OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aspinwall, Edward

​ASPINWALL, EDWARD, D.D. (d. 1732), a polemical divine, received his education at Cambridge, and was appointed chaplain to the Earl of Radnor. Afterwards he became sub-dean of the Chapel Royal, and in 1729 was instituted prebendary of Westminster. He is the author of a 'Preservative against Popery,' 1715, and an 'Apology, being a series of Arguments in Proof of the Christian Religion,' 1731. The 'Apology' is prefaced by an address 'To all Impartial Freethinkers,' in which the author states: 'I have made it my sincere and labour'd concern to divest myself of every bias or influence that interest or blind passion might bring upon me, to the end that my mind, being (I think) perfectly disingag'd from all partial and unworthy motives, might remain absolutely free to determine itself by solid reason in the choice of reveal'd religion.' The arguments are clearly put, and the language is in the main temperate. But while he is willing to tolerate free discussion in religious matters, the author protests against his opponents' use of the weapon of ridicule. 'Let all men,' he says (p. 12), 'have an unbounded freedom to express their sentiments for or against religion; but let their words and writings stand clear of any scurrilous reflections, sneer, or sarcasm against it, or let the author be severely chastis'd by publick authority.' His arguments are chiefly directed against Antony Collins, the well-known deist. Aspinwall died on 3 Aug. 1732.
A. H. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aspinall, James

​ASPINALL, JAMES (d. 1861), miscellaneous writer and popular preacher, had first under his care a church in Cheshire, about fifteen miles from Manchester. He then became curate of Rochdale, where he remained for five years. He afterwards resided at Liverpool, and in 1831 was the incumbent of St. Luke's, where he preached a remarkable sermon called 'The Crisis, or the Signs of the Times with regard to the Church of England.' He then went to live in Lincolnshire, on the banks of the Trent, and in 1844 he was rector of Althorpe, a place which he held till his death. On 26 Jan. of that year he ​delivered an address at the great free-trade meeting, held at Hull, at which Bright and Cobden both spoke. In 1853, after the celebrated Roscoe centenary at Liverpool, he published 'Roscoe's Library, or Old Books and Old Times,' dedicated to the Earl of Carlisle, 'the representative of the intelligence of the aristocracy and of the aristocracy of intelligence.' In this little work he holds up Roscoe as an example to the youth of the Mechanics' and Literary Institutes throughout the country, in whom he felt a profound interest. Aspinall had great sympathy with the free-trade party, and generally with the educational movements of his time. This is perhaps due in a great measure to the acquaintance he made with the working-class operatives at Rochdale at the commencement of his clerical career. He was domestic chaplain for a period of over thirty years to the Right Hon. Lord Clonbrock. On 17 Jan. 1861, when J.P. for Lindsey, he married, at West Butterwick, Annie, widow of W. Hunter, Esq., of the Ings, E. Butterwick. On 15 Feb. of the same year he died. His works, besides those already mentioned, consist of various sermons, parish, doctrinal, and practical.
J. M.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aspland, Robert Brook

​ASPLAND, ROBERT BROOK (1805–1869), unitarian divine, son of Robert Aspland [see Aspland, Robert], was born at Newport, Isle of Wight, 19 Jan. 1805. He was placed first with Mr. Potticary of Blackheath (where Disraeli was his schoolfellow), next with Mr. Evans of Tavistock, then at Glasgow University, where he graduated as M.A. in 1822, and lastly at Manchester College, York, finishing his studies in 1826. Crook's Lane, Chester, was his first chapel, whither he went in August 1826. He left in 1833 to be co-pastor with Dr. Lant Carpenter at Lewin's Mead chapel, Bristol, where, on 21 October of that year, he married Jane Hibbert, and established a boarding-school. In 1836 he moved to Dukinfield; in 1858 to Hackney. He took up the editorship of the 'Christian Reformer' on his father's death, 1845 (keeping it till the publication ceased in 1863). In 1846 he was made one of the secretaries of Manchester College (holding the post till 1857). In 1850 he collected from the 'Christian Reformer' memoirs of his father's life. Some smaller publications also came from his pen. 'A Brief Memoir of the Rev. Paul Cardale,' extracted from the 'Christian Reformer,' 1852; some Sermons, and 'Paul Best, the Unitarian Confessor,' 1853; and 'Mr. Richard Frankland and Dr. Henry Sampson,' reprinted in pamphlet form, 1862. Brook Aspland became secretary to the British and Foreign Unitarian Association in 1859; he was helped by a colleague in 1867, and having fallen into a precarious state of health, he died suddenly 21 June 1869, aged 65.
[In Memoriam, Notices of the Life of the late Rev. R. B. Aspland, M.A. (Dr. Williams's Library); the Inquirer, 3 July 1869.]
J. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aspull, George

​ASPULL, GEORGE (1813–1832), musician, born at Manchester in June 1813, was the ninth of ten sons of Thomas Aspull, a merchant who had failed in business and gained his living by teaching music and playing the violin. George Aspull began to learn the piano under his father's instruction on 1 Feb. 1821, and soon made such rapid progress that he both played and sang at a concert in January 1822. In February of the following year Kalkbrenner, having heard him play at Liverpool, advised his father to take him to London, which was accordingly done in April. Here he played to Clementi, who was struck by the extraordinaiy genius and poetry of his playing, although at this time he was so small that he generally stood at the piano. Aspull soon became quite the rage in London. On 20 Feb. 1824 he went to Windsor to play before George IV, and he gave numerous concerts which attracted large audiences. At a concert at Brighton he played (for the first time in England) Weber's 'Concertstück.' In April 1825 Aspull and his father went to Paris, where they met Hummel and Moscheles. On his return he began a series of concert tours in Great Britain and Ireland, which lasted, almost without intermission to the end of his life. On Clementi's death in 1832 Aspull came up to London to attend the funeral, on which occasion he caught a cold which eventually caused his death. In spite of his illness he ​played at Chesterfield and Newark, and then drove up to London in an open gig to attend concerts given by John Field, Moscheles, and Mendelssohn. He was able to go to the first of these concerts, but his illness increased so alarmingly that he was immediately afterwards taken to Tunbridge Wells, where he was prostrated by fever. Becoming slightly better he was brought back to London and then taken to Leamington, but he gradually sank and died on Sunday, 19 Aug. 1832. He was buried at Nottingham. Besides his performances on the piano, Aspull used to sing at his concerts, being possessed of a sweet, if not very powerful, tenor voice. Rossini—who heard him more than once—advised that he should not sing much, 'for his soul is too much for his body.' He wrote a small amount of pianoforte music and some songs; these were published after his death by his father, together with a prefatory memoir and a charming portrait of the ill-fated boy.
[The Posthumous Works of George Aspull, 1837; the Harmonicon, vol. ii.; article by E. Taylor in S.D.U.K. Dictionary.]
W. B. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Assheton, Nicholas

​ASSHETON, NICHOLAS (1590–1625), a country squire who lived at Downham, near Clitheroe, Lancashire, is noteworthy on account of a brief diary which he left illustrating the character of the country life of that part of West Lancashire which is associated with the poet Spenser. He belonged to a branch of the Assheton family of Middleton, in the same county, and was the son of Richard Assheton, of Downham. He probably had his education at Clitheroe grammar school; he married Frances, daughter of Richard Greenacres, of Worston, near Downham; and he died 16 April 1625, leaving issue. His journal, which extends from 2 May 1617 to 13 March 1619, records his intercourse with his tenants and neighbours, with all their 'businesses, sports, bickerings, carousings, and (such as it was) religion.' It includes some interesting notices of James I's visit to Lancashire in August 1617, when the petition which originated the 'Book of Sports' was presented to that king (Nichols's Progresses, iii. 396-403). The original journal has been lost. It was first printed by Rev. T. D. Whitaker in his 'History of Whalley.' It was next edited in 1848 by Canon Raines, in vol. xiv. of the Chetham Society series, from the third or 1818 edition of 'Whalley,' and was accompanied by some excellent notes and an account of the Assheton family. In 1876 the diary was re-edited in the fourth edition of 'Whalley,' ii. 122-142. Harrison Ainsworth introduced Assheton into his novel of the 'Lancashire Witches,' book ii. chap, iii., as 'a type of the Lancashire squire of the day,' but both Whitaker and the novelist were mistaken in considering him a puritan.
[Assheton's Diary, as above.]
J. E. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aspley, William

​ASPLEY, WILLIAM (fl. 1588–1637), stationer and printer, son of William Aspley, clerk deceased, late of Raiston (?), Cumberland, was apprenticed to George Bishop for nine years from 5 Feb. 1588, and admitted a freeman of the Stationers' Company on 11 April 1597. He lived at the sign of the Tiger s Head in St. Paul's Churchyard, and aftenvards at the Parrot. The first appearance of the name of Shakespeare in the registers is in connection with Aspley and Andrew Wise, who obtained license 23 Aug. 1600 for 'Much Ado about Nothing' and the second part of 'Henry IV,' 'wrytten by master Shakespere' (Arber, Transcript, iii. 170). They were printed by V. S. for the two booksellers. It is worth noticing that while both the quartos have 'Shakespeare' on their title-pages the name is transcribed as above. Aspley dealt largely in plays, as maybe seen by the numerous licenses obtained by him down to 1627, when his business appears to have declined. In 1637 he was made warden.
H. R. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Asplin, William

​ASPLIN, WILLIAM (1687–1758), theological writer, was born in 1686-7, was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, and, on taking his B.A. degree in 1707, removed to St. Alban's Hall, and became vice-principal. He was ordained in 1709, became chaplain to a regiment, and in 1717 vicar of Banbury. In 1721 he became vicar of Horley, and in 1733 vicar of Burthorpe, Gloucestershire. He died 1758. He married Mary, daughter of John Myster, of Horton, Oxfordshire. Asplin was a man of considerable learning, and corresponded with Dr. John Ward, the Gresham professor of rhetoric, on matters relating to archaeological lore and natural history. His works are:
1. 'Alkibla. A Disquisition upon Worshiping towards the East. Wherein are contain'd the General Antiquity, the Rise, and Reasonableness of this Religious Ceremony in the Gentile World: It's early Adoption into the Church of Christ; with a Free and Impartial Examination of the Reasons assigned for it by the Antient Fathers, By a Master of Arts of the University of Oxford.' London, 1728, 8vo. With a dedication to Sir Richard Steele. The second part, dedicated to Lord Chancellor King, appeared in 1735, 'With a serious and impartial Examination of the Reasons assign'd for the Practice' of worshipping towards the east 'by our Modern Divines: in order to obviate Superstition in our Publick Devotion, to remove from it all Party-Distinction, and unnecessary Objections, and to assert the Principles of the Reformation; by reducing the Ceremonies of Churchmen to the Standard of the Church. To which are prefix'd, Some Thoughts by way of Preface concerning the proper Use of Ridicule in Controversies stil'd Religious.' A second edition of both the parts appeared in 1740. An answer was published by the Rev. John Andrews, vicar of South Newington, Oxfordshire, under the title of 'The Kebla: or, a Defence of Eastward Adoration,' London, 2 parts, 1728-9; and this in turn was 'dissected' in 'The Anatomy of the Kebla, by a true Son of the Church of England,' 1729. Perhaps it may not be superfluous to mention that kibla is an Arabic word which signifies a turning. 2. 'The Impertinences of Modern Antiquaries display'd; or a Refutation of Mr. Wise's Letter to Dr. Mead concerning the "White Horse," &c.' London, no date, 4to.
T. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atkyns, John Tracy

​ATKYNS, JOHN TRACY (d. 1773), barrister-at-law, was the third son of John Tracy, of Stanway, Gloucestershire, and great-grandson of the third Viscount Tracy, of Toddington. His mother was a daughter of Sir Robert Atkyns, lord chief baron, and it was probably on account of the legal eminence of his grandfather that he adopted the name of Atkyns. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1724, and was called to the bar in 1732. In 1755 he was appointed cursitor baron of the exchequer. He had taken notes of the cases in the court of Chancery from Hilary term 1736 to Michaelmas term 1754, and he published condensed reports of them in three volumes, 1765–7–8; a second edition appeared 1781–2, and a third, edited by Francis William Sanders, in 1794. In 1768 he made a codicil to his will under the name of Tracy. By his wife, whose name was Katherine Lindsay, he left no children. He died 25 July 1773. Lord Chief-Justice Wilmot describes him in his diary as ‘a cheerful, good-humoured, honest man, a good husband, master, and friend.’
T. F. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atslowe, Edward

​ATSLOWE, EDWARD, M.D. (d. 1594), a well-known physician in Elizabeth's reign, was educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford. After being elected to a fellowship at his college he was created 'doctor of physic' at Oxford on 27 Aug. 1566, and was one of the four doctors appointed by convocation to dispute before Queen Elizabeth when she was entertained at the university in September of that year. Shortly afterwards Atslowe settled in London and was admitted a fellow of the College of Physicians, and between 1569 and 1583 he filled successively most of the offices of distinction connected with the society. Among his patients Astlowe reckoned the chief noblemen of his time, and he was probably attached for some years as physician to the household of the Earl of Sussex. But he did not wholly confine himself to the practice of medicine. If not a catholic himself, he strongly sympathised with the professors of that faith, and he proved himself an ardent supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. As early as December 1570 he paid her a visit at Tutbury (Walsingham's Journal (1570-83), p. 1, in Camden Soc. Miscellanies, vi.). For many years he is alleged to have aided the Earls of Arundel, Northumberland, and others, in a conspiracy to obtain assistance in her behalf from the continent, and in 1579 he was arrested on that charge, but released. In 1585 he was again sent to the Tower; but on being privately examined by the lord chancellor and other officials as to his relations with the papists he vehemently denied having had any treasonable 'intelligence' with any of them. A spy of the Queen of Scots wrote to her, however, in July of the same year: 'I heare that Dr. Atslowe was racked twice almost to the death in the Towre about the Earl of Arundell his matters and intentions to depart Englande, wherein he was betrayed' (Murdin's State Papers, ii. 452). Atslowe was apparently released soon aftenvards, for we find him in attendance on a son of the Earl of Northumberland during a fatal illness in 1587. His death occurred some seven years later; a private letter describes him as 'newly deade' on 2 May 1594. On 2 Nov. 1573 Atslowe married Frances Wingfield at Stoke Newington, and upon her the Earl of Arundel settled an annuity after her husband's death.
[Munk's Roll of the College of Physicians, i. 66; Wood's Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 176; State Paper Calendars, 1547-80, 1581-90; Hist. MSS. Commiss. Rep. vi. 227 a, vii. 523 a; Lodge's Illustrations, ii. 143; Egerton MS. 2074, ff. 32, 39, 52; Addit. MS. 6251, p. 78.]
S. L. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Attawell, Hugh

​ATTAWELL, HUGH. [See Atwell.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atterbury, Lewis (d.1693)

1904 Errata appended.
​ATTERBURY, LEWIS, D.D., the elder (d. 1693), was the son of Francis Atterbury, rector of Middleton-Malsor, Northamptonshire. He became a student of Christ Church in 1647; submitted to the authority of the visitors appointed by the parliament; took the degree of B.A. on 28 Feb. 1649), and was created M.A. on 1 March 1651, by dispensation from Oliver Cromwell, at that time chancellor of the university. In 1654 he was made rector of Great or Broad Risington in Gloucestershire, and in 1657 received the living of Middleton-Keynes, near Newport Pagnell, Bucks. At the Restoration he was careful to have his titles to these benefices confirmed by taking a presentation under the great seal. On 25 July 1660, he became chaplain to Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who died at the end of the year; and on 1 Dec. 1660 he took the degree of D.D. He seems to have been, in his later years, involved in litigation, which necessitated his frequent attendance in town. On 7 Dec. 1698, as he was returning home after one of his visits to London, he was drowned near Middleton-Keynes, and there buried. Atterbury married and left two sons—Lewis Atterbury the younger, and the famous Francis Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester. He published the following sermons:
* 'A Good Subject, or the Right Test of Religion and Loyalty' (on Prov. xxiv. 21, 22), 17 July 1684.
* 'The Grand Charter of Christian Feasts, with the right way of keeping them' (on 1 Cor. v. 8), 30 Nov. 1685.
* 'Babylon's Downfall, or England's Happy Deliverance from Popery and Slavery' (on Revelation xviii. 2), preached at Guildhall Chapel on 28 June 1691, and published at the desire of the court of aldermen.
[Yardley's Preface to the Sermons of Lewis Atterbury the younger, 1743; Wood's Athen. Oxon. ed. Bliss, iv. 395.]
A. H. B.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.10 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 238 | i | 21 f.e. | Atterbury, Lewis (d. 1693): after in town insert From 1690 till his death he was prebendary of Lincoln |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atkyns, Robert (1647-1711)

1904 Errata appended.
​ATKYNS, Sir ROBERT (1647–1711), topographer, was the only son of Sir Robert Atkyns, chief baron of the Exchequer, and sometime speaker of the House of Lords see Atkyns, Sir Robert, 1621-1709. Thomas Atkyns, who died in London 1401, was succeeded in the fourth generation by one David, an eminent merchant in Chepstow, who removed before his death in 1552 to Tuffley, near Gloucester, which continued to be the family seat until the purchase of Saperton by Baron Atkyns in 1660. Sir Robert was born in 1647; he was knighted by Charles II on his visit to Bristol 5 Sept. 1663 (Seyer, infra), and was elected M.P. for the borough of Cirencester (33 Car. II) 1680-1, and afterwards for the county of Gloucester (1 Jac. II) 1684-5. He died at his house in Westminster of dysentery, at the age of sixty-five, and was buried at Saperton, where his monument is preserved. He is the author of the 'Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire,' London, 1712, fol. 2nd edition, 1768.
The first edition, now scarce, contains a ​fine portrait of the author by Van der Gucht, together with a series of views of seats in the county, drawn and engraved by J. Kip in his earliest manner.
[Biog. Dict. S.D.U.K. iv. 3; Seyer's Memoirs of Bristol, 1823, ii. oil; Malcom's Lives of Topographers and Antiquaries, London, 1824.]
C. H. C.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.10 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 232 | i ii | 8 f.e. 14 f.e. 5 f.e. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ Atkyns, Sir Robert: for Saperton read Sapperton |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atmore, Charles

​ATMORE, CHARLES (1759–1826), Wesleyan minister, was born at Heacham, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, 17 Aug. 1769, his father being the captain of a ship belonging to Lynn. In June 1779 he turned his attention to the Wesleyan ministry, and in February 1781 he was sent forth by the venerable John Wesley as an itinerant evangelist. At the conference which met in the following August, he was appointed a regular preacher. Wesley formed so high an estimate of his character that three years afterwards he caused his name, although he was then only twenty-four years of age, to be inserted in the deed of declaration as one of the members of the legal conference. In the discussions on the polity and position of Methodism which took place immediately after Wesley's death, Atmore bore a leading part, and his influence and prudent counsels largely contributed to the consolidation of the Wesleyan methodist church.
His ministry until 1825 was exercised in the following towns: York, Edinburgh, Halifax, Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Wakefield, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Salford, Sheffield. In 1811, while stationed in Hull, he was elected to the presidency of the Wesleyan conference.
He was author of the 'Methodist Memorial' (a perfect treasury of information on early methodism), first published in 1801, and since re-issued; 'Discourses on the Lord's Prayer,' 1807, also republished; besides several pamphlets and occasional sermons.
Atmore, who was twice married, died in Fountain Court, Cheapside, London, on 30 June 1826, aged 66 years.
[Minutes of the Methodist Conferences, especially vol. vi.; Wesleyan Methodist Magazine for 1845; Dr. Osborn's Outlines of Wesleyan Bibliography.]
W. B. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Barraud, William

​BARRAUD, WILLIAM (1810–1850), animal painter, born in 1810, was a grandson of the eminent chronometer maker in Cornhill, who was of an old French family that came over to England at the time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. His taste for art was probably inherited from his maternal grandfather, an excellent miniature painter, but it was not fostered early in life, for on leaving school he was placed in the Custom House, where his father held an appointment. Before long, however, he resigned, in order to follow the profession most in accord with his disposition, and, in pursuance of his purpose, became for some time a pupil of Abraham Cooper. He confined his practice chiefly to horses and dogs, his pictures of which are well drawn, though not marked by any of the higher qualities of art. These he exhibited at the Royal Academy, and occasionally at the British Institution and Society of British Artists, from 1828 until the year of his death. He likewise painted some subject pictures in conjunction with his brother Henry, which are above mediocrity both in conception and treatment. He died in October 1850, in his fortieth year. There is in the South Kensington Museum a water-colour drawing by him of ‘Mares and Foals.’
[Art Journal, 1850, p. 339; Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists, 1878; Bryan's Dictionary of Painters and Engravers (ed. Graves), 1885.]
R. E. G.