, a Polander, of the seventeenth century, whose original name was
, a Polander, of the seventeenth century,
whose original name was Albert Bobowski, was born a
Christian;but, being taken by the Tartars while a child,
was sold to the Turks, who educated him in their religion.
He acquired the knowledge of seventeen languages, among
the rest, of the French, English, and German, having had
part of his education in these countries; and became interpreter to the grand seignior. He translated into the
Turkish language the catechism of the church of England,
and all the Bible. He composed a Turkish grammar and
dictionary, and other things which were never printed.
His principal work is, “A Treatise upon the Liturgy of
the Turks, their pilgrimages to Mecca, their circumcision,
and manner of visiting the sick,
” which he was induced to
write by Dr. Smith, chaplain to the English embassy at the
Porte, and who gave the ms. to Dr. Hyde, by whom it was
published in Latin, in the appendix of the “Itinera muncli ab Abrahamo Peritsol,
” Oxford, The State of the Ottoman Empire.
”
d, such as Tycho Brahe, Copernicus, and Newton. The cieling is all by his own hand; but he emploj'ed a Polander to assist him in painting the walls, which he has adorned
These great works, having established his reputation, procured him much employment among people of quality and fortune. His master-piece is the refectory and saloon of the sailors hospital at Greenwich. The passage to this refectory is through a vestibule, where sir James has represented, in two colours, the winds in the cupola; and, on the walls, boys who sustain pannels to receive the inscription of the names of the benefactors. The refectory is a fine gallery, very lofty, in the middle of which king William and queen Mary are allegorically represented sitting, and attended by the virtues and love, who support the sceptre; the monarch appears giving peace to Europe. The twelve signs of the zodiac surround the great oval in which he is painted; the four seasons are seen above: lastly, Apollo drawn by his four horses, making his tour through the zodiac. The painter has represented in the angles the four elements, and between the colossal figures that support the balustrade, the portraits of those able mathematicians, that have perfected the art of navigation, are painted, such as Tycho Brahe, Copernicus, and Newton. The cieling is all by his own hand; but he emploj'ed a Polander to assist him in painting the walls, which he has adorned with allegorical figures suitable to the intention of the fabric, such as Liberality, Hospitality, and Charity. The saloon above is not so beautiful as the refectory; the cieling represents queen Anne and prince George of Denmark, surrounded by heroic virtues; Neptune and his train bringing their marine presents, and the four quarters of the world presenting themselves, in various attitudes, to admire them. George I. is painted on the wall facing the entry, sitting with all his family around him. On the left hand is the landing of king William, on the right that of king George I. at Greenwich. These great works would have been certainly more esteemed if they had all been done by sir James ThornhilPs own hand; they are entirely from his designs; but one cannot help, in looking at them, criticizing their incorrectness; it may even be wished that there were fewer figures. They display, however, great judgment and knowledge in treating the allegory, talents which must necessarily produce great and rich compositions.