MR. RICHARD MILES, THE SKILFUL

NUMISMATIC ANTIQUARY.

Mr. Richard Miles was born in London, near Old Bedlam, October 23, 1740, old style; and was named Richard after his father, of whom Mr. Miles always spoke with the highest respect, as having possessed an excellent understanding." He left me," remarked his son, a large portion of integrity, which I have endeavoured, I trust, not to diminish," a hope which all who knew Mr. Miles could testify was amply realized. From his father he also imbibed an inclination for Coins, a pursuit which ultimately afforded him pecuniary advan tage, and at all times was a continued source of amusement, and more particularly in old age and infirmity, when it became a blessing, in alleviating them, and diverting his thoughts from disagreeables, which, as a friend remarked, "no one more deserves than Mr. M. who always has, and does make the comfort of others, very much his consideration."

At the age of eight years he was admitted into Christ's Hospital, and at 15 he lost his father, who left a widow very slenderly provided for. During his apprenticeship her son contributed to her support, and after his apprenticeship, he entirely maintained her for the remainder of her life.

On leaving Christ's Hospital at 16, he was placed by his friend the Steward, as apprentice to Mr. Duval the King's jeweller, with whom he remained 21 years, being made book-keeper and cashier, as soon as competent to occupy situations of such trust and difficulty, and during the whole of this time, he was always treated with the kindest consideration, and lived in the house as one of the family, until his marriage in 1776 to Miss Margaret Heyward. By this lady, who died the 11th of August 1804, he had ten children, four of whom (one daughter and three sons) survive him.

In 1777 he left Mr. Duval, and engaged in a chemical concern;. and sub. sequently with a Mr. Raban in the coal business; which he declined through an apprehension of risking the property of his friends who had come forward to assist him; and having for many years studied and collected Coins, be determined on turning the knowledge which he had acquired as an amusement, to advantage on himself and family, and became a dealer in Coins and Medals, and so continued until his death; and I may venture to say, that few persons were better qualified for the employment than himself; he was a perfect gentleman, his appearance and manners, form

ed on what we may now term the old school, (perhaps ceremoniously punctilious, were peculiarly prepossessing, courteous and easy, and qualified him for intercourse with any rank in society; whilst his undeviating scrupulous integrity commanded universal reverence. All who, like the writer, were acquainted with Mr. Miles towards the closing years of his life, must have admired his benign and reverend appearance, his mild, courteous and benevolent manners, which, combined with the exemplary integrity of his character, formed what may be called, the beauty and grandeur of old age; these gave a weight, a dignity and an importance to the principles of kindness, morality, and religion, which he inculcated even more by example than by precept; and they will long retain their original sharpness of impression (to use a numismatic phrase) in the remembrances of those who were not more benefited than honoured by being numbered among those of his friends.

I am persuaded that the increase there has been of collected coins in this country, is in some measure owing to the unbounded reliance, which all persons placed in Mr. Miles's judgment and integrity; and certainly no person could be more entitled to this confidence than Mr. Miles was; for when he offered a coin for sale without comment, you were well assured, not merely that he believed it genuine himself, but that its genuineness never had been called in question; for if a doubt had been thrown on it from any quarter, he invariably mentioned it, and gave the objection more authority than it was at all times entitled to; and the moderation of his prices bore no proportion to the liberality of his purchases. In this respect, indeed, he was always a Collector, and in the prices he offered for coins, he rather consulted bis inclination for them than the consideration of what they might be obtained for, or how they would sell again. I often said to him, on these occasions, my dear Sir, you quite forget that you are dealer. In speaking of Mr. Miles as a Numismatic Antiquary, I could wish I was better qualified to do him justice. Collectors of Antique Coins, I consider, may be divided into two classes, some who may be said theoretically, and others who practically, understand them. By the former I mean the deeply-learned Antiquary, whose studies enable bim to decide wherefore, at what period, and by whom, the coin was struck, who can explain the different symbols, monograms, &c. which it may bear, and

is thoroughly read in the history, and geographical situation, of the country, or state it belonged to, its rise, progress, or decay; to mention for instance, such names as Eckhel, Froelich, Neuman, Pellerin, &c. We have not many collectors, perhaps, of this class in England, but we are not without them, and among others, I may mention R. P. Knight, esq. and Taylor Combe, esq. The practical collector I should define, as one equally well acquainted with coins, as those I have placed in the first class, so far as regards their scarcity, beauty of work, value, and above all, as possessing an equal capability of discernment and discrimination, in determining between an antique coin and any modern imitation or fabrication. It is in this latter class, I should be inclined to place my revered friend; and in this I consider that he held a distinguished rank. I do not consider that when in the full enjoyment of his sight, that he had an equal. Latterly, from the decay of his eyes, he occasionally distrusted bis own judgment. In the knowledge of modern coins and medals, more particularly English and Frenchvery few equalled, and certainly none surpassed bim. It will not, I trust, be imagined, that I am representing prac. tical collectors as uninformed men ; very far from it. Mr. Miles's historical and Chronological information was very extensive. Indeed, the accuracy and retentiveness of his memory to dates, was beyond any that I have met with; but I have endeavoured to draw the line of distinction between the laborious, erudite, and the amateur Antiquary; and in the latter class Mr. Miles's education, and pursuits, previous to his becoming a dealer in coins, would naturally have a tendency to place him.

On the 26th of November 1782, he was elected Accountant to the Commissioners for paving, &c. Westminster; several candidates for the situation appeared, but his collecting friends, particularly the Rev. Mr. Cracherode, and Mr. Hodsoll, so strenuously exerted themselves in his behalf, that he was brought in by a large majority. This office he resigned the 27th of December 1814, baving held it with equal credit to himself, and satisfaction to others, 22 years.

On the 1st of December 1787, he was also appointed accomptant to the British Museum, which he resigned the 7th

of 1806.

Of what I may term the public life of this esteemed individual, my acquaintance baving commenced at a late period of his life, does not enable me

to speak more fully. In delineating his private character and habits, I am relieved from the attempt, which I fear I should have but imperfectly accomplished, through the kindness of a friend, much longer and more intimately aequainted with him than I was, and from whose diary, written for private amusement, and never intended to meet any other eye than the writer's, I have been allowed to make extracts relating to Mr. Miles (written at different periods of his life), the truth, justice, and characteristic accuracy of which will be immediately perceived by all who were acquainted with Mr. Miles will, I think, feel pleasure in thus again meeting with one, who was never seen but with feelings of pleasure, seldom parted from without some benefit having been gained, either by being made better one self or by having our opinion of human nature raised by the contemplation of so much moral excellence, and who will always be remembered by those who knew him, with sentiments of the most affectionate gratitude and veneration. It was hard to determine whether one loved or respected him most. Perhaps these feelings are never excited to their utmost strength, when separated, and in the present instance, they respectively predominated only, as we fixed our contemplation on a kindness and benevolence, which calculated and considered for every one in the circle around him, which never thought it could do enough for others, and required nothing for itself; or, rested our thoughts on the sublimity of a moral character, which in all that constituted human perfection, I cannot imagine could be surpassed.

"Mr. Miles," observes my friend in the diary mentioned, " is a man of good understanding, which has been improved by reading and reflection, his disposition and principles excellent. No anxious desire to be rich or remarkable : looking up to the Almighty with humility and gratitude, as the giver of all he possesses; scrupulously consciencious in doing justly to others in all his transactions, in a doubtful case giving things against himself, as he considers self is the great enemy we have to strive against, and this can only be done by habitually looking into ourselves, and taking ourselves to task. An affectionate kind heart, always pleased to hear of the gratification of his friends, and particularly so, if he could do them a service in any way, as he has often remarked,

It is only paying off a small portion of what I owe to the world, for I bave met with many kind friends in my voyage through

through life, or I don't know what I might have done, without relations to assist me.' Liberal in disposition, but prudent in his own expences; giving way to no selfish indulgences, but dis posed to consider those of others; grateful for the smalle attentions, and if possible requiting them; he has a pleasure in giving, and would much rather confer than receive favours. Of the narrow-minded, he will not accept them, and does not like to be outdone by the liberal; a more enlarged delicate mind than he possesses, is seldom found. His manners are polite, and he feels pleasure in saying obliging things, consistent with sincerity; for he has always paid the nicest regard to truth, as he says, he has had nothing to recommend him through life, but that he could be depended on I cannot assent to this limitation, but the words comprehend a great deal. Towards his family he is affectionate and fiberal to the extent of his means, paying a regard to those minute attentions, which endear persons to each other, and render life much more agreeable than it otherwise would be. When tolerably free from pain (being at times severely afflicted with the stone) he is cheerful, that sort of cheerfulness which proceeds from good will to all mankind, and a heart at peace with itself; he is very conversable, but has reflected deeply on persons and things, remarking, I have had much time for thought:' severe towards his own failings, but generally silent on those of others, or making kind allowance for them. When he does express himself harshly of any one, it may be considered as a heavy reflection, for he puts up with a great deal before he complains, and then with the bad he gives all the good he can, for he is remarkably candid. His temper, from illness and various other circumstances, is disposed to be irritable, but he has greatly checked, and keeps a close watch over it, particularly in reference to his inferiors; for, as he justly observes, it is our duty to render their situation as easy as possible by considerate treatment, and to recollect, that we are all equal in the sight of the Almighty in regard to rank, and that the greatest and the wisest of us are but weak dependent mortals in His all pervading eye."

"Mr. Miles is of a very open disposition, little secrets and mysteries, as he observes, are proofs of a conscientiousness of something wrong in our conduct, or of a little mind, but though open as the day in his own concerns, where secrecy is enjoined him in those of others, he is to be entirely relied on; he always

scrupulously avoids saying any thing that could cause dissatisfaction between parties, for as he has often remarked, "if all that people said of each other, was to be repeated to the parties, the world would be a constant scene of hostility, and therefore, private conversations had always been held sacred."

Being left at the early age of 15, without friends, gave him a thoughtful turn, and while a young man, he became apprehensive of a failure of his eyesight, and was attacked with the stone. It is the nature of this complaint to depress the spirits, so that a mind naturally gay, elastic, and alert, was subject to gloomy apprehensions; on his very entrance into life, as he remarks, he had always something to keep him humble, but though hard to bear, it is right that it should be So. Thus afflicted, it is not to be wondered at, that Mr. Miles has been accustomed to look on, the dark side of things that concerned himself, but latterly, this has been less the case; he has had trials, but he dwells on them less than formerly. As a friend, he has always been steady, attentive, kind, and consoling, to be relied on for rendering any service in his power; he has deserved friends, and has obtained them; and towards those who have not returned his friendship as might have been reasonably expected, he has always preserved a kind disposition.

There is (to use his own expression),' but one rule of conduct to be abided by, that of doing to others as we would they should do unto us," and it is comprehensible to the meanest capacity."

I shall not risk weakening the force of these extracts by any remarks of my own. Mr. Miles's bealth, as may be inferred, was frequently an object of anxiety and alarm to his friends. During the last winter it gradually declined, and after a short confinement, he was removed, as we confidently trust, to a brighter scene of existence, the 14th of April 1819, in the 79th year of his age.

In the course of the preceding summer, at the particular request of Thomas Dimsdale, esq. a friend to whom he considered himself under many obligations, Mr. Miles sat for his portrait to Mr. Kemp, whose drawing, a threequarter length, is equally honourable to the artist, for the excellence of the execution, and the accurate characteristic resemblance, it bears to Mr. Miles. With that liberality which always distinguishes Mr. Dimsdale, that gentleman has had an admirable engraving taken from the drawing, by Mr. Worthington, impressions of which he has presented

presented to all Collectors of Coins who were in the habit of knowing Mr. Miles. Mr. W. Wyon, one of the engravers of his Majesty's mint during the winter also succeeded in modelling his portrait in profile, from which it is his intention of engraving a medal, as a testimony of the regard he bore to Mr. Miles, which, considering my late friend's pursuits, is certainly a most appropriate mode of testifying it; and the powers that this rising artist has evinced, prove that he not only bears the appellation, but participates in the ability, which distinguished the short, but splendid career, of his cousin, the late chief engraver; and leave no apprehensions, but that the tribute, will be as worthy the subject, as the nature of it will allow. To say that it can equal it, would be (in the writer's estimation at least) passing the bounds of truth; for those who knew Mr. Miles, are little disposed to flatter themselves with the expectation, of easily meeting such a perfect character, as a Christian or a gentleman; or that they shall be favoured by the friendship of two such persons, in the course of a life.

I shall conclude this very imperfect notice, by an abstract from the communication of a gentleman, who had long known and respected Mr. Miles, and received since writing the preceding."I have now only to add, the great outline of a character so unexceptionable, as it appears to me, as that of the late worthy and excellent Mr. Miles: possessing the mind of a Prince, most noble and generous: extremely grateful for the least favour or kindness, conferred upon, or attention paid him; and possessing that rare virtue, of being incapable of doing a mean act; although he could not, at times, help observing such conduct in others, which used to ruffle him, conceiving it derogatory to any human being. Upon the whole he was a sttictly honest and conscientious man, and a perfect gentleman of the old school: a strenuous supporter of our invaluable Constitution; and a model for a life of a Christian."

MR. HENRY ANDREWS.

Jan. 26. Aged 76 years, Mr. Henry Andrews, of Royston, Herts, for many years one of the assistants in the calculations necessary to be made in the preparation of Moore's highly- useful and popular Almanack.-By his own industry, from a limited education, he made great progress in the liberal arts, and was justly esteemed one of the best astronomers of the age. He was many

years engaged as computer of the Nau tical Ephemeris, and on retiring from that situation, received the thanks of the Board of Longitude, accompanied by a handsome present, as a just tribute for his long and arduous services. His profound knowledge of astronomy and the mathematics was acknowledged by all scientific men who were acquainted with his abilities, but the greatness of his mind was never more conspicuous than during the period of his last illness; and on his deathbed not a murmur escaped his lips, but serenity of mind, patience, and resignation were constantly depicted in his countenance, in which amiable situation he continued until the vital spark had fled.

DR. JOSEPH ARNOLD.

Joseph Arnold, M. D. F. L. S. was born at Beccles, in the county of Suffolk, in the year 1783, and was the fourth son of Mr. Edward Arnold, an opulent tanner in that town. He was apprenticed to a surgeon and apothecary in 1799, and at the same time placed under an able classical tutor, to receive instruction in the learned languages: for bitherto his education had been confined to a common English grammar-school, in bis native place. At the end of the five years, having profited as much as possible by his studies, both scholastic as well as medical, his father very wisely. and liberally determined he should proceed to Edinburgh, where with unabated industry he pursued his professional views and received the honour of a diploma in 1207. A reward never more deservedly obtained.

Upon leaving Edinburgh, he made several attempts to settle as a Physician, but in none of these succeeding to his wishes, he was induced upon the recommendation of a friend, to make trial of the Naval service. He entered agreeably to the regulation of that department as an assistant-surgeon on board the Victory, a flag-ship, under the command of Sir James Saumerez, appointed to the Baltic. This was in April 1808, and in the month of March of the following year, he was promoted to the surgeoncy of the Indostan, then under orders for our Settlement in New South Wales, Not to particularise the several changes in his medical career, it may be sufficient to remark in a general way, that he served on board different ships of war, the Hibernia, the America, and the Alcmene, and in various stations in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, to the period of 1814, when many vessels were dismantled, and he was, to use the seamen's phrase, once more adrift.

At

At this crisis, when many applications were rejected, though supported by great interest, and strong claims of preference, he was amongst the fortunate few who succeeded. And by a friend at the Transport Board who entered most cordially into his design of prosecuting Natural History, he procured an order to join the Northumberland, a convict ship taken up by Government for Botany-bay. In this voyage he united the office of supercargo to that of surgeon, and received in consequence an increase of profit by the appointment, but his great object was to enrich himself and his country by the products of another hemisphere, pecuniary advantages were only a secondary consideration; his fortune was fully equal to the exigencies of his situation, and no motive, I am persuaded, could operate so powerfully with him as the real love of science. On his passage from Port Jackson his hopes and expectations were in a great measure defeated, for unfortunately for himself and the publick, the natural curiosities which he had collected at New South Wales were destroyed at Batavia by the vessel taking fire when she had nearly compleated her cargo for England. His detention at Java was prolonged for many weeks by this accident, and in the course of his stay on that island, he was introduced to the Governor, and lived chiefly at the hospitable mansion of Sir Thomas S. Raffles. After his arrival in England in 1816, he was stationary for some months at his brother's in Suffolk, earnestly courting some opportunity to renew his travels without much probability of success; but his former acquaintance, the late Governor of Java, was sent in the year 1817 to the island of Sumatra, and upon the recommendation of Sir Joseph Banks, the Doctor accompanied him as Naturalist, under the patronage of the Hon. East India Company. From the date of his departure no letters were ever received by his family, and after he reached the place of destination, the first intelligence they had was a communication from Sir T. S. R. which announced the melancholy tidings of his death. He died at Padang, on the island of Sumatra, on the 26th of July 1818, in the 35th year of his age. appears he was attacked with a violent fever immediately upon his return from an excursion into the interior, in which he accompanied the Governor; and the excessive fatigue which he (and indeed the whole party) underwent on the occasion in this unhealthy climate, was, we fear, the cause of this deplorable event; he fell thus an early sacrifice to

It

his exertions in pursuit of knowledge.In reflecting upon the peaceful habits of his mind, it is somewhat difficult to reconcile his choice of a sea-life in preference to the delights and comforts of a settled home, but we must seek for an explanation in the ruling passion, which was to visit and explore distant regions, whatever sacrifices it might cost; and so insatiable was this desire, that although he had twice circumnavigated the globe, and witnessed the many wonders of Italy, &c. he yet accepted with eagerness the offer of going to Sumatra as a new field of discovery; under a strong presentiment, from the insalubrity of the climate, that when he departed from England, he should never return to relate the history of his adven

suage,

Or he shall calm his breast or learn experience sage."

The above quotation from a wellknown poet was found amongst his papers, and was undoubtedly intended to be self applied, as giving a faithful representation of his own feelings.-He published, beside his inaugural thesis, several papers on detached subjects in the Physical and Philosophical Journal, and left to the Linnæan Society a large collection of fossils and shells to be deposited in their museum. His last will contained directions for a mural monument to be erected in the parish church of Beccles, with emblematic designs of his own, expressive of his sentiments, and as an authentic memorial of the

principal events of his life, to be written in Latin by Dawson Turner, esq. of Great Yarmouth.

In delineating the features of his character we should say with the poet, he was no vulgar boy.

"Concourse and noise, and toil he ever fled,

Nor car'd to mingle in the clamorous fray

Of squabbling imps, but to the forest