RIG
816
RIP
was highly honoured by Louis XIV. and Louis XV., and was in
1727 made a chevalier of the order of St. Michel. He was professor and rector of the academy, and died in Paris in 1743. Rigaud enjoyed a great reputation in France, where he was called the French Vandyck. His portraits are, however, hard and cold, compared with the works of the great Flemish painter; and though well drawn, will as pictures bear no comparison whatever with those of Vandyck.—(See Mémoires Inédites des Membres de L'Academie Royale, &c., Paris, 1854.)—R. N. W. RIGAULT, Nicolas, in Latin Rigaltius, a learned French writer, son of a physician, was born at Paris in 1577, and educated among the Jesuits. Renouncing with disgust the profession of law, for which he was intended, he devoted himself to polite literature. In 1596 he produced his "Funus Parasiticum," a satire which so delighted De Thou that he made the author the companion of his studies. Rigault succeeded Cassaubon as librarian to the king, and ultimately became intendant of the province of Metz. He died in 1654. He edited several of the Latin classics—Minutius Felix, Phædrus, Martial, Cyprian, and Tertullian. Along with Dupui he edited De Thou's history. RIGHINI, Vincenzo, chapel-master to the king of Prussia at Berlin, was born at Bologna in Italy, about the year 1756, where he grounded himself in music under the celebrated Padre Martini. On the completion of his musical education, in 1776 he went to Prague, and engaged himself as actor in ,an Italian company; also producing for the theatre several vocal compositions, and at length even operas. After remaining three years at Prague he proceeded to Vienna, where a fine opening was procured for his talents, by his appointment to the situations of director and composer to the Italian opera in that city; at the same time he was appointed by the Emperor Joseph II., singing master to the Princess Elizabeth of Wirtemburg. About the year 1788 he received an invitation from the elector of Mentz to settle in that city as chapel-master. This being more profitable to him than remaining at Vienna, he accepted the offer, and on his arrival at Mentz wrote much music for the theatre, and also a grand mass. He then received an invitation from King William II. of Prussia to set to music the grand opera "Enea nel Lazio," for the Berlin theatre royal. This composition meeting the approval of the king, he appointed him his chapelmaster, with an income of four thousand dollars, which situation he held till the year 1804, when with the permission of the court he revisited his native country, and died at Bologna in 1812. Fetis gives a catalogue of his numerous works.—E. F. R. RILEY, John, born in London in 1646, the cleverest English portrait painter of his time, and state painter to William and Mary, succeeded Sir Peter Lely in the public favour; he died of gout in the prime of life in 1691. Riley imitated Vandyck. Among his many distinguished sitters were Charles II., James II., and his queen, Mary of Modena; William III., and Mary his queen; the Lord-keeper North, Bishop Burnet, and Dr. Busby, master of Westminster. He died unmarried, and his property was inherited by his scholar Jonathan Richardson, who had married Riley's niece.—R. N. W. RINALDI, Odorico, historian, born at Treviso, 1595; died 22nd January, 1671. Educated under the Jesuits at Parma, he entered the order of Oratorians, to which Cardinal Baronius had once belonged; and being appointed to continue the "Annals" of that celebrated historian, added ten volumes (1646-77) to the already existing twelve; extending the narrative to the year 1564. He also compiled an abridgment of the entire work.—C. G. R. RINCON, Antonio del, the first Spanish painter of eminence, was born in Guadalaxara about 1446, and died at Seville in 1500. From the largeness of his style, compared with the Spanish art of his day, Rincon is supposed to have studied in Italy. He was court painter to Ferdinand and Isabella, but few of his works now remain. An altar-piece in seventeen compartments, illustrating the life of the Virgin, still preserved in the church of Robledo de Chavela, near the Escorial, is the most important of what remains of his work.—R N. W. RINGLY or RINGGLI, Gothard, Swiss painter, was born at Zurich in 1575. Little is known of him beyond the fact that he was regarded as one of the best Swiss painters of the age, and that on account of his eminence he was invited by the magistracy to adorn the public buildings of Berne with a series of large oil paintings, illustrative of the early history of the city. These works were greatly admired. In the public library of his native place he painted allegorical figures of religion and liberty upholding the arms of Zurich. He painted some cabinet pictures; made numerous drawings with the pen, in a very neat and skilful manner; and etched about a dozen plates, chiefly of religious subjects. He died in 1635.—J. T—e. RINK, Johann Christian Heinrich, an organist and composer, was born at Elgersburg in Saxe-Gotha, February 18, 1770, and died at Darmstadt in 1846. His musical talent showed itself in early childhood, and after studying under some inferior masters, he became a pupil of Kittle of Erfurt, an esteemed organist, who was born in 1732, was taught by J. S. Bach, and died in 1801. Rink subsequently went to Göttingen to attend Forkel's lectures. In 1790 he was appointed town organist at Giessen, and he added to the small emolument of this office what he could gain by giving private lessons in music. In 1792 he accepted the engagement of teacher, and in 1793 that of writing-master in the town school, and in 1805 he was appointed music-master in the gymnasium. In the following year he left Giessen for Darmstadt, where he was appointed town organist, cantor, and music-master in the gymnasium. The grand-duke of Hesse-Darmstadt made him his court organist in 1813, and appointed him one of his chamber musicians in 1817. Rink published some trios for the pianoforte and string instruments, but his very high reputation is based upon his voluminous writings for the organ and his comprehensive book of instruction for that instrument. He composed several choral works for the services of the Lutheran and of the Roman church.—G. A. M. RINTOUL, Robert Stephen, the founder of the Spectator newspaper, was a native of Scotland, and born at Craigend, near Perth, in 1787, of humble extraction. He had been, we believe, a printer, when in 1813 he became editor of the Dundee Advertiser, in conducting which he first displayed his peculiar talent for condensing the news of the day, so as to give a maximum of contemporary history in a minimum of space. An ardent reformer, he was brought into contact with Joseph Hume at Panmure house, and with Douglas Kinnaird, who was connected with Forfarshire. In 1825 he left Dundee and its Advertiser, presently finding his way to London. Through Hume and others a fund was subscribed for the establishment of the Spectator, with Rintoul for its editor; he afterwards became its sole proprietor. He made the Spectator the organ of the philosophical radicals, and by the minute attention which he devoted both to its political articles and to its news, it became a lucrative property and a journal of considerable though quiet authority. Archbishop Whately, Mr. Grote, and the late Sir William Molesworth were among Mr. Rintoul's intimate acquaintances. He died in London on the 22nd April, 1858.—F. E. RINUCCINI, Ottavio, of Florence, poet, often called the inventor of modern opera (musical drama), though his claim to this title has been questioned; died in Florence in 1621. His three scenic compositions, "Dafne," "Euridice," and "Arianna," were performed with great success; the first in 1594 or 1597, the two others on occasion of certain august weddings. After a career of courtly gallantry, the handsome Rinuccini attended in his latter years to the practice of piety. His poems are still much admired.—C. G. R. RIPLEY, George or Gregory, noted as a chemist and poet during the reign of Henry VII., was a canon of Bridlington. He travelled a great deal, and studied both in France and Italy. Joining the Carmelite fraternity of St. Botolph's in Lincolnshire, he died in 1490. In 1471 he wrote his chief production, which is in the octavo metre, and was dedicated to Edward VI., under the title of "The Compound of Alchemie." Devoted to these pursuits, he left some other compositions of the same kind, which were published by Ashmole.—W. J. P. RIPON, Frederick John Robinson, first earl of, for a brief period prime minister of Great Britain, second son of the second Lord Grantham, and younger brother of the first Earl de Grey, was born in London in 1782. Educated at Harrow and St. John's college, Cambridge (where he gained the Browne's medal in 1801), he was private secretary to his relative Lord Hardwicke, while lord-lieutenant of Ireland, from 1804 to 1806, and in 1807 accompanied Lord Pembroke in his mission to Vienna. In 1806 he entered the house of commons as member for Carlow, the representation of which he exchanged for that of Ripon in 1807, and continued to sit for the latter borough until 1827. As a supporter of the Portland administration he moved the address in 1809, and as a friend of Lord Castlereagh's, entered the ministry in the same year as under-secretary of state