Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 25.djvu/72

Harte Chesterfield in June 1745 wrote to a lady in Paris of Harte's 'érudition consommée,' but added,'il ne sera guère propre à donner des manières, ou le ton de la bonne compagnie: chose pourtant très-nécessaire.' After four years' travel Harte returned to England, leaving his pupil in Paris. During some part of the time Lord Eliot joined him as a second pupil. After his return he was, apparently by Chesterfield's intervention, nominated canon of Windsor on 10 April 1750. Probably through the influence of the Eliot family of Port Eliot, Harte was now presented to the valuable crown living of St. Austell and St. Blazey in Cornwall. In 1759 appeared his 'History of the Life of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, sirnamed the Great,' London, two vols. 4to. It seems to have occupied him for many years. Though a work of research and information, its style (Chesterfield wrote) 'is execrable. Where the devil he picked it up I cannot conceive, for it is a bad style of a new and singular character: it is full of Latinisms, Gallicisms, Germanisms, and all isms but Anglicisms; in some places pompous, in others vulgar and low.' Carlyle called it a 'wilderness' (Life of Schiller, ed. 1857, p. 82). It was translated into German the next year, and Lord Eliot (Harte's former pupil) told Dr. Johnson that it was 'a very good book in the German translation.' According to Boswell, Johnson much commended Harte as a scholar, and 'a man of the most companionable talents he had ever known. He said the defects in his history proceeded not from imbecility, but from foppery.' In 1764 Harte published a volume of 'Essays on Husbandry,' of which a second edition, corrected and enlarged, appeared in 1770—a charming and valuable work. Johnson confessed that 'his [Harte's] Husbandry is good,' and Chesterfield praised its style (Letters, iv. 214). Arthur Young, in his 'Six Weeks' Tour through the Southern Counties,' published in 1768, describes a visit to 'my very excellent friend,' Harte, at Bath.' 'His conversation,' Young says,'on the subject of husbandry is as full of experience and as truly solid as his genuine and native humour, extensive knowledge of mankind, and admirable philanthropy are pleasing and instructive.' Harte had retired to Bath in low spirits and ill-health. During his lingering illness he prepared a volume entitled 'The Amaranth, or Religious Poems, consisting of Fables, Visions, Emblems,' &c., London, 1767, 8vo. The copy in the British Museum has Dr. Johnson's autograph. After languishing in a paralysed state Harte died at Bath in March 1774.

Joseph Warton, who knew Harte well gives examples of his conversations with Pope, (cf. Warton and Bowles's editions of the poet's works). Horace Walpole describes Harte as 'a favoured disciple of Pope, whose obscurity he imitated more than his lustre.'

 HARTGILL or HARTGYLL, GEORGE (fl. 1594), astronomer, was in considerable repute during Queen Elizabeth's reign, from his knowledge of the stars and his skill in astrology. He designated himself 'minister of the word,' and may therefore have been a protestant preacher.

Hartgill published 'Generall Calenders or Most Easie Astronomicall Tables in the which are contained (according to Verie Carefull and exact calculation) as well the names, natures, magnitudes, latitudes, longitudes, aspects, declinations, and right ascensions of all the notablest fixed starres universally seruing all Countries, as also their mediation of heauen as generall as is aforesaid. Also their situation in the twelve houses of the Coelestiall figure, indifferently fitting all the middle of the eight climate, but verie precisely the latitude of 51 degrees 42 minutes of the Pole Arcticke: also certain perpetuall Tables for the exact placing of the planets etc. Moreover, a Callender of the Cosmicall and Acronicall Rising and Setting of all thesayd Starres,' London, 1594, folio. This is dedicated to ' Sir William Pawlet, Knight, Lord Marques of Winchester,' and is dated 'from my Studie at your Lordshippe's Manor of Checkerell [i.e. Chickerell, Dorsetshire] the last of August 1594.' A second edition was published in 1656 by T. & J. Gadbury, with a whole-length portrait of the author, engraved by Gaywood, in the title.

 HARTLEY, DAVID (1705–1757), philosopher, was baptised at Luddenden, Halifax, on 21 June 1705, although his son gives the date of his birth as 30 Aug. 1705. His father, David Hartley, was entered as a servitor of Lincoln College, Oxford, on 1 April 1691, aged 17, where he was described as 'pauperis filius,' graduated B. A. 1695, and was incumbent successively of the chapels of 