Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 27.djvu/377

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Horner
371
Horner

at Edinburgh in 1876 (Cat. No. 145). An engraving by S. W. Reynolds after Raeburn forms the frontispiece to the first volume of the ‘Memoirs and Correspondence.’ A statue of Horner by Chantrey was erected in the north transept of Westminster Abbey.

From Hewlett's preface to the third edition of the ‘Elements of Algebra by Leonard Euler, translated from the French,’ &c. (London, 1822, 8vo), it appears that Horner was both the translator of the book, the first edition of which was published anonymously in 1797 (London, 8vo, 2 vols.), as well as the author of the short biographical account of Euler contained in it. While at Edinburgh Horner, in conjunction with Dr. Thomas Brown and others, projected a translation of the political and philosophical writings of Turgot, but the scheme seems to have been abandoned. In 1807 Horner wrote ‘a threepenny pamphlet,’ entitled ‘A Short Account of a late Short Administration,’ a reprint of which will be found in the ‘Memoirs’ (i. 490–494, see also p. 401). He never published any of his parliamentary speeches, and on two occasions only was known to have corrected the reports (Memoirs, i. 418, ii. 68). The following is believed to be a complete list of his articles in the ‘Edinburgh Review:’ No. i., October 1802: art. vi., ‘Irvine's Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of Emigration from the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland;’ art. xi., ‘Christison's General Diffusion of Knowledge one great Cause of the Prosperity of North Britain;’ art. xiv., ‘The Utility of Country Banks;’ art. xxv., ‘Thornton on the Paper Credit of Great Britain.’ No. ii., January 1803: art. xvi., ‘Canard, Principes d'Economie Politique.’ No. iii., April 1803: art. xxiii., ‘Sir John Sinclair's Essays.’ No. iv., July 1803: art. xi., ‘Lord King's Thoughts on the Restriction of Payment in Specie at the Banks of England and Ireland;’ art. xviii., ‘The Trial of John Peltier, Esq., for a Libel against Napoleon Bonaparte,’ &c. No. v., October 1803: art. xvii., ‘Miss Williams's Political and Confidential Correspondence of Lewis XVI.’ No. ix., October 1804: art. xiv., ‘Adams's Letters on Silesia, written during a Tour through that Country in the years 1800, 1801;’ art. xv., ‘Cursory Observations on the Act for ascertaining the Bounties, and for regulating the Exportation and Importation of Corn. By a Member of Parliament.’ No. xiii., October 1805: art. vii., ‘A Short Statement of Facts relative to the late Election of a Mathematical Professor in the University of Edinburgh, &c. By Professor Dugald Stewart;’ art. xiii., ‘Observations on the present State of the Highlands of Scotland, with a view of the Causes and probable Consequences of Emigration. By the Earl of Selkirk.’ No. xxix., October 1809: art. xiii., ‘Histoire des deux derniers Rois de la Maison de Stuart. Par Ch. J. Fox. Ouvrage traduit de l'Anglais; auquel on a joint une Notice sur la vie de l'Auteur.’

[Memoirs and Correspondence of Francis Horner, M.P., ed. by Leonard Horner, 1843. Two other editions of this book were published, one at Edinburgh in a condensed form in 1849, and the other in America, in a slightly enlarged form, in 1853. The Ann. Biog. and Obit. for 1818, ii. 252–74; Lady Holland's Memoir of the Rev. Sydney Smith, 1855, i. 42, 137, 217–19; Cockburn's Life of Lord Jeffrey; Cockburn's Memorials of his Time; Lord Brougham's Statesmen of the Time of George III, 1839, 2nd ser. pp. 170–82; Edinburgh Review, lxxviii. 261–99; Quarterly Review, lxxii. 108–142; North Amer. Review, lxxviii. 174–202; Gent. Mag. 1817, pt. i. p. 275; Ann. Reg. 1817, Chron. pp. 142–3; Walpole's Hist. of England, vol. i.; Anderson's Scottish Nation, ii. 496–8 (with portrait); Chambers's Biog. Dict. of Eminent Scotsmen, ii. 206–8; Lincoln's Inn Registers; Official Return of Members of Parliament, pt. ii. pp. 231, 242, 258; Parker's Sir Robert Peel, pp. 290, 295.]

G. F. R. B.

HORNER, LEONARD (1785–1864), geologist and educational reformer, brother of Francis Horner [q. v.], was born in Edinburgh, 17 Jan. 1785, and was educated at the Edinburgh High School under Dr. Adam. Brougham was a fellow-pupil, and he and Horner became lifelong friends. In 1802 Horner studied chemistry at the university of Edinburgh under Thomas Charles Hope [q. v.], having already shown a strong bias towards scientific pursuits, and about the same time began to collect mineralogical specimens. Becoming partner in his father's linen factory, he went to London in 1804, and settled there in his twenty-first year, after marrying a Miss Lloyd. From his brother's influence and his own acquirements as mineralogist and geologist Horner was soon well known among scientific and literary men of the day. In 1808 he was elected fellow of the Geological Society, founded in the preceding year, and throughout his life remained intimately associated with that body. In 1810 he was appointed one of the secretaries, in 1828 vice-president, and in 1846 president. In his numerous papers Horner avoided hasty generalisation, but in regard to ‘superposition and stratification’ he appears to have anticipated some of the principles applied by Murchison and Sedgwick to the history of palæozoic rocks. In 1813 he was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society.

Horner's business duties recalled him to Edinburgh in 1817, where he settled, after