Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 29.djvu/373

 , editor of the ‘Gentleman's Magazine,’ who took a great interest in the improvements planned by Jesse in the royal parks. Jesse lived for some years at Hampton, and had much to do with the restoration of Hampton Court Palace. From 1862 he lived at Brighton, where he died on 28 March 1868, aged 88. He married, first, in 1807, Matilda, third daughter of Sir John Morris, bart., of Glamorganshire, by whom he had one son, John Heneage Jesse [q. v.], and two daughters, one of whom, Mrs. M. C. Houstoun, attained some note as an authoress; and secondly, in 1852, a daughter of J. G. Meymott of Richmond, Surrey, who survived him.

Jesse was a sincere lover of animals; he was always surrounded by pets, and could not believe that quadrupeds at least could be denied immortality. His anecdotal writings record his observations, but the author's lack of scientific training renders them of slight permanent value. Besides contributions to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine,’ ‘Bentley's Miscellany,’ ‘Once a Week,’ and the ‘Times,’ Jesse wrote: 1. ‘Gleanings in Natural History,’ 1st series, London, 1832, 8vo; 2nd series, with extracts from unpublished manuscripts of Gilbert White, 1834; 3rd series, with notices of some of the royal parks and residences, 1835; 2nd edit. 1838. 2. ‘An Angler's Rambles,’ London, 1836, 8vo. 3. ‘A Summer's Day at Hampton Court,’ London, 1839, 8vo; 5th edit. 1842. 4. ‘A Summer's Day at Windsor, and a Visit to Eton,’ London, 1841, 8vo. 5. ‘Scenes and Tales of Country Life, with Recollections of Natural History,’ London, 1844, 8vo; revised edit., under title ‘Scenes and Occupations of Country Life,’ London, 1853, 8vo. 6. ‘Anecdotes of Dogs,’ London, 1846, 4to. 7. ‘Favourite Haunts and Rural Studies, including visits to spots of interest in the vicinity of Windsor and Eton,’ London, 1847, 12mo. 8. ‘Lectures on Natural History, delivered at the Fisherman's Home, Brighton,’ London, 1861, 8vo; 2nd edit., with eleven additional lectures, 1863, 8vo. He also edited editions of Walton's ‘Angler’ and White's ‘Selborne’ (with a new biography) for Bohn's series, and editions of T. C. Hofland's ‘British Angler's Manual,’ 1848, and of L. Ritchie's ‘Windsor Castle,’ 1848.

 JESSE, JOHN HENEAGE (1815–1874), historical writer, born in 1815, was the son of Edward Jesse [q. v.] He was educated at Eton. During the latter part of his stay there he, as a companion of Lord Waterford, was involved in some of his wild pranks, and had to escape on board the marquis's yacht to Norway. His father intended to send him to Brasenose College, Oxford, but at the suggestion of the Duke of Clarence, on his return from Norway, he applied for and obtained a clerkship in the admiralty. He remained at the admiralty many years, earning a comfortable salary. He early developed a literary taste. At the age of sixteen he wrote a poem on ‘Mary Queen of Scots,’ which he dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. Soon after he published another volume of verses, entitled ‘Tales of the Dead,’ dedicated by permission to Queen Adelaide. He gave a dramatic form to an attempt to exculpate Richard III, and he published a fragmentary poem, entitled ‘London,’ which was dedicated to Samuel Rogers. Though he never quite abandoned attempts in imaginative literature, he is chiefly remembered by the series of entertaining memoirs, in which he strung together historical anecdotes of the later dynasties of British monarchs. He was still young when he published in 1840 the first of these, upon the court of the Stuarts. The success of this work encouraged him to bring out similar volumes on the protectorate, William III, the pretenders, and the house of Hanover. His ‘Memoir of George Selwyn and his Contemporaries’ met with great success. His best work was the ‘Memoirs of George the Third,’ in which he used some important unpublished correspondence, including letters of George III. He was convinced that the young king was really married to the pretty quakeress, Hannah Lightfoot, although he was opposed by Mr. Thoms, editor of ‘Notes and Queries.’ His ‘Memoirs of Celebrated Etonians’ was not published till after his death. He was in his later years a great frequenter of the Garrick Club, and while seated at the whist-table there he was sketched by Mr. (afterwards Sir J. E.) Millais on the envelope of a letter. In character he was most amiable; in person tall and commanding, and, when he put on what he called his ‘purtiest manner,’ was very persuasive. He died at his rooms in the Albany, London, on 7 July 1874.

His works are: 1. ‘Mary Queen of Scots,’ a poem, circa 1831. 2. ‘Tales of the Dead,’ a volume of verses (date unknown). 3. ‘Memoirs of the Court of England during the Reigns of the Stuarts,’ 4 vols. 8vo, 1840. 4. ‘Memoirs of the Court of England from the Revolution to Death of George II,’ 3 vols. 8vo, 1843. 5. ‘George Selwyn and his Contemporaries, with Memoirs and Notes,’ 4 vols. 8vo, 1843. 6. ‘Memoirs of the Pretenders and