Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hawkins, John Sidney
HAWKINS, JOHN SIDNEY (1758–1842), antiquary, born in 1758, was the eldest son of Sir John Hawkins [q. v.], author of the ‘History of Music.’ While living in Westminster he often accompanied his father to the abbey to hear the music and study the architecture. One of his earliest literary efforts were some essays on plates from subjects in Westminster Abbey, published in 1782–3 in Carter's ‘Antient Sculpture and Painting.’ The extent and value of his assistance was afterwards a matter of dispute between him and Carter (Gent. Mag. 1814, i. 133, 144, ii. 114). On the discovery of the paintings on the walls of the House of Commons in 1800, Hawkins undertook to write an account of them to accompany the drawings made by J. T. Smith. A misunderstanding arose, and Smith completed and published the work himself in 1807 as ‘Antiquities of Westminster.’ Hawkins published ‘A Correct Statement’ of his share of the work, London, 1807, 8vo, and Smith issued ‘A Reply,’ London, 1808, 8vo. During 1814 he engaged in a dispute with Isaac D'Israeli in vindication of his father, but seems to have got the worst of it (Gent. Mag. 1814, i. 551, ii. 12). Hawkins died on 12 Aug. 1842, in his eighty-fifth year, at Lower Grove, Brompton, where he had long resided. He was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. His library was sold in 1843. He is described (Gent. Mag.) as a learned antiquary, whose ‘talents were overshadowed by a sour and jealous temper.’
Hawkins also published: 1. An edition of Ruggle's ‘Ignoramus,’ with notes, &c., London, 1787, 8vo, on which he had worked for nearly ten years (Nichols, Literary Anecdotes, ix. 35). 2. ‘Walton's Complete Angler,’ 1797, 12mo, 1808, 8vo (a reproduction of Sir J. Hawkins's edition). 3. ‘L. Da Vinci's Treatise on Painting’ (Rigaud's translation), with a life, 1802, 8vo. 4. ‘A History of the Origin and Establishment of Gothic Architecture,’ London, 1813, 8vo, which was severely handled by John Carter (1748–1817) [q. v.] in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ (for Carter's letters see Gent. Mag. 1813 ii. 321, 1814 i. 9, 114, 133, 329, ii. 313, 1815 ii. 305. Hawkins, who does not seem to have studied architecture thoroughly, replied in the same periodical (1814, i. 5, 242, 348, 456). 5. ‘An Inquiry into … Greek and Latin Poetry’ (especially dramatic), London, 1817, 8vo. 6. ‘An Inquiry into the nature … of Thorough Bass on a new plan,’ London [1817], 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. new ser. 1842, xviii. 662–4.]