I. John

John, an English painter, born at St. Agnes, near Truro, Cornwall, in 1761, died in London, April 9, 1807. He pursued his studies without instruction, and had acquired some skill when he attracted the notice of Dr. Wolcott of Truro (Peter Pindar), who in 1781 brought him to London. There he was named the "Cornish wonder," and frequently the street in front of his residence was blocked up by the carriages of his visitors, and hardly a year had passed before he had painted the principal nobility. His portraits, remarkable for vigor and truth, lacked elegance and refinement, and his popularity sank almost as suddenly as it had risen. He had, however, already earned a handsome competence, and sought to increase it by marrying the daughter of a wealthy pawnbroker. The match proving unhappy, they were divorced, and Opie married again in 1798. He set about correcting his defects, and applied himself to historical painting, in which he produced several popular pictures, as "TheMurder of James I. of Scotland," "The Death of Rizzio," "Arthur taken Prisoner," "Hubert and Arthur," "Belisarius," and "Juliet in the Garden." In 1806 Opie was elected professor of painting at the royal academy, and as such he delivered in February and March, 1807, four lectures on design, invention, chiaroscuro, and coloring, but died before he had completed the course.

His lectures, with a memoir, were published in 1809 by his widow. His pictures, though wanting in dignity and grace, are distinguished for their reality and homely truth, and for their purity of color.

II. Amelia (Alderson)

Amelia (Alderson), an English authoress, second wife of the preceding, born in Norwich, Nov. 12, 1769, died there, Dec. 2, 1853. In 1798 she was married to Mr. Opie. Previously she had written much, but published nothing except a novel which attracted no attention. On the death of her husband she returned to her father's home in Norwich, where she spent the rest of her life. In 1825 she joined the society of Friends, and in a great measure gave up literary pursuits. Her principal publications are: " Father and Daughter " (1801); "Poems" (1802); "Adeline Mowbray, or Mother and Daughter" (1804); "Simple Tales " (1805); " The Warrior's Return, and other Poems" (1808); "Tales of Real Life" (1813); "Illustrations of Lying" (1825); "Detraction Displayed " (1828); and " Lays for the Dead " (1833). Her life has been written by Miss C. L. Brightwell (8vo, London, 1854).