Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/458

 And he elsewhere speaks of the ‘engaging mildness’ of Clarke's countenance and manners. Bishop Huntingford also testifies to his ‘exquisite taste and diversified erudition.’ So attentive, it is said, was Clarke to the interests of the chapter of Chichester, ‘and so admirably did he manage the jarring passions of its members, that it was observed after his death, “the peace of the church of Chichester has expired with Mr. Clarke”!’ Antiquities were his favourite study, but (according to Hayley) he was also ‘a secret and by no means unsuccessful votary of the muses.’ The ‘impromptu’ verses by Clarke quoted in Nichols (Lit. Anecd. iv. 376) are of no particular merit, but he composed a good epigram on seeing the words ‘Hæc est Domus ultima’ inscribed on the vault belonging to the dukes of Richmond in Chichester Cathedral:

Clarke's principal published work was ‘The Connexion of the Roman, Saxon, and English Coins deduced from observations on the Saxon Weights and Money,’ London, 1767, 4to. Another edition appeared in 1771 (London, 4to). In this work Clarke brings considerable learning to bear upon his obscure subjects, and writes with much elegance of style. Clarke also wrote the Latin preface (1730) to the collection of the Welsh laws of Dr. Wotton, his father-in-law; a translation of Trapp's ‘Lectures on Poetry,’ annotations on the Greek Testament (the two latter in conjunction with Bowyer), and various notes subjoined to the English version of Bleterie's ‘Life of the Emperor Julian.’ He also drew up a short manuscript account of ‘The Antiquities of the Cathedral of Chichester,’ which was presented by his grandson to Hey, the historian of Chichester (see, Hist. of Chichester, p. 408). A ‘Discourse on the Commerce of the Romans’ was either by Clarke or by Bowyer (see, Lit. Anecd. iv. Essay xii.). Among Clarke's friends and correspondents were Hayley, Jeremiah Markland, Dr. Taylor, the editor of Demosthenes, Archbishop Secker, and Bishop Sherlock. With Bowyer the printer he carried on an extensive correspondence, which may be found in Nichols's ‘Literary Anecdotes,’ iv. 395–489. The letters range in date from 1726 to 1767, and are for the most part on learned subjects, including Roman antiquities.



CLARKE, WILLIAM (1800–1838), was the author of ‘The Boys' Own Book,’ ‘Three Courses and a Dessert,’ and various works of light literature, which obtained a considerable measure of popularity. He also brought out a humorous periodical, called ‘The Cigar,’ and he was for some time editor of the ‘Monthly Magazine.’ For the last three or four years of his life he devoted himself to an elaborate work on natural history. This does not appear to have been published, nor are any of his other writings extant. While working in his garden, in his house near Hampstead, he died of an apoplectic fit on 17 June 1838.



CLARKE, WILLIAM BRANWHITE (1798–1878), divine and geologist, was born at East Bergholt, Suffolk, on 2 June 1798. He was educated chiefly at Dedham grammar school. He entered Cambridge in 1817, becoming a member of Jesus College, and in due course took the degrees of B.A. and M.A., joining the senate in 1824. In 1821 Clarke took holy orders, and between that date and 1824 he acted in his clerical capacity at Ramsholt and other places by an especial arrangement, which allowed of his following his inclination for travel, and of his making fifteen distinct geological excursions on the continent; of his being present at the siege of Antwerp in 1831; and making geological explorations in this country. In those early days the activity of Clarke's mind was shown by his poetical efforts. In 1822 he produced three poems, entitled respectively ‘Lays of Leisure,’ ‘Pompeii,’ ‘The River Derwent,’ and in 1839 ‘Recollections of a Visit to Mont Blanc,’ and several religious poems. About this time Clarke appears to have given much attention to astronomical and meteorological phenomena. He published three papers on meteors between 1833 and 1836; on electrical phenomena in 1837. From these observations he turned to geological ones, publishing in that year two papers on ‘The South East of Dorsetshire,’ on the country between ‘Durlston Head and the Old Harry Rocks,’ and in 1838 an abstract of a paper by him appears in the ‘Proceedings of the Geological Society’ on ‘Suffolk and Norfolk.’ In 1839, being at that time in delicate health, Clarke was advised to try the influence of long sea voyages. He left England for New South Wales, and even then determined to examine the structure of the rocks of Australasia. During his voyage he lost no opportunity for making observa- observa-