Mobile daily commercial register and patriot., 1841-07-19

Death of Sn Darid IPiltie the Panter.----The death of Sir Dav,d Wilke, on his passage home- ward from Egypt in the Oriental, says the Specta- tor, great loss the British school of painting, of which he of the most distinguished orna- ments, especially the world is thus deprived o the fruits o his Eastern travel, which, had he lived, would have enriched many future exhibitions. The immediate of his death is understood to have been the Syrian fever;" but it did manifest it. self till his voyage home: indeed, he had enjoyed good health during the whole of his journy in the East. The Oriental left Alexandria with clean bill
 of health, and all the passengers appeared well when she touched at Malta the 2eth; and the next day Sir David complained of a slight attack of fever; which, however, he thought would subsde if he confined himselfto to spare diet and avoided exertion
 On the 3lst, the vessel entered the Bay of Gbral- ter, and laid for despatches but no one was al- lowed to go shore: shortly after she got under weigh, Mir. Woodburn, who was Sir Davids travel ling companion, went to beg hm to come to break fast; but he wished first to the doctor. Mr. Cat tie, medical man, immediately went, and found him in very dangerous state; and, in conjunction with Dr. Browne, used every endeavor to save him, but in vain. Sir David gradually sank, though without apparent bodily suffering; and expired at eight on the ming of the first of June The captain, the request of the passengers, returned to land the body at Gibralter; but the the Governor would permit this to be done, and the remains of the great artist were consigned to the deep with the usual solenni- ties. Sir David, it is said had been anxious to turn home for time, and declined visiting both Cairo and Athens, account of the delay He bringing England for publication portraits of the Sultan and the Pasha of Egypt; the latter being al most the last work of hIs pencl
 Wilkie was great painter of petty incidents; his fancy homely and material and never to the height of lofty theme. He seems to have conceived no subject, however humble, in the abstract or as a whole; but to have accumulated number of little points from which he selected such suited his pur- pose. These he combined with great judgment, and presented with extraordnay force and dstinctness; for his perception microscopic both in intensity and minueness. His mental vision was short-sighted so to speak hence his conceptions were limited in their scope, and pinned down to details. He depict ed what he saw with marvellous fidelity and con- summate skill but in observing character he had quicker eye for little pecularities than broa dstin- gushed traits he extremely feictious express ing momentary action or sensation. Almost every person in his picture is actually engaged in doing something: this conveys that impression of life and reality which constitute the interest of Wikie's pie lures, and contribute greatly their popularity,
 Wilkie was knighted in 1887, after Queen Victoria's accession to the throne. He was never married and his sister presided over his household at Kensington.-[C Court Journal