STUART, James, author of the Antiquities of Athens, and frequently, on that account, known as Athenian Stuart, was born in London of poor parents in 1713. He originally assisted Goupy of the Strand, and in 1742 he set out for Rome. After remaining in that city for seven years, industriously engaged in painting, he had proposals made to him by Revett and Gavin Hamilton, to start for Greece on an architectural expedition. Hamilton ultimately declined accompanying them, and Stuart and Revett accordingly set out for Greece in 1751. They remained in that country till about the end of 1753. On returning to England Stuart found more work than he could accomplish. He engaged in the literary portion of the Antiquities of Athens, the first volume of which appeared in 1762. The work, on the whole, was a great success. Stuart, by the encouragement which he received got sluggish; and while he executed various designs for noblemen, societies, &c., in Grecian architecture, he allowed the Antiquities to slumber in his hand until both head and hand were cold. He died the 2d February 1788. The second volume of this work was edited after his decease by Newton, and published in 1790, and the third by Beverley in 1794.