Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 39.djvu/267

Mudge thought, very conversant in the Platonic philosophy, and very fond of that method of philosophising.’ Sir Joshua always used to say that Mudge was the wisest man he had met in his life. It was his definition of beauty as the medium of form that Reynolds adopted in his ‘Discourses,’ and he often spoke of republishing Mudge's sermons, and prefixing a memoir from his own pen. Mudge's shrewdness and foresight are well illustrated by his retort to his son John, when the latter remonstrated with him for exhibiting no elation upon the news of Wolfe's victory at Quebec: ‘Son, son, it will do very well whilst the Americans have the sea on one side and the French on the other; but take away the French, and they will not want our protection.’ Mudge died at Coffleet, Devonshire, on the first stage of his annual pilgrimage to London, on 2 April 1769. He was buried by the communion table of St. Andrew's, Plymouth, and his funeral sermon was preached by John Gandy, his curate for many years, who also (as Mudge had desired) succeeded to the vicarage. Dr. Johnson drew his character in the ‘London Chronicle’ for 2 June in monumental terms. ‘His principles both of thought and action were great and comprehensive. By a solicitous examination of objections and judicious comparison of opposite arguments he attained what inquiry never gives but to industry and perspicuity—a firm and unshaken settlement of conviction; but his firmness was without asperity, for knowing with how much difficulty truth was sometimes found, he did not wonder that many missed it. … Though studious he was popular, though argumentative he was modest, though inflexible he was candid, and though metaphysical he was orthodox.’

By his first wife, Mary, Mudge had four sons—Zachariah (1714–1753), a surgeon, who died on board an Indiaman at Canton; Thomas [q. v.]; Richard (1718–1773), who took orders, and was distinguished locally for his compositions for, and performances on, the harpsichord; and John [q. v.]—and one daughter, Mary. Mudge married, secondly, in 1762, Elizabeth Neell, who survived him many years, and died in 1782. The first Mrs. Mudge is said to have been of a parsimonious disposition. At Dr. Johnson's eighteenth cup of tea she on one occasion hazarded, ‘What another, Dr. Johnson!’ ‘Madam, you are rude!’ retorted her guest, who proceeded without interruption to his extreme limit of five and twenty.

Mudge was painted on three several occasions by Sir Joshua Reynolds, in 1761, 1762, and 1766 respectively. The third portrait is the most noteworthy, being, as Leslie says, ‘a noble head, painted with great grandeur, and the most perfect truth of effect.’ The chin rests on the hand, and Chantrey, who carved the whole composition in full relief for St. Andrew's, Plymouth, stated that, when the marble was placed in the right light and shadow, the shape of the light falling behind the hand and on the band and gown was exactly the same in the bust as in the picture. So great indeed was his admiration for the painting that he offered to execute the bust without charge if he might retain the picture.

[Mr. S. R. Flint's Mudge Memoirs; Boswell's Johnson, ed. G. B. Hill, i. 378, iv. 77, 79, 98; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. viii. 675, 676; Account of the Life of Reynolds by Edmund Malone, xxxiii, xcviii; Northcote's Life of Reynolds, 1818, i. 112–15; Conversations of James Northcote, 1830, pp. 85–9; J. B. Rowe's Ecclesiastical Hist. of Old Plymouth, p. 37; Chalmers's Biog. Dict. xxii. 493–4; Darling's Cycl. Bibl. col. 2131; Horne's Introduction to Critical Study of Scripture, v. 321, and Psalms, Preface; Orme's Bibl. Biblica, 1824, p. 323.]

 MUDGE, ZACHARY (1770–1852), admiral, a younger son, by his third wife, of Dr. John Mudge [q. v.], and half-brother of Major-general William Mudge [q. v.], was born at Plymouth on 22 Jan. 1770. From November 1780 he was borne on the books of the Foudroyant, with Captain Jervis, afterwards Earl of St. Vincent [q. v.], and is said to have been actually on board her when she captured the Pegase on 21 April 1782. During the next seven years he served on the home and North American stations, for some time as midshipman of the Pegase ; and on 24 May 1789 was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. In December 1790 he was appointed to the Discovery, with Captain George Vancouver [q. v.], then starting on his celebrated voyage of exploration on the north-west coast of America. In February 1794 he was moved into the Providence, with Commander W. R. Broughton [q. v.], and on 24 Nov. 1797 he was promoted to be commander. In November 1798 he was appointed to the Fly sloop, employed on the coast of North America. On 15 Nov. 1800 he was advanced to post rank, and in April 1801 was appointed to the Constance of 24 guns, in which he was employed convoying merchant ships or cruising with some success against the enemy's privateers. In September 1802 he was moved into the 32-gun frigate Blanche in the West Indies. During 1803 and 1804 she effected many captures both of the enemy's merchant ships and privateers. On 19 July 1805, as she was carrying despatches from Jamaica, intended for Lord Nelson at Barbados, she 