MITCHELL, JAMES (1786?–1844), scientific writer, was born in or near Aberdeen about 1786. He was educated at the university of that town, graduated M.A. at University and King's college in 1804, and was subsequently created LL.D. His whole fortune when he came to London in 1805 was 10, and he supported himself by teaching until he became secretary, first to the Star Insurance Company, then to the British Annuity Company. He was employed as actuary to the parliamentary commission on factories, and as sub-commissioner on those relating to handloom-weaving and the condition of women and children in collieries. Overtasked by these labours, he was struck with paralysis in June 1843, and died of apoplexy on 3 Sept. 1844, in the house of his nephew, Mr. Templeton, at Exeter, aged 58. He was a fellow of the Geological Society of London, to which he made numerous communications, and from 1823 a corresponding member of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries.
His works include:
- 'On the Plurality of Worlds,' London, 1813.
- 'An Easy System of Shorthand,' 1815.
- 'A Tour through Belgium, Holland, &c., in the Summer of 1816,' 1816.
- 'The Elements of Natural Philosophy,' 1819.
- 'The Elements of Astronomy,' 1820.
- 'A Dictionary of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences,' 1823.
- 'A Dictionary of Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Geology,' 1823.
- 'The Scotsman's Library,' Edinburgh, 1825, &c.
He left besides many folio volumes in manuscript descriptive of the geology of London and its neighbourhood; and he made at great expense collections relative to Scottish antiquities, some of which he presented to the Society of Scottish Antiquaries, while the remainder were bequeathed by him to the university of Aberdeen.
[Gent. Mag. 1844, ii. 432; Ann. Reg. 1844, p. 267; A11ibone's Dict, of English Literature; Ward's Men of the Reign; Poggendorff's Biog. Lit. Handwörterbuch; Roy. Soc. Cat. of Scientific Papers; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
MITCHELL, JAMES (1791–1852), line-engraver, was born in 1791. His most important works were 'Alfred in the Neatherd's Cottage,' 1829, and 'Rat Hunters,' 1830, both after Sir David Wilkie, R.A. He engraved also 'The Contadina,' after Sir Charles L. Eastlake, P.R.A., and 'Lady Jane Grey,' after James Northcote, R.A., for the 'Literary Souvenir' of 1827 and 1832; 'The Farewell,' after Abraham Cooper, R.A.; 'Saturday Night' and 'The Dorty Bairn,' after Sir David Wilkie, and 'The Corsair,' after H. P. Briggs, R. A., for the 'Gem' of 1829, 1830, and 1832; and 'The Secret' after Robert Smirke, R.A., for 'The Keepsake' of 1831. Besides these he produced 'Edie Ochiltree,' after Sir Edwin Landseer and five other illustrations, after Kidd, Stanfield, J. W. Wright, and Alexander Fraser, for the author's edition of the 'Waverley Novels,' 1829-33. He died in London on 29 Nov. 1852, aged 61.
Robert Mitchell (1820–1873), his son, born on 19 May 1820, engraved in mezzotint 'Tapageur, a fashionable Member of the Canine Society,' after Sir Edwin Landseer, 1852, and 'The Parish Beauty' and 'The Pastor's Pet,' a pair after Alfred Rankley, 1853 and 1854; and in the mixed style 'The Happy Mothers' and 'The Startled Twins,' a pair after Richard Ansdell, R.A., 1850, and 'Christ walking on the Sea,' after Robert Scott Lauder, R.S.A., 1854. He also etched several plates, which were completed in mezzotint by other engravers. He died at Bromley, Kent, on 16 May 1873.
[Private information.]
MITCHELL or MYCHELL, JOHN (fl. 1556), printer, pursued his trade in St. Paul, Canterbury. From 'A Cronicle of Yeres' (1543 and 1544) he compiled, with large additions, 'A breviat Cronicle contaynynge all the Kinges from Brut to this daye, and manye notable actes gathered oute of diuers Cronicles from Willyam Conquerour vnto the yere of Christ a. M. V. c. 1. ii.,' 8vo, Canterbury, 1551; another edit. 1553. In a quaint dedication to Sir Anthony Aucher, master of the king's jewel-house, whom he asks to aid him in improving the next issue of the book, he implores his friends and brother-printers to suffer him quietly to enjoy the benefit of his labours. His request was apparently disregarded, as his book was reissued at other presses at London in 1555, 1556, 1559, and about 1561.
Mitchell printed at Canterbury:
- 'The Psalter … after the translacion of the great Bible,' 4to, 1549 and 1550.
- 'A Treatise of Predestination,' by John Lambert, 8vo, 1550.
- 'Two Dyaloges wrytten in laten by Desiderius Erasmus, translated in to Englyshe by Edmund Becke,' 8vo (1550).
- 'Articles to be enquired in thordinary Visitacion of ... the Lord Cardinall Poole's Grace, Archebyshop of Canterburie within hys Dioces of Canterbury, 1556,' 4to, 1556.
- 'A shorte Epistle to all such as do contempne the Marriage of us poor Preestes,' 16mo, undated.
- 'The spirituall Matrimonye betwene Chryste and the Soul,' 24mo, undated.
- 'An Exposytion upon the Epistyll of Saynt Paul to
