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 Berlin, 1851; ''Allg. deutsche Biogr''.) Ten years later Halkett sought leave to retire. On the anniversary of Waterloo in 1858 the Hanoverian chambers voted him a life pension equal to the full pay of his rank. He was also made a baron.

Halkett was a C.B. and G.C.H.; he had the decorations of the Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anne of Russia, both of the first class, in brilliants; the Prussian order of Military Merit, the Danish Dannebrög, the Sword of Sweden, and other orders, together with the Spanish gold cross for Albuera, the British gold medal with clasps for Albuera and Salamanca, the Peninsular, Waterloo, and Hanoverian war medals. Halkett is described as a bright, active, cheery little man, very popular with all ranks, speaking German very badly with an English accent. He married, 25 May 1810, Emily Charlotte, daughter of Sir James Bland Burges, afterwards Lamb [see ], and Anne de Montoleiu his second wife, and by her had a large family. Three of his sons were officers in the British army (see, Landed Gentry). Halkett died at Hanover after a long illness on 26 July 1863.



HALKETT, SAMUEL (1814–1871), librarian, was born in 1814 in the North Back of the Canongate, Edinburgh, where his father carried on business as a brewer. He was educated at two private schools, and was apprenticed at the age of fourteen. For five years he was employed by Messrs. Marshall & Aitken, and afterwards by Messrs. Abernethy & Stewart, with whom he remained until he entered into business for himself. His spare time was devoted to study, and his ‘philological genius’ and ‘extraordinary attainments’ were spoken of by Sir William Hamilton and others in supporting his candidature for the keepership of the library of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh, in 1848. On being appointed to that office he found the library without an alphabetical catalogue, and at once commenced a slip-catalogue, which formed the basis of the valuable ‘Catalogue of the Printed Books in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates,’ Edinburgh, 1863–79, 7 vols. 4to. The printing was begun in 1860, but the labour was so great that at Halkett's death he had not proceeded further than the word ‘Catalogue.’ The work was completed on a scale somewhat less extensive than at first planned. A report by Halkett on the state of the library in 1868 is appended to a memorandum signed by J. Hill Burton on a proposed enlargement of the scope of the library (Edinburgh, 1868, 8vo). In 1856 Halkett wrote to ‘Notes and Queries’ (2nd ser. i. 129) that he had been collecting materials for a dictionary of anonymous English works; on his death his materials were handed over to the Rev. John Laing, librarian of the New College, Edinburgh, who continued the work until his death in 1880. The book finally appeared, with many additions, edited by Miss Catherine Laing, as ‘A Dictionary of the Anonymous and Pseudonymous Literature of Great Britain’ (Edinburgh, 1882–8, 4 vols. 8vo). Halkett contributed some articles to Chambers's ‘Cyclopædia.’ His knowledge of books and literature was very great, but he was chiefly distinguished for his remarkable linguistic acquirements. He died in April 1871, aged 57, and left a widow and four children.



HALL, AGNES C. (1777–1846), miscellaneous writer, born in Roxburghshire, was the wife of, M.D. (1763–1824) [q. v.], whom she survived, dying in London on 1 Dec. 1846. She was an industrious and versatile contributor on literary and scientific topics to Gregory's, Nicholson's, and Rees's ‘Cyclopædias,’ Aikins's ‘Old Monthly,’ Knight's ‘Printing Machine,’ and wrote the notes to Helms's ‘Buenos Ayres’ (1806). She translated the ‘Travels’ of Depons (1807), Bory de St. Vincent, Mangourit, Millin and Pouqueville (1813), Goldberry and Michaux, Vittorio Alfieri's ‘Autobiography’ (1810), Madame de Genlis' historical romance ‘La Duchesse de La Vallière’ (1804), and some other works by the same writer, and some of the tales of August Heinrich Lafontaine. She also published ‘Rural Recreations;’ ‘Obstinacy’ (1826), a tale for young people; ‘First and Last Years of Wedded Life,’ a story of Irish life in the reign of George IV; and an historical novel founded