no one could have then supposed that the lamp which yielded a light so delightful, was to be so speedily quenched. When he returned to Edinburgh, Sir Walter Scott sate to him, in order that Sir Henry might finish two portraits; one, already mentioned, for the artist himself, and one for Lord Montague. These were the last pictures which the pencil of this great master ever touched. a subject of affectionate regret to the person represented, who had been long a friend of Sir Henry Raeburn. Within a day or two afterwards, this amiable and excellent man was suddenly affected with a general decay and debility, not accompanied by any visible complaint. This state of illness, after continuing for about a week to baffle all the efforts of medical skill, terminated fatally on the 8th July, 1823, when he had reached the age of 67.

This event excited the strongest sympathy, not only among the friends of Sir Henry, but throughout the public in general. The professors of the art felt, of course, an interest and sorrow peculiarly deep; and it was anxiously suggested, by several of the most respectable among them, that the remains of this great artist should be honoured with a public funeral. Although it was universally acknowledged that this honour was due, peculiar circumstances prevented the accomplishment of their wish. On the 10th, however, a meeting was held of the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Scotland; and, with the Lord Provost in the chair, the following Resolutions were passed:

1. That the meeting has, with the most profound regret, received the communication of the death of Sir Henry Raeburn, R. A., and his Majesty's Painter for Scotland; an event to be deplored, not more on account of the private virtues of that great artist, than of the pre-eminence to which he had arrived in that branch of the profession to which he had devoted. his rare and distinguished talents, and which has mainly contributed to the reputation of the art in this quarter of the empire.

2. That this meeting is fully sensible that it was a tribute

most justly due to the memory of this eminent person, who had himself so largely contributed to the advancement of painting in Scotland, that the members of this Royal Institution should have requested permission of his family to have publicly attended in a body his remains to the grave: and that it is therefore with deep regret that this meeting has been obliged to yield to the conviction, that circumstances connected with the period of the year, and the indispensable engagements of the persons of whom this Institution is composed, (which render it impossible for them to be assembled on the day when it is understood that the funeral is to take place), must prevent their having the melancholy gratification of affording that testimony of their respect for his virtues as an individual, of their admiration of his talents as a painter, and of their absolute persuasion that the progress of the art itself must be most materially retarded in this country by his sudden and premature death.

3. That the above resolutions be communicated to Henry Raeburn, Esq. and be made public in such manner as the Directors of this Institution may appoint.

In the sister metropolis, though Sir Henry was comparatively much less known there, an equally strong sensation was produced. At a meeting of the Royal Academy, held on the 14th, Sir Thomas Lawrence lamented the melancholy task which had devolved upon him, of officially announcing to his brethren the death of one of their most distinguished associates. He expressed his high admiration for the talents of the deceased, and his unfeigned respect for that high feeling and gentlemanlike conduct which had conferred a dignity on himself and the art which he professed. His loss, Sir Thomas conceived, had left a blank in the Royal Academy, as well as in his own country, which could not be filled up. This unusual tribute excited the visible sympathy of all present; and Mr. Wilkie, as a native of Scotland, took occasion to express his grateful feelings for the honour thus done to his country and his friend.

17

Sir Henry, as we already observed, married early in life, and Lady Raeburn survives him. He had two sons, the elder of whom, Peter, a most promising youth, who inherited his father's genius, died at the early age of nineteen. Henry, the second son, is married, and has a family. From his society his father always derived peculiar gratification, and, with the affectionate disposition which distinguished him, had entirely adopted his family as his own. During the whole period of their joint lives, they lived under the same roof.

No. XX.

JOHN SCHANCK, Esq.

ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE, AND FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

THIS

HIS at once brave and scientific officer, who distinguished himself both in the civil and in the military service of the Navy, was descended from a very ancient family in Mid Lothian; a branch of which settled at Kinghorn, in Fifeshire, and obtained lands there in the reign of Robert Bruce, anno 1319. The Schancks, or Shanks, are supposed to have been originally Norwegians, who having landed during some predatory expedition on the north-eastern coast, settled there.

This we believe frequently occurred, in respect to all the maritime parts of the island bordering on the Deucaledonian sea; and the curious reader has only to turn to Buchanan, in order to learn the fluctuating nature of the population of Scotland during the middle ages.

Admiral Schanck was a son of the late Alexander Schanck, Esq. of Castlereg, Fifeshire, by Mary, daughter of Mr. John Burnet, Minister at Moniemusk, in Aberdeenshire, of the ancient and honourable family of Burnet. He was born about the year 1746, went to sea early in life, and was for some time in the merchant service. This was formerly the case more than at present; for some of our ablest commanders of former times, and even some of those who are yet living, were so bred.

In the year 1757 Mr. Schanck served for the first time in a man of war, the Elizabeth of 74 guns, commanded by the late Sir Hugh Palliser. This officer, notwithstanding the odium attempted to be attached to his name in consequence of his disputes with Admiral Keppel, was a man of much worth and discernment; and while he possessed great merit himself, he appeared always ready to distinguish and

to reward it in others. He was appointed at this time to cruize between Cape Clear and Cape Finisterre; and when he afterwards removed to another ship, Mr. Schanck accompanied him in the capacity of master's mate; a station that implies some previous knowledge in nautical affairs.

We next find Mr. Schanck in the Emerald frigate, Captain (afterwards Sir Charles) Douglas, with whom he went to the North Cape of Lapland, in order to observe the transit of Venus; an intention, however, which the prevailing gloominess of the weather prevented.

About the year 1771, our officer joined the Princess Amelia of 80 guns, fitting for the flag of Sir George B. Rodney, who had recently been appointed to the command on the Jamaica station. Previous to this, he appears to have had the good fortune to save the life of Mr. Whitworth, son of Sir Charles, and brother to Lord Whitworth, who was overset in a small boat in Portsmouth harbour. Mr. Whitworth was afterwards lost in America, while serving under Lord Howe. Mr. Schanck was also for some time a midshipman on board the Barfleur.

In the month of June, 1776, after a laborious service of eighteen years' continuance, Mr. Schanck was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and appointed to the Canceaux, an armed schooner, employed on the river St. Lawrence.* This command he nominally retained for a considerable time; we say nominally, for almost immediately after the commencement of the war in Canada, the late Admiral Vandeput, with whom he had served as a midshipman in India, and who had conceived a just idea of his talents, recommended him as a proper person to fit out a flotilla, to act against the revolted colonists

* It was at about the same period that Mr. Schanck exhibited a talent for mechanics. This had formerly displayed itself, indeed, on several occasions for the good of the service; but what caught the eye of the multitude was the construction of a cot, which, by means of pulleys, might be raised or lowered at pleasure, at the will of the person who reclined in it; while, by means of castors, it could also be removed by himself from place to place without any difficulty. This was afterwards presented, we believe, to the grandfather of the present Lord Dundas, and obtained for the inventor the familiar appellation of " Old Purchase," among his companions.