Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 41.djvu/48

 books from the library to the reading-room of the British Museum,’ which provoked from Panizzi a pamphlet with that title, and from Nicolas a counter-charge of ‘Animadversions on the Library and Catalogues of the British Museum: a Reply to Panizzi's Statement.’ He also contributed to the ‘Spectator’ of 16, 23, and 30 May 1846 three articles on the same subject.

On 12 Oct. 1831 Nicolas was created a knight of the Guelphs of Hanover, and he became chancellor and knight commander, with the rank of senior knight commander, of the order of St. Michael and St. George on 16 Aug. 1832, being promoted to the position of grand cross on 6 Oct. 1840. These honours brought with them no pecuniary reward, and the necessities of a large family, combined with laxity in managing his resources, forced Nicolas to perpetual drudgery. He lived for some years at 19 Tavistock Place, London, but his last residence in England was at 55 Torrington Square. His pecuniary necessities drove him at last into exile, but he continued at work until within a week of his death. He died of congestion of the brain at Capé Cure, a suburb of Boulogne, on 3 Aug. 1848. He was buried in Boulogne cemetery on 8 Aug., and a tablet to his memory was placed in the church of St. Martin, near Looe, in which parish he inherited a small property. He had himself erected a monument in the same church to the memory of his uncle and namesake (d. 1816), to whom he was executor. His widow, born in London on 3 Aug. 1800, died at Richmond, Surrey, on 12 Nov. 1867. Nicolas left eight children, two sons and six daughters; and two others died young. His second son, Nicholas Harris, received almost immediately a clerkship in the exchequer and audit department, and his widow was granted, on 31 Oct. 1853, a civil list pension of 100l. per annum. Four of the children are buried in Kew churchyard.

Nicolas may have been aggressive and passionate, but he was animated by the best motives, and his fierce attacks on the abuses with which he credited the record commission, the Society of Antiquaries, and the British Museum produced many desirable reforms. The debt of American students to Nicolas for the increased facilities of antiquarian research in English records is fully acknowledged in S. G. Drake's ‘Researches in British Archives,’ 1860, p. 8. Nicolas was remarkable for a ‘beaming face, hearty greeting, genial conversation, varied knowledge, and for his liberal readiness to impart it’ (, Libraries and Founders, pp. 285–288); but he sometimes practised his sharp wit on his friends. Proof of the contemporary belief in his knowledge of genealogy, and his thoroughness of research, is given by Hood, who suggests that the pedigree of Miss Kilmansegg Were enough, in truth, to puzzle Old Nick, Not to name Sir Harris Nicolas. In little more than twenty-five years of literary work Nicolas compiled or edited many valuable works. They comprised: 1. ‘Index to the Heralds' Visitations in the British Museum’ [anon.], 1823; 2nd edit. 1825. 2. ‘Life of William Davison, Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth,’ 1823. 3. ‘Notitia Historica: Miscellaneous Information for Historians, Antiquaries, and the Legal Profession,’ 1824; an improved edition, called ‘The Chronology of History,’ was included in 1833 in Lardner's ‘Cabinet Cyclopædia,’ vol. xliv., and a second edition of this revised issue appeared in 1838. 4. ‘Synopsis of the Peerage of England,’ 1825; a new edition, entitled ‘The Historic Peerage of England,’ and revised, corrected, and continued by William Courthope, was published in 1857. 5. ‘Testamenta Vetusta: illustrations from Wills of Ancient Manners, Customs, &c., from Henry II to Accession of Queen Elizabeth,’ 1826, 2 vols. 6. ‘Literary Remains of Lady Jane Grey,’ 1825. 7. ‘History of Town and School of Rugby,’ 1826; left unfinished. 8. ‘Poetical Rhapsody of Francis Davison,’ 1826, 2 vols; portions of this, consisting of ‘Psalms translated by Francis and Christopher Davison’ and of ‘Biographical Notices of Contributors to the “Poetical Rhapsody,”’ were issued for private circulation in the same year. 9. ‘Flagellum Parliamentarium: Sarcastic Notices of 200 Members of Parliament, 1661–78,’ 1827. 10. ‘Memoir of Augustine Vincent, Windsor Herald,’ 1827. 11. ‘History of the Battle of Agincourt, and of the Expedition of Henry V into France,’ 1827; 2nd edit. 1832; 3rd edit. 1833. 12. ‘Chronicle of London, 1089–1483,’ 1827, edited by Nicolas and Edward Tyrrel, the city remembrancer. 13. ‘Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VIII from November 1529 to December 1532,’ 1827. 14. ‘Private Memoirs of Sir Kenelm Digby,’ 1827; the ‘Castrations’ from these ‘Memoirs’ were printed for private circulation in the same year. 15. ‘Journal of one of the Suite of Thomas Beckington, afterwards Bishop of Bath and Wells, on an Embassy to the Count of Armagnac, 1442,’ 1828; this was adversely criticised by the Rev. George Williams in ‘Official Correspondence of Bekynton,’ Rolls Ser., 1872. 16. ‘The Siege of Carlaverock, 1300’ 1828. 17. ‘Roll