Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 23.djvu/415

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Gwynne
407
Gwynneth

fellow' (see account of his journey to Oxford with Johnson; Boswell, Life, p. 481). An excellent portrait of him was painted by Zoffany.

Among his published works are: 1. 'An Essay upon Harmony as it relates chiefly to Situation and Building,' 1734, 1739. 2. 'The Art of Architecture,' a poem in imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry, 1742. 3. 'Rupert to Maria, an heroic epistle with Maria's genuine answer' (in verse), 1748. 4. 'An Essay on Design, including proposals for erecting a public academy,' 1749. In this work he called attention to the deficiencies of art training in England, and to 'what a small sum compared with the annual revenue of the crown would suffice to support an academy for improving the arts of design.' 5. 'Qualifications of a Surveyor, in a letter to the Earl of . . . ,' 1752. At the end of the book is advertised for sale by the same author 'An Enquiry after Virtue,' 2 parts. 6. 'A second letter with some further remarks,' 1752. 7. 'Thoughts on the Coronation of George III,' 1761, to which Johnson 'lent his friendly assistance to correct and improve' (Boswell, p. 122). 8. 'London and Westminster Improved, to which is prefixed a discourse on publick magnificence,' 1766; the dedication to the king was written by Johnson (ib. p. 181), and the work sums up Gwynn's views on art training. His plans for improvements have gained for him almost a prophetic reputation (see Literary Gazette, 1826, pp. 92, 202, 203; T. F. Hunt, Exemplars of Tudor Architecture, p. 23n.; Smirke, Suggestions, p. 23 ; note by Croker in Boswell's Johnson, p. 181; Quarterly Review, 1826, p. 183). In the last work only does Gwynn's name appear on the title-page.

[An excellent memoir of Gwynn by Mr. Wyatt Pap worth in the Builder, 1863 pp. 454-7, 1864 pp. 27-30; authorities quoted in the text; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Dict. of Architecture; J. Chambers's Biog. Illustr. of Worcestershire, p. 505; Bryan's Dict. of Painters and Engravers (Graves' edit.); Mulvany's Life of James Gaudon, pp. 162-3; Sandby's Hist. of the Royal Academy, pp. 28, 29, 34, 39, 40, 49, 50, 72; Graves's Dict. of Artists; Catalogues of Society of Artists of Great Britain, 1760-7; Catalogues of Royal Academy, 1769-72; Cat. of Prints and Drawings in the King's Library (Brit. Mus.); Camden's Britannia (Gough), ii.417; Green's Hist. of Worcester, ii.16; Wade's Walks in Oxford, pp. 430, 441; Gent. Mag. 1768, p. 240; Cat. of Library of Royal Institute of British Architects; Brit. Mus. Cat. of Printed Books.]

B. P.

GWYNNE, JOHN (fl. 1660), captain, a Welshman, was the grandson of Edward Gwynne, barrister-at-law. He was a retainer in the household of Charles I, and was employed in training the royal family in military exercises. He rose to be a captain in the king's regiment of guards. During the civil war he seems to have distinguished himself by his personal courage and activity. After the king's execution he followed the fortunes of Charles II. Gwynne was with Montrose in his last unhappy attempt in 1650, and joined the forces of General John Middleton in 1654. When that enterprise also failed he served James, duke of York, and was with him at the fight before Dunkirk in 1658, and in Flanders. Upon the Restoration Gwynne seems to have been passed over and left to embarrassment, if not to want. He accordingly drew up a statement of the battles, skirmishes, and adventures in which he had exhibited his loyalty. The manuscript is a very neat one, and is preceded by several letters to persons of consequence whose interest the author was desirous of securing. Whether he proved successful or otherwise in his application is unknown. The manuscript was presented to Sir Walter Scott by the Rev. John Grahame of Lifford, near Strabane, Ireland, into whose hands it fell by accident. Scott published it as 'Military Memoirs of the Great Civil War. Being the Military Memoirs of John Gwynne,' &c., 4to, Edinburgh, 1822.

[Scott's Preface to Military Memoirs; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1660-1, p. 443.]

G. G.

GWYNNE, NELL. [See Gwyn, Eleanor.]

GWYNNE, ROBERT (fl. 1591). [See Gwin.]

GWYNNETH, JOHN, (fl. 1557), catholic divine and musician, was son of David ap Llewelyn ap Ithel of Llyn, brother to Robert ap Llewelyn ap Ithel of Castelmarch, Carnarvonshire, ancestor of Sir William Jones, knight. He was educated at Oxford, and being a poor man he was, says Wood, 'exhibited to by an ecclesiastical Mecænas,' in the hope that he would write against the heretics. In due course he was ordained priest, and on 9 Dec. 1531 he supplicated the university for leave to practise in music and for the degree of doctor of music, as he had composed all the responses for a whole year 'in cantis chrispis aut fractis, ut aiunt,' and many masses, including three masses of five parts and five masses of four parts, besides hymns, antiphons, and divers songs for the use of the church (Oxf. Univ. Reg., Oxf. Hist. Soc., i. 167). This request was granted conditionally on his paying to the university twenty pence on the day of his admission, and he was forthwith licensed to proceed