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He settled in London, wishing to become a portrait painter, in 1840, ana in the first Westminster Hall competition his work was selected for 'Praise.' In 1846 he began his catalogue of the National Gallery, and was in the same year appointed keeper of that institution, and from this time devoted himself to illustrating by his pen the history and practice of art ; though ne had already

Eublished his 'Epochs of Painting/ and eld the office of Lecturer in the Govern- ment Schools of Design. He died of nervous exhaustion of the brain in London, Decem- ber 15, 1877.-

9 WORSD ALE. J ames, portrait painter. Was a pupil, ana reputed to be a natural son, of Sir Godfrey Kneller, who dismissed him for secretly marrying his wife's niece. But he managed to gain many patrons, and was appointed master-painter to the Board of 6rdnance. He painted a large whole-length portrait of George II., which he presented to the Corporation of Yar- mouth. He designed some humorous sub- jects not over delicate, which were published by Bowles. But he had also a reputation as a player, and was a singer and a mimic, and for some time belonged to a provincial company of players at Chester. He wrote a ' Cure for a Scold/ ' The Assembly/ a farce in which he played admirably a principal character, * The Queen of Spam/ and * The Extravagant Justice.' He died in London June 13, 1767, aged 75 years, and was buried at St. Paul's, Covent Garden. He wrote his own epitaph, which was placed on his tombstone : —

4 Ea^er to get, but not to keep the pelf, A mend to all mankind, except himself.'

His son, who succeeded him in the office of Painter to the Board of Ordnance, died in 1779.

WORTHINGTON, William Henry. engraver. He was born about 1795, ana practised his art in London. He worked in the line manner, and engraved some of the illustrations of the marbles in the British Museum, * The Cottar's Saturday Night' and 'Children brought to Church,' with other works after Stothard, R.A., also the portraits of the sovereigns of England, for Pickering's ' History of England/ 1826. His works were chiefly in the line manner. • WOUTERS, Francis, landscape and figure painter. He was born at Brabant in 1614, and was brought up in the school of Rubens, but chiefly painted landscapes, introducing small uudraped figures. He cams to England with the Emperor, Fer- dinand II., in 1637, and his works pleasing the Court, he was appointed painter to the Prince of Wales, afterwards Charles II. On the misfortunes which befell the Royal family he retired to Antwerp, where he was accidentally shot in 1659. 486

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WRAY, Robert Bateman, gem-en- graver. He enjoyed a reputation about 1770, and exhibited some wax impressions from his works at the Royal Academy. He was chiefly employed in engraving seals.

WREN, Sir Christopher, Knt., archi- tect. He was born at East Knoyle, Wilts. October 20, 1632. His father, descended from an ancient family in Durham, was Rector of Knoyle, chaplain to Charles I., and Bean of Windsor. Small and weakly in constitution, when only 13 years old he invented an astronomical instrument, and in the following year patented an instru- ment for writing with two pens, thus pro- ducing two fac-simile copies. He was educated at Westminster School, under Dr. Busby; was B.A. of Wadham College in 1650, and was in 1653 elected a fellow of All Souls', Oxford, where in the same year he took his M.A. degree. He was early distinguished by his mathematical attainments and numerous inventions, and was, in 1657, elected Professor of Astro- nomy at Gresham College, in 1659 Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford, and in 1661 had the degree of D.C.L. conferred upon him.

Up to this time it does not appear that he had made any study of architecture, yet he must have no less acquired much know- ledge and skill in matters connected with that art. His reputation stood high among men of science and scholars. He had powerful friends, and in 1661 be was ap- pointed Assistant-Surveyor-General, but for fully two years he remained unemployed, and when, in 1663, he at last received a commission for his first public work, a sur- vey of the mole, fortifications, citadel, and port of Tangiere, the employment appeared to have arisen from an intrigue to remove him from Court, and he declined the office. He was, however, at this time appointed under a Great Seal Commission, dated in 1663, to prepare plans for the complete re- storation of Old St. Paul's, which showed, from an original faulty construction, alarm- ing symptoms of decay ; and with a view to gam experience with reference to this great work, he visited Paris in 1665, studied there some time, and made numerous useful drawings, remarking, indeed, that he should almost bring home all France on paper.

The question of repairing the old cathe- dral, which had been long debated, was, indeed, settled by the Great Fire in 1666, but not finally then, nor till after vexa- tious delays and warnings of danger had stopped all further attempts to repair. He was then empowered to destroy the mas- sive walls of the old building, a work of great Labour and skill, and to lay the foundations for his own design ; but the business proceeded so slowly that it was not till 1675 that he received an approval