Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 12.djvu/79

 the ‘Morning Chronicle’ to be their organ, and Cook was appointed to the editorship. He showed great ability, and spent money lavishly. The paper, though of the highest character, did not pay; and in 1854 Cook ceased to be editor on its sale to other proprietors. He had collected many able contributors, who supported him in the ‘Saturday Review,’ started in November 1855 on a new plan. The ‘Saturday Review’ under his editorship almost immediately took the first place among weekly papers, and in some respects the first place in periodical literature. Many of the contributors have since become eminent in various directions. Though not possessed of much literary culture, Cook had a singular instinct for recognising ability in others and judgment in directing them, which made him one of the most efficient editors of his day. In his later years he had a house at Boscastle, Cornwall, where he spent brief vacations; but he was seldom absent from London. He continued to edit the ‘Saturday Review’ till his death, 10 Aug. 1868.

 COOK, RICHARD (1784–1857), historical painter, was born in London in 1784. He obtained admission into the schools of the Royal Academy when sixteen years of age, and received the Society of Arts gold medal in 1832. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy ‘A Landscape,’ in 1808. At that period he resided at 41 North Audley Street, Grosvenor Square; in the same year he sent to the British Institution ‘The Agony of Christ’ and ‘Hector reproving Paris.’ In 1814 he had in the Royal Academy a portrait of Mr. G. F. Cooke, and ‘Acis and Galatea,’ afterwards engraved by W. Taylor. He now lived at 12 Greek Street, Soho Square. In 1816, being elected an associate, he sent from 50 Upper Marylebone Street five pictures, viz.: four from the ‘Lady of the Lake,’ and ‘Ceres, disconsolate for the loss of Proserpine, rejects the solicitation of Iris, sent to her by Jupiter.’ In 1822, Cook was elected a full academician, and from that time forward he almost seems to have relinquished his profession. He married a lady with fortune, which enabled him to entertain liberally his brother artists. He died in Cumberland Place, Hyde Park, on 11 March 1857. A sale of his pictures, sketches, prints, &c., took place at Christie & Manson's 1 June 1857. Among the lots there was Stothard's ‘George III and Queen, sitting, surrounded by a family of boys and girls.’ In the department of prints and drawings, British Museum, are preserved several drawings, chiefly studies for book illustrations, executed in 1806; a large study for the ‘Lady of the Lake’; a charming portrait of Mrs. Cook, seen full face, three-quarter length, executed in pencil and slightly tinted; and an interesting folio volume containing numerous carefully drawn figures, furniture, arms, &c., eighth to fifteenth centuries. Cook illustrated the following works: Sharpe's ‘Classics,’ Fénelon's ‘Telemachus,’ ‘The Grecian Daughter,’ ‘Apollonius Rhodius,’ Miller's ‘Shakespeare,’ Homer's ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey,’ Goldsmith's ‘Miscellaneous and Poetical Works,’ Churchill's ‘Poems,’ ‘Ovid's Metamorphoses’ by Dr. Garth, Dryden's ‘Virgil,’ Tasso's ‘Jerusalem Delivered,’ by Hoole, &c.

 COOK, ROBERT (d. 1593?), herald, is supposed to have been the son of a tanner and to have been brought up in the household of Sir Edmund Brudenell, an ardent genealogist. That he was of low birth is probable because he obtained a grant of arms as late as 4 March 1577. Matriculating as a pensioner in St. John's College, Cambridge, 10 Nov. 1553, he proceeded B.A. there in 1557–8 and commenced M.A. in 1561. He was appointed successively Rose Blanche pursuivant extraordinary, 25 Jan. 1561–2; Chester herald four days later (Pat. 4 Eliz. pt. 5); and Clarencieux king of arms, 21 May 1567 (Pat. 9 Eliz. pt. 10). On 24 March 1567–8 he obtained a special commission to visit his province. During the interval between the death of Sir Gilbert (3 Oct. 1584) and the appointment of William Dethick [q. v.] (21 April 1586) Cook exercised the office of Garter king of arms. In that capacity he accompanied the Earl of Derby to France in 1585, carrying the garter to Henry III, who rewarded him with a present of two gold chains worth over 120l. apiece. At this period there seems to have been some talk of uniting the offices of Garter and Clarencieux. Cook gave 20l. and a bond for 80l. to George Bentall, servant of Shrewsbury, the earl marshal, to obtain him the office of Garter, but his suit was unsuccessful. Bentall nevertheless sued him for the 80l. He appealed to chancery, and the last we know of the cause is that on 24 Oct. 1588 Sir Christopher Hatton made an order referring it to Richard Swale, LL.D., one of the masters. He died about 1592, and was buried at Hanworth, leaving a daughter Catharine, wife of John Woodnote of Shavington in Cheshire. Cook was an industrious herald, and made visitations in most of the counties of his pro- 