FRANCIS DOUCE, Esq. F.A.S.

AND A MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF NORMANDY; AND OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ETC. AT CAEN.

THE subject of this memoir was long distinguished for his great erudition in English antiquities, for his intimate acquaintance with the archæology of literature and the arts, for his extensive and valuable collections, and for the liberality and urbanity with which he ever communicated from his stores of knowledge to other enquirers in the same pursuits. By his interesting" Illustrations of Shakspeare and his Times" his name was yet more widely honoured, for it is one of the few antiquarian works which have been at once recondite and popular.

Mr. Douce was descended from a respectable family in Hampshire. Sir Francis Douce was sheriff of that county in the fourth year of the reign of Charles II. One of Mr. Douce's ancestors, Dr. Douce, was an eccentric but highly popular physician, who made a very large fortune by his practice. There are one or two engraved portraits of him. He was a very vain man, very athletic, and addicted to cockfighting and riding the great horse. He was in habits of intimacy with Major Foubert, riding-master to George II. A very curious tomb, in imitation of the mausoleum of Quintus Metellus, was erected by him in a churchyard in Hampshire.

Mr.

Mr. Douce's father was in the Six Clerks' Office. Douce was not accustomed to speak of him with affection: he used to say, "My grandfather was a domestic despot, and

tyrannised over my father, who thought proper to retaliate upon me." Of his kind and excellent mother he always spoke with emotion, and said he owed every thing to her fond and indulgent care. His taste for books and for antiquities, and his passion for music, were manifested at a very early age: his mother encouraged him in his studies, but his father repressed him; and when he was indulging his fondness for music would cry out, "Don't let the boy spoil the piano."

Mr. Douce was first placed at a school at Richmond, with a master of the name of Lawton, who wrote an indifferent book about Egypt. Lawton was succeeded in his school by Gibbons, a canon of St. Paul's Cathedral. At this school he became proficient in Latin, and had made some progress in Greek, when he was suddenly removed, much against his inclination, and was placed at a French academy, kept by a pompous and ignorant life-guardsman, with a view to his learning merchants' accounts, which were his aversion; and he made no other acquirement there than a little French; the second master, a Scotchman, knowing less Latin than himself, and no Greek. At this school he actually taught the usher, whom he afterwards met in life as a doctor of divinity, Latin!

Mr. Douce held for some time a situation under his father in the Six Clerks' Office; but, not being able to reconcile himself to the routine of the office, he left it in disgust. He had some time before quitted his paternal roof, and had taken chambers in Gray's Inn, where he resided until his marriage in 1799. This event did not increase his happiness, though on his part it was a match of affection: some peculiarities of disposition in the partner of his choice occasionally embittered his life; and there were circumstances connected with his union which had a baneful influence upon his peace even to the close of his life.

Upon his marriage he purchased a house in Gower Street; and, though his means were slender, he was enabled, by economy, to live in a genteel style, and to indulge his love for books, prints, and coins. Mr. Douce was for some time one

of the curators of the British Museum, as keeper of the manuscripts; but his independent spirit could not brook the interference of one of the trustees, who was but ill calculated to judge of his peculiar fitness for the office he had undertaken, and he resigned his situation. The progress of the war, and the consequent increase of taxation, pressed heavily upon all men of limited income; and Mr. Douce in a fit of irritation disposed of his house in Gower Street, a measure which he long repented, for it was some time before he was again settled in a suitable habitation; and removal with his accumulated treasures was a bitter infliction. He at length found a house in Charlotte Street, Portland Place, which suited him; and here he resided for some years, until the alterations in the neighbourhood made his position one of less quiet than it had hitherto been, and he then removed to Kensington Square, and ultimately to Gower Street again.

His father died in 1799, and he had the grief to lose his dear and affectionate mother at the close of the same year. One of Mr. Douce's earliest literary friends was Mr. John Baynes, who died at the premature age of 30, in 1787, whom he always mentioned with deep regret; and among others of this class, with whom he kept up a friendly intercourse, were the Rev. Mr. Southgate, one of the librarians of the British Museum; Dr. Farmer, Mr. Cracherode, Mr. Strutt, whom he greatly assisted in his curious publications, Sir John Hawkins, the Rev. Richard Hole, Mr. Charles and Mr. John Towneley, Mr. Lumisden, Mr. Barry the painter, Mr. Craven Ord, and Mr. Brand. To the last-named he was exceedingly attached, and their studies being in the same direction cemented this union. With that truly amiable and excellent man, Mr. Bindley, Mr. Douce lived in habits of intimate friendship; and used to pass one evening in the week with him for many years. He was also in correspondence with most of the distinguished literary men of his time, among whom he always mentioned with pleasing recollections Dr. Beddoes, Dr. Willan, and Mr. Cooper Walker, of St. Valeri. With George Steevens he was for some years inti

mate, but that eccentric genius ceased to visit him soon after his marriage, for it was one of his peculiarities to cut all his acquaintance when they became Benedicts. Upon his first meeting with Mr. Douce," the puck of commentators" led the conversation to the subject of Shakspeare, and told Mr. Douce that he was projecting a new edition, saying, "I doubt not you have some observations you can give me, for I lay every one under contribution." Mr. Douce acknowledged that he had made some remarks on his favourite author, but modestly added they were not worth Mr. Steevens's notice. At length, however, he consented to communicate them, and Steevens called on him the next morning, and received them from him. From this period for three or four years he paid Mr. Douce a visit every morning, at his chambers, at nine o'clock, staying till ten. Mr. Douce was used to speak of his intercourse with Steevens with great pleasure; he was delighted with his gentlemanly manners, his wit, and command of language, which gave great zest to his conversation. With another commentator on Shakspeare, the eccentric and unfortunate Ritson, Mr. Douce was also upon intimate terms, and was one of the very few persons visited by him.

Mr. Douce to the last lived in habits of friendly intercourse with Mr. Malone, Mr. Park, Mr. Weston, Mr. George Ellis, Mr. D'Israeli, Mr. Sidney Hawkins, Mr. Wilbraham, Dr. Dibdin, Mr. Hamper, Mr. Dagley, and many other distinguished persons of literary habits. His collections, and his richly-stored mind, were opened to all who cultivated the study of antiquities, with a liberality never exceeded, and rarely equalled, and no one ever applied to him for assistance in vain. With the distinguished Orientalists, Sir George Staunton and Sir William Ouseley, Mr. Douce was in constant habits of intercourse; and with a host of younger literary friends, among whom may be mentioned Sir Henry Ellis, Sir Francis Palgrave, Mr. Utterson, Mr. Markland, Mr. Ottley, Sir Frederick Madden, Mr. Gage, Mr. Singer, Mr. Payne Collier, and, in short, all who cultivated the study of antiquity, either in literature or in art. He was also in

correspondence with several distinguished foreign antiquaries, among whom it may be sufficient to mention his old friend the Abbé de la Rue, Monsieur Raynouard, Monsieur Millan, and the Abbé Tersan.

SO

Mr. Douce's love of art had induced him to cultivate the acquaintance of artists of eminence, to whom his collections, and his richly-stored mind, were alike open upon all occasions; the veteran Stothard would often say, that he had greatly benefited by them upon many occasions. This led to that intimate intercourse with Mr. Nollekens which had much influence upon the latter part of his life; but which, though it increased his fortune, can be scarcely said to have essentially increased his happiness. As much misrepre sentation has gone forth to the world upon this subject, the following account of the circumstances attendant upon it may not be here misplaced: - Mr. Nollekens had solicited Mr. Douce to be one of his executors, to which he demurred, conscious of the trouble attendant upon the office; but being assured by Mr. Nollekens that it was his intention to relieve him from the onerous part of the charge, by joining others with him, to be named by himself, he at length consented upon these conditions, and suggested the names of Sir William Beechey, the Royal Academician, and Mr. Smith, the Keeper of the Prints in the British Museum, who were consequently appointed. To these co-executors Mr. Nollekens had only left a legacy of 1007. each for their trouble, and it was with difficulty that he was prevailed upon by Mr. Douce to increase it to double the sum. Mr. Douce, when he accepted the office of executor to Mr. Nollekens, knew nothing further of the contents of his will than that he was to have a legacy of 500l. Upon Mr. Nollekens' death, when the will was read, considerable disappointment was manifested, and a Chancery suit was instituted, which served no other purpose than to vex and harass the residuary legatees. Mr. Douce's health at this time gave way, and it may be doubtful whether his mind ever recovered. its tone; for the vexations of a protracted suit, and the une