Page:Men of the Time, eleventh edition.djvu/944

 RICHARDS.

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in Feb., 1877. In that year he published his " Lectures on Welsh Philology." He had previously been known as a Celtic scholar by his articles in Euhn's Beiirdge xur vergleichenden Sprachforschung, the Revtie CeltiqtLe, and the Archceologia t^anthrensis. Mr. Bh^s was elected a perpetual member of the Soci^t4 de Linguistique de Paris in 1873 ; made a corresponding member of the Dorpat Gelehrten Esthnischen Gesellschaft in 1877 ; and elected an Honorary Fellow of Jesus Col- lege, Oxford, Oct. 30, 1877. He served on Lord Aberdare's Commis- sion appointed in August, 1880, to inquire into the present condition of Intermediate and Higher Educa- tion in Wales. In Oct., 1881, he was elected to a Fellowship at Jesus College, and in 1882 a work of his on Celtic Britain was published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

RICHARDS, Bbinley. pianist and composer, son of Mr. H. Richards, organist of St. Peter's, Carmarthen, was born in 1819, and, being intended for the medical pro- fession, was placed with a surgeon at Carmarthen, but abandoned it for one more congenial to his taste. With the assistance of the then Duke of Newcastle, he entered the Royal Academy of Music, where he gained the King's Scholarship in 1835 and 1837. Mr. Richards's name is identified with Welsh National Music, and with an ardent love of the Principality. This spirit has had a great influence on his musical career, has given an im- pulse to his genius, and contributed to his success. His effusions in honour of Wales have assumed a patriotic importance, and his " Cam- brian War-Song," ** The Cambrian Plume," and ** The Karp of Wales,'* are destined to share in the popu- larity of his song " God Bless the Prince of Wales." Some of his orchestral works have been fre- quently played in London and Palis J and while visiting the latter

place, he attracted the notice of Chopin, and formed an intimacy which lasted till the death of that illustrious composer. As a pianist, Mr. Richards holds a very promi- nent rank, not only as a brilliant solo player, but more especially for his performance of the works of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, &c. Among his principal compositions may be mentioned his sacred songs — " In the Hour of My Distress," \ Past," and "Through the Day;" part-songs — " Up, Quit Thy Bower,' ' Day so Cool," and " Ye Little Birds " (madrigal) J — for the pianoforte — "Overture in F minor," for full orchestra; a volume of "Octave Studies,'' "Caprice in F sharp," " Andante con Moto," " The Angel's Song," "The Vision," "In Memo- riam," "Recollections of Wales," "The Carmarthen March," for military band (composed by request of the Earl of Cawdor, for the coimty of Carmarthen), and numer- ous pianofoi-te solos, most of which have been republished in Milan, Leipzig, and Paris. He was pre- sented to the Prince of Wales on St. David's Day, 1867, as the com- poser of " God Bless the Prince of Wales."
 * ' The Pilgrim's Path," "As o'er the
 * ' What Bells are those ? " " Sweet

RICHARDS, Vice-Admibal Sir Gbobgb Henry, C.B., F.R.S., son of Capt. George Spencer Richards, R.N., was born Jan. 13, 1820, at Anthony, Cornwall. After receiving a suitable education at a private school, he was appointed to the naval service in 1833, made a Lieu- tenant in 1842, a Commander in lHt6, a Captain in 1854, Rear-Ad- miral in 1870, and Vice-Admiral in 1877. While a captain he served as Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, was present during the Chinese war of 1841-2, at the action and storming of the forts at Obli- gado in the Parana River, 1815, and was Commander of H.M.S. Assistance, in search of Franklin in the Arctic Regions during 1852-3-1.