Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/251

 care in small matters, reference may be made to his account of the Upas tree, and his separation of fact and fiction concerning it.

There is a bust of Bennett by Weekes in the botanical department of the British Museum.

 BENNETT, WILLIAM MINEARD (1778–1858), miniature-painter, was born at Exeter in 1778. Having left his native city early in life, he placed himself under the instruction of Sir Thomas Lawrence, and attained a considerable reputation as a painter of portraits and miniatures, living in the society of many of the most distinguished literary men of that day, among whom his brilliant wit and versatile talents made him a great favourite. Several of his works were exhibited at the Royal Academy between the years 1812 and 1816, and again in 1834 and 1835. Many years of his life were spent in Paris, where his talents gained for him the patronage and friendship of the Due de Berri; but in 1844 he returned to Exeter, where, practising his art only as an amusement, he resided until his death, which took place on 17 Oct. 1858. Bennett possessed also a thorough knowledge of the science of music, and many of his musical compositions became popular in Paris and Naples.

 BENNETT, WILLIAM STERNDALE (1816–1875), musical composer, was born at 8 Norfolk Row, Sheffield, on 13 April 1816. On his father's side he came of a race of musicians. His grandfather, John Bennett, was born at Ashford in 1750, but early in life settled at Cambridge, where he was for many years lay clerk in the college choirs of King's, St. John's, and Trinity, and his father, Robert Bennett, a pupil of Dr. Clarke, was for some years before his death organist at the parish church of Sheffield, and was the composer of a few son^s, none of which, however, are remarkable for much individuality. In 1812 Robert Bennett married Elizabeth, the daughter of James Donn, curator of the Botanic Gardens at Cambridge: William Sterndale was the youngest child of this marriage. His mother died on 7 May 1818, at the early age of 27, and his father (who had in the meantime married Again) only survived her eighteen months, flying on 3 Nov. 1819. Robert Bennett's second wife does not seem to have taken Much interest in his orphan children, for on 19 Dec. 1819 the little William Sterndale was sent with his sisters to his grandfather at Cambridge, after which she did not trouble herself any further about them. On 19 March 1820 Bennett and his sisters were baptised at the church of St. Edward, Cambridge. On 17 Feb. 1824 Bennett entered the choir of King's College, his musical education continuing at the same time under his grandfather's guidance. Two years later the Rev. F. Hamilton, superintendent of the newly formed Royal Academy of Music, when on a visit at Cambridge, happened to hear Bennett play, and was so struck by the promise he displayed, that the boy was removed from King's College choir and placed at the Academy, where he entered on 7 March 1826. Here his principal study at first was the violin, his masters being Oury and Spagnoletti; but his special talent for the piano soon asserted itself, and he was placed under W. H. Holmes for that instrument, and under Lucas for composition and harmony. Somewhat later he studied under Cipriani Potter and Crotch, the former of whom particularly influenced his style by imparting to the future English composer some of the peculiar qualities which he himself had derived from his own master, Mozart. For the first few years of his stay at the Academy there is no doubt that Bennett was not remarkable for assiduity; the boy was still stronger in him than the musician. On Sept. 1828 he played a concerto of Dussek's at an Academy concert at the Hanover Square Rooms, and in the same year he composed his first score—a fairy chorus. Until his voice broke he sometimes sang in the choir at St. Paul's Cathedral, and on one occasion took the part of Cherubino in a performance of Mozart's 'Nozze di Figaro' at the King's Theatre (11 Dec. 1830) given by the pupils of the Academy. This attempt, the only one on record of a boy's singing the part, does not seem to have been very successful. A contemporary newspaper pronounced that 'Cherubino, personated by a little boy, was in every way a blot in the piece. Had the memory of the audience not supplied the deficiency, the dramatic effect of the opera must have been utterly demolished.' In 1831 Bennett began to study with Crotch, and though the latter's lessons had not the reputation of being particularly instructive, his pupil henceforward made extraordinary progress. Personally, he retained all the boyish charm of manner which throughout his life never entirely deserted him, and the rapid manner in which his artistic powers matured did not prevent him from joining in the childish amusements of his fellow