Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 45.djvu/210

 fellow of the Horticultural Society, and in 1825 of the Linnean Society ( and, Index of Botanists, p. 135). He published: 1. ‘Pomarium Britannicum,’ 1820, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1821; 3rd edit. 1823. 2. ‘History of Cultivated Vegetables,’ 2 vols. 8vo; 2nd edit. 1822; another edition 1831. 3. ‘Sylva Florifera: the Shrubbery, historically and botanically treated,’ 2 vols. 1823, 8vo. 4. ‘Flora Domestica, or the Portable Flower Garden,’ 1823, 8vo; another edition 1827. 5. ‘Flora Historica,’ 1824, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1829. 6. ‘Floral Emblems,’ 1825, 8vo. 7. ‘Companion for the Orchard,’ 1831, 8vo. 8. ‘Companion for the Kitchen Garden,’ 2 vols. 8vo.

[Johnson's History of English Gardening, (1829), p. 304; Pritzel's Thesaurus Literaturæ Botanicæ, 1851; Jackson's Guide to the Literature of Botany; Phillips's own works.] 

PHILLIPS, HENRY (1801–1876), musician, son of Richard Phillips, an actor, was born at Bristol on 13 Aug. 1801. At the age of eight he appeared as a singing boy at Harrogate Theatre, and soon afterwards was engaged to sing soprano parts, first at the Haymarket, and then at Drury Lane. He became a pupil of Broadhurst, and began his career as a bass at Covent Garden in Bishop's ‘Law of Java.’ At this time his voice was weak, and the poor effect he produced caused him to retire temporarily to Bath. He returned to London in 1823, studied under Sir George Smart, and was engaged by Kemble to sing in Arne's ‘Artaxerxes.’ In this also he made no impression, the newspapers recording the ‘total failure of Mr. Phillips at Covent Garden last night.’ In 1824, however, he sang the music of Caspar, on the production of ‘Der Freischütz,’ with great success, and thenceforth he rapidly rose in public estimation. He soon took a leading place at the provincial musical festivals, and was much engaged for theatre and concert work. In 1825 he became principal bass at the ancient music concerts, and entered the choir of the Bavarian Chapel. In 1834 he sang at the Lyceum in Loder's ‘Nourjahad’ and in Barnett's ‘Mountain Sylph.’ In the latter opera his singing of the ballad ‘Farewell to the Mountain’ constituted the chief success. In 1843 he gave up the theatre, and began a series of ‘table entertainments,’ which he continued at intervals to the end of his career. In 1844 he visited America. Mendelssohn composed a ‘scena’ for him to words from Ossian, ‘On Lena's gloomy heath,’ and he sang it at the Philharmonic Concert on 15 March 1847. His engagements gradually decreased, and he retired at a farewell concert given on 25 Feb. 1863. He was subsequently employed as a teacher, first at Birmingham, and then near London. He died at Dalston on 8 Nov. 1876, and was buried at Woking cemetery.

Phillips was a clever and versatile musician and a good actor. His voice lacked power, but he made admirable use of it. In oratorio and ballad he was specially successful. He composed music to many songs, of which the most popular were ‘The best of all good Company,’ and ‘Shall I, wastynge in despaire.’ His ‘Musical and Personal Recollections of Half a Century,’ 2 vols., London, 1864, with portrait, contains much interesting matter. He also wrote ‘Hints on Declamation,’ London, 1848, and ‘The True Enjoyment of Angling,’ London, 1843.

[Musical and Personal Recollections as above; Musical Times, December 1876; Grove's Dict. of Music.] 

PHILLIPS, HENRY WYNDHAM (1820–1808), portrait-painter. [See under, 1770–1845.]

PHILLIPS, PHILIPS, or PHILLYPS, JOHN (fl. 1570–1591), author, who should be distinguished from John Philip (fl. 1566) [q. v.], was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge (Commemoration of Margaret, Countess of Lennox, 1578), but took no degree. He was a student of the classics, but in one place he describes himself as ‘student in divinitie’ and in another as ‘preacher of the Word of God.’ He inclined to puritanism, and was patronised by noble ladies of known puritan proclivities. It is doubtful if he were a beneficed clergyman. His extant edificatory publications were: 1. ‘A Friendly Larum or Faythfull Warnynge to the True-harted Subiectes of England. Discoueryng the Actes and Malicious Myndes of those obstinate Papists that hope (as they term it) to haue theyr Golden Day. By I. Phil. London (by William How for Rycharde Johnes) [1570],’ n.d. 8vo. This was dedicated to Katherine Bertie, duchess of Suffolk; copies are at Lambeth and in the Huth Library. 2. ‘A Balad intituled “A cold Pye for the Papistes.” … Finis. Iohn Phillip,’ London (by William How for Richard Johnes), broadside; the only copy known is at Britwell. 3. ‘A Fruitfull Exhortation given to all Godly and Faithfull Christians,’ London (by Thomas Dawson), n.d.; dedicated to Lettice, countess of Leicester. 4. ‘The Wonderfull Worke of God shewed upon a Chylde, whose Name is William Withers, being in the Towne of Walsam … Suffolk, who, being Eleuen