SEE
travagance of his wife, who called herself Princess of Cumberland, and founded large claims upon this assumption, ruined him. She even forged bills in his name. From all this a deed of separation in 1803 did not relieve him, and in 1808 he went to Edin- burgh to avoid the persecutions to which he was subjected, and to hide himself as well as the nature of his occupation would per- mit, and for the next seven years withheld his pictures from the Royal Academy. It was, however, of no avail ; he was soon arrested and thrown into prison, and the same round of persecutions continued, till at last, impatience of his misery hurried him to attempt suicide, which was happily frustrated.
Notwithstanding such difficulties, he had, from his Government employment and other sources, saved some money, and he embarked 2000J. in the speculation for building the Cobourg Theatre, to which he was to have been appointed the scene- painter, but the speculation failed, difficul- ties increased, and he was compelled to take advantage of the Insolvent Act. He had smiled only at his wife's great pretensions, but they lost him the royal favour, which he could never regain. He exhibited at the Academy in 1817, and once more in 1819. Teaching now became his chief occupation and support. Desponding, labouring early and late, his health failed, his mental suf- fering aggravated a tumour : he was moved into the rules of the King's Bench, but the removal hurried on his death, which took place on December 28, 1825. He was buried beside his father in Marylebone churchyard. In his will he declared that his wife had ' assumed the name and title of the Prin- cess of Cumberland without the least foundation whatever for a claim to royal birth/ He translated and published in 1801, ' The Little Sea-torch/ a guide for coasting-ships, with a large number of aqua- tinted and coloured views 2 very literally Dut artistically treated ; and m 1805 his * Liber Kauticus, or instructor in the art of marine drawing. An exculpatory memoir of him was published by ' A Friend' in 1826.
SB RRES, Olive, amateur. Wife of the foregoing. Born in 1772. She was an honorary exhibitor of a landscape at the Royal Academy in 1794, and also exhibited landscapes yearly from 1804 to 1808, and at the British Institution in 1806. In 1807 she styled herself * landscape painter to the Prince of Wales,' but that title is omitted in the following year. Her claim to be the daughter of Henry Frederick Duke of Cum- berland was brought before the House of Commons in 1822. She died November 21, 1834. Her daughter (Mrs. Lavinia Janetta Horton Ryves), who did not disclaim her mother's high pretensions, died December
7, 1871.
o
SEY
SERRES, Dominic, M., 'water-colour draftsman. Younger son of D. Serres. R.A. He was a teacher of drawing, ana on his brother leaving England in 1790 he gained part of his connexion. He exhi- bited landscape views at the Academy from 1783 to 1787, and supported himself for many years by his art, Dut at last fell into hopeless despondency and lost his em- ployment. He then became dependent upon his brother, but died after a few years.
SEYMOUR, James, animal painter. Was born in London in 1702, the only son of a banker, who was fond of art, drew himself, and was intimate with Lely and other artists. He excelled in sketching horses with the pen, showing great spirit and character, but he was a weak colourist, and, too idle to apply himself, he never attained excellence oeyond the mere sketch. Few of his finished works are known. He died June 30, 1752. R. Houston engraved after him 12 plates of race-horses ; and Thomas Burford some hunting-pieces and hunters.
SEYMOUR, Edward, portrait painter. Was a formal imitator of Kneller. He died in January, 1757, and was buried in the churchyard at Twickenham.
SEYMOUR, Colonel, amateur. Painted some good miniature portraits in the reign of Queen Anne.
SEYMOUR, Robert, caricaturist. Born in the Metropolis about 1800. He was apprenticed to a pattern-drawer in Spital- fields. On the completion of his time he painted in oil, and in 1822 exhibited at the Royal Academy, a subject from Tasso, fol- lowed by others of some pretence, and some portraits and miniatures. But his true talent was soon developed, and he was fully employed in drawing on wood for book illustration ; his works being almost exclu- sively of a humorous character. In 1830
- The Odd Volume ' was published with his
designs. In 1832-34, * The Comic Maga- zine ;' and 1831-36 the * Figaro in London.' He was also an etcher. In 1827, he etched the illustrations for ' Vagaries in Quest of the Wild and Wonderful ; ' and in 1835 the 36 illustrations to * The Book of Christmas. ' Shortly after he proposed a series of designs of sporting life, introducing the members of a Cockney Club, which he claimed to have been the origp of the ' Pickwick Papers,' by Charles Dickens, a claim which involved him in some controversy. At the same time he was attacked with much virulence by the Editor of ' Figaro,' with which publication he had been so intimately connected. He was harassed by the many claims upon hia
Eencil, and these added troubles were pro- ably too much for him. He became sub- ject to fits of despondency, and on April 20, 1836, committed suicide. o2 387
