather that he was fairly embarked in the developement of a long-cherished and favourite idea, of which the British metropolis was the theme. His "London and its Vicinity" was now in progress, and at its outset there appeared sufficient reason to hope that industry and perseverance, guided by talents like his, might insure success. But he was again to drink of the cup of disappointment: the adaptation of steel plates to the purposes of book illustration effected such extensive changes in the arcana of publishing, that one pair of hands was not equal to the contest. By a work of this class the "London" of George Cooke was opposed: the usual machinery of puffs and advertisements were set in motion; and, vastly inferior in every other requisite attraction or claim to notice, his adversary's punctuality, and, above all, his cheapness, turned the balance. Although George Cooke was not without a latent expectation that the public would do tardy justice to the merits of his publication, he had resolved to suspend it at the twelfth number, leaving it open to be continued to twenty

numbers, as covenanted in the original prospectus, should circumstances hereafter justify his proceeding; but with the completion of the plates for the twelfth number his life attained its limit. The plates were augmented progressively, as the work advanced, to nearly double the size of those in the first number; while the most anxious care was exercised to include all that was striking, peculiar, and attractive; and the transcendent abilities of Callcott, Stanfield, and other artists of celebrity, lent their aid to adorn a work continued, till death intervened, without the usual incentives to exertion.

In the spring of 1833 was produced a separate work drawn from the teeming metropolis; the subjects "Old and New London Bridges," executed conjointly with his son Edward W. Cooke, who also made the drawings. In a suite of twelve plates, the aspect of the Old and New Bridges, the demolition of the one, and the gradual advancement of the other, are rendered with a masterly fidelity of drawing, light and shade, and execution, that stamp these admirable plates as the perfection of architectural engraving. Among his single plates, those in Nash's "Views in Paris," Colonel Batty's "Views of European Cities," Baron Taylor's "Spain," and more recently several in Starke's "Norfolk Rivers," and one of Southampton after Copley Fielding, for the "Gallery of Painters in Water Colours," must not be forgotten: neither can this notice of his works be closed without reference to the exquisite figures etched by him in certain plates by Henry Le Keux, in the Scotch work before cited.

This enumeration of his works, although incomplete, tells more forcibly than words could of his invincible application, and entire devotion to his profession. The hour had now arrived when those labours were to terminate, and to terminate with little previous warning. At the close of 1833, in speaking of his uninterrupted health, he observed that his sight was as strong as it had ever been, and that he knew the toothache and the headache only by name. In the month of January, 1834, he experienced two slight indispositions from colds; from those he apparently recovered, and on Wednesday the

13th of February he came to town from Barnes, where he resided, and visited the British Institution, the Exhibition of Bonington's works, and in the evening attended the Graphic Conversazione; and his friends were delighted to see him apparently in the full enjoyment of vigorous health, and the perfection of his faculties: in a fortnight he was no more, having sunk under a violent attack of brain fever, on the 27th of February, 1834, at the age of 53. He was interred at Barnes, on the the 6th of March, and was followed to the grave by a numerous train of friends anxious to pay the last sad tribute to departed worth.

Mr. Cooke was one of the founders of the Artists' Joint Stock Fund, a member of the Calcographic Society, and one of the nine engravers united for the purpose of engraving and publishing the pictures in the National Gallery; in furtherance of which design, he had selected for his first plate, and made some progress in etching from the picture, Rubens's admirable landscape, presented to the Gallery by the late Sir George Beaumont. In the practice of his profession he deemed himself peculiarly fortunate, inasmuch as it fell to his lot to produce some of the earliest plates engraved from the works of Turner, Callcott, and Stanfield, respectively; the first in the "Southern Coast," 1814, the second in the "Provincial Antiquities of Scotland," 1819, and the third in his own "London," in 1827. He strongly participated in the dislike entertained by nearly all the eminent engravers to the introduction of steel plates; and, as he conscientiously believed that the consequences would be disastrous to an art which he loved above all things beside, he, in common with the seniors of the profession, openly proclaimed his determination never to work on the hated metal. This is not the place to discuss either the policy of such a resolution, or the worldly wisdom of those who both made it and broke it; our attention is solely required to the conduct of the individual who, resisting firmly all temptations to the contrary, and they were many and powerful, strictly adhered to his word.

To this brief sketch of a life actively employed in the cul

ture and improvement of an honourable profession, a few words may be added, to mark the character and record the virtues of the man. A buoyancy of spirit was one of the most striking points in his character, accompanied by a well-regulated cheerfulness, a kindliness of manner, and a prepossessing address, that won the good-will of all who approached him. His virtues were those which place their owner among most estimable of human beings; industry, perseverance, temperance, and unsullied integrity: he may be said to have worn his heart on his lips, and it was a heart overflowing with good-will to all mankind. He has left a widow and six children to mourn his loss: five others had preceded him to the tomb.

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From "Arnold's Magazine of the Fine Arts."

195

No. XV.

SIR MICHAEL SEYMOUR,

OF HIGH MOUNT, COUNTY CORK, AND FRIARY PARK, DEVON, BART. AND K.C.B.; REAR-ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE; AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF ON THE SOUTH AMERICAN STATION.

THE intelligence of the death of this brave officer on the 9th of July, 1834, at Rio de Janeiro, occasioned the deepest regret among the naval circles; in which he had rendered himself deservedly popular by the urbanity and worth of his private character, as well as by the gallantry and decision of his, public conduct.

Sir Michael Seymour was born at Palace, county Limerick, Nov. 8. 1768, and was the second son of the late Rev. John Seymour, Rector of Abington, and Chancellor of Emly, in Ireland, by Griselda, youngest daughter and co-heiress of William Hobart, of High Mount, county Cork, Esq. His youngest brother, Richard, was First Lieutenant of the Amazon, and was killed in March, 1806, in the action between that frigate and La Belle Poule.

Having manifested a desire for a sea life, he embarked as a midshipman, at the age of twelve, on board the Merlin, a sloop of war on the Channel station, commanded by the Honourable James Luttrell. In 1781 this officer was removed into the Portland, of 50 guns, as the flag-ship of RearAdmiral Richard Edwards, on the Newfoundland station, and young Seymour was selected to accompany him. After the arrival of Vice-Admiral Campbell to assume the command, Captain Luttrell was appointed to the Mediator, of 44 guns, on the home employ.

On the 12th of December, 1782, this ship, being on a