Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 26.djvu/373

 course of lectures under the title of ‘A Philosophical Essay concerning Light. Vol. I.,’ 8vo, London. On 8 Jan. 1779 he obtained letters patent for a cheap and durable cement, which he advertised in a treatise called ‘Experiments and Observations made with the view of improving the art of composing and applying calcareous Cements and of preparing Quick-lime; and Specification of the Author's … Cement,’ 8vo, London, 1780. An Italian version appeared in C. Amoretti and F. Soave's ‘Opuscoli scelti sulle scienze,’ 4to, 1778, &c. In 1786 he published his best-known work, which appears also to have formed the subject of some of his lectures, with the title of ‘Experiments and Observations relating to Acetous Acid, Fixable Air, … Oils, and Fuel,’ &c., 8vo, London. Some time between 1780 and 1790 Higgins visited Russia, apparently by invitation of the Empress Catherine. He resumed his lectures in Greek Street in January 1794, and in 1795 issued an extended syllabus of his course, describing the experiments made as ‘Minutes of the Society for Philosophical Experiments and Conversations,’ 8vo, London. When, on 14 Dec. 1796, committees were appointed by the House of Assembly, Jamaica, for the improvement of the manufacture of Muscovado sugar and rum, Higgins was engaged to assist them, and he resided at Spanish Town during 1797, 1798, and 1799. Part of the result of his labours was published as ‘Observations and Advices,’ 2 pts., 8vo, St. Jago de la Vega, 1797–1800. A third part was announced for immediate publication, and a fragment of the fourth part appeared at Jamaica in 1803. Higgins died in 1820. He married Jane, daughter and heiress of J. Welland. His other writings are: 1. ‘Observations on the Floating Ice … in high Northern and Southern latitudes. To which are added Experiments on the Freezing of Sea Water,’ appended to the Hon. Daines Barrington's ‘The Probability of reaching the North Pole,’ 4to, London, 1775–6. 2. ‘Synopsis of the Medicinal Contents of the most noted Mineral Waters, analysed by Dr. Higgins at the instance of I. Ellison’ [edited by the latter], 8vo [London], 1788. Higgins was more successful as a speculator than an experimentalist, and many of his views are, for their time, ‘remarkable for their acuteness and generalising character.’ 

HIGGINS, CHARLES LONGUET (1806–1885), benefactor of Turvey, eldest son of John Higgins of the Abbey-house, Turvey, Bedfordshire, and Theresa, eldest daughter of Benjamin Longuet of Louth and Bath, a gentleman of Huguenot descent, was born in his father's house on 30 Nov. 1806. He received his early education at home, and matriculated at Cambridge as a pensioner of Trinity College on 14 Nov. 1825. At Cambridge he was under the influence of the Rev. Charles Simeon. He was not a scholar, but had a taste for natural history and music. He graduated B.A. in 1830, and M.A. in 1834. Although he desired to take orders, he relinquished the idea in deference to his father's wish, and was admitted a student of Lincoln's Inn on 16 Nov. 1830, but was not called to the bar, and from 1836 to 1838 studied medicine at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Having qualified he carried on a general medical practice at Turvey. On the death of his father in 1846 he succeeded to the family property; restored the church; built schools, a village museum, and comfortable cottages; and delivered lectures on natural history and other subjects. On 26 June 1853 he married Helen Eliza, daughter of Thomas Burgon of the British Museum. He projected the compilation of a hymn-book which should be used universally in the church of England, and read a paper on hymnology before the Church Congress at Nottingham in 1871, which was published. He was a J.P. and D.L. of Bedfordshire. He died without issue on 23 Jan. 1885. 

HIGGINS, FRANCIS (1669–1728), archdeacon of Cashel, who has been styled ‘the Irish Sacheverell,’ born in 1669, was son of an apothecary of the city of Limerick. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, as a sizar, 4 May 1685; obtained a scholarship in 1688, and graduated B.A. 1691, and M.A. 1693. He was ‘reader’ in Christ Church Cathedral in 1690; rector of Gowran in 1694; and became prebendary of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, 14 July 1705. In 1706 Higgins made himself notorious in London by violently asserting in sermons that the church was in danger, and by expounding extreme high-church views. On Ash Wednesday (February 1706–7) he preached at Whitehall Chapel, and denounced the favour shown in high places to champions of heterodoxy like Asgill, Toland, and Emlyn, and to puritans and presbyterians. On 28 Feb. Higgins was arrested on the secretary of state's warrant, and in April the grand jury of Middlesex found a true bill against him for preaching sedition, but in May the attorney-general entered a ‘nolle prosequi’ (, Brief Relation, vi. 164, 177). Archbishop Tenison seems to have