Georgian Memoirs. In 1810, he painted a picture of the death of Richard the Second in Pomfret Castle [Map], in which the costume of the period was strictly adhered to, and the portrait of Richard taken from his effigy in Westminster Abbey. It was received with unanimous approbation upon its exhibition at Somerset House, and indicated superior talents, in the artist, for historical painting. This branch of his art, however, he was also induced to forego, in consequence of an attachment he had formed with a Miss Kempe (age 19), to whom he was subsequently married. A more lucrative mode of occupation than that of historical portrait painting, had suggested itself to him as far back as the year 1802, when he accompanied his father to Burleigh House, the seat of the Marquess of Exeter. [her future father-in-law] Mr. Stothard, senior (age 54), was employed to decorate the staircase of this mansion; and, whilst thus occupied, observed to his son, it would be to his future advantage, to fill up his time, by making drawings from the monuments in the neighbouring churches, as useful authorities for costume. His son followed his advice, and thus received the first bias of his mind towards a subject which he now resolved to make his pursuit. The hint for the design, which he afterwards carried into effect, was first given him by a sight of some very clever unpublished etchings, by the Rev. P. Kerrich, of Cambridge, from monuments in the Dominicans and other churches in Paris. This suggested to him the idea of a work on The Monumental Effigies of Great Britain, of which the first number appeared in June, 1811, accompanied by an advertisement, stating that the objects of the undertaking were to afford the historical painter a complete knowledge of the costume adopted in England, from an early period of history to the reign of Henry the Eighth; to illustrate, at the same time, history and biography; and, lastly, to assist the stage in selecting its costume with propriety, for the plays of our great dramatic bard. Such a work was, undoubtedly, a great desideratum; for, whatever information is to be derived from Mr. Gough's writings, in his voluminous publication of the same kind, the delineating part, as Mr. Stothard observes, in an essay found after his death, is so extremely incorrect and full of errors, that, at a future period, when the originals no longer exist, it will be impossible to form any correct idea of what they really were.

Introduction. In 1816 he was deputed by that body to commence his elaborate and faithful drawings of the famous Tapestry deposited at Bayeux. During his absence in France he visited Chinon, and in the neighbouring Abbey of Fontevraud discovered those interesting Effigies of the Plantagenets, the existence of which after the revolutionary devastation had become doubtful, but which were of high importance to him as subjects for his work. The following account of this matter is given in Mrs. C. Stothard's Tour in Britanny:—"When Mr. Stothard first visited France during the summer of 1816, he came direct to Fontevraud, to ascertain if the Effigies of our early Kings who were buried there yet existed; subjects so interesting to English history were worthy of the inquiry. He found the abbey converted into a prison, and discovered in a cellar belonging to it, the Effigies of Henry the Second and his Queen Eleanor of Guienne, Richard the First, and Isabella of Angouleme, the Queen of John. The chapel where the figures were placed before the revolution had been entirely destroyed, and these valuable Effigies, then removed to the cellar, were subject to continual mutilation from the prisoners, who came twice in every day to draw water from a well. It appeared they had sustained some injury, as Mr. S. found several broken fragments scattered around. He made drawings of the figures; and upon his return to England represented to our Government the propriety of securing such interesting memorials from further destruction. It was deemed advisable, if such a plan could be accomplished, to gain possession of them, that they might be placed with the rest of our Royal Effigies in Westminster Abbey^a." An application was accordingly made, which failed; but it had the good effect of drawing the attention of the French authorities towards these remains, and saving them from total destruction. At the same period Mr. Stothard visited the Abbey of L'Espan, near Mans, in search of the effigy of Berengaria, Queen of Richard the First: he found the abbey church converted into a barn, and the object of his inquiry in a mutilated state, concealed under a quantity of wheat^b. At Mons he discovered the beautiful enamelled tablet representing Geoffrey Plantagenet. Mr. Stothard's drawings of the Effigies of the English Monarchy extant in France, were, on his return from Fontevraud, submitted by the late Sir George Nayler to the inspection of his late Majesty George the Fourth, who was graciously pleased to express an earnest desire for their publication, and to allow Mr. Stothard to dedicate his Work, the Monumental Effigies, to him. In 1817 he made a second journey to Bayeux for the purpose of continuing his drawings from the Tapestry. In February 1818 he married the young lady to whom he had so long been attached, Anna Eliza (age 27), the only daughter of the late John Kempe, Esq. of the New Kent Road. In July following she accompanied him in his third expedition to France, which he made with a view of completing the Bayeux Tapestry.

Monumental Effigies of Great Britain. ADVERTISEMENT.

On issuing the twelfth and concluding number of the Monumental Effigies of Great Britain to the Subscribers and the Public, Mrs. Bray (age 41) is desirous to explain the reasons which have constrained her to publish the Introduction and Historical Descriptions, written by her brother, Alfred John Kempe (age 47), Esq. F.S.A. in a separate form, and to charge for it accordingly.

Since Mr. [her former husband] Charles Stothard's decease, who not only executed the drawings but the etchings from them himself, the work has been placed in a very different position, and Mrs. Bray has been obliged to employ artists, at a very heavy expense, for the purpose of furnishing the plates, twelve in each number.

The completion of the Monumental Effigies in a manner respectful to her late husband's great talents, and satisfactory to the Subscribers, has ever been her primary object; and, long as the interval may seem that has elapsed between Mr. Stothard's decease and such completion, the undertaking has never stood still.

With respect to the Head-plates for the different Monuments, Mr. Stothard, had he survived, would no doubt have added many more to those which he published; but, except in the instance of the tomb of Sir Robert de Shurland, he left behind him no materials available to pursue his intention. His practice in drawing the elevation of Monuments for the Head-plates, was merely to take the just admeasurements, and sketch the mouldings and architectural parts, reserving the putting such materials together for a future opportunity. To these drawings, made only for his own information, there were not any memoranda in writing appended, indicating to what tombs they should be applied: consequently (the overwhelming increase of expense out of the question) it became impossible to appropriate them to the purpose for which they were made. It is, however, fortunate that in the head-plates will be found distinct examples of the variation in altar-tombs, from the thirteenth to the early part of the fifteenth century.

The Introduction and Historical Descriptions for the Monumental Effigies, will be found to consist of upwards of one hundred and twenty pages of letter press, elegantly printed, and embellished with a Frontispiece, etched by the late Mr. Charles Stothard, after an original design by his father; his Portrait, by Chalon, engraved by Cooper; a View of the inscribed Coffin-lid of Matilda, Queen of William the Conqueror; the elevation of the Tomb of Sir Robert Shurland, at Minster Church, Sheppy; and various wood-blocks, not here particularized.

The Price of the Introduction and Historical Descriptions will, therefore, be the same as that of the Numbers containing the Effigies;—Large Paper, £1. 15s; Small Paper, £1. 5s.

A very limited edition of the work has been struck off.