Hardwick Hall, are of better quality; the last has been engraved in Lodge's series. There are also portraits by Knapton of the Hon. John Spencer with his son, at Althorp, of Admiral Sir John Norris, at Greenwich, and of Francis, fifth duke of Leeds, in the possession of the present duke (a replica in the National Portrait Gallery); his portraits of Sir George Vandeput, bart., Archibald Bower, Nicholas Tindal, Hildebrand Jacob, Admiral Sir E. Hawke, and the singers, Carestini and Lisabetta du Parc, have been engraved. Knapton was a skilful painter, but not free from the stiffness and formality which characterised the art of his day. He assisted his brothers, John and Paul, who succeeded to and extended their father's business, in the production of several fine publications, including Birch's ‘Lives’ with heads by Houbraken, and Rapin and Tindal's ‘History of England.’ He died at Kensington December 1778, and was buried there on the 28th of that month.
Knapton, Charles (1700–1760), brother of George, engaged with Arthur Pond in the production of a volume of imitations of original drawings by the old masters, published in 1735. Of the seventy plates which constitute the work twenty-seven are by Knapton; these are chiefly after Guercino and are cleverly executed; they have been erroneously attributed to his brother. Charles Knapton died in 1760.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Walpole's Anecdotes (Dallaway and Wornum), p. 710; G. Scharf's Cat. of Pictures at Woburn Abbey, 1890; Vertue's manuscript collections in Brit. Mus.; Bromley's Cat. of Engraved British Portraits, 1793; An Account of the Portraits of the Dilettanti Society, 1885; Kensington parish register.]
KNAPTON, PHILIP (1788–1833), musical composer, born at York in 1788, received his musical education mainly at Cambridge, at the hands of Dr. Hague. Returning to York, he followed music as a profession, and lived in that city until his death, on 20 June 1833. He was one of the assistant-conductors at the York festivals of 1823, 1825, and 1828. He composed several overtures, pianoforte concertos, and other orchestral works, and arranged a number of fantasias on well-known airs for pianoforte and pianoforte and harp. His pianoforte arrangement of Lady Nairne's song ‘Caller Herrin',’ and his music for the song ‘There be none of Beauty's Daughters,’ enjoyed considerable popularity.
[Grove's Dict. of Music, ii. 65; Brit. Mus. Cat. of Music.]
KNAPWELL, RICHARD (fl. 1286), Dominican. [See Clapwell.]
KNATCHBULL, Sir EDWARD (1781–1849), statesman, eldest son of Sir Edward Knatchbull of Mersham Hatch, Kent, eighth baronet of the name, by Mary, daughter and coheiress of William Westom Hugessen of Provender in the same county, was born on 20 Dec. 1781, and succeeded to the baronetcy on 21 Sept. 1819. On 16 Nov. following he was returned to parliament for Kent in his father's room. He retained the seat until the dissolution of 1830, when he did not stand for re-election. During this period he distinguished himself by his stout opposition to corn-law reform and catholic emancipation. His speech on the second reading of the Catholic Relief Bill, in which he pointed his remarks on Peel's change of front with the apt quotation, ‘Nusquam tuta fides,’ made a deep impression, and marked him out as leader of the House of Commons in the event of the bill being defeated and the protestant party coming into power. In 1830 he moved an amendment to the address pledging ministers to take steps to alleviate the prevalent distress. It was lost by a majority of 158 to 105. A large number of country gentlemen voted for it, and the Duke of Wellington's government was, in fact, saved by the whigs. In the following November Knatchbull led his following of tory malcontents into the opposition division lobby on Sir Henry Parnell's motion for a reduction of the civil list. The government was placed in a minority, and resigned on 17 Nov. Knatchbull was offered a place in Lord Grey's government, but declined it because, though not altogether opposed to the extension of the franchise, he could not accept the ministerial scheme in its entirety; nor did he go to the polls at the general election. After the passing of the bill he was returned at the general election of 1832 for the eastern division of Kent, which he continued to represent until February 1845, when he accepted the Chiltern hundreds. On the accession of Peel to power in December 1834, he chose, though offered higher office, the subordinate place of paymaster of the forces, and was sworn of the privy council. Towards the close of this short-lived administration he is described by Greville as ‘the only cabinet minister who has shown anything like a faculty to support Peel.’ To Peel he adhered steadily in opposition, and returned to power with him in September 1841, taking the same office as before. His retirement in February 1845 was due solely to ill-health and domestic affliction, and has
