Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/28

Finden and precision in which their productions excelled. This mechanical elaboration perhaps renders their works cold, and prevents their great excellency from being duly appreciated. Among the earlier works produced by William Finden were the illustrations to Sir Henry Ellis's edition of Dugdale's 'History of St. Paul's,' 1818, Dibdin's 'Ædes Althorpianæ,' 1822, &c. The brothers were both employed in engraving the Elgin marbles for the British Museum, and also on the illustrations for 'The Arctic Voyages' published by Murray; Brockedon's 'Passes of the Alps,' 1829; Campbell's 'Poetical Works,' 1828; and Lodge's ' Portraits,' 1821-34. They published on their own account and at their own cost in 1833 the illustrations to Moore's 'Life and Works of Lord Byron.' This last-named work created a great sensation. It was followed by other works of a popular nature, 'The Gallery of the Graces,' from pictures by Chalon, Landseer, and others, 1832-4; 'Landscape Illustrations of the Bible,' after Turner, Callcott, Stanfield, and others, 1834-6; 'Byron Beauties,' 1834; 'Landscape Illustrations to the Life and Poetical Works of George Crabbe,' 1834; 'Portraits of the Female Aristocracy of the Court of Queen Victoria,' after Chalon, Hayter, and others, 1838-9; 'Tableaux of National Character, Beauty, and Costume,' first edited by Mrs. S. C. Hall, then by Mary Russell Mitford (among the contributors of poetry was Elizabeth Barrett, afterwards Mrs. Browning [q. v.]), &c. The large profits which the brothers Finden gained from these works were risked and finally dissipated in an ambitious production, 'The Royal Gallery of British Art,' 1838, &c.; this publication, though admirably planned and beautifully executed, was unsuited to a public whose taste for annuals and illustrations of poetry had been surfeited to excess. It was the deathblow to the fortunes of the two Findens. William Finden died a widower after a short illness on 20 Sept. 1852, in his sixty-fifth year, and was buried in Highgate cemetery; one of his last acts was to sign a petition to the queen for the recognition of the claims of engravers to the full honours of the Royal Academy. Besides the publications above mentioned and numerous other illustrative works he produced some important single works, notably the full-length portrait of George IV, painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence for the Marchioness of Conyngham (a collection of progressive proofs of this engraving is in the print room at the British Museum); 'Sheep Washing' and 'The Village Festival,' by Sir David Wilkie (in the National Gallery); 'The Highlander's Return,' 'The Highlander's Home,' and 'The Naughty Boy,' after Sir Edwin Landseer; and 'The Crucifixion,' after W. Hilton, Finden's last work, which was purchased by the Art Union for 1,470l. [For authorities see under .]  FINDLATER, ANDREW (1810–1885), compiler, born at Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, in 1810, was educated at the university of Aberdeen, where he graduated and for some time attended the divinity classes. On leaving college he became schoolmaster at Tillydesk, and subsequently head-master of Gordon's Hospital, Aberdeen. In 1853 he began a life-long connection with the publishing firm of Messrs. Chambers, Edinburgh. In the same year was published his essay on 'Epicurus' in the 'Encyclopædia Metropolitana.' His first work for Messrs. Chambers was an edition of their 'Information for the People,' which appeared in 1857. Shortly afterwards he was entrusted with the editorship of their 'Encyclopædia,' in which he wrote several articles. He also prepared for the 'Educational Course' of the same firm manuals on language, astronomy, physical geography, and physiography, and put forth new editions of their 'Etymological Dictionary' and the 'Miscellanies.' In addition to these literary productions, he contributed a series of essays entitled 'Notes of Travel' and various other articles to the 'Scotsman.' In 1864 he received the degree of LL.D. from the university of Aberdeen. His work is characterised by singular clearness of exposition. His handbook on philology, for which study he had a special liking, is particularly concise and intelligent. He died on 1 Jan. 1885. He married a daughter of Thomas Barclay, sheriff-clerk of Fifeshire, who died in 1879. [Scotsman, 2 Jan. 1885; private information.]  FINDLATER, CHARLES (1754–1838), agricultural writer and essayist, was born 10 Jan. 1754 in the manse of West Linton, Peeblesshire. His grandfather, Alexander Findlater, was a native of Moray, and married into the famous Scotch family, Kirkaldy of Grange. Thomas (1697-1778), his son, was minister of West Linton, but his settlement there in 1729 was resolutely opposed by certain of the parishioners, and led to the rise of a secessionist congregation, which still survives. Charles was Thomas Findlater's son by his second wife, Jean, daughter of William Brown, an Edinburgh bookseller. He graduated at Edinburgh University 14 Nov. 1770. In 1777 he was ordained assistant to his father, and in 1790 was presented by the Duke of Queensberry to the neighbouring