The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-28 00:00:00

Death of Mr David Roberts,

On the afternoon of Friday last an elderly gentleman
walking in Berners-street fell down in a fit of apoplexy. To
the people who went to his rescue he was able to utter only
two words--Fitzroy-square; he never spoke afterwards, and
he died at 7 o'clock on the evening of the same day, It was
a Royal Academician--,David Roberts; a kindly, canny
Scot, well-to-do, amazingly clever in his own sphere of art,
and liked by all who knew him. Born four years before
the close of the last century, he began his active life as a
house-painter in Edinburgh; he rose in 1822 to be a scene-
painter in Drury-lane Theatre, along with another Acade-
mician, Mr Clarkson Stanfield ; after that he began to ex-
hibit in the Royal Academy; he travelled in Spain and in
the East. and published more than one fine series of sketches
thus obtained, which gave him a great public reputation,
and which entirely just;fied his election into the Academy
in 1841. He was certainly the best architectural painter
that our country has yet produced. In this department of
art, indeed, he stands almost alone among us, the artist
who comes next to him being Samuel Prout, the water-
colour painter, who died in 1852. Probably the chief rea-
son why he stands so nearly alone is, that the artist who
has an eye for the picturesque in architecture naturally
becomes an architect, and will not be content to make
pictures of architecture, Mr Roberts had a wonderfully
quick eye for all striking effects of architecture, and trans-
ferred them to his canvass with great ease. Nothing
can be more effective than his views of cathedral
interiors lit up with the magnificent pageants of Roman
Catholic religion. He gave a grand, broad effect, a truth-
ful general result, and did not much trouble himself with
minuteness of workmanship. In this respect one is apt
now and then while looking at his pictures to remember
the scene-pain ter ; but, in point of fact, minuteness of work
would be misplaced in an architectural painting, and there
if anywhere the artist may be allowed to generalise. In
this broad style of treatment Mr David Roberts was parti-
cularly happy, and he could be very prolific. He painted
quickly and he painted much. His pictures were snapped
up at heavy prices. If he fell short of genius he was,
nevertheless, a man of rare ability, of sturdy industry, and
of admirable tact. Like many Scotchmen, he spoke slow
with a broad accent, and gave one in conversation the idea
of a slow-working intellect. In his art, however, there was
nothing slow or drawling. Whatever he did he did quickly,
sharply, and with marked vigour. Apart from the interest
which attaches to him as an artist, and which is to be mea•
cured by the amount of his actual achievement, there is
another interest which belongs to his career, and which is
to be measured by the amount of difficulties ho had to over-
come. He who began as a humble house-painter, and
ended as a Royal Academician, has not a little to boast of.
Ho too belongs to chat proud phalanx of men whose bio-
graphies touch most keenly all young ambition,—the self-
made men who from small beginnings have fought their
way upwards to fame, to wealth, and to station.

DEATH OF JULES GERAED.—At the last sitting
of the Paris Geographical Society, M. Molto-Brun read a
letter he had received from M, Braouezec, French consul
at Sierra Leone, and which confirms the account of the
death of Jules Gerard, the lion-killer, who was drowned in
attempting to cross the river Joub.

REPRESENTATION OF CHATHAM.—Sic F. Smith,
M.P„ has announced his intention of seeking re-election.
Ho will be opposed on *he Liberal interest by Mr Arthur
Otway, a brother-in-law of Lord Clarence Paget, M.P.,
Secretary to the Admiralty. Mr. Otway sat some time for
the borough of Stafford.

REPRESENTATION OF WEST SUFFOLK.—Tfiere
does not appear to be the slightest prospect of any opposi-
tion to the return of Lord Augustus Hervey for West
Suffolk. His lordship does not quita give satisfaction to
some of the more ardent advocates for a repeal of the malt
tax, but no opposition will be offered by them to his return.
'rho writ is expected to be received on Tuesday, so that the
nomination will take place next week.
REPItESENTATION:OF HARWICH,—Mr. Kelk, one
of the contractors for the 1852 Exhibition building, who re-
cently withdrew his announced !ntention to contest Ipswich
in the Conservative interest, is now mentioned as a candi-
date for Harw:ch, Colonel Rowley, one of the members
for llarwich, will retire at the dissolution.
LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE
Par:sr:NT VTF.Eti.—Monday—Royal Academy, 8,," Ana-
tomy,' Professor Partedge—Actuaries, 7, " Solutions of
Problems in Survivorships," " W. t,l, Makeham —Geogra-
phical, 81, " Journey Across Rocky Mountains into Co-
lumbia by Yellow Head Pass," Viscount Milton and Dr I
Cheadle—" Last Journey to Northern Australia," Mr
Stuart. Tuesday—Civil Engineers, 8, " Great Grimsby
Docks," Mr Clark. Wednesday—Royal, 4, Anniversary
—Society of Arts, 8, " Mechanical Railway "Working and
Wear and Tear," Mr Bridges Adams. Thursday—Lin-
nean, 8, " Free Nematoids," Dr Bastian—" Experiments
with Entozoa," Dr Cobbold—" Tubicolous Annelids, Bri-
tish Museum," Dr Baird—Chemical, B—Antiquaries, 7.
Friday—Archandogical Institute, B,
Athouf