Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 30.djvu/156

 spective Review for 1825, xi. 67–9). A second edition was published at Denbigh in 1870. This collection contains most of the works of the Welsh bards from the fifth to the close of the thirteenth century, and selections from later poetry, versions of the ‘Bruts’ and of the laws of Hywel Dda, historical triads and genealogies of saints. He left behind him at his death a hundred volumes of manuscript containing 35,500 pages, which the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion purchased from his widow, and subsequently gave over, with a few additions, to the British Museum, where they are numbered Add. MSS. 14962–15089.

Jones was also joint-editor with Dr. Owen Pughe of a collection of the poems of Davydd ab Gwilym, which was published in 1789 at Jones's own expense, though nominally under the auspices of the Gwyneddigion (2nd edit. Liverpool, 1873). In 1802 appeared his reprint of ‘Dyhewyd y Cristion,’ a translation originally published in 1632 by Dr. John Davies of Mallwyd, of a work by Robert Parsons, commonly known as ‘The Christian's Resolution’ (, Llyfryddiaeth y Cymry, s. a. 1632). He is also credited with being partly responsible for the publication of a Welsh quarterly magazine called ‘Y Greal,’ which was commenced in 1805, and only reached its ninth number. The revival of eisteddfods, which was so largely promoted by the Gwyneddigion Society, derived much support from him, and he often defrayed the expense of publishing the prize compositions. 

JONES, OWEN (1809–1874), architect and ornamental designer, born in Thames Street, London, on 15 Feb. 1809, was the only son of Owen Jones [q. v.], Welsh antiquary. He was sent to the Charterhouse, and afterwards to a private school. At sixteen he became the pupil of L. Vulliamy the architect, and worked with him diligently for six years, studying at the same time at the Royal Academy. ‘He became a good draftsman, but did not master the figure.’ In the autumn of 1830 he went abroad, and visited Paris, Milan, Venice, and Rome. In 1833 he set out for the East, and saw parts of Greece, Alexandria, Cairo, Thebes, and Constantinople. During this eastern journey he was deeply impressed by Arabic form and ornament, and his future work as a designer was thereby greatly influenced. In 1834 he went to Granada, and made numerous drawings of the Alhambra, revisiting the palace in 1837. In 1836 he published the first part of his ‘Plans, Elevations, Sections, and Details of the Alhambra’ (London, 2 vols. fol. 1842–5; another edit. 1847–8). To produce this work (which was not completed till 1845) Jones spared no pains, and sold a Welsh property left him by his father. The work contains 101 coloured plates, chiefly from drawings by himself. Pecuniarily, this fine publication was not successful. In 1851 he was appointed superintendent of the works of the Great Exhibition, and took an active part in decorating and arranging the building. In 1852 he was made joint director of the decoration of the Crystal Palace, and specially designed for it the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Alhambra courts. He wrote the description of ‘The Alhambra Court,’ London, 1854, 8vo, and published ‘An Apology for the Colouring of the Greek Court,’ London, 1854, 8vo. In company with Digby Wyatt he visited the continent, and selected and procured casts of works of art for the Crystal Palace. In his later years Jones was much employed in the decoration of private houses. He decorated the palace of the Viceroy of Egypt, and was the architect of St. James's Hall, London. He was an exhibitor at the Royal Academy of various architectural designs: in 1831, the ‘Town Hall, Birmingham;’ in 1840, ‘St. George's Hall, Liverpool;’ in 1845, ‘Mansions in the Queen's Road, Kensington,’ and designs for shop decoration. He received in 1857 the gold medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (a society of which he was afterwards vice-president); in 1867, the medal of the Paris Exhibition; in 1873, that of the Vienna Exhibition. He died on 19 April 1874 at his house where he had long resided, in Argyll Place, Regent Street, London. He was buried in Kensal Green cemetery.

Jones's forte was interior decoration. He insisted strongly on the decorative importance of colour, declaring that ‘form without colour is like a body without a soul.’ He had much fertility of invention, and by his example and by the publication of his ‘Grammar of Ornament’ and other writings exercised a considerable influence on the designs of English wall-papers, carpets, and furniture. His chief works are: 1. ‘Plans, &c., of the Alhambra’ (see above). 2. ‘Designs for Mosaic and Tesselated Pavements,’ 1842, 4to. 3. ‘The Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages,’ 1844, &c. fol. (with H. N. Humphreys). 4. ‘The Polychromatic Ornament of Italy,’ 1846 (examples of the sixteenth century). 5. ‘An Attempt to define the Principles which should regulate the Employment of Colour in the Decorative Arts,’ 1852, &c. 8vo. 6. ‘The Grammar of Ornament,’ London, 1856, fol. with 100 plates; also, London, 1865, fol. 112