Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/48

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Chandler
40
Chandler

tions, speeches, resolves, reports, and conferences to be met with in that interval,' 1742-4, 14 vols., the last volume printed by William Sandby, who was Chandler's successor. On the publication of the first eight volumes Chandler was admitted to an audience with Frederick, prince of Wales, who accepted the dedication. A companion work, sometimes erroneously ascribed to Chandler, was published by Ebenezer Timberland, also of Ship Yard, Temple Bar, 'The History and Proceedings of the House of Lords from the Restoration in 1600 to the Present Time,' 1742-3, 8 vols. 8vo, with the announcement that 'the general good reception which Mr. Chandler's edition' of the debates of the House of Commons met with had 'induc'd him to publish the debates of the House of Lords during the same period.'

At one time Ward and Chandler seem to have been in prosperous circumstances. Gent says 'they carried on abundance of business in the bookselling way' (Life, p. 191); the enterprise shown in opening shops at London, York, and Scarborough was unusual in those days. Gent also informs us that Chandler's 'Debates,' 'by the run they seemed to take, one would have imagined that he would have ascended to the apex of his desires; but, alas! his thoughts soared too high' (ib. 191 ). He fell into debt, and, to avoid the shame of a debtors' prison, Chandler blew his brains out in bed in the early part of the year 1744. His partner Ward struggled on until June 1745, when his name appeared in the 'London Gazette.'

[Life of Thomas Gent, printer, of York, by himself, 1832; R. Davies's Memoir of the York Press. 1868, pp. 242-8; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. v. 151.]

H. R. T.


CHANDLER, RICHARD (1738–1810), classical antiquary and traveller, son of Daniel Chandler, was born at Elson, in Hampshire, in 1738. He was educated at Winchester school, on the foundation. He entered Queen's College, Oxford, on 9 May 1755, and obtained a demyship at Magdalen College, 24 July 1757, becoming in 1770 (25 July) a probationer fellow of the same society. Shortly after taking his degree of B.A. he publislied, anonymously, in 1759, 'Elegiaca Græca,' being the fragments of Tvrtæus, Simonides, Theognis, Alcæus, Sappho, and others, accompanied by succinct notes. This book Chandler printed without accents. His first publication of magnitude was his description of the Oxford Marbles. On the acquisition of the Pomfret portion of the Arundel Marbles in 1755 the university determined to make provision for a handsome publication of its entire archæological treasures. With this task Chandler was entrusted, and his 'Marmora Oxoniensia' was published at Oxford ('impensis Academia') in 1763. It was a sumptuous folio volume in two parts, describing the lapidary inscriptions in the collections as well as the statues and other antiquities. The decipherment of the inscriptions had already been attempted by Selden, whose work was afterwards edited by Dean Prideaux ; Maittaire had also undertaken a more elaborate edition, but he omitted to transcribe or collate the inscriptions, which, indeed, Prideaux had pronounced a hopeless task. The second part of the 'Marmora Was illustrated by a number of plates of the statues and antiquities, drawn and engraved by J. Miller. The style is not very true to the original, and the busts, in particular, are very badly represented. The Pomfret section of the Arundel Marbles had been abominably 'restored' by the Italian sculptor Guelfi ; these restorations have now for the most part been done away with, in accordance with the advice of Prof. C. T. Newton, but the engravings in Chandler's book display the marbles as restored by Guelfi. The sculptures described by Chandler (now in the university galleries, Oxford) have been since re-described by Prof. A. Michaelis in his 'Ancient Marbles in Great Britain' (p. 538 ff.), who throughout gives references to the 'Marmora Oxoniensia. In 1764 Chandler was introduced to the society of Dilettanti by Wood, the editor of the 'Ruins of Palmyra,' and, being already favourably known by his 'Marmora,' was commissioned by the society to undertake a tour of exploration at its expense in Asia Minor and Greece. This was the first independent mission of the society (which had been formed about 1733 by some gentlemen fond of classical travel and antiquities). Chandler was accompanied by Nicholas Revett, an architect who had already given proof of his abilities in connection with Stuart's 'Ruins of Athens,' and by a young painter of talent named Pars. Chandler himself was appointed treasurer for the little party, and had the command of the exptnlition. The instructions drawn up by the Dilettanti Society (17 May 1764) directed the travellers to make Smyrna their headquarters, and thence 'to make excursions to the several remains of antiquity in that neighbourhood ; ' to make exact plans and measurements, to make 'accurate drawings of the bas-reliefs and ornaments,' 'copying all the inscriptions you shall meet with,' and keeping 'minute diaries.' Chandler and his companions embarked at Gravesend on 9 June 1764, and spent about a year in Asia Minor. Among the places which they visited, and which Chandler in