by the Grand Duke Nicholas when he visited Edinburgh, which resulted in a turn of fortune for the artist. Allan afterwards painted some scenes from Scottish history suggested by the novels of Sir Walter Scott, such as Death of Archbishop Sharpe and Knox admonishing Mary Queen of Scots (exhibited in 1823 and engraved by John Burnet). Also of note were Mary Queen of Scots signing her Abdication (1824) and Death of the Regent Murray (exhibited 1825), which was purchased by the Duke of Bedford for 800 guineas, and gained the artist his election as an associate of the Royal Academy. In 1826 Allan was appointed master of the Trustees' School, Edinburgh, an office which he held until a few years before his death. Soon afterwards his health gave way, and he was threatened with blindness. To recuperate he went to Rome, and, after spending a winter there, proceeded to Naples, Constantinople, Asia Minor, and Greece. In 1826 he exhibited Auld Robin Gray and in 1829 Prophet Jonah. In 1830 he returned to Edinburgh, restored to health. His picture Slave Market, Constantinople was purchased by Alexander Hill, the publisher, and Byron in a Fisherman's Hut after swimming the Hellespont (exhibited 1831) by R. Nasmyth, who also bought Allan's portraits of Burns and Sir Walter Scott, which were engraved by John Burnet. In 1832 Allan was living at 8 Scotland Street in Edinburgh's New Town. In 1834 he visited Spain and Morocco, and in the same year he produced The Orphan, which represented Scott's daughter Anne seated near the chair of her deceased father. In 1835 he was elected a Royal Academician, and in 1838, on the death of Sir George Watson, was made president of the Royal Scottish Academy. In 1841 he went to St. Petersburg, and in the same year succeeded Wilkie as limner to the queen in Scotland, an office which was, as usual, followed (in 1842) by a knighthood. Sir William's later years were occupied with battle-pieces. In 1843 he exhibited Battle of Waterloo from the English side, which was purchased by the Duke of Wellington. The next year he went again to St. Petersburg, where he painted, for the Czar, Peter the Great teaching his Subjects the Art of Shipbuilding, which was later exhibited in London. The last large work which he finished was a second view of the battle of Waterloo, this time from the French