Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/326

 322 NATHANIEL HONE, A portrait painter of some reputation, was born in Dublin about the year 1730. He also painted miniatures, and practised enamelling with success. He scraped a plate in mezzotinto from a painting of his own, represent ing two Monks making merry. Mr. Hone was one of the members of the Royal Academy at i t s foundation i n 1768. He died August 14, 1784, and was buried a t Hendon, - MAJOR HOUGHTON, An enterprising African traveller, and a native o f Ire land; but where born, o r i n what year, we know not. Having got through a genteel fortune with uncommon celerity, h e went t o the coast o f Africa; and, during the late war, served with great approbation a s Fort Major o f Goree, during which period several excursions into the country gave him a n acquaintance with the character and language o f the natives, and particularly qualified him f o r the arduous situation i n which h e was latterly employed. He returned from the African coast about the year 1780; and after having been some time a widower, mar ried about 1783 o r 1784, a lady residing then i n Spring Gardens, the reputation o f whose fortune quickly drew a swarm o f creditors about him, with s o many troublesome importunities, that b y this (otherwise) eligible match, his embarrassments were rather augmented than diminished, This i t was, added t o a degree o f enterprise implanted i n him b y nature, that induced him t o accept o f a proposal made t o him b y the African Society, t o undertake the exploring o f such interior parts o f that continent a s had not come within the route o f the romantic Vaillant, o r the philosophic Gordon, When the major set out upon the expedition, a son o f his, then a n officer a t Goree, sued very hard t o b e the companion o f his travels; but the father's prudence wisely