Sir James, nephew of the great English physician Dr Thomas Sydenham, and father-in-law of Hogarth the distinguished painter, was himself an artist of great celebrity in his day, and was born at Weymouth in The father of Thornhill was a gentleman of some family pretensions in Dorsetshire (Bryan conjectures Derbyshire), but who squandered his estate so completely that his son James had to trust to a legacy of L30, which was left him by his maternal uncle, Dr Sydenham, to supply the necessities of a professional education. (Life of Sydenham, p. xlv., in the first volume of the Sydenham Society's publications, London, 1848.) Young Thornhill, who was at his uncle's death just thirteen years old, apprenticed himself to a painter of no note, where he learned dexterity, if he acquired little insight into his art. Subsequently he applied himself with great industry to his profession, and gained considerable reputation as a historical painter. He visited Holland, Flanders, and France, but returned to England without having visited Italy, the mother of the fine arts. Thornhill was appointed by Queen Anne to ornament the cupola of St Paul's Cathedral, for which he executed eight designs illustrative of the history of the apostle in memory of whom the building had been erected. These gave very great satisfaction, and have since been engraved by Du Bose, Beauvais, Baron, Vanderghent, and Simmonseu. Thornhill was subsequently engaged in decorating the apartment at Hampton Court with emblematical subjects relative to the history of Queen Anne and her consort, George Prince of Denmark. Among his principal works are the ornaments of the great saloon and refectory at Greenwich Hospital. High as was Thornhill's merits and reputation, Walpole mentions, in his Anecdotes, that it was difficult for him to obtain the stipulated prices for his works. Forty shillings a square yard was the rate at which he was paid for his labour on the ceiling of St Paul's and the Hospital of Greenwich. His fame seems to have steadily increased, however, for in the next reign he was not only made a knight, but was chosen to represent his native town in Parliament. The Duke of Bedford, on the demolition of his house at Bloomsbury Square, presented fine copies of Raphael's cartoons to the Royal Academy, drawn by Sir James's own hand, and purchased at the sale of his pictures. Sir James Thornhill died in 1734, leaving a son, whom he had procured the appointment of sergeant-painter, and a daughter, who married the celebrated artist Hogarth.

a village of England, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, on the Calder, 31 miles S.W. of York. It has an old parish church in the early English style, Wesleyan and Baptist chapels, two schools, and manufactures of woollen cloth, hardware, glass, chemical substances, &c. Not far off stand the ruins of an old castle, demolished by the Roundheads in the civil war. Pop. of the parish, 6858.

THORNBILL, a burgh of barony of Scotland, in the county and 13 miles N.N.W. of Dumfries, near the Nith. It is generally well-built, for the most part of red freestone; and it contains a fine parish church, a United Presbyterian church, several schools, and a literary institution. Leather, stockings, &c., are made here. Pop. 1658.