A print of William Kitchener (1778-1827), after a portrait by Rubidge. As a wealthy man, Kitchener was able to indulge his interests in music, gastronomy, and optics and published on all three. He was also an avid collector of telescopes, of which he owned eighty-nine by the time of his death (as well as numerous opera glasses and other optical devices). His writings on optical matters included 'Practical Observations on Telescopes' (1815), which went through several editions and was later expanded into 'The Economy of the Eyes', a work in two volumes (1824-25).