To promote these, he appointed an Oratorio to be performed at Church Langton, Sept. 26 and 27, 1759, and these were again repeated in the two following years; but the profits arising therefrom were very trifling. In the winter of 1761, the sale of plants, &c. from the nurseries, amounted to upwards of 1000l. In the year 1763, Mr. Hanbury had his portrait painted in full length, by Mr. Penny, who was the first professor of painting to the Royal Academy. This artist also attempted to paint a likeness of Mrs. Hanbury, but not succeeding, apologized for his incapacity by a compliment to the lady, in saying, "She is out of the art." This appears to have been peculiarly grateful to the husband: for he observes, * Several other painters have since attempted a likeness, but in vain; so that if ever we have a picture of Mrs. Hanbury, it must be when age has brought her under the power of pencil and paint*. My age at this time is 38, and Mrs. Hanbury's 28." Our benevolent clergyman was intimate with the Rev. Charles Churchill and Robert Lloyd, whose deaths he particularly deplores, in the year 1763. In conjunction with the latter, Mr. Hanbury had agreed to present to the public an English edition of Virgil. The translation, “in long measure," to be by Lloyd, Ff2" and * This vulgar notion is too prevalent with puerile miniature drawers, and impotent portrait painters; whose universal system is flattery and falsehood. These endeavour to make their representations of ordinary faces pretty, and, failing to imitate "Nature's fairest forms," contrive generally to shelter their own imbecilities, and also deceive their indiscriminating employers, by saying, to each pretty woman, that its beyond the power of paint, or colour, to do justice to your inimitable countenance. Would Vandyck ever have disgraced his art, and his own pencil, by such pityful subterfuge? or would that great artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds, have deigned to excuse himself from executing the portrait of a beautiful female, by saying his pencil was incompetent? But the man who professes to be an artist, and neglects the necessary studies to be a meritorious one, must resort to a baser art; for the purpose of obtaining a livelihood. Such are the transcendant powers of the 'painter's pencil, that, in a skilful hand, it can be made to imitate almost *any visual object not in motion; as the mirror, or transparent water, reflects and combines all objects immediately opposed to their responsive șurfaces. and copious notes, containing " the modern names of the different shrubs and plants, together with their order and class, in the Linneæn system," by Mr. Hanbury. This gentleman was not alone devoted to planting and botany; as music was also a favourite study with hiin; and on these partialities he was complimented in the following lines: "So sweet thy strain, so thick thy shade, The pleas'd spectator sees— The miracle once more display'd, Of Orpheus and his trees." el. The benevolent plans of this gentleman had excited so much publicity, and his private character was so much respected by some literary friends, that several poems and essays were pub'lished in his vindication and praise. Among these was a poem by Lloyd, entitled "Charity" and another by Wm. Woty, entitled Church Langton;" wherein the author thus describes the characteristics of the country * « On yonder broad circumference of ground, The poet then proceeds to describe, in flowing numbers, the different objects of utility, ornament, &c. that were to arise from the completion of Mr. Hanbury's plans: but these, like the poet's visions, have never been fully accomplished. Different trustees, at different periods, have been appointed to execute the trust deeds. The whole of these, with the schemes of the author, were published in an octavo volume, entitled "The History of the Rise and Progress of the Charitable Foundations at Church-Langton, together with the different Deeds of Trust of that Establishment, by the Rev. Mr. Hanbury,” 1767.` "With a firmness of mind equal to the benevolence of his heart," says our modern Camden, "Mr. Hanbury seemed, in the course of about twenty years, to have brought to the utmost degree of maturity and stability human affairs are capable of, this singular undertaking of raising, from a plantation of all the various, trees, plants, &c. the world produces, a yearly: fund of near 10,000l.; sufficient to relieve the distressed, instruct the ignorant, assist the curious, adorn the parish, and benefit this and the neighbouring county of Rutland, as long as integrity, and public spirit subsist in Britain, or dare to defy singularity and This generous design claims a place here on a double account. We antiquaries have great obligations to this liberal founder, who has appropriated part of this fund to the compiling and publishing a history of every county of England, by a professor appointed on purpose*. censure. " Mr. Hanbury, persevering in his favorite pursuits, published in 1773, a large work in two volumes folio, entitled, "A complete body of Planting and Gardening; containing the natural history, culture, and management of deciduous and ever-green forest trees, with practical directions for raising and improving woods, nurseries, seminaries, and plantations, &c. &c." In the preface to this work, our author is rather harsh and severe in his stric tures on former horticultural writers; thinking, like many other system-mongers, that to establish a new theory or practice, it is necessary to depreciate or invalidate all that had been previously known. He is not very elegant or clear in his style; nor on the whole was this work likely to exalt his fame, or benefit his charitiest. Mr. Hanbury died, Feb. 28, 1778, in the 53d year of his age, and his remains were deposited in a mausoleum at Church Langton, near the rectorial house. It may, perhaps, with confidence be said, that no charitable scheme, or public plan of an individual, ever excited so much Ff 3 "Anecdotes of British Topography," Vol. I. p. 520. notoriety + See a fair character of this work in Monthly Review, Vol. L. p. 1. notoriety as that of the rector of Church Langton; thousands of persons were captivated with the prospect, and most of the neighbouring gentry cheerfully joined in his trusts, and patronized his efforts. Yet he had his faults, and was attacked by enemies ; for in the fervour of his zeal, he occasionally gave way to the impulses of passion and indignation; and some persons, either actuated by envy, jealousy, or false judgment, publicly opposed and reprobated his schemes. Whatever may have been the motives of the man, is not very material; but that his ultimate object was of a very important and praiseworthy nature is evident, and it will ever be a subject of regret, that so little was done from such very laudable schemes. The church of West Langton, a large and venerable building," consists of a nave, ailes, chancel, south porch, and lofty square tower. Between the nave and each aile, are four semi-circular arches, springing from fluted columns; and at the west end of the former is a substantial gallery and organ, raised from the profits of Mr. Hanbury's plantations. In the angle between the north aile and chancel is a rood loft, the stone steps leading up to which remain in a perfect state. Near this is a piscina, and in the chancel is another in a handsome niche, connected with which are three stone seats of the same style. The nave of the church is appropriated to East, West, and Church Langton's; the south aile to Thorpe Langton, and the north aile to Tur-Langton. The advowson of the church, with all the lands, tithes, and appurtenances thereto belonging, was given to the Abbot and Convent of St. Mary de Pratis at Leicester, by William de Novo Mer cato; and confirmed by Robert Bossu Earl of Leicester, by Hugh Bishop of Lincoln, and by Christiana filia Gore, the granddaughter of the original donor. In the Matriculus of 1220, it is stated that the church was then under the patronage of the Abbot of Leicester; that the rector was G. nephew to the legate, by whom he had been instituted; that it had two chapels, Thorpe and Thyrlangton, having each a resident chaplain appointed by the mother-church; and that the abbot had an ancient pension from from this church of half a mark. There was another chapel at (either East or West) Langton, where service was performed three times in a week from the mother-church. The value of this living in 1615 is fully explained in a letter from "Thomas Herrick" to Sir William Herrick, wherein the writer says, "the living is a parsonage; that the incumbent, Dr. Osborne, would sell the inheritance," it being an advowson to him and his heirs for ever," he demands 2000l. for it, or he would be tenant to the incumbent, and "pay 5001. a-year for it, for twenty-one years, if the incumbent live so long." In 1650, the rectory of Church Langton, with its divers chapels, was returned to be worth 1001.; "the minister sufficient, and one curate sufficient." "After the death of Archdeacon. Bretton, or Britton, in 1669, the patron is said to have presented two several clerks to the Bishop for institution; both of whom being refused for lack of learning, he presented Nathaniel Alsop, whose abilities were known, and who afterwards purchased the advowson; which continued in his family till sold to the Rev. Mr. Hanbury, who, in 1753, became Rector on his own presentation*." The rectorial house is a handsome uniform building, erected by the present Mr. Hanbury. In the village of West Langton was born WALTER DE LANGTON, who was appointed Lord high treasurer of England, Sept. 28, 1295, and elected Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, Feb. 20, 1295-6. He was a particular favorite with Edward the First, in whose cause he suffered excommunication, and whose corpse he had afterwards the honour of conducting from the borders of Scotland to Westminster. Immediately on his arrival in London, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower; and though the clergy repeatedly petitioned Edward the Second to grant his release, yet he was shifted from the tower to Wallingford, thence to York, and detained for two years before he obtained his freedom. He then retired to his See at Lichfield, and though he found the cathedral mean, yet, says. Fuller, he left it magnificent. Langton con Ff 4 * Nichols's History of Leicestershire, Vol. II. p. 665. ་ tinued |