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of Norwich; Honorary President of the Entomological Society of London, President of the Ipswich Museum, Fellow of the Royal, Linnean, Zoological, and Geological Societies, and an honorary member of several foreign societies.

This venerable and excellent man was a grandson of John Kirby, born in the year 1690, the author of The Suffolk Traveller, a work of no mean reputation in its day.* His father was William Kirby, gent. of Witnesham, Suffolk, attorney-at-law, and his mother, Lucy, daughter of Daniel Meadows, of the same parish, gent.

Mr. Kirby was educated at the grammar school in Ipswich, whence he removed, in his 17th year, to Caius college, Cambridge. Here he pursued his studies with diligence, and laid so good a foundation, that he subsequently earned the reputation of being a sound and accurate scholar. In the year 1781 he took the degree of B.A.; and he proceeded M.A. in 1816. In 1782 he was admitted into holy orders, having been nominated by the Rev. Nicholas Bacon to the joint curacies of Barham and Coddenham. By his exemplary conduct in the discharge of his parochial duties, he so gained the esteem of Mr. Bacon, that he left him, by his will, the next presentation to the rectory of Barham, to which he was inducted in the year 1796; so that for sixty-eight years he exercised his ministry in the same charge, residing also in the same parsonage house. Always of an observant turn of mind, (having at an early period evinced a great fondness for natural science,) he had not been long resident at Barham before his attention was called to the habits of various insects which he met with in his daily walks. He was encouraged by some friend to pursue this study, as one opening before him a wide and extensive field of research; and from this time the study of the insect world be

* Joshua Kirby, the eldest son of John, was the author of Dr. Brook Taylor's Perspective made Easy; he was an intimate acquaintance of Gainsborough, and frequently his adviser; and such was Gainsborough's regard for his friend, that he made a special request in his will that he might be buried by his side-a desire which was carried into effect. This Joshua Kirby afterwards became a great favourite with his Majesty George III. and received, through his patronage, the office of comptroller of the works at Kew. The celebrated Mrs. Trimmer was his daughter, and consequently first cousin to the subject of this memoir. Many particulars of the family are collected in Nichols's Works of William Hogarth, 4to. vol. i. pp. 338-341.

came his constant source of recreation and amusement.

In the year 1801 he published his work entitled Monographia Apum Angliæ, in two vols. 8vo. in which, from materials almost wholly collected by himself, and the plates of which were mostly etched by his own hand (having taken lessons in the art for this express purpose), he described upwards of 200 of the wild bees of this country, with a largeness and correctness of view as to their family (or as they are now considered, generic divisions,) that excited the warmest admiration of British and foreign entomologists. About this time, or rather earlier, he formed an acquaintance, which afterwards ripened into a firm and unbroken friendship, with William Spence, esq. the well-known and highly-esteemed naturalist. It is probable they had both met with hindrances in the prosecution of their favourite study, from the paucity of books in the English language devoted to entomology, especially to the elementary part of the science; Curtis's translation of Fundamenta Entomologiæ, Yeate's Institutions of Entomology, and Barbut's Genera Insectorum, being the only works professedly devoted to this object; "the two former too unattractive, the latter too expensive, for the general reader." That this obstacle to the study of Entomology might no longer exist, Mr. Kirby and Mr. Spence determined to unite their efforts, and present the English nation with a work which should be at once a compendious and an accessible Introduction to the study. happily was the design conceived and executed, that, whilst numerous scientific works have been superseded since the date of its publication, this still enjoys a reputation and celebrity steadily increasing, and has been translated into several foreign languages. Although Entomology was Mr. Kirby's favourite pursuit, he did not confine his attention to this alone, but was conversant with other subjects connected with Natural History, and from time to time contributed many valuable papers to the Transactions of the Linnean Society.

So

The energies of his powerful mind were with equal diligence directed to the study of Theology. In the year 1829, he published a volume of Sermons, partly (to use his own language) to show that while he devoted so much of his time to the study of God's works, he had not been negligent of his word. Mr. Kirby was shortly after selected by Mr. Davies Gilbert (the President of the Royal Society) to write one of the Bridgewater Treatises. His subjeet was "the history, habits, and instincts of animals," and was published in the year 1835. The manner in which he executed

this task, although in his 76th year, was alike creditable to his scientific acquirements and his piety; his earnest desire was to see God in all things here, his fervent hope was "to see all things in God hereafter."

Mr. Kirby was also the author of the description (occupying a quarto volume) of the insects of the "Fauna BorealiAmericana" of Sir John Richardson.

In 1841 Bishop Stanley nominated him an honorary canon of Norwich Cathedral.

Mr. Kirby was twice married: 1. to Sarah, daughter of Daniel Ripper of Debenham, gent. who died 13 Dec. 1814, aged 53; and 2. to Charlotte, daughter of Josiah Rodwell, of Livermere, gent. to whom he was married 27 June, 1816, and who died 6th June, 1844. By neither of his wives had he any issue.

In contemplating the character of this man of piety, Christians may rejoice and thank God for his example; science, too, may rejoice, and point in triumph to his name, standing forth, as it does, to the world, as that of a true philosopher, who was permitted for a long series of years to afford an example of a man whose faith was not only undisturbed and unshaken by investigation of the intricate mechanism of the wonders of nature, but whose humility was deepened as his knowledge increased; whose admiration and praise were heightened by contemplating the wonders he discovered; whose gratitude and hope were enlarged at the signs of goodness and of mercy which he traced.

Of the many virtues which adorned his private life we forbear to speak; at the same time there is one which stands so prominently forth, and which has been so severely tested in his intercourse with the world, that we must not omit to notice it. We allude to that real and genuine humility which even the most casual observer could not fail to mark. A correspondent of the highest literary characters, welcomed wherever he turned by the great and learned, receiving the most flattering testimonials and votes of thanks from individuals, from chartered bodies, and from foreign societies-not one of these circumstances could awaken pride, but the contrary, gratitude. The only view in which he regarded these things was, that, having undertaken a task, he had done his utmost; the kindness and liberality of others supplied the praise. The true secret of his passing through a long life, extending to nearly 92 years, with so much esteem and regard, and of his passing to another world with so much love and affection clinging to his memory, was, that he endeavoured to live by the precepts of the Gospel, and to adorn the doctrine of God

his Saviour in all things. He was interred on Thursday, the 11th of July, in the chancel of Barham Church. The funeral, in compliance with his expressed wish, was as private as possible, but a great number of friends, nearly the whole of his own, and many of the adjoining parishes, attended to pay the last tribute of respect to deserving worth.

[In this memoir we have been largely indebted to the Literary Gazette, and partially to the Gardener's Chronicle.]

MISS JANE Porter.

May 24. At the house of her brother, Dr. W. O. Porter, in Portland-square, Bristol, aged 74, Miss Jane Porter, the authoress of "Thaddeus of Warsaw," "The Scottish Chiefs," &c.

This amiable and accomplished lady was born at Durham in 1776, as appears from the baptismal register of the church of St. Mary in the North Bailey. Her father, whom she had the misfortune to lose in early childhood, was surgeon to the 6th or Enniskillen Dragoons. He had married (whilst his regiment was quartered at Durham) Jane, youngest daughter of Peter Blenkinsopp of that city, who is described on his tombstone as having been for sixtyfive years a member of the cathedral, whence it has been inferred that he was one of the gentlemen of the choir. Mrs. Blenkinsopp was the daughter of Cuthbert Adamson of Durham, by his wife Jane, relict of Thomas Rowland of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and daughter of Henry Eden, of Shincliffe, near the former place, Doctor of Physic, a collateral branch of that eminent family from which have sprung the Edens of West Auckland, and the Edens of Truir, both enrolled in the Baronetage, as well as those other branches which have been raised to still higher rank-the noble houses of Auckland and Henley.

Miss Porter received her early education at a day-school taught by a master of considerable note in his day, Mr. George Fulton, of Niddry's Wynd, Edinburgh, where Mrs. Porter, with her three youngest children, spent the first years of her widowhood. Of these children, Jane was the eldest; the others were the celebrated traveller and artist, Sir Robert Ker Porter, and Anna Maria Porter, the authoress of several standard novels.* At Mr. Fulton's school they very soon gave indications of that mental superiority which enabled

*Very copious memoirs of Miss Anna Maria Porter were published on her death in 1832, in our Magazines for August and December of that year; and a memoir of Sir Robert Ker Porter was given in our Magazine for July, 1842.

them in after years to earn for themselves so fair a portion of literary renown. After some years, Mrs. Porter removed to London; but subsequently retired with her daughters to Ditton-on-the-Thames, opposite Hampton Court, where they continued to reside, until a change of situation was recommended to them, when they quitted it for the higher ground of Esher, in the same neighbourhood.*

It was during their residence in London, that Miss Porter published, in 1803, her first and perhaps most popular tale, "Thaddeus of Warsaw," wherein she set an example of blending truth with fiction, in the shape of an historical romance ; and probably suggested to the author of Waverley, and those who have followed him, that style of novel, in which they have been so pre-eminently successful.

"Thaddeus of Warsaw" was soon translated into several of the continental languages, and the writer received many compliments. She was elected a lady chanoiness of the Teutonic Order of St. Joachim; and a relation of Kosciusko sent her a gold ring, containing his portrait. General Gardiner, who was British Ambassador at the Court of Stanislaus, was with difficulty persuaded to believe that any other than an eye-witness could have described the scenes and occurrences in the earlier chapters.

Miss Porter was an ardent admirer of the hero of Zutphen, Sir Philip Sidney, whose Aphorisms, with reflections upon them, she published in 2 vols. 12mo. The preface to this work, which is dated from Ditton, 1807, informs us that the authoress had at that time the intention (afterwards we suppose abandoned) of writing his life, and editing the Arcadia, with his other poems.

In 1809 appeared the "Scottish Chiefs," which was no less successful than its predecessor, "Thaddeus of Warsaw." In this tale Miss Porter has embodied her idea of the characters of Wallace and Bruce derived from the songs and legends which had made so indelible an impression upon her in earliest childhood. With regard to this romance, it is known that Sir Walter Scott admitted to George IV. one day in the library at Carlton Palace, that the "Scottish Chiefs was the parent in his mind of the Waverley Novels. In a letter written to her friend Mr. Litchfield, about three months ago, Miss Porter, speaking of these novels, said:-"I own I feel my

* Mrs. Porter was buried in the churchyard at Esher; and on her tomb the passer-by may read this inscription, "Here ljes Jane Porter, a Christian widow."

self a kind of sybil in these things; it being full fifty years ago since my ' Scottish Chiefs,' and Thaddeus of Warsaw,' came into the then untrodden field. And what a splendid race of the like chroniclers of generous deeds have followed, brightening the track as they have advanced! The author of Waverley' and all his soulstirring 'Tales of my Landlord,' &c. Then comes Mr. James, with his historical romances on British and Foreign subjects, so admirably uniting the exquisite fiction with the fact, that the whole seems equally verity. But my feeble hand" (Miss Porter was ailing when she wrote the letter)" will not obey my wish to add more to this host of worthies. I can only find power to say with my trembling pen that I cannot but esteem them as a respected link with my past days of lively interest in all that might promote the virtue and true honour of my contemporaries from youth to age.' These eloquent words become the more touching, when we consider that within three months after they were written, this admirable lady quitted this life in the honoured maturity of her fame.

Two other tales were written by Miss Porter during her residence at Dittonthe "Pastor's Fireside," and "Duke Christian of Luneburgh." The "Pastor's Fireside," notwithstanding its pacific title, is a chivalrous tale founded on facts, in the lives of two very extraordinary men, the Baron Ripperda, of Holland and Spain, and the Duke of Wharton of our own country. The subject of the next tale, " Duke Christian of Luneburgh," was suggested by his Majesty King George IV. who was pleased to furnish from the royal archives several materials for completing the sketch of that illustrious member of the house of Brunswick.

After their removal to Esher, the Misses Porter joined in publishing "Tales round a Winter's Hearth." The eldest sister's share was "Houtercombe, or Berenice's Pilgrimage," which she confesses to have been of all her tales the most interesting to herself, because it took her to Mount Olivet and Jerusalem. Then followed the "Field of Forty Footsteps," a tale of Cromwell's days, founded on a tradition connected with the ground near the London University.

Miss Porter was also an indefatigable contributor to the periodicals of the day. Her biographical sketch of Colonel Denham, the African traveller, in the Naval and Military Journal, was much admired as one of the most affecting tributes ever paid to departed merit. To the Gentleman's Magazine she was also an occasional contributor. A life of her old friend, the Rev. Percival Stockdale, by Miss Porter,

appeared in the number for October, 1811, pp. 384-390; and a letter recommending the National Society, signed "An Englishwoman," in the same volume, p. 501.

After having retired from the field for many years, Miss Porter returned into print, after a long pause, as the editress of Sir Edward Seaward's Diary." This work seemed real enough to be thought worthy an elaborate disproval and destruction of its authenticity in a leading review. At the merciless rummaging of Admiralty records and Indian maps, made by her critic, Miss Porter was more flattered than annoyed. When pressed to the real origin of" Sir Edward Seaward," she would quietly say, "Sir Walter Scott had his great secret; I must be allowed to keep my little one."

In 1831 Miss Porter lost her venerable mother, and within a twelvemonth received an additional shock by the death of her sister, to whom she was tenderly attached. Then, as she says herself, "she became a wanderer," paying lengthened visits to numerous old and attached friends, whose kind sympathy and friendly attention she gratefully acknowledges in a "Retrospective Preface" to the illustrated edition of "The Scottish Chiefs."

In 1842 she accompanied her favourite brother, Sir R. K. Porter, to St. Petersburgh, whither, on his release from his diplomatic duties in South America, he went on a visit to his daughter, and where, on the eve of his return to England, he was suddenly carried off by an apoplectic seizure. This must have been, under the circumstances, a source of the most poignant grief to her. It is understood that she has been for some time engaged in writing that brother's memoirs, which we trust will ere long be published.

Latterly, we believe, Miss Porter has resided with her elder brother at Bristol. She is said to have maintained to the last moment, not only her intellectual faculties unimpaired, but that cheerfulness of disposition for which she had been so much admired during her long life.

We conclude this memoir with the following personal comment on the deceased, which we find in the Athenæum :-

"In society, Miss Jane Porter was amiable rather than brilliant. There was a touch of old-world and sentimental eloquence in her manner, which we shall hardly see reproduced. She conversed like an accomplished woman who had kept much worshipful company' in her timewithout, however, the slightest parade or pretension. On the contrary, her cordiality to, and admiration of, the authors of a younger generation can never be for

gotten by those who have either witnessed or enjoyed it. She was actively kind in deed, as well as indulgent in word."

The library, pictures, and miscellaneous effects of Miss Jane Porter, with many belonging to her brother, were sold by Messrs. Christie and Manson on the 24th and 25th of July.

CLERGY DECEASED.

June 21. At the manse, Road-hill, aged 57, the Rev. George Randall Orchard, Perpetual Curate of North Bradley, Wiltshire (1826).

June 22. The Rev. Rushworth Batley, third son of Wm. Batley, esq. of Denmark Hill, Surrey, and formerly of Blackheath. He was of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, B.A. 1849.

At Foulmire, Cambridgeshire, aged 64, the Rev. William Metcalfe, Rector of that parish, and a magistrate for that county. He was of Sidney Sussex college, Camb. LL.B. 1812; and was presented to his living by the Earl of Hardwicke in 1814.

June 23. At Brantwood, near Coniston, the residence of Joshua Hudson, esq. aged 59, the Rev. John Heslop, Rector of Langton, Yorkshire (1846).

June 24. At Moffat, the Rev. George Gray, D.D. Professor of Oriental Languages (1839) in the university of Glasgow.

At Benson, Oxfordshire, aged 54, the Rev. William Oram.

June 27. At Holmesfield, Derbyshire, aged 89, the Rev. William Pashley, Perpetual Curate of that place (1795).

June 28. At King's College Hospital, London, aged 52, the Rev. William Guscott, Curate of Bagthorpe, and Chaplain to the Union, Docking, Norfolk. He committed suicide in King's College Hospital while labouring under excitement caused by the terror of the repetition of a serious operation, which from the nature of his disease, he was about to undergo. The jury returned a verdict of" Temporary insanity."

June 29. At Sharnford, Leicestershire, aged 89, the Rev. Joseph Colman, Rector of Sharnford, and formerly Chaplain to the late Admiral Duncan, in Her Majesty's ship Director. He was of Pembroke college, Cambridge, B.A. 1793, and was presented to his living by the Lord Chancellor in 1799.

Lately. At Aberdeen, the Rev. Walter Carrick, M.A. Minister of St. Clement's in that city.

July 1. At Cambridge, aged 75, the Rev. James Barker, formerly Rector of Westley in that county.

At Pattishall, Northamptonshire, aged

37, the Rev. Henry Holloway, B.C.L. Fellow of New college, Oxford, and Curate of Pattishall for the last four years. He was the fifth son of the late B. Holloway, esq. of Lee Place, Oxfordshire.

In South Audley-street, aged 64, the Rev. Thomas Owen, Rector of Hodgeston, Pembrokeshire; to which he was presented in 1829 by Sir John Owen, Bart.

July 2. At Bath, aged 70, the Rev. Henry Frederick Bythesea, Rector of Nettleton, Wilts (1813). He was the second son of Henry Bythesea, esq. by his second wife Fanny, daughter of Thomas Whittaker, esq. of North Bradley, Wilts. He married Eliza, daughter of General Meredith, and has left issue one son, who married Anne, youngest daughter of Miles Adams, esq. of King's Capel, co. Hereford, and has issue.

DEATHS.

LONDON AND ITS VICINITY.

May 18. At Hyde-park-square, EllenMary, only child of the Rev. Joseph Thackeray, Rector of Horstead and Coltishill, Norfolk.

May 20. Aged 47, George Ireland Mills, esq. formerly Deputy-coroner for the county of Middlesex.

May 21. At the house of her grandnephew, Dr. Basham, Chester-st. Grosvenor-pl. aged 84, Mrs. Charlotte Revell.

Aged 71, John Deacon, esq. of Doctors' Commons, Marshal of the Admiralty.

May 22. At Vauxhall, aged 73, William Wye, esq. formerly of Oporto.

In Lowndes-sq. Annie-Hammond, wife of the Hon. George A. Browne, brother to Lord Kilmaine. She was the daughter of Sir Charles Morgan, Knt. and was married, first, to St.-John Blacker, esq. and secondly, in 1845, to the Hon. George Aug. Browne.

May 23. At the residence of his son, Dalston, aged 68, John Tunstall, esq. formerly of Hutton House, Essex, and late of Plymouth.

May 24. In Manchester-st. aged 68, Mary, widow of Mr. Molteno, of Pall Mall.

June 5. At the residence of her son, Thomas William King, esq. York Herald, Camden Town, aged 68, Mrs. King, relict of Mr. Thomas King, of Great Yarmouth.

June 9. In Connaught-pl. West, aged 17, Emily-Harriett, second dau. of Edward Wigram, esq.

June 10. At Canonbury-park, aged 25, John Pirie Charles, esq.

June 11. At North Bank, Regent'spark, aged 69, Elizabeth, wife of Lt.-Col. James Conway.

In Southwick-pl. Elizabeth, wife of Edward Bury, esq. of the Middle Temple, and dau. of Alexander Henry, esq. M.P.

June 12. At Woodbine Villa, St. John's Wood, William de Montmorency, esq. of Upperwood, Kilkenny, eldest son of the late Sir William de Montmorency.

In the Kingsland-road, aged 86, George Breffit, esq.

At Park House, Gloucester-gate, aged 67, William Ball, esq. formerly of New Bond-st.

June 13. In Mansfield-st. aged 87, the Right Hon. Alice-Mary Countess dowager of Limerick, and grandmother of the present Earl. She was the only dau. and heir of Henry Ormsby, esq. of Cloghan, co. Mayo; was married in 1783, and left a widow in 1844, having had issue a very numerous family.

In Oxford-sq. Hyde Park, aged 72, Robert Borrowes, esq. of Gilltown, co. Kildare, youngest son of the late Sir Kildare Borrowes, Bart. M.P. for co. Kildare.

June 14. In Mornington-place, George Webbe Parson, esq. of Parson's Estate, in the Island of St. Christopher.

June 16. Aged 62, Richard Kennard, esq. M.D. of West Malling.

Aged 65, Samuel Parlour, esq. of Holloway, late of Addiscombe.

In Hawley-road, Camden Town, aged 64, Anne, wife of Charles Royer, esq. retired Commander R.N.

Aged 46, John Alexander Galloway, esq. C.E. eldest son of the late Alexander Galloway, esq.

Aged 58, Phoebe, wife of James Powell, esq. of the Limes, Upper Clapton, and of Lime-st. City.

In Norland-sq. Notting-hill, aged 75, Samuel Thurtle, esq. late of the Admiralty.

June 17. John Blackburne, esq. late of the Madras Civil Service; to which he was appointed in 1814.

In Great Porland-st. aged 81, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Gibson.

June 18. Sarah, wife of Richard Jones, esq. of Chapel st. Belgrave-sq.

June 19. In Upper Gloucester-place, Crisp Molineux Montgomerie, esq. of Garboldisham, Norfolk, and Dover, Kent.

June 20. Aged 63, John Fisher, esq. of Dover.

At Blackheath, aged 75, Charlotte Elizabeth, relict of Charles Berkeley, esq. late of Biggin, near Oundle.

June 21. Mary, widow of Capt. John Theophilus Keays, 47th Regt.

In New Bond-st. aged 24, Mr. Michael Feetham.

In Brompton-crescent, at the residence of her son-in-law, A. Crawcour, esq. aged

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