Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 45.djvu/88

 behoveth a man to use and eschewe in his familiar conversation. A worke very necessary and profitable for all Gentlemen or other. First written in the Italian tongue, and now done into English. Imprinted at London for Raufe Newbery,’ 1576. The book is dedicated to ‘my singular good Lord, the Lord Robert Dudley, Earle of Leycester,’ and contains dedicatory verses to the translator in Italian by F. Pucci and A. Citolini; in Latin sapphics by Edward Cradock [q. v.]; in English by Thomas Drant [q. v.], Thomas Browne, and one J. Stoughton. It was reprinted privately in 1892, with introduction by H. J. Reid. 2. ‘A Treatise concerning the Causes of the Magnificence and Greatnes of Cities, Devided into three bookes by Sig. Giovanni Botero, in the Italian Tongue, now done into English. At London, Printed by T. P. for Richard Ockould and Henry Tomes,’ 1606. Dedicated to ‘my verie good Lord, Sir Thomas Egerton, Knight’ (, Bibl. Brit.) The original was published at Milan, 1596. From the dedications it appears that Peterson had received favours from the Earl of Leicester and Lord Ellesmere. Copies of both works are in the British Museum.

[Ames's Typogr. Antiq. (Herbert), p. 903; Watt's Bibl. Brit.] 

PETHER, ABRAHAM (1756–1812), landscape-painter, a cousin of William Pether [q. v.], was born at Chichester in 1756. In childhood he showed a great talent for music, and at the age of nine played the organ in one of the Chichester churches. Adopting art as his profession, he became a pupil of George Smith, whom he greatly surpassed. He painted river and mountain scenery, with classical buildings, in a pleasing though artificial style, somewhat resembling that of Wilson; but his reputation rests on moonlight subjects, which earned him the sobriquet of ‘Moonlight’ Pether. He painted with fine feeling and harmony of colour the combination of moonlight and firelight, as in ‘Eruption of Vesuvius,’ ‘Ship on Fire in a Gale at Night,’ ‘An Ironfoundry by Moonlight,’ &c. Pether was a large exhibitor with both the Free and the Incorporated Societies from 1773 to 1791, and at the Royal Academy from 1784 to 1811. His ‘Harvest Moon,’ which was at the Academy in 1795, was highly praised at the time. He had an extensive knowledge of scientific subjects, and in his moonlight pictures the astronomical conditions are always correctly observed. He was also a clever mechanic, constructing optical instruments for his own use, and lectured on electricity. Although his art was popular, Pether was never able to do more than supply the daily wants of his large family, and when attacked by a lingering disease, which incapacitated him for work and eventually caused his death, he was reduced to great poverty. He died at Southampton on 13 April 1812, leaving a widow and nine children quite destitute; and the fact that they were unable to obtain any assistance from the Artists' Benevolent Fund was made the occasion of a fierce attack upon the management of that society. Abraham Pether is known among dealers as ‘Old’ Pether, to distinguish him from his son Sebastian [q. v.], who is noticed separately.

(fl. 1781), who was probably a brother of Abraham—as, according to the catalogues, they at one time lived together—was a wax modeller, and exhibited portraits in wax with the Free Society from 1772 to 1781.

[Pilkington's Dict. of Painters; Bryan's Dict., ed. Stanley; Pye's Patronage of British Art, p. 332; Dayes's Works, 1805; Exhibition Catalogues.] 

PETHER, SEBASTIAN (1790–1844), landscape-painter, eldest son of Abraham Pether [q. v.], was born in 1790. He was a pupil of his father, and, like him, painted chiefly moonlight views and nocturnal conflagrations. His works of this class are singularly truthful and harmonious in colour, and should have brought him success; but early in life the necessity of providing for a large family drove him into the hands of the dealers, who purchased his pictures for trifling sums for copying purposes, to which they readily lent themselves, and consequently they were rarely seen at exhibitions. In 1814 Pether sent to the Royal Academy ‘View from Chelsea Bridge of the Destruction of Drury Lane Theatre,’ and in 1826 ‘A Caravan overtaken by a Whirlwind.’ The latter was a commission from Sir J. Fleming Leicester; but as the subject was not suited to the painter's talent, this solitary piece of patronage was of no real benefit to him. His life was one long struggle with adversity, which reached its climax when, in 1842, three pictures which, with the help of a friendly frame-maker, he sent to the Royal Academy were rejected. Pether resembled his father in his taste for mechanical pursuits, and is said to have suggested the idea of the stomach-pump to Mr. Jukes the surgeon. He died at Battersea on 14 March 1844, when a subscription was raised for his