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from the pencils of Rooker, Hearne, and Byrne; and those he possessed of Suffolk artists, particu

He published a work of great utility to the Provincial Jetton Collector, under the title of, "An Arrangement of Provincial Coins, Tokens, and Medalets, issued in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Colonies, within the last twenty years; from the Farthing to the Penny size," 1799, 8vo, and in two volumes, small quarto; a work, in which considerable attention was bestowed to render it acceptable, and which the author's own extensive collection could alone have enabled him to complete.

His knowledge of the dissenting history and interests in the county of Suffolk was likewise deep and extensive, and enriched with a variety of anecdote well calculated both for amusement and instruction. He had meditated, for some years previous to his decease, on the suggestion of the writer of this brief Memoir, a History of the Dissenting Establishments in the County of Suffolk, including Biographical Notices of their respective Founders and Pastors, on the plan of that well-written work of Mr. Wilson's, intituled, "The History and Antiquities of Dissenting Churches and Meeting-houses in London, Westminster, and Southwark." To the Protestant Dissenter such a work has long been a desideratum; and would prove most' highly valuable. It is, indeed, a matter of surprise, that while the parochial churches, and the lives of their respective incumbents, have received ample illustration from the pen of the antiquary and historical churchman, the sanctuaries of the Dissenters have been hitherto neglected, and the biography of their respective Pastors unrecorded, with the exception of the late laborious Historian of Leicestershire; and the intelligent modern Historians of Northamptonshire and South Yorkshire.

Mr. Conder was a frequent contributor to many periodical publications; and his name is honourably recorded, for assistance received, in the preface to Wilson's "History and Antiquities of Dissenting Churches," and Brookes's "Lives of the Puritans."

The memory of those private individuals, indeed, who,

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Along the cool sequester'd vale of life,

Have kept the noiseless tenour of their way,"

is too frequently doomed, after their short existence is terminated, to survive only in the recollection of their more immediate acquaintance; but the writer of this short biographical notice, who admired the virtues of Mr. Conder, and was gratified by his friendship, is anxious that the quiet excellencies of one, who had deservedly conciliated the esteem of his neighbours and acquaintance, and who, amid the cares of life and the toils of business, had been ever attached to literature and mindful of eternity, should not pass away unnoticed, but be recorded

larly Gainsborough, Frost*, and Johnsont, were

for the imitation of others; and has, therefore, paid this humble, but well-merited tribute of respect, to the memory of a muchrespected friend, a sincere Christian, and a truly virtuous and honest man.

* Mr. George Frost, whose peculiar merits as a painter were well known to the discerning few in the county of Suffolk, was a native of Barrow, where his father was a builder, and to which business the son was brought up. He soon, however, relinquished this, on being appointed to a confidential situation in the Blue Coach Office at Ipswich, which situation he retained

for

+ Mr. Isaac Johnson, an artist of considerable eminence, and whose productions are deservedly esteemed for their neatness and fidelity of execution, is a resident at Woodbridge in Suffolk. Throughout a long life, his accurate pencil has been employed on almost every curious article in architectural antiquity existing in the county. The late Mr. Nichols, the Editor of these "Illustrations," states, that he was proud of possessing views of nearly every Church in Suffolk, taken uniformly by this excellent draughtsman ‡.' This very beautiful volume is now in the possession of Mr. J. B. Nichols. It is intituled," Ecclesiastical Antiquities of the County of Suffolk, being Original Views of all the Churches and Parochial Chapels in the County. Taken on the spot, and drawn by Isaac Johnson, Land Surveyor, Woodbridge, in the years 1799-1816." Prefixed is a Map of the County, accurately laid down by Mr. Johnson from the latest surveys. The whole volume contains more than 500 views, and each of the twenty-two hundreds has a separate Map prefixed to it. Mr. Nassau's collection was enriched with many of Johnson's drawings, and contained highly-finished sketches of the churches, monuments, fonts, as well as every curious remnant of antiquity which are comprised within the Hundred of Loes, in illustration of Hawes's Manuscript History of that Hundred. The large sheet engraving of the "Church of Woodbridge," published by Mr. Loder in 1788, together with the views of Seckford-hall and Alms-houses, and the portrait of their Founder, were executed from the designs of this pleasing artist. The engravings, likewise, which illustrate that gentleman's " History of Framlingham," are from his pencil; as are those of the monuments and figures of the Wingfield family, formerly in the Church of Letheringham, which were engraved for Mr. Gough's "Sepulchral Monuments," and given also, by his permission, in vol. III. of the "History of Leicestershire," p. 513.

Fuller's Worthies, by Nichols, vol. II. p. 351.

numerous and highly valuable; and selected with the nicest taste and most accurate discrimination. The many small articles of unfrequent occurrence,

for many years, and from which he retired about eight years previously to his decease, after having acquired a comfortable competency with the greatest credit to himself, and the most perfect satisfaction to his employers.

At a very early age Mr. Frost evinced a strong inclination for drawing; and in this pleasing pursuit he freely indulged at such intervals as his necessary avocations would allow. With no assistance whatever, either from the advice or the instruction of others, but by the powers of his own native genius and talents alone, exercised with the most steady and persevering application, he raised himself to distinguished excellence as a most spirited and delightful artist.

His drawings exhibited abundant proofs of the touch and handling of a master. He studied nature with the closest attention; and in his attempts to delineate her beauties, was remarkably successful. He was a most accurate observer of her in all her appearances, and possessed a characteristic touch for all her forms. The subjects, which he selected, were such as did credit to his taste and judgment; and whatever came from his pencil bore the lively impress of originality and truth; and evinced, in a bold and masterly manner, the local character and features of the county, out of which he had scarcely ever moved. Of him, indeed, it may be truly said,

"His genius lov'd his County's native views,

Its taper spires, green lawns, and shelter'd farms;
He mark'd each scene with Nature's genuine hues,
And gave the Suffolk Landscape all its charms."

"The pleasing scenery around the town of Ipswich,—its hollow and tortuous lanes, with broken sand-banks,-its copsegrown dells, and, above all, the richly-wooded acclivities of its winding river,—were his perpetual haunts *."

"Here I've mark'd the Artist stray,

Here linger out the summer day;
And with enthusiast pencil trace
Or storm, or sun-shine's varied grace.
But chief, when golden lights relieve
The dark and giant shades of eve,
He felt his soul to transport warm,
And fixed every fleeting charm."

"These were his academy; and the many beautiful specimens which he has left of his successful treatment of such subjects

* Reveley's Notices, p. 260.

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of prophecies, of wonderful relations, and of witchcraft; of prodigies, of stories, and of murders, which enriched this department, were well worthy of atsufficiently attest with what diligence he studied in this school of Nature*." Every part, indeed, in his productions, was closely copied from her details, with artless description and with simple effect; but at the same time executed with the utmost freedom of expression and a peculiar felicity of handling. Every object of nature, weeds, docks, leaves, ferns, stumps of trees, &c. were marked with firmness and precision; while the cattle and figures, with which he embellished his landscapes, were always disposed with judgment, and added life and animation to the scene. His trees, distinctly marked as they are by the specific character of each species-the oak, the ash, the elm, the willow -have particular claims to excellence. The boles, with all their richly varied hues, are touched with characteristic beauty and spirit; the ramification is easy, natural, and flowing; and by a peculiarly dexterous and rapid stroke, is so happily connected with the leafiage as to produce a waving appearance in the branches, a pliant susceptibility of motion, uncommonly light and airy in its effect. In seizing the picturesque features and accidents of nature, Mr. Frost was very happy. The old grey cart-horse, the rough-coated ass, the ivy-mantled pollard, the lowly cottage with its weather-stained walls, moss-grown thatch, and quarry-window, bright with reflected sun-beams, were exhibited with an air of pure and exquisite truth, which showed how deeply he was imbued with a genuine feeling for such beauties t."

Mr. Frost was a most ardent admirer, and a close and correct imitator, of the productions of his countryman, the cele-brated Gainsborough; and in "his own admirable sketches from nature evinced, with what a congenial ardour, and with how keen a relish, he had imbibed the genius and the spirit of his adopted master."

He possessed a pleasing collection of paintings; and many valuable original drawings of his favourite Gainsborough, executed in different ways, but principally with black chalk and lead pencil, in the neat style of his earlier manner-an inestimable treasure to one who almost idolized the hand that sketched them.

The work which closed the career of Mr. Frost's labours, was an excellent copy of Gainsborough's large view of the Mall in St. James's-park, of which he possessed the original. It was painted in the 77th year of his age, and must, therefore, be considered an extraordinary performance.

The following lines, written in a room filled with paintings
Reveley's Notices, p. 260.
Ibid. p. 266.

+ Ibid. p. 262.

tention; and fully evince with what a keen relish and ardour he sought for

“The small rare volume, black with tarnish'd gold."

Indeed, a more choice or valuable treasure of Sufby Gainsborough, may, with the strictest justice, be applied to the ingenious subject of this memoir :

"How close yon imitative tablet treads

On Nature!-Mark! with what enchanting grace
On the rich canvas is her mirror'd face

Reflected. How the artist's pencil sheds
Its vernal light on yon tall mountain heads;

Then sinks into its loveliest tints, to trace
Low copse, or loamy bank, or sheltering place,
Where, through wild flowers and weeds, the brooklet spreads.
Thou hast not Titian's colours; nor is thine,

Ingenious artist! the great Tuscan's throne,
On which he sate gigantic and alone;

But loveliest graces in thy tablet shine,—

The soft, the pensive scene is all thine own,

That soothes full many a heart, and chiefly mine *."

During the last few months of this worthy man's career, he suffered the most excruciating torments, occasioned by a mortification in his foot, which he bore with the greatest fortitude. Throughout a long life, his conduct was truly virtuous, exemplary, and irreproachable; his religious sentiments pure, and his morality perfect. The possession, therefore, of these virtues left him nothing to reflect on, which could tend, in the slightest degree, to embitter his declining hours. To strangers his manners appeared shy and reserved; but to those who were intimately acquainted with him they assumed a very different aspect. Possessed of true independence (a quality, alas! but rarely found amongst those who presumed to call themselves his betters), he scorned to solicit the approbation of others by mean compliance or servile adulation. His reading had been extensive, and he had profited much by it; for the information, which he had thus acquired, was applied to the promotion of his favourite, his beloved pursuit.

Mr. Frost was relieved from his sufferings on the 28th of June 1821, in the 78th year of his age; and his remains were interred in the church-yard of St. Matthew's, Ipswich, over which is placed the following simple inscription:

"IN MEMORY OF

GEORGE FROST,

WHO DIED JUNE 28, 1821,

AGED 77 YEARS."

From the elegant muse of that accomplished scholar, the Rev. John Mitford, Vicar of Benhall, Suffolk.

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