work done in cataloguing and arranging the books given by Nathaniel Crymes. He published in 1738 ‘A Letter to Dr. Mead concerning some Antiquities in Berkshire, particularly shewing that the White Horse is a Monument of the West Saxons.’ This was answered by ‘Philalethes Rusticus’ (sometimes said to be Rev. William Asplin, at other times a layman called Bumpsted) in 1740 in a tract called ‘The Impertinence and Imposture of Modern Antiquaries display'd,’ in which he attributed to Wise a design to alter the arms of the royal family, sneered at his eulogies of Alfred, and pointed out that he had omitted to praise the reigning monarch. Wise resented these attacks, believing that they might damage his chance of future preferment. An anonymous defence of him, ‘An Answer to a Scandalous Libel intituled “The Impertinence and Imposture, &c.”’ (1741), was published by the Rev. George North, and he himself issued in 1742 ‘Further Observations upon the White Horse and other Antiquities in Berkshire.’
Wise was appointed by his college to the rectory of Rotherfield Greys, near Henley-on-Thames, on 7 Aug. 1745, thus vacating his fellowship in 1746. From 10 May 1748 he was Radcliffe librarian at Oxford. These preferments he retained, with that of Elsfield, until his death. He was elected F.S.A. on 6 April 1749, and collected an excellent library, particularly rich in works of northern literature. In 1754 Thomas Warton and Johnson, who liked his society, paid him several visits at Elsfield, and Wise took much interest in obtaining for Johnson from his university the degree by diploma of M.A. (Wooll, Joseph Warton, p. 228). He became ‘a cripple in every limb’ from the gout, and died at Elsfield on 5 Oct. 1767, being buried in the churchyard, but without stone or monument. He gave during his lifetime many coins to the Bodleian Library, and after his death his sister gave to the Radcliffe Library ‘a large and valuable cabinet of his medals.’
The other works of Wise comprised: 1. ‘Annales rerum gestarum Ælfredi Magni auctore Asserio Menevensi,’ 1722. A copy, with many notes, supposed to be by William Huddesford [q. v.], is in Gough's ‘Oxfordshire’ (57) at the Bodleian Library. The editing is ‘unusually careful,’ but the authenticity of the original has often been questioned (Speaker, 18 March 1899, pp. 313–14). 2. ‘Epistola ad Joannem Masson de nummo Abgari regis,’ 1736. 3. ‘Nummorum antiquorum Scriniis Bodleianis reconditorum Catalogus,’ 1750; dedicated to Lord Guilford. 4. ‘Some Enquiries on the First Inhabitants, Language, Religion, Learning, and Letters of Europe, by a Member of the Society of Antiquaries in London,’ 1758; signed at end ‘F. W. R. L.’ 5. ‘History and Chronology of the Fabulous Ages,’ 1764; also anonymous and similarly signed. This had been drawn up for some years, having been read to Johnson and Warton to their amusement. Printed letters to and from him are in Nichols's ‘Literary Anecdotes’ (v. 452, ix. 617), Nichols's ‘Literary Illustrations’ (iii. 632–7, iv. 206–7, 225–6, 433–55, 668–9); two of his manuscript letters are in Gough's ‘Berkshire’ (5, Bodl. Libr.)
Wise assisted Warton in his ‘Life of Dr. Bathurst.’ The passages stated by Thomas Warton in his ‘Life of Sir Thomas Pope’ (1st and 2nd edits. pref.) to have been copied by Wise from other manuscripts are forgeries by some one (Blakiston in Engl. Hist. Rev. xi. 282–300). In reference to them Mr. Blakiston calls Wise ‘a competent, perhaps too competent, archæologist.’
[Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Gent. Mag. 1767, p. 524; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. ii. 512, v. 527–8; Lit. Illustr. iv. 479–80; Boswell's Johnson, ed. Hill, i. 273–82, 322; Madan's Western MSS. (Bodl. Libr.) iv. 189, 259; Macray's Bodl. Libr. 2nd ed. pp. 34, 199, 207, 221, 372, 484; Blakiston's Trin. Coll. pp. 194, 196; information from Rev. H. E. D. Blakiston of Trinity College.]
WISE, HENRY (1653–1738), gardener to William III, Anne, and George I, was born in 1653, and claimed descent from Richard Wise of Cadiston, Warwickshire. He studied horticulture under George London, and during the reign of James II was admitted as sole partner in London's lucrative nursery at Brompton, the largest at that time near London. Shortly after William III's accession Wise was appointed deputy-ranger of Hyde Park and superintendent of the royal gardens at Hampton Court, Kensington, and elsewhere. In April 1694 Evelyn speaks of the methodical manner in which the ‘noble nursery’ at Brompton was cultivated, and he describes another visit to Wise's plantations and gardens on 2 Sept. 1701. Besides the royal gardens, London and Wise directed most of the great gardens of England, including Blenheim, Wanstead, Edger, and Melbourne in Derbyshire. This last was a splendid example of the French style of formal garden handed down to London by his master Rose, who had studied under André Le Nôtre, the French gardener of Charles II. The Melbourne gardens were remodelled from designs by Wise between 1704 and 1711, including a bosquet after the Versailles pattern, and ‘a water-piece.’
