Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/581

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WEST from it ; but he persevered, and Eeynolds was one of the first to congratulate him on his suc- cess. He painted for George III. a number of subjects taken from early English history, and projected a grand series of works illustrating the progress of revealed religion for the chapel at Windsor castle, of which 28 were executed. After the Superannuation of the king the com- mission was cancelled. He then began a new series of religious pieces. The first, " Christ Healing the Sick," was intended as a present to the Pennsylvania hospital in Philadelphia ; but it was purchased for 3,000 by the British institute, and a copy with some alterations was sent by West to Philadelphia. The most re- markable picture of this series was "Death on the Pale Horse," from Revelation, exhibited in London in 1817. Among his battle pieces was the "Battle of La Hogue," one of his best pictures. In 1792 he succeeded Sir Joshua Reynolds as president of the royal academy, declining the honor of knighthood. He retired from that post in 1802, but was reelected a year later, and retained the office until his death. The extraordinary reputation once en- joyed by West was largely due to the facility with which he worked, and to the academic correctness of his designs. His pictures are chiefly remarkable for composition, the color- ing being of a uniform reddish brown tint, in no respect resembling nature. Few artists have shown so little individuality and such an equality of merit. Many of his works have been engraved by Woollett, Sharpe, Hall, Heath, and others. WEST, Stephen, an American clergyman, born in Tolland, Conn., Nov. 13, 1735, died in Stock- bridge, Mass., May 15, 1819. He graduated at Yale college in 1755, and studied theology, became chaplain at Hoosick fort in 1757, suc- ceeded Jonathan Edwards in the Indian mis- sion at Stockbridge in 1758, and was ordained as pastor of the Congregational church there in 1759. About 1770 he resigned his charge of the Indians, and adopted the Hopkinsian theology. He published "An Essay on Moral Agency" (12mo, 1772; enlarged ed., 1794); "Duty and Obligation of Christians to marry only in the Lord" (1779); "An Essay on the Scripture Doctrine of the Atonement" (1785) ; "An Inquiry into the Ground and Import of Infant Baptism" (1794); "Life of Rev. Sam- uel Hopkins, D. D." (1806); and "Evidence of the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ col- lected from the Scriptures" (1816). WESTALL. I. Riehard, an English painter, born in Hertford in 1765, died Dec. 4, 1836. He served an apprenticeship to an engraver, but took up painting and designing, and exe- cuted water-color drawings chiefly on subjects from classical mythology. He furnished some of the designs for Boydell's "Shakespeare Gallery." He lost largely by speculations in pictures. He was elected a royal academician in 1794. II. William, brother of the preceding, born in Hertford, Oct. 12, 1781, died Jan. 22, WEST CHESTER 561 1850. He was educated in the school of the royal academy, and in 1801 accompanied Capt. Flinders in his voyage of discovery, in the course of which he visited Australia, China, and India, made a large number of sketches, and painted some elaborate views of the coasts and interior of Australia. He published sev- eral volumes of views in England and the East. WEST BATON ROUGE, a S. E. parish of Louisi- ana, bounded E. by the Mississippi river and W. by Bayou Fordoche; area, about 225 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 5,114, of whom 3,404 were colored; in 1875, 6,742, of whom 3,996 were colored. The surface is low, and much of it subject to inundation ; the soil is fertile. It is traversed by the Baton Rouge, Grosse Tete, and Opelousas railroad. The chief produc- tions in 1870 were 24,955 bushels of Indian corn, 2,445 bales of cotton, 806 hogsheads of sugar, and 50,740 gallons of molasses. There were 379 horses, 753 mules and asses, 1,231 cattle, and 280 swine. Capital, Allain. WEST BRIDGEWATER. See BRIDGEWATER. WESTCHESTER, a S. E. county of New York, bordering on Connecticut and Long Island sound, bounded W. by the Hudson river, and drained by the Croton and Bronx rivers ; area, about 500 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 131,348. By an act of 1873 a portion of the S. part was annexed to New York city, and in 1875 the population of the county was 100,660. Sev- eral ridges of hills extend N. and S. through the county. Stock growing, gardening, and fruit raising are among the chief occupa- tions. Extensive quarries of marble are found near Sing Sing, and there are several mineral springs. It is traversed by the Hudson River, the Harlem, and the New York and New Haven railroads. The chief productions in 1870 were 23,757 bushels of wheat, 31,457 of rye, 263,- 211 of Indian corn, 196,846 of oats, 425,626 of potatoes, 430,737 Ibs. of butter, 6,479 of wool, and 66,551 tons of hay. There were on farms 5,828 horses, 17,321 milch cows, 5,904 other cattle, 2,391 sheep, and 6,383 swine. The whole number of manufactories was 567, hav- ing an aggregate capital of $8,464,058; value of products, $15,828,372. The most impor- tant were 3 of agricultural implements, 10 of boots and shoes, 29 of bricks, 1 of carpets, 33 of carriages and wagons, 14 of clothing, 2 of cotton goods, 2 of cutlery and edge tools, 3 of files, 17 of furniture, 3 of hats and caps, 1 of India-rubber and elastic goods, 17 of iron, forged, cast, &c., 4 of lime, 5 of machinery, 1 of molasses and sugar refined, 8 of preserves and sauces, 20 of saddlery and harness, 17 of sash, doors, and blinds, 1 of sewing machines, 1 bleaching and dyeing establishment, 5 flour mills, 19 breweries, 3 planing mills, and 7 saw mills. Capital, White Plains. WEST CHESTER, a borough and the county seat of Chester co., Pennsylvania, situated on the dividing ridge between Brandywine and Chester creeks, 23 m. W. of Philadelphia; pop. in 1870, 5,630. It is surrounded by one of