A fourth impression also appeared at Oxford in 1665; and a fifth edition, still further enlarged, appeared at London in 1676, after the author's death, edited by Sir William Petty, who improved it so much that he sometimes spoke of it as his own. This has led to the erroneous statement of Bishop Burnet, repeated by Lord Macaulay, that Sir William was the real author. There is, however, abundant testimony to Graunt's authorship (Biog. Brit.; McCulloch, Literature of Political Economy, p. 271). Finally the ‘Observations’ were reprinted in Dr. Thomas Birch's ‘Collection of the Yearly Bills of Mortality,’ London, 1759, 4to, pt. ii.
After retiring from business Graunt was admitted into the management of the New River Company as a trustee for Sir William Backhouse, alderman of London, who had been concerned with Sir Hugh Myddelton in the original undertaking. This circumstance, coupled with the fact of his being a convert to catholicism, gave rise to the baseless calumny that he had some hand in the great fire of London. The charge was first made by Echard (Hist. of England, ii. 833), who had been told by ‘an eminent prelate’ that Graunt contrived to stop the supply of water to the city the night before the outbreak of the fire on Sunday, 2 Sept. 1666. Burnet, who probably was Echard's informant, gives a more detailed account of the affair. That there is absolutely no truth in the story was conclusively proved by Maitland (Hist. of London, edit. 1739, p. 291), who on examining the books of the company ascertained that Graunt was not admitted into its government until 25 Sept. 1666, or twenty-three days after the breaking out of the fire.
Graunt died of the jaundice at his house in Birchin Lane on 18 April 1674, and was buried on the 22nd in the church of St. Dunstan-in-the-West, Fleet Street (Smith, Obituary, p. 102). His funeral was attended by a concourse of illustrious men, among whom Sir William Petty was conspicuous for his grief.
Wood says that Graunt ‘was an ingenious and studious person, generally beloved, was a faithful friend, a great peace-maker, and one that had often been chosen for his prudence and justness an arbitrator. But above all his excellent working head was much commended, and the rather for this reason that it was for the public good of learning, which is very rare in a trader or mechanic.’
By his wife Mary he seems to have had several children, two of whom were buried in St. Michael's, Cornhill, in 1643 and 1662.
In addition to the ‘Observations on the Bills of Mortality,’ he wrote ‘Observations on the Advance of Excise,’ manuscript. Wood states that he also left a manuscript ‘about religion.’ One John Graunt, a comfit-maker, who dwelt at the sign of the Half Moon in Bucklersbury, published several works on religious subjects between 1643 and 1652.
[Birch's Hist. of the Royal Society, i. 75, 76, 77; Burnet's Hist. of his own Time (1823), i. 401; Dr. Campbell in Biog. Brit. iv. 2262; Dodd's Church Hist. ii. 426, iii. 189, 190; Echard's Hist. of England, ii. 833; Gillow's Bibl. Dict.; Kennett's Register and Chronicle, p. 613; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), p. 929; Thomson's Hist. of the Royal Society, p. 3, Appendix p. lxx; Weld's Hist. of the Royal Society, i. 117; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), i. 711, iv. 218.]
GRAVELOT, HUBERT FRANÇOIS, whose surname was properly Bourguignon (1699–1773), draughtsman and book illustrator, born at Paris 26 March 1699, was second son of Hubert Bourguignon, a master tailor, and Charlotte Vauzon his wife. His elder brother was Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville, the celebrated geographer, and the two brothers were placed by their father at the college ‘des Quatres Nations.’ The younger brother, who, according to one account, was called Gravelot after his godfather, made but little progress in his studies, and took to drawing very early. He left the college, and wishing to study in Italy, obtained through his father a post in the suite of M. le Duc de la Feuillade, ambassador to Rome. The embassy did not get further than Lyons, where Gravelot spent much time and money in purchasing books, for he was a great reader, and also in verse-making, to which he was addicted throughout his life. Returning to Paris he led a somewhat dissipated life, and was sent by his father, in the suite of M. de la Rochelard, to San Domingo. Here he drew a map of the island, remained there until he was thirty, fell dangerously ill, and finally returned home with empty pockets. He then entered the studio of Restout, the painter, and determined to practise drawing as a profession. In 1732 he received an invitation from Claude du Bosc [q. v.], the engraver, to come to London and assist in the production of a new edition of Picart's ‘Cérémonies Religieuses.’ He accepted the offer, and crossed to England, where he remained for several years. Gravelot had already acquired much of the delicate and minute skill and elegance which has rendered him famous as a draughtsman. He greatly influenced contemporary art in England, and was employed on countless drawings for book illustrations. He drew
