Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/60

 interest in study and to diminish the evils of cram and competition, although hampering outside influences interfered here seriously with his ideals. But the main feature in which he may justly be regarded as a pioneer was 'the application of the best knowledge to the physical nurture of the young; the total elimination from our practice with regard to this nurture, of convention, tradition and rule of thumb' (ib. p. 391). He attached a cardinal importance to fresh air, personal cleanliness, proper and regular diet with the abolition of 'grubbing,' the regulation of the hours of sleep and study, physical exercise in all weathers, and the disuse 'of linen shirts and collars and suits of close material for ordinary school wear, in favour of tweed knickerbocker suits of loose texture and flannel shirts worn open at the neck without neckties'; with 'the practice of changing into flannels for all forms of violent exercise.' In regard to the question of fresh air he anticipated the methods 'now employed as a preventative and cure of consumption; and the coatless, flannelled, bare-headed athlete was also largely his creation. That the stamina of Loretto boys greatly exceeded the average was manifested, year by year, by the large proportion of them who won athletic distinction at the English universities; but the result was attained by a proper attention to physical health, not an over attention to physical exercise. Almond did not a little to revolutionise the school methods of Scotland.

After showing for a few years signs of failing health, he died of a bronchial affection on 7 March 1903. He was buried in Inveresk churchyard. He married in 1876 Eleanor Frances, daughter of Canon Tristram of Durham [q. v. Suppl. II], and had issue three sons and three daughters.

Besides various contributions to reviews and magazines, in which he expounded his educational principles, he was author of: 1. 'Health Lectures,' 1884. 2. 'Sermons by a Lay Head Master,' 2 series, Edinburgh, 1886 and 1892. 3. 'English Prose Extracts,' Edinburgh, 1895. 4. 'Christ the Protestant, and other Sermons,' Edinburgh, 1899.

 AMHERST, WILLIAM AMHURST TYSSEN-, first of  (1835–1909), born at Narford Hall, Norfolk, on 25 April 1835, was eldest son of William George Daniel-Tyssen (1801–1855), whose surname was originally Daniel, by Mary, eldest daughter of Andrew Fountaine of Narford Hall, Norfolk. Together with his father, who represented a branch of the old Kentish family of Amherst and had inherited the Tyssen property in Hackney through his mother, he took by royal licence, 6 Aug. 1852, the name of Tyssen-Amhurst, for which he substituted, again by royal licence, that of Tyssen- Amherst on 16 Aug. 1877. He was educated at Eton and matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, 19 May 1853. Inheriting large property in Norfolk and in Hackney, he was high sheriff for Norfolk in 1866. He was M.P. for West Norfolk in the conservative interest from 1880 to 1885, afterwards representing south-west Norfolk from 1885 to 1892. He was created Baron Amherst of Hackney on 26 Aug. 1892.

For more than fifty years Lord Amherst collected rare books and MSS., tapestries, antique furniture, and other works of art. One object was to illustrate the history of printing and bookbinding from the earliest times down to modern days. Another was to illustrate the history of the Reformation at home and abroad and of the Church of England by means of bibles, liturgies, and controversial tracts. A 'Handlist of the Books and MSS. belonging to Lord Amherst of Hackney' was compiled by Seymour de Ricci (privately printed, 1906). The compiler had also prepared an exhaustive catalogue raisonne of Lord Amherst's whole library. Owing to the dishonesty of a solicitor entrusted with the administration of estate and trust funds, Lord Amherst found himself in 1906 obliged to announce the sale of the finer portion of the magnificent library at Didlington Hall. A series of splendid 'Caxtons,' eleven out of the seventeen being perfect examples, were sold privately to Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan, and the other portions of the library, including many extremely rare printed books and fine Italian, Flemish, French, and English illuminated MSS., were disposed of by auction by Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge in a sale which began on 3 Dec. 1908. The second portion of the library was sold 24 to 27 March 1909, and the total realised by both sales was 32,592Z., which does not include the 25,000l. understood to have been paid for the 'Caxtons.' Messrs. Christie disposed (11 Dec. 1908) of some fine examples of old Gobelins and other tapestry, old French and English furniture, Limoges enamels and old Italian majolica. The amount realised was 38,796Z. The pictures 