Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/974

CAR friend, and ordered the despatches to be destroyed, and others of a different tenor to be drawn out by Carstairs himself, which happily removed the grounds of dissatisfaction on the part of the Scottish people, and averted the impending danger of an open quarrel between them and the court. After the death of King William, Carstairs was in 1704 appointed principal of Edinburgh college and minister of the Greyfriars', and three years later of the High church He was a liberal benefactor to all the Scottish universities, and contributed greatly to promote the cause of learning in Scotland. His influence in the Scottish church was as powerful as in the court; and in the space of eleven years he was four times elected moderator of the general assembly. He strenuously opposed the restoration of patronage in 1712; and though his efforts were unavailing in regard to this obnoxious measure, he succeeded in defeating some other schemes of the tory ministry for curtailing the privileges of the Scottish church. He did not long survive the accession of George I., who gratefully acknowledged the services he had rendered to the Hanoverian dynasty. He died in 1715, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Carstairs was probably the most sagacious statesman Scotland has ever produced. He exhibited the rare combination of profound learning and genuine piety with great shrewdness and knowledge of the world, and what is even more worthy of notice, the firmest adherence to his own principles, along with remarkable benevolence and liberality towards the members of other religious bodies. Amid all the intrigues and treacheries of the Revolution era, the integrity of Carstairs was unquestioned; and his piety, humility, and warm affection for his relatives and friends remained uninjured either by the possession of great power, or by courtly adulation.—(Rev. D. M'Cormick, The Carstairs State Papers, &c.)—J. T.  CARSTENS,, an artist, born in 1754 at St. Gurgen, near Schleswig. He commenced life as an apprentice to a wine merchant; but when not engaged in drawing corks, drew portraits with considerable success. After painting an "Adam and Eve," which was purchased by the crown prince, he entered the academy of Copenhagen as a student, but, quarrelling with his professor, he quitted it in 1783 for Italy. His funds failed him at Milan, however, and with his brother he commenced to journey to Germany on foot. At Lubec he took up his residence for five years, and obtained some success as a portrait painter. He then moved to Berlin in 1788, and remained there two years, giving lessons in art, and making drawings for the booksellers. He was employed on the decoration of the Dorvill palace, and there became known to the minister, who afterwards introduced him to the king, from whom he obtained a pension. In 1792 he was enabled to visit Rome. He studied the works of Michel Angelo and Raffaelle, and produced several classical works in imitation of the latter. His last work was an "Œdipus Tyrannus," and he died while executing a "Golden Age," May 25, 1758.—W. T.  CARTE,, a learned English historian, was born in Warwickshire in 1686. After studying at Oxford and Cambridge he was appointed reader in the Abbey church at Bath; but refusing to sign the oath of allegiance to George I. he had to resign the preferment. Suspected of some share in the rebellion of 1715, and afterwards of being concerned in the treason of which Bishop Atterbury, to whom he was secretary, was accused, he had at length to flee to France, where he remained till about 1730, when, on the intercession of Queen Caroline, he was allowed to return to England. Soon after this he issued "The History of the Life of James, Duke of Ormonde," and applied himself to the preparation of a "General History of England," the proposals for which excited considerable attention, and procured many subscribers. This work is valuable for its research, but is disfigured by an obtrusion of the author's ultra-political opinions. He wrote many minor works.—J. B.  CARTER,, a learned lady, was born in 1717 at Deal in Kent, where her father, Dr. Nicholas Carter, was perpetual curate. She was educated along with her brothers, under her father's care. She showed at first but little aptitude for learning; but as the result of great perseverance, she acquired a knowledge of Latin, Greek, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, and Arabic. When only seventeen she began to write verses for the Gentleman's Magazine, which appeared with the signature "Eliza." A collection of these earlier poems was published in 1738 by Mr. Cave, the proprietor of the magazine, to whom Dr. Johnson thus writes—"I have composed a Greek epigram to Eliza, and think she ought to be celebrated in as many different languages as Lewis le Grand." Her fame was greatly extended by her publication in 1739 of a translation from the Italian of Crousaz's Examen of Pope's Essay on Man—a work which Boswell tells us was ascribed to Dr. Johnson. In the same year she published a translation of Algarotti's Explanation of Newton's Philosophy, for the use of Ladies. These works brought Miss Carter into correspondence with such men as Butler, Benson, Johnson, Burke, Reynolds, and Archbishop Secker. Her translation of Epictetus appeared in 1758. In 1762 she published another volume of poems. She wrote two papers, Nos. 44 and 100, for Johnson's Rambler. The later years of her life were spent in the enjoyment of the society of her literary friends, by whom she was held in great esteem for her varied accomplishments. She died in London, 19th Feb., 1806. In the year after her death there appeared "Memoirs of her Life," &c.—J. B.  CARTER,. This painter was more renowned for his eccentricity than his art. He was born of poor parents, was educated at the free school in his native town, Colchester, became a shopman, then a shopkeeper, a bankrupt, then a painter—felicitous stepping-stones to art. He journeyed to Rome, St. Petersburg, Gibraltar, and the East Indies—was despised for his want of ability, and yet somehow seemed to thrive upon contempt, and to coin incompetence. He realized a fortune, retired, and died at Hendon in 1795.  CARTER,, an American author, born at Concord, New Hampshire, in 1787; graduated at Dartmouth college in 1811. When the legislature in 1817 altered Dartmouth college into a university, he was appointed professor of languages in the new institution; but lost this place a year or two afterwards, when the supreme court abrogated this act of the legislature as unconstitutional, and reconstituted the college. Then he became editor of a newspaper in New York, which advocated the interests of De Witt Clinton. In 1824 he wrote and delivered a poem called "The Pains of the Imagination." The next year he visited Europe, and on his return published in two octavo volumes, "Letters from Europe, comprising the Journal of a Tour through England, Scotland, France, Italy, and Switzerland in the years 1825-27." This work was received with well-merited favour. Ill health obliged him, after spending the winter of 1828 in Cuba, to sail for Marseilles in France, where he died a few days after his arrival.—F. B.  CARTER,, a distinguished composer of vocal music, was born in Ireland about the year 1758 (not 1768 as generally stated), and in the early part of his life held the situation of an organist in that country. Having paid considerable attention to the study of vocal music, he was patronized by the earl of Inchiquin, who appears to have contributed towards defraying the expenses of a journey into Italy, which he undertook for the purpose of completing his musical education. At Naples he was much noticed by Sir William and Lady Hamilton. After this he went to India, where for a short time he conducted the musical department of the theatre in Bengal; but his health suffering from the heat of the climate, he was under the necessity of returning to England. As a composer Carter had considerable merit. He was a large contributor to the theatres, and amongst the pieces for which he composed the music are the following—the Rival Candidates, 1775; the Milesian, 1777; the Fair American, 1785; the Soldier's Farewell, 1791; Just in Time, 1792; the Birthday, 1799. He is popularly known as the composer of the music of the pleasing ballad, "O, Nanny, wilt thou Gang wi' Me," and the celebrated description of a sea fight, "Stand to your Guns, my Hearts of Oak." In the year 1793 he married one of the daughters of the Rev. Mr. Wells of Cookham in Berkshire; and worn down by a complaint in his liver, supposed to have been the consequence of his residence in India, he died on the 8th of November, 1800, leaving a widow and two children.—E. F. R.  CARTERET,, distinguished during the civil war for his steadfast loyalty to the house of Stuart, was born in 1599 in Jersey, of which island he rose to be governor in 1626. On the outbreak of the civil war he was appointed by parliament vice-admiral of the fleet, but at the command of the king he declined the office and retired to Jersey, where, and in the neighbouring counties, he was active in the royal cause. On the death of the king he at once proclaimed Charles II., whom he entertained for six months in Jersey. But the government sent a fleet under Blake in 1651, and after an obstinate resistance Carteret had to abandon the island and betake himself to the <section end="974Zcontin" />