,the ,life1 ,studies1 and ,works of     
,benjamin ,west1 ,esq4  ,president of   
the ,royal ,academy of ,london          
,composed from ,materials ,furnished by 
,himself  ,by ,john ,galt1 ,esq4        
,author of the ,life and ,administration
 of ,cardinal ,wolsey1 c4    #ahbj4     
,part ,i4    ,to ,alexander ,gordon1    
,esq4 ,this little work ,is respectfully
 inscribed ,by the ,author4             
,preface4    ,the professional life of  
,mr4 ,west constitutes an important part
 of an historical work1 in which the    
matter of this volume could only have   
been introduced as an episode1 and1     
perhaps1 not with much propriety even in
 that form4 ,it was my intention1 at one
 time1 to have prepared the whole of his
 memoirs1 separately1 for publication2  
but a careful review of the manuscript  
convinced me1 that the transactions in  
which he has been engaged1 subsequently 
to his arrival in ,england1 are so much 
of a public nature1 and belong so       
immediately to the history of the ,arts1

 that such a separation could not be    
effected without essentially impairing  
the interest and unity of the main      
design2 and that the particular nature  
of this portion of his memoirs admitted 
of being easily detached and arranged   
into a whole1 complete within itself4   
,i do not think that there can be two   
opinions with respect to the utility of 
a work of this kind4 ,mr4 ,west1 in     
relating the circumstances by which he  
was led to approximate1 without the aid 
of an instructor1 to those principles   
and rules of art1 which it is the object
 of schools and academies to            
disseminate1 has conferred a greater    
benefit on young ,artists than he could 
possibly have done by the most ingenious
 and eloquent lectures on the theories  
of his profession2 and it was necessary 
that the narrative should appear in his 
own time1 in order that the authenticity
 of the incidents might not rest on the 
authority of any biographer4  ,april    
#be1ahaf4  ,john ,galt4     ,contents4  

,chap4 ,i4      ,the ,birth and         
,paternal ,ancestry of ,mr4 ,west4--,his
 ,maternal     ,family4--,his           
,father4--,the ,origin of the ,abolition
 of ,slavery by the     ,quakers4--,the 
,progress of the ,abolition4--,the      
,education of the     ,negroes4--,the   
,preaching of ,edmund ,peckover4--,his  
,admonitory ,prediction     to the      
,father of ,west4--,the first           
,indication of ,benjamin's              
,genius4--,state of ,society in         
,pennsylvania4--,the ,indians give ,west
 the     ,primary ,colours4--,the       
,artist's first ,pencils4--,the ,present
 of a ,box of     ,colours and          
,engravings4--,his first ,painting4     
,chap4 ,,ii4      ,the ,artist visits   
,philadelphia4--,his second             
,picture4--,williams the     ,painter   
gives him the works of ,fresnoy and     
,richardson4--,anecdote of     the      
,taylor's ,apprentice4--,the ,drawings  
of the ,schoolboys4--,anecdote          
relative to ,wayne4--,anecdote relative 

to ,mr4 ,flower4--,anecdote     relative
 to ,mr4 ,ross4--,anecdote of ,mr4      
,henry4--,the ,artist's first           
,historical ,picture4--,origin of his   
,acquaintance with ,dr4 ,smith of       
,philadelphia4--,the friendship of ,dr4 
,smith1 and the character of the        
early companions of ,west4--,anecdote of
 ,general ,washington4  ,chap4 ,,iii4   
,the course of instruction adopted by   
,provost ,smith4--,the ,artist led      
to the discovery of the ,camera4--,his  
,father becomes anxious to place     him
 in business4--,extraordinary           
proceedings of the ,quakers in          
consequence4--,the ,speech of           
,williamson the ,preacher in defence of 
the     ,fine ,arts4--,magnanimous      
,resolution of the                      
,quakers4--,reflections on     this     
singular transaction4  ,chap4 ,,iv4     
,reflections on the ,eccentricities of  
,young ,men of ,genius with respect     
to pecuniary matters4--,the ,death of   
the ,artist's ,mother4--,the            

,embodying of the ,pennsylvanian        
,militia2 an ,anecdote of ,general      
,wayne4--,the ,artist elected           
,commandant of a corps of ,volunteer    
boys4--,the circumstances which         
occasioned the ,search for the ,bones of
     ,bradock's army4--,the             
,search4--,the ,discovery of the ,bones 
of the     ,father and ,brother of ,sir 
,peter ,halket4--,the ,artist proposed  
afterwards to paint a ,picture of the   
,discovery of the ,bones of the         
,halkets4--,he commences regularly as a 
,painter4--,he copies a ,st4            
,ignatius4--,he is induced to attempt   
,historical ,portraiture4--,his         
,picture of the ,trial of               
,susannah4--,of the merits of that      
,picture4  ,chap4 ,v4      ,motives     
which induced him to visit ,new         
,york4--,state of ,society in ,new      
,york4--,reflections on the sterility of
 ,american     talent4--,considerations 
on the circumstances which tend to      
produce     ,poetical feelings4--,the   

causes which produced the peculiarities 
in the     state of ,society in ,new    
,york4--,the ,accident which led the    
,artist to     discover the method of   
colouring ,candle-light and ,fire       
effects after     ,nature4--- ,he copies
 ,strange's engraving of ,belisarius1 by
 ,salvator     ,rosa4--,the occurrence  
which hastened his ,voyage to ,italy1   
with the     ,anecdote of his           
obligations to ,mr4                     
,kelly4--,reflections on ,plutarch1     
occasioned by reference to the effect   
which his works had on the mind     of  
,west4--,the ,artist embarks2 occurrence
 at ,gibraltar4--,he arrives at         
,leghorn4--,journey to ,rome4  ,chap4   
,,vi4      ,state of the stationary     
,society of ,rome4--,causes which       
rendered the     ,city a delightful     
temporary residence4--,defects of the   
,academical     methods of study4--,his 
introduction to ,mr4                    
,robinson4--,anecdote of     ,cardinal  
,albani4--,the ,cardinal's method of    

finding ,resemblances1 and     curious  
mistake of the ,italians4--,the         
,artist's first visit to the     ,works 
of ,art4  ,chap4 ,,vii4      ,anecdote  
of a famous ,improvisatore4--,west the  
subject of one of his     finest        
effusions4--,anecdote of ,cardinal      
,albani4--,west introduced to           
,mengs4--,satisfactory result of ,west's
 first essay in     ,rome4--,consequence
 of the continual excitement which the  
,artist's     feelings endured4--,he    
goes to ,florence for advice4--,he      
accompanies     ,mr4 ,matthews in a     
tour4--,singular instance of liberality 
towards the     ,artist from several    
,gentlemen of ,philadelphia4  ,chap4    
,,viii4      ,the result of the         
,artist's experiment to discover the    
methods by which     ,titian produced   
his splendid colouring4--,he returns to 
,rome4     --,reflections suggested by  
inspecting the ,egyptian ,obelisk4      
--,considerations of the ,author on the 
same subject2 an anecdote of a          

,mohawk ,indian who became an ,actor at 
,new ,york4--,anecdote of a ,scottish   
,fanatic who arrived in ,rome to convert
 the ,pope4--,sequel of the             
,adventure4--,the ,artist prepares to   
visit ,england4--,having completed      
his ,st4 ,jerome1 after ,corregio's     
famous picture1 he is elected an        
,honorary ,member of the ,academy of    
,parma1 and invited to ,court4--,he     
proceeds by the way of ,genoa towards   
,france4--,reflections on the ,stale    
of ,italy4--,adventure on reaching the  
,french frontiers4--,state of     ,taste
 in ,france4      ,the ,life and        
,studies of ,benjamin ,west     ,chap4  
,i4        ,the ,birth and ,paternal    
,ancestry of ,mr4 ,west4--,his ,maternal
     ,family4--,his ,father4--,the      
,origin of the ,abolition of ,slavery by
 the     ,quakers4--,the ,progress of   
the ,abolition4--,the ,education of the 
,negroes4--,the ,preaching of ,edmund   
,peckover4--,his ,admonitory ,prediction
     to the ,father of ,west4--,the     

first ,indication of ,benjamin's        
,genius4--,state of ,society in         
,pennsylvania4--,the ,indians give ,west
 the     ,primary ,colours4--,the       
,artist's first ,pencils4--,the ,present
 of a ,box of     ,colours and          
,engravings4--,his first ,painting4     
,benjamin ,west1 the subject of the     
following ,memoirs1 was the youngest son
 of ,john ,west and ,sarah ,pearson1 and
 was born near ,springfield1 in ,chester
 ,county1 in the ,state of              
,pennsylvania1 on the #ajth of ,october1
 #agch4  ,the branch of the ,west       
family1 to which he belongs1 has been   
traced in an unbroken series to the     
,lord ,delawarre1 who distinguished     
himself in the great wars of ,king      
,edward the ,third1 and particularly at 
the battle of ,cressy1 under the        
immediate command of the ,black ,prince4
 ,in the reign of ,richard the ,second1 
the ancestors of ,mr4 ,west settled at  
,long ,crandon in ,buckinghamshire4     
,about the year #affg they embraced the 

tenets of the ,quakers2 and ,colonel    
,james ,west1 the friend and companion  
in arms of the celebrated ,hampden1 is  
said to have been the first proselyte of
 the family4 ,in #afii they emigrated to
 ,america4  ,thomas ,pearson1 the       
maternal grandfather of the ,artist1 was
 the confidential friend of ,william    
,penn1 and accompanied him to ,america4 
,on their first landing1 the venerable  
,founder of the ,state of ,pennsylvania 
said to him1 ,providence has brought us 
safely hither2 thou hast been the       
companion of my perils1 what wilt thou  
that ,i should call this place8 ,mr4    
,pearson replied1 that since he had     
honoured him so far as to desire him to 
give that part of the country a name1 he
 would1 in remembrance of his native    
,city1 call it ,chester4 ,the exact spot
 where these patriarchs of the new world
 first landed1 is still pointed out with
 reverence by the inhabitants4 ,mr4     
,pearson built a house and formed a     
plantation in the neighbourhood1 which  

he called ,springfield1 in consequence  
of discovering a large spring of water  
in the first field cleared for          
cultivation2 and it was near this place 
that ,benjamin ,west was born4  ,when   
the ,west family emigrated1 ,john1 the  
father of ,benjamin1 was left to        
complete his education at the great     
school of the ,quakers at ,uxbridge1 and
 did not join his relations in ,america 
till the year #agad4 ,soon after his    
arrival he married the mother of the    
,artist2 and of the worth and piety of  
his character we have a remarkable proof
 in the following transactions1 which1  
perhaps1 reflect more real glory on his 
family than the achievements of all his 
heroic ancestors4  ,as a part of the    
marriage portion of ,mrs4 ,west he      
received a negro slave1 whose diligence 
and fidelity very soon obtained his full
 confidence4 ,being engaged in trade1 he
 had occasion to make a voyage in the   
,west ,indies1 and left this young black
 to superintend the plantation in his   

absence1 ,during his residence in       
,barbadoes1 his feelings were greatly   
molested1 and his principles shocked1 by
 the cruelties to which he saw the      
negroes subjected in that island2 and   
the debasing effects were forcibly      
contrasted in his mind with the morals  
and intelligence of his own slave4      
,conversing on this subject with ,doctor
 ,gammon1 who was then at the head of   
the community of ,friends in ,barbadoes1
 the ,doctor convinced him that it was  
contrary to the laws of ,god and ,nature
 that any man should retain his         
fellow-creatures in slavery4 ,this      
conviction could not rest long inactive 
in a character framed like that of ,mr4 
,west4 ,on his return to ,america he    
gave the negro his freedom1 and retained
 him as a hired servant4  ,not content  
with doing good himself1 he endeavoured 
to make others follow his example1 and  
in a short time his arguments had such  
an effect on his neighbours1 that it was
 agreed to discuss publicly the general 

question of ,slavery4 ,this was done    
accordingly2 and1 after debating it at  
many meetings1 it was resolved by a     
considerable majority ,,that ,,it ,,was 
,,the ,,duty ,,of ,,christians ,,to     
,,give ,,freedom ,,to ,,their ,,slaves4 
,the result of this discussion was soon 
afterwards followed by a similar        
proposal to the head meeting of the     
,quakers in the township of ,goshen in  
,chester ,county2 and the cause of      
,humanity was again victorious4         
,finally1 about the year #agec1 the same
 question was agitated in the annual    
general assembly at ,philadelphia1 when 
it was ultimately established as one of 
the tenets of the ,quakers1 that no     
person could remain a member of their   
community who held a human creature in  
slavery4 ,this transaction is perhaps   
the first example in the history of     
communities1 of a great public sacrifice
 of individual interest1 not originating
 from considerations of policy or the   
exigences of public danger1 but purely  

from moral and religious principles4    
,the benevolent work of restoring their 
natural rights to the unfortunate       
,negroes1 did not rest even at this     
great pecuniary sacrifice4 ,the ,society
 of ,friends went farther1 and          
established ,schools for the education  
of their children2 and some of the first
 characters among themselves volunteered
 to superintend the course of           
instruction4  ,in the autumn of #agch1  
,edmund ,peckover1 a celebrated ,orator 
among the ,quakers1 came to the         
neighbourhood of ,springfield1 and on   
the #bhth of ,september preached in a   
meeting-house erected by the father of  
,mrs4 ,west at the distance of about a  
mile and a half from his residence4     
,mrs4 ,west was then the mother of nine 
children1 and far advanced in her       
pregnancy with ,benjamin4--,peckover    
possessed the most essential qualities  
of an impressive speaker1 and on this   
occasion the subject of his address was 
of extraordinary interest to his        

auditors4 ,he reviewed the rise and     
progress of society in ,america1 and    
with an enthusiastic eloquence which    
partook of the sublimity and vehemence  
of the prophetic spirit1 he predicted   
the future greatness of the country4 ,he
 described the condition of the         
,european nations1 decrepid in their    
institutions1 and corrupt in their      
morality1 and contrasted them with the  
young and flourishing establishments of 
the ,new ,world4 ,he held up to their   
abhorrence the licentious manners and   
atheistical principles of the ,french1  
among whom ,god was disregarded or      
forgotten2 and1 elevated by the         
importance of his subject1 he described 
the ,almighty as mustering his wrath to 
descend on that nation1 and disperse it 
as chaff in a whirlwind4 ,he called on  
them to look towards their home of      
,england1 and to see with what eager    
devotion the inhabitants worshiped the  
golden image of ,commerce1 and laid the 
tribute of all their thoughts on its    

altars2 believing that with the power of
 the idol alone1 they should be able to 
withstand all calamities4 ,the day and  
the hour are1 however1 hastening on1    
when the image shall be shaken from its 
pedestal by the tempest of ,jehovah's   
descending vengeance1 its altars        
overturned1 and the worshipers terribly 
convinced that without the favour of the
 ,almighty ,god there is no wisdom in   
man6 ,but1 continued this impassioned   
orator1 from the woes and the crimes of 
,europe let us turn aside our eyes2 let 
us turn from the worshipers of          
,commerce1 clinging round their idols of
 gold and silver1 and1 amidst the wrath1
 the storm1 and the thunder1            
endeavouring to hold them up2 let us not
 look at the land of blasphemies2 for in
 the crashing of engines1 the gushing of
 blood1 and the shrieking of witnesses  
more to be pitied than the victims1 the 
activity of ,god's purifying displeasure
 will be heard2 while turning our eyes  
towards the mountains of this ,new      

,world1 the forests shall be seen fading
 away1 cities rising along the shores1  
and the terrified nations of ,europe    
flying out of the smoke and the burning 
to find refuge here4--,all his auditors 
were deeply affected1 particularly ,mrs4
 ,west1 who was taken with the pains of 
labour on the spot4 ,the meeting was    
broken up2 the women made a circle round
 her as they carried her home1 and such 
was the agitation into which she was    
thrown1 that the consequences had nearly
 proved fatal both to the mother and the
 infant1 of which she was prematurely   
delivered4  ,this occurrence naturally  
excited much attention1 and became the  
subject of general conversation4 ,it    
made a deep impression on the mind of   
,mr4 ,west1 who could not divest himself
 of a feeling that it indicated         
something extraordinary in the future   
fortunes of his child2 and when         
,peckover1 soon afterwards1 on his      
leaving that part of the country1 paid  
him a farewell visit1 he took an        

opportunity of introducing the subject4 
,the warm imagination of the ,preacher  
eagerly sympathised with the feelings of
 his friend4 ,he took him by the hand1  
and1 with emphatic solemnity1 said that 
a child sent into the world under such  
remarkable circumstances would prove no 
ordinary man2 and he charged him to     
watch over the boy's character with the 
utmost degree of paternal solicitude4   
,it will appear in the sequel1 that this
 singular admonition was not lost on    
,mr4 ,west4  ,the first six years of    
,benjamin's life passed away in calm    
uniformity2 leaving only the placid     
remembrance of enjoyment4 ,in the month 
of ,june #agde1 one of his sisters1 who 
had been married some time before1 and  
who had a daughter1 came with her infant
 to spend a few days at her father's4   
,when the child was asleep in the       
cradle1 ,mrs4 ,west invited her daughter
 to gather flowers in the garden1 and   
committed the infant to the care of     
,benjamin during their absence2 giving  

him a fan to flap away the flies from   
molesting his little charge4 ,after some
 time the child happened to smile in its
 sleep1 and its beauty attracted his    
attention4 ,he looked at it with a      
pleasure which he had never before      
experienced1 and observing some paper on
 a table1 together with pens and red and
 black ink1 he seized them with         
agitation1 and endeavoured to delineate 
a portrait3 although at this period he  
had never seen an engraving or a        
picture1 and was only in the seventh    
year of his age4  ,hearing the approach 
of his mother and sister1 he endeavoured
 to conceal what he had been doing2 but 
the old lady observing his confusion1   
enquired what he was about1 and         
requested him to show her the paper4 ,he
 obeyed1 entreating her not to be angry4
 ,mrs4 ,west1 after looking some time at
 the drawing with evident pleasure1 said
 to her daughter1 ,i declare he has made
 a likeness of little ,sally1 and kissed
 him with much fondness and             

satisfaction4 ,this encouraged him to   
say1 that if it would give her any      
pleasure1 he would make pictures of the 
flowers which she held in her hand2 for 
the instinct of his genius was now      
awakened1 and he felt that he could     
imitate the forms of those things which 
pleased his sight4  ,this curious       
incident deserves consideration in two  
points of view4 ,the sketch must have   
had some merit1 since the likeness was  
so obvious1 indicating how early the    
hand of the young artist possessed the  
power of representing the observations  
of his eye4 ,but it is still more       
remarkable as the birth of the fine arts
 in the ,new ,world1 and as one of the  
few instances in the history of art1 in 
which the first inspiration of genius   
can be distinctly traced to a particular
 circumstance4 ,the drawing was shown by
 ,mrs4 ,west to her husband1 who1       
remembering the prediction of ,peckover1
 was delighted with this early          
indication of talent in his son4 ,but   

the fact1 though in itself very curious1
 will appear still more remarkable1 when
 the state of the country at that       
period1 and the peculiar manners of the 
,quakers1 are taken into consideration4 
,the institutions of ,william ,penn had 
been sacredly preserved by the          
descendants of the first settlers1 with 
whom the remembrance of the causes which
 had led their ancestors to forsake     
their native country1 was cherished like
 the traditions of religion1 and became 
a motive to themselves1 for indulging in
 the exercise of those blameless        
principles1 which had been so obnoxious 
to the arrogant spirit of the ,old      
,world4 ,the associates of the ,wests   
and the ,pearsons1 considered the       
patriarchs of ,pennsylvania as having   
been driven from ,england1 because their
 endeavours to regulate their conduct by
 the example of ,jesus ,christ1         
mortified the temporal pretensions of   
those who satisfied themselves with     
attempting to repeat his doctrines2 and 

they thought that the asylum in ,america
 was chosen1 to facilitate the enjoyment
 of that affectionate intercourse which 
their tenets enjoined1 free from the    
military predilections and political    
jealousies of ,europe4 ,the effect of   
this opinion tended to produce a state  
of society more peaceful and pleasing   
than the ,world had ever before         
exhibited4 ,when the ,american ,poets   
shall in future times celebrate the     
golden age of their country1 they will  
draw their descriptions from the        
authentic history of ,pennsylvania in   
the reign of ,king ,george the ,second4 
,from the first emigration in #afha1 the
 colony had continued to thrive with a  
rapidity unknown to the other ,european 
,settlements4 ,it was blessed in the    
maxims upon which it had been founded1  
and richly exhibited the fruits of their
 beneficent operation4 ,at the birth of 
,benjamin ,west it had obtained great   
wealth1 and the population was          
increasing much more vigorously than the

 ordinary reproduction of the human     
species in any other part of the world4 
,in the houses of the principal         
families1 the patricians of the country1
 unlimited hospitality formed a part of 
their regular economy4 ,it was the      
custom among those who resided near the 
highways1 after supper and the last     
religious exercise of the evening1 to   
make a large fire in the hall1 and to   
set out a table with refreshments for   
such travellers as might have occasion  
to pass during the night2 and when the  
families assembled in the morning they  
seldom found that their tables had been 
unvisited4 ,this was particularly the   
case at ,springfield4 ,poverty was never
 heard of in the land4 ,the disposition 
to common charity having no objects1 was
 blended with the domestic affections1  
and rendered the ties of friendship and 
kindred stronger and dearer4 ,acts of   
liberality were frequently performed to 
an extent that would have beggared the  
munificence of the ,old ,world4 ,with   

all these delightful indications of a   
better order of things1 society in      
,pennsylvania retained1 at this time1   
many of those respectable prejudices    
which gave a venerable grace to manners1
 and are regarded by the practical      
philosopher as little inferior in       
dignity to the virtues4 ,william ,penn  
was proud of his distinguished          
parentage1 and many of his friends      
traced their lineage to the antient and 
noble families of ,england4 ,in their   
descendants the pride of ancestry was so
 tempered with the meekness of their    
religious tenets1 that it lent a kind of
 patriarchal dignity to their           
benevolence4  ,in beautiful contrast to 
the systematic morality of the new      
inhabitants1 was the simplicity of the  
,indians1 who mingled safe and harmless 
among the ,friends4 ,in the annual      
visits which they were in the practice  
of paying to the ,plantations1 they     
raised their huts in the fields and     
orchards without asking leave1 nor were 

they ever molested4 ,voltaire has       
observed1 that the treaty which was     
concluded between the ,indians and      
,william ,penn was the first public     
contract which connected the inhabitants
 of the ,old and ,new ,world together1  
and1 though not ratified by oaths1 and  
without invoking the ,trinity1 is still 
the only treaty that has never been     
broken4 ,it may be further said1 that   
,pennsylvania is the first country which
 has not been subdued by the sword1 for 
the inhabitants were conquered by the   
force of ,christian benevolence4  ,when 
the great founder of the ,state marked  
out the site of ,philadelphia in the    
woods1 he allotted a piece of ground for
 a public library4 ,it was his opinion1 
that although the labour of clearing the
 country would long employ the settlers1
 hours of relaxation would still be     
requisite2 and1 with his usual sagacity1
 he judged that the reading of books was
 more conducive to good morals and to   
the formation of just sentiments1 than  

any other species of amusement4 ,the    
different counties afterwards instituted
 libraries1 which the townships have    
also imitated3 where the population was 
insufficient to establish a large       
collection of books1 the neighbouring   
families formed themselves into         
societies for procuring the popular     
publications4 ,but in these arrangements
 for cultivating the powers of the      
understanding1 no provision was made1   
during the reign of ,george the ,second1
 for improving the faculties of taste4  
,the works of which the libraries then  
consisted1 treated of useful and        
practical subjects4 ,it was the policy  
of the ,quakers to make mankind wiser   
and better2 and they thought that1 as   
the passions are the springs of all     
moral evil when in a state of           
excitement1 whatever tends to awaken    
them is unfavourable to that placid     
tenour of mind which they wished to see 
diffused throughout the world4 ,this    
notion is prudent1 perhaps judicious2   

but works of imagination may be rendered
 subservient to the same purpose4 ,every
 thing in ,pennsylvania was thus        
unpropitious to the fine arts4 ,there   
were no cares in the bosoms of          
individuals to require public           
diversions1 nor any emulation in the    
expenditure of wealth to encourage the  
ornamental manufactures4 ,in the whole  
,christian world no spot was apparently 
so unlikely to produce a painter as     
,pennsylvania4 ,it might1 indeed1 be    
supposed1 according to a popular        
opinion1 that a youth1 reared among the 
concentrating elements of a new state1  
in the midst of boundless forests1      
tremendous waterfalls1 and mountains    
whose summits were inaccessible to the  
lightest foot and wildest wing1 was the 
most favourable situation to imbibe the 
enthusiasm either of poetry or of       
painting1 if scenery and such accidental
 circumstances are to be regarded as    
every thing1 and original character as  
nothing4 ,but it may reasonably be      

doubted if ever natural scenery has any 
assignable influence on the productions 
of genius4 ,the idea has probably arisen
 from the impression which the          
magnificence of nature makes on persons 
of cultivated minds1 who fall into the  
mistake of considering the elevated     
emotions arising in reality from their  
own associations1 as being naturally    
connected with the objects that excite  
them4 ,of all the nations of ,europe the
 ,swiss are the least poetical1 and yet 
the scenery of no other country seems so
 well calculated as that of ,switzerland
 to awaken the imagination2 and         
,shakespeare1 the greatest of all modern
 ,poets1 was brought up in one of the   
least picturesque districts of ,england4
  ,soon after the occurrence of the     
incident which has given rise to these  
observations1 the young ,artist was sent
 to a school in the neighbourhood4      
,during his hours of leisure he was     
permitted to draw with pen and ink2 for 
it did not occur to any of the family to

 provide him with better materials4 ,in 
the course of the summer a party of     
,indians came to pay their annual visit 
to ,springfield1 and being amused with  
the sketches of birds and flowers which 
,benjamin shewed them1 they taught him  
to prepare the red and yellow colours   
with which they painted their ornaments4
 ,to these his mother added blue1 by    
giving him a piece of indigo1 so that he
 was thus put in possession of the three
 primary colours4 ,the fancy is disposed
 to expatiate on this interesting fact2 
for the mythologies of antiquity furnish
 no allegory more beautiful2 and a      
,painter who would embody the metaphor  
of an ,artist instructed by ,nature1    
could scarcely imagine any thing more   
picturesque than the real incident of   
the ,indians instructing ,west to       
prepare the prismatic colours4 ,the     
,indians also taught him to be an expert
 archer1 and he was sometimes in the    
practice of shooting birds for models1  
when he thought that their plumage would

 look well in a picture4  ,his drawings 
at length attracted the attention of the
 neighbours2 and some of them happening 
to regret that the ,artist had no       
pencils1 he enquired what kind of things
 these were1 and they were described to 
him as small brushes made of camels'    
hair fastened in a quill4 ,as there     
were1 however1 no camels in ,america1 he
 could not think of any substitute1 till
 he happened to cast his eyes on a black
 cat1 the favourite of his father2 when1
 in the tapering fur of her tail1 he    
discovered the means of supplying what  
he wanted4 ,he immediately armed himself
 with his mother's scissors1 and1 laying
 hold of ,grimalkin with all due        
caution1 and a proper attention to her  
feelings1 cut off the fur at the end of 
her tail1 and with this made his first  
pencil4 ,but the tail only furnished him
 with one1 which did not last long1 and 
he soon stood in need of a further      
supply4 ,he then had recourse to the    
animal's back1 his depredations upon    

which were so frequently repeated1 that 
his father observed the altered         
appearance of his favourite1 and        
lamented it as the effect of disease4   
,the ,artist1 with suitable marks of    
contrition1 informed him of the true    
cause2 and the old gentleman was so much
 amused with his ingenuity1 that if he  
rebuked him1 it was certainly not in    
anger4  ,anecdotes of this kind1        
trifling as they may seem1 have an      
interest independent of the insight they
 afford into the character to which they
 relate4 ,it will often appear1 upon a  
careful study of authentic biography1   
that the means of giving body and effect
 to their conceptions1 are rarely       
withheld from men of genius4 ,if the    
circumstances of ,fortune are           
unfavourable1 ,nature instructs them to 
draw assistance immediately from        
herself1 by endowing them with the      
faculty of perceiving a fitness and     
correspondence in things which no force 
of reasoning1 founded on the experience 

of others1 could enable them to         
discover4 ,this aptness is1 perhaps1 the
 surest indication of the possession of 
original talent4 ,there are minds of a  
high class to which the world1 in the   
latitude of its expressions1 often      
ascribes genius1 but which possess only 
a superior capacity for the application 
of other men's notions1 unconnected with
 any unusual portion of the inventive   
faculty4  ,in the following year ,mr4   
,pennington1 a merchant of              
,philadelphia1 who was related to the   
,west family1 came to pay a visit to    
,mr4 ,west4 ,this gentleman was also a  
member of the ,society of ,friends1 and1
 though strictly attentive to the       
peculiar observances of the sect1 was a 
man of pleasant temper and indulgent    
dispositions4 ,he noticed the drawings  
of birds and flowers round the room1    
unusual ornaments in the house of a     
,quaker2 and heard with surprise that   
they were the work of his little cousin4
 ,of their merit as pictures he did not 

pretend to judge1 but he thought them   
wonderful productions for a boy only    
entering on his eighth year1 and being  
told with what imperfect materials they 
had been executed1 he promised to send  
the young ,artist a box of paints and   
pencils from the city4 ,on his return   
home he fulfilled his engagement1 and at
 the bottom of the box placed several   
pieces of canvass prepared for the      
easel1 and six engravings by ,grevling4 
,the arrival of the box was an ra in the
 history of the ,painter and his art4   
,it was received with feelings of       
delight which only a similar mind can   
justly appreciate4 ,he opened it1 and in
 the colours1 the oils1 and the pencils1
 found all his wants supplied1 even     
beyond his utmost conceptions4 ,but who 
can describe the surprise with which he 
beheld the engravings2 he who had never 
seen any picture but his own drawings1  
nor knew that such an art as the        
,engraver's existed6 ,he sat over the   
box with enamoured eyes2 his mind was in

 a flutter of joy2 and he could not     
refrain from constantly touching the    
different articles1 to ascertain that   
they were real4 ,at night he placed the 
box on a chair near his bed1 and as     
often as he was overpowered by sleep1 he
 started suddenly and stretched out his 
hand to satisfy himself that the        
possession of such a treasure was not   
merely a pleasing dream4 ,he rose at the
 dawn of day1 and carried the box to a  
room in the garret1 where he spread a   
canvass1 prepared a pallet1 and         
immediately began to imitate the figures
 in the engravings4 ,enchanted by his   
art he forgot the school hours1 and     
joined the family at dinner without     
mentioning the employment in which he   
had been engaged4 ,in the afternoon he  
again retired to his study in the       
garret2 and for several days            
successively he thus withdrew and       
devoted himself to painting4 ,the       
schoolmaster1 observing his absence1    
sent to ask the cause of it4 ,mrs4      

,west1 affecting not to take any        
particular notice of the message1       
recollected that she had seen ,benjamin 
going up stairs every morning1 and      
suspecting that the box occasioned his  
neglect of the school1 went to the      
garret1 and found him employed on the   
picture4 ,her anger was appeased by the 
sight of his performance1 and changed to
 a very different feeling4 ,she saw1 not
 a mere copy1 but a composition from two
 of the engravings4 ,with no other guide
 than that delicacy of sight which      
renders the ,painter's eye1 with respect
 to colours1 what the ,musician's ear is
 with respect to sounds1 he had formed a
 picture as complete1 in the scientific 
arrangement of the tints1               
notwithstanding the necessary           
imperfection of the pencilling1 as the  
most skilful ,artist could have painted1
 assisted by the precepts of ,newton4   
,she kissed him with transports of      
affection1 and assured him that she     
would not only intercede with his father

 to pardon him for having absented      
himself from school1 but would go       
herself to the master1 and beg that he  
might not be punished4 ,the delightful  
encouragement which this well-judged    
kindness afforded to the young ,painter 
may be easily imagined2 but who will not
 regret that the mother's over-anxious  
admiration would not suffer him to      
finish the picture1 lest he should spoil
 what was already in her opinion        
perfect1 even with half the canvass     
bare8 ,sixty-seven years afterwards the 
writer of these ,memoirs had the        
gratification to see this piece in the  
same room with the sublime painting of  
,christ ,rejected1 on which occasion the
 ,painter declared to him that there    
were inventive touches of art in his    
first and juvenile essay1 which1 with   
all his subsequent knowledge and        
experience1 he had not been able to     
surpass4     ,chap4 ,,ii4        ,the   
,artist visits ,philadelphia4--,his     
second ,picture4--,williams the         

,painter gives him the works of ,fresnoy
 and ,richardson4--,anecdote of     the 
,taylor's ,apprentice4--,the ,drawings  
of the ,schoolboys4--,anecdote          
relative to ,wayne4--,anecdote relative 
to ,mr4 ,flower4--,anecdote     relative
 to ,mr4 ,ross1--,anecdote of ,mr4      
,henry4--,the ,artist's first           
,historical ,picture4--,origin of his   
,acquaintance with ,dr4 ,smith of       
,philadelphia4--,the friendship of ,dr4 
,smith1 and the character of the        
early companions of ,west4--,anecdote of
 ,general ,washington4  ,in the course  
of a few days after the affair of the   
painting1 ,mr4 ,pennington paid another 
visit to ,mr4 ,west2 and was so highly  
pleased with the effect of his present1 
and the promising talents of his young  
relation1 that he entreated the old     
gentleman to allow ,benjamin to         
accompany him for a few days to         
,philadelphia4 ,this was cheerfully     
agreed to1 and the ,artist felt himself 
almost1 as much delighted with the      

journey as with the box of colours4     
,every thing in the town filled him with
 astonishment2 but the view of the      
shipping1 which was entirely new1       
particularly attracted his eye1 and     
interested him like the imaginary       
spectacles of magic4  ,when the first   
emotions of his pleasure and wonder had 
subsided1 he applied to ,mr4 ,pennington
 to procure him materials for painting4 
,that gentleman was desirous of getting 
possession of the first picture1 and had
 only resigned what he jocularly alleged
 were his just claims1 in consideration 
of the mother's feelings1 and on being  
assured that the next picture should be 
purposely painted for him4 ,the         
materials were procured1 and the ,artist
 composed a landscape1 which            
comprehended a picturesque view of a    
river1 with vessels on the water1 and   
cattle pasturing on the banks4 ,while he
 was engaged in this picture1 an        
incident occurred which1 though trivial 
in itself1 was so much in unison with   

the other circumstances that favoured   
the bent of his genius1 that it ought   
not to be omitted4  ,samuel ,shoemaker  
,footnote3 ,this gentleman was          
afterwards introduced by ,mr4 ,west to  
the ,king1 at ,windsor1 as one of the   
,american ,loyalists41 an intimate      
friend of ,mr4 ,pennington1 one of the  
principal merchants of ,philadelphia1   
happened to meet in the street with one 
,williams1 a ,painter1 carrying home a  
picture4 ,struck by the beauty of the   
performance1 he enquired if it was      
intended for sale1 and being told that  
it was already disposed of1 he ordered  
another to be painted for himself4 ,when
 the painting was finished1 he requested
 the ,artist to carry it to ,mr4        
,pennington's house1 in order that it   
might be shewn to young ,west4 ,it was  
very well executed1 and the boy was so  
much astonished at the sight of it1 that
 his emotion and surprise attracted the 
attention of ,williams1 who was a man of
 observation1 and judged correctly in   

thinking that such an uncommon          
manifestation of sensibility in so young
 a boy1 indicated something             
extraordinary in his character4 ,he     
entered into conversation with him1 and 
enquired if he had read any books1 or   
the lives of great men1 ,the little     
amateur told him that he had read the   
,bible1 and was well acquainted with the
 history of ,adam1 ,joseph1 ,david1     
,solomon1 and the other great and good  
men whose actions are recorded in the   
,holy ,scriptures4 ,williams was much   
pleased with the simplicity of the      
answer2 and it might have occurred to   
him that histories more interesting have
 never been written1 or written so well4
 ,turning to ,mr4 ,pennington1 who was  
present1 he asked if ,benjamin was his  
son2 advising him at the same time to   
indulge him in whatever might appear to 
be the bent of his talents1 assuring him
 that he was no common boy4  ,this      
interview was afterwards much spoken of 
by ,williams1 who in the mean time lent 

him the works of ,fresnoy and           
,richardson on ,painting1 and invited   
him to see his pictures and drawings4   
,the impression which these books made  
on the imagination of ,west finally     
decided his destination4 ,he was allowed
 to carry them with him into the        
country2 and his father and mother1 soon
 perceiving a great change in his       
conversation1 were referred to the books
 for an explanation of the cause4 ,they 
read them for the first time themselves1
 and treasuring in their minds those    
anecdotes of the indications of the     
early symptoms of talent with which both
 works abound1 they remembered the      
prophetic injunction of ,edmund         
,peckover4  ,the effect of the          
enthusiasm inspired by ,richardson and  
,fresnoy may be conceived from the      
following incident4 ,soon after the     
young ,artist had returned to           
,springfield1 one of his schoolfellows1 
on a ,saturday's half holiday1 engaged  
him to give up a party at trap-ball to  

ride with him to one of the neighbouring
 plantations4 ,at the time appointed the
 boy came1 with the horse saddled4 ,west
 enquired how he was to ride2 ,behind   
me1 said the boy2 but ,benjamin1 full of
 the dignity of the profession to which 
he felt himself destined1 answered1 that
 he never would ride behind any body4   
,o6 very well then1 said the            
good-natured boy1 you may take the      
saddle1 and ,i will get up behind you4  
,thus mounted1 they proceeded on their  
excursion2 and the boy began to inform  
his companion that his father intended  
to send him to be an apprentice4 ,in    
what business8 enquired ,west2 ,a       
taylor1 answered the boy4 ,surely1 said 
,west1 you will never follow that trade2
 animadverting upon its feminine        
character4 ,the other1 however1 was a   
shrewd1 sound-headed lad1 and defended  
the election very stoutly1 saying that  
his father had made choice of it for    
him1 and that the person with whom he   
was to learn the business was much      

respected by all his neighbours4 ,but   
what do you intend to be1 ,benjamin8    
,west answered1 that he had not thought 
at all on the subject1 but he should    
like to be a painter4 ,a painter6       
exclaimed the boy1 what sort of a trade 
is a painter8 ,i never heard of such a  
thing4 ,a painter1 said ,west1 is a     
companion for ,kings and ,emperors4     
,surely you are mad1 replied the boy1   
for there are no such people in         
,america4 ,very true1 answered          
,benjamin1 but there are plenty in other
 parts of the world4 ,the other1 still  
more amazed at the apparent absurdity of
 this speech1 reiterated in a tone of   
greater surprise1 ,you are surely quite 
mad4 ,to this the enthusiast replied by 
asking him if he really intended to be a
 taylor4 ,most certainly1 answered the  
other4 ,then you may ride by yourself1  
for ,i will no longer keep your company1
 said ,west1 and1 alighting1 immediately
 returned home4  ,the report of this    
incident1 with the affair of the        

picture1 which had occasioned his       
absence from school1 and visit to       
,philadelphia1 made a great impression  
on the boys in the neighbourhood of     
,springfield4 ,all their accustomed     
sports were neglected1 and their        
play-hours devoted to drawing with chalk
 and oker4 ,the little president was    
confessedly the most expert among them1 
but he has often since declared1 that1  
according to his recollection1 many of  
his juvenile companions evinced a degree
 of taste and skill in this exercise1   
that would not have discredited the     
students of any regular academy4  ,not  
far from the residence of ,mr4 ,west a  
cabinet-maker had a shop1 in which      
,benjamin sometimes amused himself with 
the tools of the workmen4 ,one day      
several large and beautiful boards of   
poplar tree were brought to it2 and he  
happening to observe that they would    
answer very well for drawing on1 the    
owner gave him two or three of them for 
that purpose1 and he drew figures and   

compositions on them with ink1 chalk1   
and charcoal4 ,mr4 ,wayne1 a gentleman  
of the neighbourhood1 having soon after 
occasion to call at his father's1       
noticed the boards in the room1 and was 
so much pleased with the drawings1 that 
he begged the young ,artist to allow him
 to take two or three of them home1     
which1 as but little value was set on   
them1 was thought no great favour1      
either by the painter or his father4    
,next day ,mr4 ,wayne called again1 and 
after complimenting ,benjamin on his    
taste and proficiency1 gave him a dollar
 for each of the boards which he had    
taken away1 and was resolved to         
preserve4 ,doctor ,jonathan ,moris1     
another neighbour1 soon after1 also made
 him a present of a few dollars to buy  
materials to paint with4 ,these were the
 first public patrons of the ,artist2   
and it is at his own request that their 
names are thus particularly inserted4   
,about twelve months after the visit to 
,philadelphia1 ,mr4 ,flower1 one of the 

,justices of the county of ,chester1 who
 possessed some taste in painting1      
requested ,mr4 ,west to allow ,benjamin 
to spend a few weeks at his house4 ,a   
short time before1 this gentleman had   
met with a severe domestic misfortune in
 the loss of a wife1 to whom he was much
 attached2 and he resolved to shew his  
respect to her memory by devoting his   
attention exclusively to the improvement
 of his children3 for this purpose he   
had sent to ,england for a governess    
qualified to undertake the education of 
his daughters1 and he had the good      
fortune to obtain a lady eminently      
fitted for the trust4 ,she arrived a few
 days only before the young ,artist1 and
 her natural discernment enabled her to 
appreciate that original bias of mind   
which she had heard ascribed to him1 and
 of which she soon perceived the        
determination and the strength4 ,finding
 him unacquainted with any other books  
than the ,bible1 and the works of       
,richardson and ,fresnoy1 she frequently

 invited him to sit with her pupils1    
and1 during the intervals of their      
tasks1 she read to him the most striking
 and picturesque passages from          
translations of the antient historians  
and poetry1 of which ,mr4 ,flower had a 
choice and extensive collection4 ,it was
 from this intelligent woman that he    
heard1 for the first time1 of the       
,greeks and ,romans2 and the impression 
which the story of those illustrious    
nations made on his mind1 was answerable
 to her expectations4  ,among the       
acquaintance of ,mr4 ,flower was a ,mr4 
,ross1 a lawyer in the town of          
,lancaster1 a place at that time        
remarkable for its wealth1 and which had
 the reputation of possessing the best  
and most intelligent society to be then 
found in ,america4 ,it was chiefly      
inhabited by ,germans1 who of all people
 in the practice of emigrating1 carry   
along with them the greatest stock of   
knowledge and accomplishments4 ,the     
society of ,lancaster1 therefore1 though

 it could not boast of any very         
distinguished character1 yet            
comprehended many individuals who were  
capable of appreciating the merit of    
essays in art1 and of discriminating the
 rude efforts of real genius from the   
more complete productions of mere       
mechanical skill4 ,it was exactly in    
such a place that such a youth as       
,benjamin ,west was likely to meet with 
that flattering attention which is the  
best stimulus of juvenile talent4 ,the  
wife of ,mr4 ,ross was greatly admired  
for her beauty1 and she had several     
children who were so remarkable in this 
respect as to be objects of general     
notice4 ,one day when ,mr4 ,flower was  
dining with them1 he advised his friend 
to have their portraits taken2 and      
mentioned that they would be excellent  
subjects for young ,west4 ,application  
was in consequence made to old ,mr4     
,west1 and permission obtained for the  
little ,artist to go to ,lancaster for  
the purpose of taking the likenesses of 

,mrs4 ,ross and her family4 ,such was   
the success with which he executed this 
task1 that the sphere of his celebrity  
was greatly enlarged2 and so numerous   
were the applications for portraits1    
that it was with difficulty he could    
find time to satisfy the demands of his 
admirers4  ,among those who sent to him 
in this early stage of his career1 was a
 person of the name of ,william ,henry4 
,he was an able mechanic1 and had       
acquired a handsome fortune by his      
profession of a gunsmith4 ,henry was1   
indeed1 in several respects1 an         
extraordinary man1 and possessed the    
power generally attendant upon genius   
under all circumstances1 that of        
interesting the imagination of those    
with whom he conversed4 ,on examining   
the young ,artist's performance1 he     
observed to him1 that1 if he could paint
 as well1 he would not waste his time on
 portraits1 but would devote himself to 
historical subjects2 and he mentioned   
the ,death of ,socrates as affording one

 of the best topics for illustrating the
 moral effect of the art of painting4   
,the ,painter knew nothing of the       
history of the ,philosopher2 and1 upon  
confessing his ignorance1 ,mr4 ,henry   
went to his library1 and1 taking down a 
volume of the ,english translation of   
,plutarch1 read to him the account given
 by that writer of this affecting story4
  ,the suggestion and description       
wrought upon the imagination of ,west1  
and induced him to make a drawing1 which
 he shewed to ,mr4 ,henry1 who commended
 it as a perspicuous delineation of the 
probable circumstances of the event1 and
 requested him to paint it4 ,west said  
that he would be happy to undertake the 
task1 but1 having hitherto painted only 
faces and men cloathed1 he should be    
unable to do justice to the figure of   
the slave who presented the poison1 and 
which he thought ought to be naked4     
,henry had among his workmen a very     
handsome young man1 and1 without waiting
 to answer the objection1 he sent for   

him into the room4 ,on his entrance he  
pointed him out to ,west1 and said1     
,there is your model4 ,the appearance of
 the young man1 whose arms and breast   
were naked1 instantaneously convinced   
the ,artist that he had only to look    
into nature for the models which would  
impart grace and energy to his          
delineation of forms4  ,when the death  
of ,socrates was finished1 it attracted 
much attention1 and led to one of those 
fortunate acquaintances by which the    
subsequent career of the ,artist has    
been so happily facilitated4 ,about this
 period the inhabitants of ,lancaster   
had resolved to erect a public          
grammar-school2 and ,dr4 ,smith1 the    
,provost of the ,college at             
,philadelphia1 was invited by them to   
arrange the course of instruction1 and  
to place the institution in the way best
 calculated to answer the intention of  
the founders4 ,this gentleman was an    
excellent classical scholar1 and        
combined with his knowledge and         

admiration of the merits of the antients
 that liberality of respect for the     
endeavours of modern talent1 with which 
the same kind of feeling is but rarely  
found connected4 ,after seeing the      
picture and conversing with the ,artist1
 he offered to undertake to make him to 
a certain degree acquainted with        
classical literature2 while at the same 
time he would give him such a sketch of 
the taste and character of the spirit of
 antiquity1 as would have all the effect
 of the regular education requisite to a
 painter4 ,when this liberal proposal   
was communicated to old ,mr4 ,west1 he  
readily agreed that ,benjamin should go 
for some time to ,philadelphia1 in order
 to take advantage of the ,provost's    
instructions2 and accordingly1 after    
returning home for a few days1 ,benjamin
 went to the capital1 and resided at the
 house of ,mr4 ,clarkson1 his           
brother-in-law1 a gentleman who had been
 educated at ,leyden1 and was much      
respected for the intelligence of his   

conversation1 and the propriety of his  
manners4  ,provost ,smith introduced    
,west1 among other persons1 to four     
young men1 pupils of his own1 whom he   
particularly recommended to his         
acquaintance1 as possessing endowments  
of mind greatly superior to the common  
standard of mankind4 ,one of these was  
,francis ,hopkins1 who afterwards highly
 distinguished himself in the early     
proceedings of the ,congress of the     
,united ,states4 ,thomas ,godfrey1 the  
second1 died after having given the most
 promising indications of an elegant    
genius for pathetic and descriptive     
poetry4 ,he was an apprentice to a      
watchmaker1 and had secretly written a  
poem1 which he published anonymously in 
the ,philadelphia newspaper1 under the  
title of ,the ,temple of ,fame4 ,the    
attention which it attracted1 and the   
encomiums which the ,provost in         
particular bestowed on it1 induced      
,west1 who was in the ,poet's           
confidence1 to mention to him who was   

the author4 ,the information excited the
 alert benevolence of ,smith's          
character1 and he lost no time until he 
had procured the release of ,godfrey    
from his indenture1 and a respectable   
employment for him in the government of 
the state2 but this he did not live long
 to enjoy3 being sent on some public    
business to ,carolina1 he fell a victim 
to the climate4  ,it is pleasant to     
redeem from oblivion the memory of early
 talent thus prematurely withdrawn from 
the world4 ,many of ,godfrey's verses   
were composed under a clump of pines    
which grew near the upper ferry of the  
river ,schuylkill1 to which spot he     
sometimes accompanied ,west and their   
mutual friends to angle4 ,in the heat of
 the day he used to stretch himself     
beneath the shade of the trees1 and     
repeat to them his verses as he composed
 them4 ,reid was the name of the other  
young man1 and the same person who first
 opposed the ,british troops in their   
passing through ,jersey1 when the       

rebellion of the ,provinces commenced4  
,previous to the revolution1 he was bred
 to the bar1 and practised with         
distinction in the courts of            
,philadelphia4 ,he was afterwards       
elected a ,member of ,congress1 and is  
the same person who was appointed to    
meet ,lord ,carlisle on his mission from
 the ,british ,court4  ,provost ,smith  
was himself possessed of a fluent vein  
of powerful eloquence1 and it happened  
that many of his pupils who             
distinguished themselves in the great   
struggle of their country1 appeared to  
have imbibed his talent2 but none of    
them more than ,jacob ,duchey1 another  
of the four youths whom he recommended  
to the ,artist4 ,he became a ,clergyman1
 and was celebrated throughout the whole
 of the ,british ,provinces in ,america 
as a most pathetic and persuasive       
preacher4 ,the publicity of his         
character in the world was1 however1    
chiefly owing to a letter which he      
addressed to ,general ,washington1 soon 

after the appointment of that chief to  
the command of the army4 ,the purport of
 this letter was to persuade the        
,general to go over to the ,british     
cause4 ,it was carried to him by a ,mrs4
 ,ferguson1 a daughter of ,doctor       
,graham1 a ,scottish ,physician in      
,philadelphia4 ,washington1 with his    
army1 at that time lay at ,valley-forge1
 and this lady1 on the pretext of paying
 him a visit1 as they were previously   
acquainted1 went to the camp4 ,the      
,general received her in his tent with  
much respect1 for he greatly admired the
 masculine vigour of her mind4 ,when she
 had delivered the letter he read it    
attentively1 and1 rising from his seat1 
walked backwards and forwards upwards of
 an hour1 without speaking4 ,he appeared
 to be much agitated during the greatest
 part of the time2 but at length1 having
 decided with himself1 he stopped1 and  
addressed her in nearly the following   
words3 ,madam1 ,i have always esteemed  
your character and endowments1 and ,i am

 fully sensible of the noble principles 
by which you are actuated on this       
occasion2 nor has any man in the whole  
continent more confidence in the        
integrity of his friend1 than ,i have in
 the honour of ,mr4 ,duchey4 ,but ,i am 
here entrusted by the people of ,america
 with sovereign authority4 ,they have   
placed their lives and fortunes at my   
disposal1 because they believe me to be 
an honest man4 ,were ,i1 therefore1 to  
desert their cause1 and consign them    
again to the ,british1 what would be the
 consequence8 to myself perpetual       
infamy2 and to them endless calamity4   
,the seeds of everlasting division are  
sown between the two countries2 and1    
were the ,british again to become our   
masters1 they would have to maintain    
their dominion by force1 and would1     
after all1 retain us in subjection only 
so long as they could hold their        
bayonets to our breasts4 ,no1 ,madam1   
the proposal of ,mr4 ,duchey1 though    
conceived with the best intention1 is   

not framed in wisdom4 ,america and      
,england must be separate states2 but   
they may have common interests1 for they
 are but one people4 ,it will1          
therefore1 be the object of my life and 
ambition to establish the independence  
of ,america in the first place2 and in  
the second1 to arrange such a community 
of interests between the two nations as 
shall indemnify them for the calamities 
which they now suffer1 and form a new ra
 in the history of nations4 ,but1       
,madam1 you are aware that ,i have many 
enemies2 ,congress may hear of your     
visit1 and of this letter1 and ,i should
 be suspected were ,i to conceal it from
 them4 ,i respect you truly1 as ,i have 
said2 and ,i esteem the probity and     
motives of ,mr4 ,duchey1 and therefore  
you are free to depart from the camp1   
but the letter will be transmitted      
without delay to ,congress4  ,mrs4      
,ferguson herself communicated the      
circumstances of this interesting       
transaction to ,mr4 ,west1 after she    

came to ,england2 for she1 as well as   
,mr4 ,duchey1 were obliged to quit the  
country4 ,it is painful to add1 that    
,duchey came to ,england1 and was       
allowed to pine unnoticed by the        
,government1 and was heard of no more4  
,chap4 ,,iii4        ,the course of     
instruction adopted by ,provost         
,smith4--,the ,artist led to     the    
discovery of the ,camera4--,his ,father 
becomes anxious to place him     in     
business4--,extraordinary proceedings of
 the ,quakers in     consequence4--,the 
,speech of ,williamson the ,preacher in 
defence of the     ,fine                
,arts4--,magnanimous ,resolution of the 
,quakers1--,reflections on     this     
singular transaction4  ,there was       
something so judicious in the plan of   
study which ,provost ,smith had formed  
for his pupil1 that it deserves to be   
particularly considered4 ,he regarded   
him as destined to be a ,painter2 and on
 this account did not impose upon him   
those grammatical exercises of language 

which are usually required from the     
young student of the classics1 but      
directed his attention to those         
incidents which were likely to interest 
his fancy1 and to furnish him at some   
future time with subjects for the easel4
 ,he carried him immediately to those   
passages of antient history which make  
the most lasting impression on the      
imagination of the regular-bred scholar1
 and described the picturesque          
circumstances of the transactions with a
 minuteness of detail that would have   
been superfluous to a general student4  
,in the midst of this course of         
education the ,artist happened to be    
taken ill of a slight fever1 and when it
 had subsided1 he was in so weak a state
 as to be obliged to keep his bed1 and  
to have the room darkened4 ,in this     
situation he remained several days1 with
 no other light than what was admitted  
by the seams and fissures in the        
window-shutters1 which had the usual    
effect of expanding the pupil of his    

eyes to such a degree that he could     
distinctly see every object in the room1
 which to others appeared in complete   
obscurity4 ,while he was thus lying in  
bed1 he observed the apparitional form  
of a white cow enter at the one side of 
the roof1 and walking over the bed1     
gradually vanish at the other4 ,the     
phenomenon surprised him exceedingly1   
and he feared that his mind was impaired
 by his disease1 which his sister also  
suspected1 when on entering to inquire  
how he felt himself1 he related to her  
what he had seen4 ,without1 however1    
saying any thing1 she went immediately  
and informed her husband1 who           
accompanied her back to the apartment2  
and as they were standing near the bed1 
,west repeated the story1 exclaiming in 
his discourse that he saw1 at the very  
moment in which he was then speaking1   
several little pigs running along the   
roof4 ,this confirmed them in the       
apprehension of his delirium1 and they  
sent for a physician4 ,but the doctor   

could discover no symptoms of fever2 the
 pulse was regular1 the skin moist and  
cool1 the thirst was abated1 and indeed 
every thing about the patient indicated 
convalescence4 ,still the ,painter      
persisted in his story1 and assured them
 that he then saw the figures of several
 of their mutual friends passing on the 
roof1 over the bed2 and that he even saw
 fowls pecking1 and the very stones of  
the street4 ,all this seemed to them    
very extraordinary1 for their eyes1 not 
accustomed to the gloom of the chamber1 
could discern nothing2 and the learned  
physician himself1 in despite of the    
symptoms1 began to suspect that the     
convalescent was really delirious4      
,prescribing1 therefore1 a composing    
mixture1 which the ,painter submitted to
 swallow1 he took his fee and leave1    
requesting ,mrs4 ,clarkson and her      
husband to come away and not disturb the
 patient4 ,after they had retired1      
curiosity overcame the influence of the 
drug1 and the ,artist got up1 determined

 to find out the cause of the strange   
apparitions which had so alarmed them   
all4 ,in a short time he discovered a   
diagonal knot-hole in one of the        
window-shutters1 and upon placing his   
hand over it1 the visionary paintings on
 the roof disappeared4 ,this confirmed  
him in an opinion that he began to form1
 that there must be some simple natural 
cause for what he had seen2 and1 having 
thus ascertained the way in which it    
acted1 he called his sister and her     
husband into the room and explained it  
to them4 ,when able to go down stairs1  
,mr4 ,clarkson gave him permission to   
perforate one of the parlour            
window-shutters horizontally1 in order  
to obtain a representation on the wall  
of the buildings of the opposite side of
 the street4 ,the effect was as he      
expected1 but1 to his astonishment1 the 
objects appeared inverted4 ,without     
attempting to remedy this with the aid  
of glasses1 as a mathematical genius    
would perhaps have done1 he was         

delighted to see in it the means of     
studying the pictural appearance of     
,nature1 and he hailed the discovery as 
a revelation to promote his improvement 
in the art of painting4 ,on his return  
soon after to his father's1 he had a box
 made with one of the sides perforated2 
and1 adverting to the reflective power  
of the mirror1 he contrived1 without    
ever having heard of the instrument1 to 
invent the ,camera4 ,thus furnishing    
another proof1 that although the faculty
 which enables a man to excel in any    
particular art or science is a natural  
endowment1 it is seldom unaccompanied   
with a general superiority of           
observation4 ,it will1 however1 not be  
disputed1 that a boy under sixteen1 who 
had thus1 by the guidance of his own    
unassisted judgment1 found out a method 
of ascertaining the colour and outline  
of natural objects as they should appear
 in painting1 possessed no ordinary     
mind4 ,observations of this nature mark 
the difference between innate talent and

 instructed habits2 and1 whether in     
painting1 or in poetry1 in art1 or in   
science1 constitute the source of that  
peculiarity of intellect which is       
discriminated from the effects of       
education by the name of original       
talent4 ,the self-educated man of       
genius1 when his mind is formed1 differs
 but little in the method of expressing 
his notions1 from the most mechanical   
disciple of the schools2 but the process
 by which he attains that result1       
renders his history interesting by its  
incidents1 and valuable by the hints    
which it furnishes for the study of     
human character4 ,it is1 perhaps1 also1 
one great cause of his own              
distinguishing features of mind1 as the 
very contrivances to which he has       
recourse have the effect of taking1 as  
it were1 something extraneous into the  
matter of his experiments which tinges  
the product with curious and singular   
effects4--,west1 on afterwards          
mentioning his discovery to ,williams   

the painter1 was surprised to find      
himself anticipated1 that ,artist having
 received a complete ,camera some time  
before from ,england4  ,in this         
favourable state of things he attained  
his sixteenth year1 when his father     
became anxious to see him settled in    
some established business4 ,for1 though 
reluctant to thwart the bias of a genius
 at once so decided and original1 and to
 which the injunction of ,peckover had  
rendered him favourable and indulgent1  
the old gentleman was sensible that the 
profession of a painter was not only    
precarious1 but regarded by the         
religious association to which he       
belonged1 as adverse to their tenets1 by
 being only ornamental2 and he was      
anxious1 on his son's account and on his
 own1 to avoid those animadversions to  
which he was exposed by the freedom he  
had hitherto granted to the             
predilections of ,benjamin4 ,he1        
therefore1 consulted several of his     
neighbours on the subject2 and a meeting

 of the ,society of ,friends in the     
vicinity was called1 to consider1       
publicly1 what ought to be the destiny  
of his son4  ,the assembly met in the   
,meeting-house near ,springfield1 and   
after much debate1 approaching to       
altercation1 a man of the name of ,john 
,williamson rose1 and delivered a very  
extraordinary speech upon the subject4  
,he was much respected by all present1  
for the purity and integrity of his     
life1 and enjoyed great influence in his
 sphere on account of the superiority of
 his natural wisdom1 and1 as a public   
preacher among the ,friends1 possessed  
an astonishing gift of convincing       
eloquence4 ,he pointed to old ,mr4 ,west
 and his wife1 and expatiated on the    
blameless reputation which they had so  
long maintained1 and merited so well4   
,they have had1 said he1 ten children1  
whom they have carefully brought up in  
the fear of ,god1 and in the ,christian 
religion2 and the youth1 whose lot in   
life we are now convened to consider1 is

 ,benjamin1 their youngest child4 ,it is
 known to you all that ,god is pleased1 
from time to time1 to bestow upon some  
men extraordinary gifts of mind1 and you
 need not be told by how wonderful an   
inspiration their son has been led to   
cultivate the art of painting4 ,it is   
true that our tenets deny the utility of
 that art to mankind4 ,but ,god has     
bestowed on the youth a genius for the  
art1 and can we believe that            
,omniscience bestows ,his gifts but for 
great purposes8 ,what ,god has given1   
who shall dare to throw away8 ,let us   
not estimate ,almighty wisdom by our    
notions2 let us not presume to arraign  
,his judgment by our ignorance1 but in  
the evident propensity of the young man1
 be assured that we see an impulse of   
the ,divine hand operating towards some 
high and beneficent end4  ,the effect of
 this argument1 and the lofty commanding
 manner in which it was delivered1      
induced the assembly to agree that the  
,artist should be allowed to indulge the

 predilections of his genius2 and a     
private meeting of the ,friends was     
appointed to be holden at his father's  
house1 at which the youth himself was   
requested to be present1 in order to    
receive1 in form1 the assent and        
blessing of the ,society4 ,on the day of
 meeting1 the great room was put in     
order1 and a numerous company of both   
sexes assembled4 ,benjamin was placed by
 his father1 and the men and women took 
their respective forms on each side4    
,after sitting some time in silence1 one
 of the women rose and addressed the    
meeting on the wisdom of ,god1 and the  
various occasions on which ,he selected 
from among ,his creatures the agents of 
,his goodness4 ,when she had concluded  
her exhortation1 ,john ,williamson also 
rose1 and in a speech than which1       
perhaps1 the porticos of ,athens never  
resounded with a more impressive        
oratory1 he resumed the topic which had 
been the subject of his former address4 
,he began by observing that it was fixed

 as one of their indisputable maxims1   
that things merely ornamental were not  
necessary to the well-being of man1 and 
that all superfluous things should be   
excluded from the usages and manners of 
their society4 ,in this proscription1 we
 have included1 said he1 the study of   
the fine arts1 for we see them applied  
only to embellish pleasures1 and to     
strengthen our inducements to gratify   
the senses at the expense of our        
immortal claims4 ,but1 because we have  
seen painting put to this derogatory    
use1 and have1 in consequence1          
prohibited the cultivation of it among  
us1 are we sure that it is not one of   
those gracious gifts which ,god has     
bestowed on the world1 not to add to the
 sensual pleasures of man1 but to       
facilitate his improvement as a social  
and a moral being8 ,the fine arts are   
called the offspring and the emblems of 
peace4 ,the ,christian religion itself  
is the doctrine of good will to man4    
,can those things which only prosper in 

peace be contrary to the ,christian     
religion8 ,but1 it is said1 that the    
fine arts soften and emasculate the     
mind4 ,in what way8 is it by withdrawing
 those who study them from the robust   
exercises which enable nations and      
people to make war with success8 ,is it 
by lessening the disposition of mankind 
to destroy one another1 and by taming   
the audacity of their animal fierceness8
 ,is it for such a reason as this1 that 
we who profess to live in unison and    
friendship1 not only among ourselves1   
but with all the world that we should   
object to the cultivation of the fine   
arts1 of those arts which disarm the    
natural ferocity of man8 ,we may as well
 be told that the doctrine of peace and 
life ought to be proscribed in the world
 because it is pernicious to the        
practice of war and slaughter1 as that  
the arts which call on man to exercise  
his intellectual powers more than his   
physical strength1 can be contrary to   
,christianity1 and adverse to the       

benevolence of the ,deity4 ,i speak not1
 however1 of the fine arts as the means 
of amusement1 nor the study of them as  
pastime to fill up the vacant hours of  
business1 though even as such1 the taste
 for them deserves to be regarded as a  
manifestation of ,divine favour1 in as  
much as they dispose the heart to kind  
and gentle inclinations4 ,for1 ,i think 
them ordained by ,god for some great and
 holy purpose4 ,do we not know that the 
professors of the fine arts are commonly
 men greatly distinguished by special   
gifts of a creative and discerning      
spirit8 ,if there be any thing in the   
usual course of human affairs which     
exhibits the immediate interposition of 
the ,deity1 it is in the progress of the
 fine arts1 in which it would appear he 
often raises up those great characters1 
the spirit of whose imaginations have an
 interminable influence on posterity1   
and who are themselves separated and    
elevated among the generality of        
mankind1 by the name of men of genius4  

,can we believe that all this is not for
 some useful purpose8 ,what that purpose
 is1 ought we to pretend to investigate8
 ,let us rather reflect that the        
,almighty ,god has been pleased among   
us1 and in this remote wilderness1 to   
endow1 with the rich gifts of a peculiar
 spirit1 that youth who has now our     
common consent to cultivate his talents 
for an art1 which1 according to our     
humble and human judgment1 was          
previously thought an unnecessary       
ministration to the sensual propensities
 of our nature4 ,may it be demonstrated 
by the life and works of the ,artist1   
that the gift of ,god has not been      
bestowed on him in vain1 nor the motives
 of the beneficent inspiration which    
induces us to suspend our particular    
tenets1 prove barren of religious or    
moral effect4 ,on the contrary1 let us  
confidently hope that this occurrence   
has been for good1 and that the         
consequences which may arise in the     
society of this new world1 from the     

example which ,benjamin ,west will be   
enabled to give1 will be such a love of 
the arts of peace as shall tend to draw 
the ties of affection closer1 and       
diffuse over a wider extent of community
 the interests and blessing of fraternal
 love4  ,at the conclusion of this      
address1 the women rose and kissed the  
young ,artist1 and the men1 one by one1 
laid their hands on his head and prayed 
that the ,lord might verify in his life 
the value of the gift which had induced 
them1 in despite of their religious     
tenets1 to allow him to cultivate the   
faculties of his genius4  ,the history  
of no other individual affords an       
incident so extraordinary4 ,this could  
not be called a presentiment1 but the   
result of a clear expectation1 that some
 important consequence would ensue4 ,it 
may be added that a more beautiful      
instance of liberality is not to be     
found in the records of any religious   
society4 ,hitherto1 all sects1 even of  
,christians1 were disposed to regard1   

with jealousy and hatred1 all those     
members who embraced any pursuit that   
might tend to alienate them from their  
particular modes of discipline4 ,the    
,quakers have1 therefore1 the honour of 
having been the first to allow1 by a    
public act1 that their conception of the
 religious duties of man was liable to  
the errors of the human judgment1 and   
was not to be maintained on the         
presumption of being actually according 
to the will of ,god4 ,there is something
 at once simple and venerable in the    
humility with which they regarded their 
own peculiar principles1 especially     
contrasted with the sublime view they   
appeared to take of the wisdom and      
providence of the ,deity4 ,but1 with    
whatever delightful feelings strangers  
and posterity may contemplate this      
beautiful example of ,christian         
magnanimity1 it would be impossible to  
convey any idea of the sentiments with  
which it affected the youth who was the 
object of its exercise4 ,he must have   

been less than man had he not           
endeavoured1 without ceasing1 to attain 
an honourable eminence in his           
profession2 or1 had he forgotten1 in the
 honours which he has since received    
from all polished nations1 that he was  
authorized by his friends and his       
religion1 to cultivate the art by which 
he obtained such distinctions1 not for  
his own sake1 but as an instrument      
chosen by ,providence to disseminate the
 arts of peace in the world4     ,chap4 
,,iv4        ,reflections on the        
,eccentricities of ,young ,men of       
,genius with respect     to pecuniary   
matters4--,the ,death of the ,artist's  
,mother4--,the     ,embodying of the    
,pennsylvanian ,militia2 an ,anecdote of
 ,general     ,wayne4--,the ,artist     
elected ,commandant of a corps of       
,volunteer     boys4--,the circumstances
 which occasioned the ,search for the   
,bones of     ,bradock's army4--,the    
,search4--,the ,discovery of the ,bones 
of the     ,father and ,brother of ,sir 

,peter ,halket4--,the ,artist proposed  
afterwards to paint a ,picture of the   
,discovery of the ,bones of the         
,halkets4--,he commences regularly as a 
,painter4--,he copies a ,st4            
,ignatius4--,he is induced to attempt   
,historical ,portraiture4--,his         
,picture of the ,trial of               
,susannah4--,of the merits of that      
,picture4  ,there is a regardless       
independence about minds of superior    
endowment1 which1 in similar characters1
 manifests itself differently according 
to the circumstances in which they      
happen to be placed4 ,devoted to the    
contemplation of the means of future    
celebrity1 the man of genius frequently 
finds himself little disposed to set a  
proper value on the common interests of 
of life4 ,when bred in affluence1 and   
exempted from the necessity of          
considering the importance of money to  
the attainment of his object1 he is     
often found1 to a blameful degree1      
negligent of pecuniary concerns2 and1 on

 the contrary1 when his situation is    
such that he may only hope for          
distinction by the practice of the most 
parsimonious frugality1 he will as often
 appear in the social and propelling    
season of youth enduring voluntary      
privations with an equanimity which the 
ostentatious fanatic or contrite        
penitent would in vain attempt to       
surpass4 ,this peculiar feature of the  
self-sustained mind of genius has often 
been misunderstood1 and seldom valued as
 it ought to be4 ,the presumptuous weak 
who mistake the wish of distinction for 
the workings of talent1 admire the      
eccentricities of the gifted youth who  
is reared in opulence1 and1 mistaking   
the prodigality which is only the effect
 of his fortune1 for the attributes of  
his talents1 imitate his errors1 and    
imagine that1 by copying the blemishes  
of his conduct1 they possess what is    
illustrious in his mind4 ,such men are  
incapable of appreciating the           
self-denial which ,benjamin ,west made  

it a duty to impose upon himself on     
entering the world2 but to those who are
 truly conscious of possessing the means
 of attracting the admiration of their  
contemporaries and posterity1 the       
voluntary abstinence of a youth of      
genius will afford them delight in the  
contemplation1 even though they may be  
happily free from the obligation of     
practising it themselves4  ,when it was 
determined among the ,friends that      
,benjamin ,west should be allowed to    
cultivate the art of ,painting1 he went 
to ,lancaster1 but he was hastily       
recalled by a severe domestic           
misfortune4 ,his mother was seized by a 
dangerous illness1 and being conscious  
that she could not live long1 she       
requested that he might be sent for     
home4 ,benjamin hastily obeyed the      
summons1 but1 before he reached the     
house1 her strength was exhausted1 and  
she was only able to express by her look
 the satisfaction with which she saw him
 approach the bed1 before she expired4  

,her funeral1 and the distress which the
 event naturally occasioned to her      
family1 by all of whom she was very     
tenderly beloved1 detained the young    
,artist some time at his father's4      
,about the end of ,august1 in #agef1    
however1 he took his final departure1   
and went to ,philadelphia4 ,but1 before 
proceeding with the narrative of his    
professional career1 it is necessary to 
advert to some of the public            
transactions of that period1 by which   
his sensibility was powerfully excited4 
,indeed it will appear throughout the   
whole of these singular memoirs1 that   
the subject of them was1 perhaps1 more  
immediately affected by the developement
 of national events1 than usually falls 
to the lot of any individual so little  
connected with public men1 and so far   
remote from the great thoroughfare of   
political occurrences4  ,after the      
destruction of ,general ,bradock's army1
 the ,pennsylvanians being alarmed at   
the defenceless state in which they were

 placed by that calamity1 the ,assembly 
of the ,province resolved to embody a   
militia force2 and ,mr4 ,wayne1 who has 
been already mentioned1 was appointed   
,colonel of the ,regiment raised in     
,chester ,county4 ,this defensive       
measure announced that the golden age of
 the country was past1 and the change   
felt by the peaceful ,quakers indicated 
an alteration in their harmless manners4
 ,west1 among others1 went to view the  
first muster of the troops under the    
command of ,colonel ,wayne1 and the     
sight of men in arms1 their purpose and 
array1 warmed his lively imagination    
with military enthusiasm4 ,in           
conjunction with a son of the ,colonel1 
a boy of his own age1 with whom he had  
become acquainted1 he procured a gun1   
and determined also to be a soldier4    
,young ,wayne was drilled by the        
diciplinarians of his father's corps1   
and he1 in turn1 exercised ,west1 who1  
being more alert and active1 soon       
obtained a decided superiority2 but what

 different destinies were attached to   
them6 ,west has attained1 in the        
intellectual discipline of the arts of  
peace1 an enviable reputation2 and      
,wayne1 who was inferior to him in the  
manual of the soldier1 became an        
illustrious commander1 and partook1 as  
the companion in arms of ,washington1 of
 the glory of having established the    
independence of ,america4  ,the martial 
preparations inspired all the youths of 
,pennsylvania with the love of arms1 and
 diffused the principles of that        
military spirit which was afterwards    
exerted with so much effect against the 
erroneous policy of the mother country4 
,west1 soon after his drilling under    
young ,wayne1 visited ,lancaster2 and   
the boys of that town having formed     
themselves into a little corps1 made    
choice of him for their commandant4     
,among others who caught the spirit of  
the time1 was his brother ,samuel1 who  
possessed a bold character and an       
enterprising disposition4 ,he was about 

six years older than the ,artist1 and1  
being appointed a ,captain in ,colonel  
,wayne's regiment1 joined the troops    
under the command of ,general ,forbes1  
who was sent to repair the disasters    
which had happened to the unfortunate   
,bradock4  ,after the taking of ,fort   
,duane1 to which the new name of        
,pittsburgh was given1 in compliment to 
the minister of the day1 ,general       
,forbes resolved to search for the      
relics of ,bradock's army4 ,as the      
,european soldiers were not so well     
qualified to explore the forests1       
,captain ,west was appointed1 with his  
company of ,american sharpshooters1 to  
assist in the execution of this duty2   
and a party of ,indian warriors1 who had
 returned to the ,british interests1    
were requested to conduct him to the    
places where the bones of the slain were
 likely to be found4 ,in this solemn and
 affecting duty several officers        
belonging to the #db;d regiment         
accompanied the detachment1 and with    

them ,major ,sir ,peter ,halket1 who had
 lost his father and a brother in the   
fatal destruction of the army4 ,it might
 have been thought a hopeless task that 
he should be able to discriminate their 
remains from the common relics of the   
other soldiers2 but he was induced to   
think otherwise1 as one of the ,indian  
warriors assured him that he had seen an
 officer fall near a remarkable tree1   
which he thought he could still         
discover2 informing him at the same     
time1 that the incident was impressed on
 his memory by observing a young        
subaltern1 who1 in running to the       
officer's assistance1 was also shot dead
 on his reaching the spot1 and fell     
across the other's body4 ,the ,major had
 a mournful conviction in his own mind  
that the two officers were his father   
and brother1 and1 indeed1 it was chiefly
 owing to his anxiety on the subject1   
that this pious expedition1 the second  
of the kind that ,history records1 was  
undertaken4  ,captain ,west and his     

companions proceeded through the woods  
and along the banks of the river towards
 the scene of the battle4 ,the ,indians 
regarded the expedition as a religious  
service1 and guided the troops with awe1
 and in profound silence4 ,the soldiers 
were affected with sentiments not less  
serious2 and as they explored the       
bewildering labyrinths of those vast    
forests1 their hearts were often melted 
with inexpressible sorrow2 for they     
frequently found skeletons lying across 
the trunks of fallen trees1 a mournful  
proof to their imaginations that the men
 who sat there1 had perished of hunger1 
in vainly attempting to find their way  
to the plantations4 ,sometimes their    
feelings were raised to the utmost pitch
 of horror by the sight of sculls and   
bones scattered on the ground--a certain
 indication that the bodies had been    
devoured by wild beasts2 and in other   
places they saw the blackness of ashes  
amidst the relics1--the tremendous      
evidence of atrocious rites4  ,at length

 they reached a turn of the river not   
far from the principal scene of         
destruction1 and the ,indian who        
remembered the death of the two         
officers1 stopped2 the detachment also  
halted4 ,he then looked around in quest 
of some object which might recall1      
distinctly1 his recollection of the     
ground1 and suddenly darted into the    
wood4 ,the soldiers rested their arms   
without speaking4 ,a shrill cry was soon
 after heard2 and the other guides made 
signs for the troops to follow them     
towards the spot from which it came4 ,in
 the course of a short time they reached
 the ,indian warrior1 who1 by his cry1  
had announced to his companions that he 
had found the place where he was posted 
on the day of battle4 ,as the troops    
approached1 he pointed to the tree under
 which the officers had fallen4 ,captain
 ,west halted his men round the spot1   
and with ,sir ,peter ,halket and the    
other officers1 formed a circle1 while  
the ,indians removed the leaves which   

thickly covered the ground4 ,the        
skeletons were found1 as the ,indian    
expected1 lying across each other4 ,the 
officers having looked at them some     
time1 the ,major said1 that as his      
father had an artificial tooth1 he      
thought he might be able to ascertain if
 they were indeed his bones and those of
 his brother4 ,the ,indians were1       
therefore1 ordered to remove the        
skeleton of the youth1 and to bring to  
view that of the old officer4 ,this was 
immediately done1 and after a short     
examination1 ,major ,halket exclaimed1  
,it is my father6 and fell back into the
 arms of his companions4 ,the pioneers  
then dug a grave1 and the bones being   
laid in it together1 a highland plaid   
was spread over them1 and they were     
interred with the customary honours4    
,when ,lord ,grosvenor bought the       
picture of the death of ,wolfe1 ,mr4    
,west mentioned to him the finding of   
the bones of ,bradock's army as a       
pictorial subject capable of being      

managed with great effect4 ,the gloom of
 the vast forest1 the naked and simple  
,indians supporting the skeletons1 the  
grief of the son on recognizing the     
relics of his father1 the subdued       
melancholy of the spectators1 and the   
picturesque garb of the ,pennsylvanian  
sharpshooters1 undoubtedly furnished    
topics capable of every effect which the
 pencil could bestow1 or the imagination
 require in the treatment of so sublime 
a scene4 ,his ,lordship admitted1 that  
in possessing so affecting an incident  
as the discovery of the bones of the    
,halkets1 it was superior even to that  
of the search for the remains of the    
army of ,varus2 the transaction1        
however1 being little known1 and not    
recorded by any historian1 he thought it
 would not be interesting to the public4
 ,other engagements have since prevented
 ,mr4 ,west from attempting it on his   
own account4 ,but it is necessary that  
the regular narrative should be resumed2
 for the military history of the ,artist

 terminated when he was recalled home by
 the last illness of his mother1        
although the excitement which the events
 that led to it occasioned never lost   
its influence on his mind1 especially   
that of the incident which has been     
described1 and which has ever been      
present to his imagination as one of the
 most affecting occurrences1 whether    
considered with respect to the feelings 
of the gentlemen most immediately       
interested in it1 or with respect to the
 wild and solemn circumstances under    
which the service was performed4  ,on   
his return to ,philadelphia1 he again   
resided with ,mr4 ,clarkson1 his        
brother-in-law2 and ,provost ,smith1 in 
the evenings1 continued to direct his   
attention to those topics of literature 
which were most suitable to cherish the 
expansion of his mind1 and to enrich his
 imagination with ideas useful to his   
profession4 ,while his leisure hours    
were thus profitably employed1 his      
reputation as a portrait painter was    

rapidly extended4 ,his youth1 and the   
peculiar incidents of his history1      
attracted many sitters1 and his merits  
verified the recommendations of his     
friends4 ,this constancy of employment1 
no doubt materially tended to his       
improvement in the manipulation of his  
art2 for whatever may be the native     
force of talent1 it is impossible that  
the possessor can attain excellence by  
any other means than practice4 ,facility
 to express the conceptions of the mind 
must be acquired before the pen or the  
pencil can embody them appropriately1   
and the author who does not execute     
much1 however little he may exhibit1 can
 never expect to do justice to the truth
 and beauty of his own ideas4 ,west was 
very soon duly impressed with the       
justness of this observation2 and1 while
 in the execution of his portraits1 he  
was assiduous to acquire a ready        
knowledge of those characteristic traits
 which have since enabled him to throw  
so much variety into his compositions2  

he felt conscious that1 without seeing  
better pictures than his own1 he could  
neither hope to attain distinction1 nor 
to appreciate his own peculiar powers4  
,it was this consideration that induced 
him to adopt a most rigid system of     
frugality4 ,he looked forward to a      
period when he might be enabled1 by the 
fruits of his own industry1 to visit the
 great scenes of the fine arts in       
,europe2 and the care with which he     
treasured the money that he received for
 his portraits was rewarded even at the 
time with the assurance of realizing his
 expectations4 ,the prices which he     
first fixed for his portraits1 were two 
guineas and a half for a head1 and five 
guineas for a half length4  ,after what 
has already been mentioned of the state 
of ,society in ,pennsylvania1 it is     
needless to say that at the period to   
which these memoirs refer1 there were   
but few pictures in the ,british        
,plantations2 indeed1 without any other 
explanation1 all that should be         

contended for by any person who might   
imagine it necessary to advocate the    
pretensions of ,benjamin ,west to be    
placed in the list of original and      
self-instructed artists1 would be       
readily granted1 upon stating the single
 fact1 that he was born in              
,pennsylvania1 and did not leave        
,america till the year #agfj4 ,at the   
same time1 it might be construed into an
 injudicious concealment1 if it were not
 mentioned that ,governor ,hamilton1 who
 at that period presided with so much   
popularity over the affairs of the      
province1 possessed a few pictures1     
consisting1 however1 chiefly of family  
portraits4 ,among them was a ,st4       
,ignatius1 which was found in the course
 of the preceding war on board a        
,spanish prize1 and which ,mr4          
,pennington obtained leave for ,west to 
copy4 ,the ,artist had made choice of it
 himself1 without being aware of its    
merits as a work of art1 for it was not 
until several years after that he       

discovered it to be a fine piece of the 
,morillo school1 and in the best style  
of the master4  ,this copy was greatly  
admired by all who saw it1 and by none  
more than his valuable friend ,provost  
,smith1 to whom it suggested the notion 
that portrait-painting might be raised  
to something greatly above the          
exhibition of a mere physical likeness2 
and he in consequence endeavoured to    
impress upon the mind of his pupil1 that
 characteristic painting opened a new   
line in the art1 only inferior in       
dignity to that of history1 but         
requiring1 perhaps1 a nicer             
discriminative tact of mind4 ,this      
judicious reflection of ,dr4 ,smith was 
however anticipated by ,sir ,joshua     
,reynolds1 who had already made the     
discovery1 and was carrying it into     
effect with admirable success4 ,the     
,provost1 however1 was unacquainted with
 that circumstance1 and induced ,west to
 make an experiment by drawing his      
portrait in the style and attitude of   

the ,st4 ,ignatius4  ,while he was thus 
employed on portraits1 a gentleman of   
the name of ,cox called on him to agree 
for a likeness of his daughter2 and the 
picture of ,dr4 ,smith attracted his    
attention4 ,it indeed appeared to him to
 evince such a capacity for historical  
composition1 that1 instead of then      
determining any thing respecting his    
daughter's portrait1 he gave an order   
for an historical picture1 allowing the 
,artist himself to choose the subject4  
,this task had peculiar charms2 for the 
,painter in the course of reading the   
,bible to his mother some time before1  
had been led to think that the ,trial of
 ,susannah was a fine subject1 and he   
was thus enabled1 by the liberality of  
,mr4 ,cox1 to embody the conceptions of 
his imagination while they were yet in  
all the freshness and vigour of original
 formation4 ,he made his canvas about   
the size of a half length portrait1 on  
which he introduced not fewer than forty
 figures4 ,in the execution he followed 

the rule which he had adopted in        
painting the ,death of ,socrates1 and   
drew the principal figures from living  
models4--,it is not known what has      
become of the ,trial of ,susannah4 ,in  
the rebellion of the ,colonies1 ,mr4    
,cox adhered to the ,british interest2  
and his daughter1 the last person into  
whose possession the picture has been   
traced1 having married a ,british       
officer1 came to ,england during the    
war1 and the ,artist has not heard where
 she has since resided4  ,in point of   
composition1 ,mr4 ,west is of opinion   
that the ,trial of ,susannah was        
superior to the ,death of ,socrates4 ,in
 this he is probably correct2 for during
 the interval between the execution of  
the one and the other1 his mind had been
 enlarged in knowledge by reading1 his  
eye improved by the study of pictorial  
outline and perspective in the ,camera1 
and his touch softened by the portraits 
which he painted1 and particularly by   
his careful copy of the ,st4 ,ignatius4 

,in point of drawing1 both pictures were
 no doubt greatly inferior to many of   
his subsequent works2 but his son1 long 
after he had acquired much celebrity1   
saw the picture of the ,death of        
,socrates2 and was of opinion that it   
was not surpassed by any of them in     
variety of composition1 and in that     
perspicuity of narrative which is the   
grand characteristic of the ,artist's   
genius4     ,chap4 ,v4        ,motives  
which induced him to visit ,new         
,york4--,state of ,society in ,new      
,york4--,reflections on the sterility of
 ,american     talent4--,considerations 
on the circumstances which tend to      
produce     ,poetical feelings4--,the   
causes which produced the peculiarities 
in the     state of ,society in ,new    
,york4--,the ,accident which led the    
,artist to     discover the method of   
colouring ,candle-light and ,fire       
effects after     ,nature4--,he copies  
,strange's engraving of ,belisarius1 by 
,salvador     ,rosa4--,the occurrence   

which hastened his ,voyage to ,italy1   
with the     ,anecdote of his           
obligations to ,mr4                     
,kelly4--,reflections on ,plutarch1     
occasioned by reference to the effect   
which his works had on the mind     of  
,west4--,the ,artist embarks2 occurrence
 at ,gibraltar4--,he arrives at         
,leghorn4--,journey to ,rome4   ,but    
although ,west found himself in         
possession of abundant employment in    
,philadelphia1 he was sensible that he  
could not expect to increase his prices 
with effect1 if he continued constantly 
in the same place4 ,he also became      
sensible that to view life in various   
lights was as necessary to his          
improvement as to exercise his pencil on
 different subjects4 ,and1 beyond all1  
he was profoundly sensible1 by this     
time1 that he could not hope to attain  
eminence in his profession1 without     
inspecting the great master-pieces of   
art in ,europe1 and comparing them with 
his own works in order to ascertain the 

extent of his powers4 ,this             
philosophical view of his situation was 
doubtless partly owing to the excellent 
precepts of ,provost ,smith1 but mainly 
to his own just perception of what was  
necessary to the successful career of an
 ,artist3 indeed the principle upon     
which the notion was formed is          
universal1 and applies to all           
intellectual pursuits4 ,accordingly1    
impressed with these considerations1 he 
frugally treasured the earnings of his  
pencil1 that he might undertake1 in the 
first place1 a professional journey from
 ,philadelphia1 as preparatory to       
acquiring the means of afterwards       
visiting ,europe1 and particularly      
,rome4 ,when he found that the state of 
his funds enabled him to undertake the  
journey1 he went to ,new ,york4  ,the   
,society of ,new ,york was much less    
intelligent in matters of taste and     
knowledge than that of ,philadelphia4   
,in the latter city the institutions of 
the college and library1 and the strict 

moral and political respectability of   
the first settlers1 had contributed to  
form a community1 which1 though inferior
 in the elegancies of living1 and the   
etiquettes of intercourse1 to what is   
commonly found in the ,european         
capitals1 was little behind them in     
point of practical and historical       
information4 ,dr4 ,smith1 the ,provost  
of the college1 had largely contributed 
to elevate the taste1 the sentiment and 
the topics of conversation in           
,philadelphia4 ,he was full of the best 
spirit of antiquity1 and there was a    
classical purity of mind and splendour  
of imagination sometimes met with in the
 families which he frequented1 that     
would have done honour to the best      
periods of polished society4  ,it would 
be difficult to assign any reason why it
 has so happened that no literary author
 of any general celebrity1 with the     
exception of ,franklin1 has yet arisen  
in ,america4 ,that men of learning and  
extensive reading1 capable of vying with

 the same description of persons in     
,europe1 are to be found in the ,united 
,states1 particularly in ,philadelphia1 
is not to be denied2 but of that class1 
whose talents tend to augment the stock 
of intellectual enjoyment in the world1 
no one1 with the single exception       
already alluded to1 has yet appeared4   
,poetry is the art of connecting ideas  
of sensible objects with moral          
sentiments2 and without the previous    
existence of local feelings1 there can  
be no poetry4 ,america to the first     
,european settlers had no objects       
interesting to the imagination1 at least
 of the description thus strictly       
considered as poetical2 for although the
 vigour and stupendous appearances of   
,nature were calculated to fill the mind
 with awe1 and to exalt the             
contemplations of enthusiasm1 there was 
nothing connected with the circumstances
 of the scene susceptible of that       
colouring from the memory1 which gives  
to the ideas of local resemblance the   

peculiar qualities of poetry4 ,the      
forests1 though interminable1 were but  
composed of trees2 the mountains and    
rivers1 though on a larger scale1 were  
not associated in the mind with the     
exertions of patriotic valour1 and the  
achievements of individual enterprize1  
like the ,alps or the ,danube1 the      
,grampians or the ,tweed4 ,it is        
impossible to tread the depopulated and 
exhausted soil of ,greece without       
meeting with innumerable relics and     
objects1 which1 like magical talismans1 
call up the genius of departed ages with
 the long-enriched roll of those great  
transactions1 that1 in their moral      
effect1 have raised the nature of man1  
occasioning trains of reflection which  
want only the rythm of language to be   
poetry4 ,but in the unstoried solitudes 
of ,america1 the traveller meets with   
nothing to awaken the sympathy of his   
recollective feelings4 ,even the very   
character of the trees1 though          
interesting to scientific research1     

chills1 beneath the spaciousness of     
their shade1 every poetical disposition4
 ,they bear little resemblance to those 
which the stranger has left behind in   
his native country4 ,to the descendants 
of the first settlers1 they wanted even 
the charm of those accidental           
associations which their appearance     
might have recalled to the minds of     
their fathers4 ,poetry is1 doubtless1   
the first of the intellectual arts which
 mankind cultivate4 ,in its earliest    
form it is the mode of expressing       
affection and admiration2 but1 before it
 can be invented1 there must be objects 
beloved and admired1 associated with    
things in nature endowed with a local   
habitation and a name4 ,in ,america1    
therefore1 although there has been no   
lack of clever versifiers1 nor of men   
who have respectably echoed the ideas   
current in the old world1 the country   
has produced nothing of any value       
descriptive of the peculiar associations
 connected with its scenery4 ,among some

 of the ,indian tribes a vein of        
original poetry has1 indeed1 been       
discovered2 but the riches of the mine  
are unexplored1 and the charge of       
sterility of fancy1 which is made by the
 ,europeans against the citizens of the 
,united ,states1 still remains          
unrefuted4 ,since the period1 however1  
to which these memoirs chiefly refer1   
events of great importance have         
occurred1 and the recollections         
connected with them1 no doubt1 tend to  
imbue the ,american climate with the    
elements of poetical thought2 but they  
are of too recent occurrence for the    
purposes either of the epic or the      
tragic muse4 ,the facts of history in   
,america are still seen too much in     
detail for the imagination to combine   
them with her own creation4 ,the fields 
of battle are almost too fresh for the  
farmer to break the surface2 and years  
must elapse before the ploughshare shall
 turn up those eroded arms of which the 
sight will call into poetical existence 

the sad and dreadful incidents of the   
civil war4  ,in ,new ,york ,mr4 ,west   
found the society wholly devoted to     
mercantile pursuits4 ,a disposition to  
estimate the value of things1 not by    
their utility1 or by their beauty1 but  
by the price which they would bring in  
the market1 almost universally          
prevailed4 ,mercantile men are          
habituated by the nature of their       
transactions to overlook the intrinsic  
qualities of the very commodities in    
which they deal2 and though of all the  
community they are the most liberal and 
the most munificent1 they set the least 
value on intellectual productions4 ,the 
population of ,new ,york was formed of  
adventurers from all parts of ,europe1  
who had come thither for the express    
purpose of making money1 in order1      
afterwards1 to appear with distinction  
at home4 ,although ,west1 therefore1    
found in that city much employment in   
taking likenesses destined to be        
transmitted to relations and friends1 he

 met with but few in whom he found any  
disposition congenial to his own2 and   
the eleven months which he passed there1
 in consequence1 contributed less to the
 improvement of his mind than might have
 been expected from a city so           
flourishing4 ,still1 the time was not   
altogether barren of occurrences which  
tended to advance his progress in his   
art1 independent of the advantage       
arising from constant practice4  ,he    
happened1 during his residence there1 to
 see a beautiful ,flemish picture of a  
hermit praying before a lamp1 and he was
 resolved to paint a companion to it1 of
 a man reading by candle-light4 ,but    
before he discovered a method of        
producing1 in day-light1 an effect on   
his model similar to what he wished to  
imitate1 he was frequently baffled in   
his attempts4 ,at length1 he hit on the 
expedient of persuading his landlord to 
sit with an open book before a candle in
 a dark closet2 and he found that1 by   
looking in upon him from his study1 the 

appearance was exactly what he wished   
for4 ,in the schools and academies of   
,europe1 tradition has preserved the    
methods by which all the magical effects
 of light and shadow have been produced1
 with the exception1 however1 of        
,rembrandt's method1 and which the      
author of these sketches ventures to    
suggest was attained1 in general1 by    
observing the effect of sunshine passing
 through chinks into a dark room4 ,but  
the ,american ,artist was as yet        
unacquainted with any of them1 and had  
no other guides to the essential        
principles of his art but the delicacy  
of his sight1 and that ingenious        
observation of ,nature to which allusion
 has been already so often made4  ,the  
picture of the ,student1 or man reading 
by candle-light1 was bought by a ,mr4   
,myers1 who1 in the revolution1         
continued to adhere to the ,english     
cause4 ,the same gentleman also bought a
 copy which ,west made about the same   
time of ,belisarius1 from the engraving 

by ,strange1 of ,salvator ,rosa's       
painting4 ,it is not known what has now 
become of these pictures2 but when the  
,artist long afterwards saw the original
 of ,salvator ,rosa1 he was gratified to
 observe that he had instinctively      
coloured his copy almost as faithfully  
as if it had been painted from the      
picture instead of the engraving4  ,in  
the year #agei the harvest in ,italy    
fell far short of what was requisite for
 the ordinary consumption of the        
population1 and a great dearth being    
foreseen1 ,messrs4 ,rutherford and      
,jackson1 of ,leghorn1 a house of the   
first consequence then in the           
,mediterranean trade1 and well known to 
all travellers for the hospitality of   
the partners1 wrote to their            
correspondent ,mr4 ,allen1 at           
,philadelphia1 to send them a cargo of  
wheat and flour4 ,mr4 ,allen was anxious
 that his son1 before finally embarking 
in business1 should see something of the
 world2 and ,provost ,smith1 hearing his

 intention of sending him to ,leghorn   
with the vessel1 immediately waited on  
the old gentleman1 and begged him to    
allow ,west to accompany him1 which was 
cheerfully acceded to1 and the ,provost 
immediately wrote to his pupil at ,new  
,york on the subject4 ,in the mean time1
 ,west had heard that there was a vessel
 at ,philadelphia loading for ,italy1   
and had expressed to ,mr4 ,william      
,kelly1 a merchant1 who was then sitting
 to him for his portrait1 a strong      
desire to avail himself of this         
opportunity to visit the fountain-head  
of the arts4 ,before this period1 he had
 raised his terms for a half-length to  
ten guineas1 by which he acquired a sum 
of money adequate to the expenses of a  
short excursion to ,italy4 ,when he had 
finished ,mr4 ,kelly's portrait1 that   
gentleman1 in paying him1 requested that
 he would take charge of a letter to his
 agents in ,philadelphia1 and deliver it
 to them himself on his return to that  
city1 which he was induced to do        

immediately1 on receiving ,dr4 ,smith's 
letter1 informing him of the arrangement
 made with ,mr4 ,allen4 ,when this      
letter was opened1 an instance of       
delicate munificence appeared on the    
part of ,mr4 ,kelly1 which cannot be too
 highly applauded4 ,it stated to the    
concern to which it was addressed1 that 
it would be delivered by an ingenious   
young gentleman1 who1 he understood1    
intended to visit ,rome for the purpose 
of studying the fine arts1 and ordered  
them to pay him fifty guineas as a      
present from him towards furnishing his 
stores for the voyage4  ,while waiting  
till the vessel was clear to sail1 ,west
 had the gratification to see1 in       
,philadelphia1 his old friend ,mr4      
,henry1 for whom he had painted the     
,death of ,socrates4 ,towards him he    
always cherished the most grateful      
affection4 ,he was the first who urged  
him to attempt historical composition2  
and1 above all1 he was the first who had
 made him acquainted with the           

magnanimous tales of ,plutarch2 perhaps1
 the greatest favour which could be     
conferred on a youthful mind1           
susceptible of impressions from the     
sublime and beautiful of human actions1 
which no author has better illustrated  
than that celebrated ,biographer1 who   
may indeed be regarded1 almost without  
hyperbole1 as the recorder of antient   
worth1 and the tutor of modern genius4  
,in his peculiar class1 ,plutarch still 
stands alone1 at least no author in any 
of the living languages appears to be   
yet truly sensible of the secret cause  
by which his sketches give that direct  
impulse to the elements of genius1 by   
which the vague and wandering feelings  
of unappropriated strength are converted
 into an uniform energy1 endowed with   
productive action4 ,plutarch1 like the  
sculptors of antiquity1 has selected    
only the great and elegant traits of    
character2 and hence his lives1 like    
those statues which are the models of   
art1 possess1 with all that is graceful 

and noble in human nature1 the          
particular features of individuals4 ,he 
had no taste for the blemishes of       
mankind4 ,his mind delighted in the     
contemplation of moral vigour2 and he   
seems justly to have thought that it was
 nearly allied to virtue3 hence many of 
those characters whose portraitures in  
his works furnish the youthful mind with
 inspiring examples of true greatness1  
more authentic historians represent in a
 light far different4 ,it is the aim of 
all dignified art to exalt the mind by  
exciting the feelings as well as the    
judgment2 and the immortal lessons of   
,plutarch would never have awakened the 
first stirrings of ambition in the      
innumerable great men who date their    
career from reading his pages1 had he   
been actuated by the minute and         
invidious spirit of modern biography4   
,these reflections have occurred the    
more forcibly at this juncture1 as the  
subject of this narrative was on the    
point of leaving a country in which were

 men destined to acquire glory in such  
achievements as ,plutarch would have    
delighted to record2 and of parting from
 early associates who afterwards        
attained a degree of eminence in the    
public service that places them high in 
the roll of those who have emulated the 
exploits and virtues of the ,heroes of  
that great ,biographer4  ,the ,artist   
having embarked with young ,allen had a 
speedy and pleasant passage to          
,gibraltar2 where1 in consequence of the
 war then raging1 the ship stopped for  
convoy4 ,as soon as they came to anchor1
 ,commodore ,carney and another officer 
came on board to examine the vessel's   
papers4 ,it happened that some time     
before1 the ,british ,government had1 on
 account of political circumstances1    
prohibited the carrying of provisions   
into ,italy1 by which prohibition the   
ship and cargo would have been forfeited
 had she been arrested in attempting to 
enter an ,italian port1 or1 indeed1 in  
proceeding with such an intention4 ,but 

,captain ,carney had scarcely taken his 
pen to write the replies to the         
questions which he put to the ,master1  
as to the owners of the vessel and her  
destination1 when he again threw it     
down1 and1 looking the other officer    
full in the face1 said1 ,i am much      
affected by the situation in which ,i am
 now placed4 ,this valuable ship is the 
property of some of my nearest          
relations1 and the best friends that ,i 
have ever had in the world6 and he      
refrained from asking any more          
questions4 ,there was1 undoubtedly1 much
 generosity in this conduct1 for by the 
indulgence of the crown1 all prizes     
taken in war become the property of the 
captors2 and ,captain ,carney1 rather   
than enrich himself at the expence of   
his friends1 chose to run the hazard of 
having his own conduct called in        
question for the non-performance of his 
official duty4 ,it perhaps deserves also
 to be considered as affording a        
favourable example of that manly        

confidence in the gentlemanly honour of 
each other which has so long            
distinguished the ,british officers4 ,on
 the mind of ,west it tended to confirm 
that agreeable impression by which so   
many previous incidents had made him    
cherish a liberal opinion of mankind4   
,in other respects1 ,captain ,carney    
happening to be the officer who came on 
board1 was a fortunate circumstance2 for
 on learning that young ,allen was in   
the ship1 he invited the passengers to  
dine on board his frigate2 and the      
company1 consisting of the ,governor1   
his staff1 and principal officers in the
 garrison1 tended to raise the          
consideration of the ,artist1 and his   
companion in the estimation of the fleet
 with which their vessel was to proceed 
to ,leghorn4 ,indeed1 throughout his    
whole life1 ,mr4 ,west was1 in this     
respect1 singularly fortunate2 for      
although the condescensions of rank do  
not in themselves confer any power on   
talent1 they have the effect of         

producing that complacency of mind in   
those who are the objects of them1 which
 is at once the reward and the solace of
 intellectual exertion1 at the same time
 that they tend to mollify the spirit of
 contemporary invidiousness4 ,the day   
after1 the fleet sailed2 and when they  
had passed the rock1 the captains of the
 two men of war ,footnote3 ,the two     
frigates1 the ,shannon1 ,captain        
,meadow1 since ,lord ,manvers1 whose    
intimacy still continues with ,mr4      
,west1 and the ,favourite sloop of war1 
,captain ,pownell4 who had charge of the
 convoy1 came on board the ,american1   
and invited ,mr4 ,allen and ,mr4 ,west  
to take their passage in one of the     
frigates2 this1 however1 they declined1 
but every day1 when the weather was     
favourable1 they were taken on board the
 one ship or the other1 to dine2 and    
when the weather did not permit this to 
be done with pleasure to the strangers1 
the officers sent them presents from    
their stock4  ,after touching at several

 parts of the coast of ,spain1 the ship 
arrived safely at ,leghorn1 where       
mercantile enquiries detained ,mr4      
,allen some time1 and ,west being       
impatient to proceed to ,rome1 bade him 
adieu4 ,prior to his departure from     
,philadelphia1 he had paid into the     
hands of old ,mr4 ,allen the money which
 he thought would be requisite for his  
expenses in ,italy1 and had received    
from him a letter of credit on ,messrs4 
,jackson and ,rutherford4 ,when they    
were made acquainted with the object of 
his voyage1 and heard his history1 they 
showed him a degree of attention beyond 
even their general great hospitality1   
and presented him with letters to       
,cardinal ,albani1 and several of the   
most distinguished characters for       
erudition and taste in ,rome2 and as he 
was unacquainted with ,french or        
,italian1 they recommended him to the   
care of a ,french ,courier1 who had     
occasion to pass that way4  ,when the   
travellers had reached the last stage of

 their journey1 while their horses were 
baiting1 ,west walked on alone4 ,it was 
a beautiful morning2 the air was        
perfectly placid1 not a speck of vapour 
in the sky1 and a profound tranquillity 
seemed almost sensibly diffused over the
 landscape4 ,the appearance of ,nature  
was calculated to lighten and elevate   
the spirits2 but the general silence and
 nakedness of the scene touched the     
feelings with solemnity approaching to  
awe4 ,filled with the idea of the       
metropolitan city1 the ,artist hastened 
forward till he reached an elevated part
 of the high road1 which afforded him a 
view of a spacious champaign country1   
bounded by hills1 and in the midst of it
 the sublime dome of ,st4 ,peter's4 ,the
 magnificence of this view of the       
,campagna excited1 in his imagination1  
an agitated train of reflections that   
partook more of the nature of feeling   
than of thought4 ,he looked for a spot  
to rest on1 that he might contemplate at
 leisure a scene at once so noble and so

 interesting2 and1 near a pile of ruins 
fringed and trellissed with ivy1 he saw 
a stone that appeared to be part of a   
column4 ,on going towards it1 he        
perceived that it was a mile-stone1 and 
that he was then only eight miles from  
the ,capitol4 ,in looking before him1   
where every object seemed by the        
transparency of the ,italian atmosphere 
to be brought nearer than it was in     
reality1 he could not but reflect on the
 contrast between the circumstances of  
that view and the scenery of ,america2  
and his thoughts naturally adverted to  
the progress of civilization4 ,the sun  
seemed1 to his fancy1 the image of truth
 and knowledge1 arising in the ,east1   
continuing to illuminate and adorn the  
whole earth1 and withdrawing from the   
eyes of the old world to enlighten the  
uncultivated regions of the new4 ,he    
thought of that remote antiquity when   
the site of ,rome itself was covered    
with unexplored forests2 and passing    
with a rapid reminiscence over her      

eventful story1 he was touched with     
sorrow at the solitude of decay with    
which she appeared to be environed1 till
 he adverted to the condition of his    
native country1 and was cheered by the  
thought of the greatness which even the 
fate of ,rome seemed to assure to       
,america4 ,for he reflected that1       
although the progress of knowledge      
appeared to intimate that there was some
 great cycle in human affairs1 and that 
the procession of the arts and sciences 
from the ,east to the ,west demonstrated
 their course to be neither stationary  
nor retrograde2 he could not but        
rejoice1 in contemplating the skeleton  
of the mighty capital before him1 that  
they had improved as they advanced1 and 
that the splendour which would precede  
their setting on the shores of ,europe1 
would be the gorgeous omen of the glory 
which they would attain in their passage
 over ,america4  ,while he was rapt in  
these reflections1 he heard the drowsy  
tinkle of a pastoral bell behind him1   

and on turning round1 he saw a peasant  
dressed in shaggy skins1 driving a few  
goats from the ruins4 ,the appearance   
and physiognomy of this peasant struck  
him as something more wild and ferocious
 than any thing about the ,indians2 and1
 perhaps1 the observation was correctly 
philosophical4 ,in the ,indian1 ,nature 
is seen in that primitive vigour and    
simplicity1 in which the actions are    
regulated by those feelings that are the
 elements of the virtues2 but in the    
,italian bandit1 for such he had reason 
afterwards to think was the real        
character of the goat-herd1 he saw man  
in that second state of barbarity1 in   
which his actions are instigated by     
wants that have often a vicious origin4 
,chap4 ,,vi4        ,state of the       
stationary ,society of ,rome4--,causes  
which rendered the     ,city a          
delightful temporary                    
residence4--,defects of the ,academical 
methods of study4--,his introduction to 
,mr4 ,robinson4--,anecdote of           

,cardinal ,albani4--,the ,cardinal's    
method of finding ,resemblances1 and    
curious mistake of the ,italians4--,the 
,artist's first visit to the     ,works 
of ,art4  ,during the pontificate of    
,pope ,rezzonico1 the society of ,rome  
had attained a pitch of elegance and a  
liberality of sentiment superior to that
 of any other city of ,christendom4 ,the
 theocratic nature of the government    
induced an exterior decorum in the      
public form of politeness1 which1 to    
strangers who took no interest in the   
abuses of the state1 was so highly      
agreeable1 that it tended even to       
appease their indignation against the   
laxity of private morals4 ,if the       
traveller would forget that the name of 
,christianity was employed in supporting
 a baneful administration to the vices1 
or could withdraw his thoughts from the 
penury and suffering which such an      
administration necessarily entailed on  
the people1 he had opportunities of     
access at ,rome to the most various and 

delightful exercises of the faculties of
 memory1 taste1 and judgment1 in the    
company of persons distinguished for    
their knowledge and genius4 ,for1 with  
all the social intercourse for which    
,paris was celebrated in the reign of   
,louis ,,xv4 the local objects at ,rome 
gave a higher and richer tone to        
conversation there2 even the living     
vices were there less offensive than at 
,paris1 the rumours of them being almost
 lost in the remembrance of departed    
virtue1 constantly kept awake by the    
sight of its monuments and vouchers4    
,tyranny in ,rome was exercised more    
intellectually than in the ,french      
,capital4 ,injustice and oppression were
 used more in the form of persuasion2   
and though the crosier was not less     
pernicious than the bayonet1 it         
inflicted a less irritating injury4 ,the
 virtuous endured with patience the     
wrongs that their misguided judgment led
 them to believe were salutary to their 
eternal welfare4 ,but it ought to be    

observed1 that the immorality of the    
,romans was greatly exaggerated4        
,individuals redeemed by their merits   
the reproach of universal profligacy2   
and strangers1 by being on their guard  
against the moral contagion1 suffered a 
less dangerous taint than in the        
,atheistical coteries of ,paris4 ,many1 
in consequence1 who came prepared to be 
disgusted with the degenerated ,romans1 
often bade them adieu with sentiments of
 respect1 and remembered their urbanity 
and accomplishments with delightful     
satisfaction4  ,it was not1 however1 the
 native inhabitants of ,rome who        
constituted the chief attractions of    
society there1 but the number of        
accomplished strangers of all countries 
and religions1 who1 in constant         
succession1 came in pilgrimage to the   
shrine of antiquity2 and who1 by the    
contemplation of the merits and glories 
of departed worth1 often felt           
themselves1 as it were1 miraculously    
endowed with new qualities4 ,the        

collision of minds fraught with         
learning1 in that high state of         
excitement which the genius of the place
 produced on the coldest imaginations1  
together with those innumerable         
brilliant and transitory topics which   
were never elicited in any other city1  
made the ,roman conversations a         
continual exercise of the understanding4
 ,the details of political intrigue1 and
 the follies of individuals1 excited but
 little interest among the strangers in 
,rome4 ,it seemed as if by an universal 
tacit resolution1 national and personal 
peculiarities and prejudices were       
forgotten1 and that all strangers       
simultaneously turned their attention to
 the transactions and affairs of former 
ages1 and of statesmen and authors now  
no more4 ,their mornings were spent in  
surveying the monuments raised to public
 virtue1 and in giving local features in
 their minds to the knowledge which they
 had acquired by the perusal of those   
works that have perpetuated the dignity 

of the ,roman character4 ,their evenings
 were often allotted to the comparison  
of their respective conjectures1 and to 
ascertain the authenticity and history  
of the relics which they had collected  
of ancient art4 ,sometimes the day was  
consumed in the study of those          
inestimable ornaments of religion1 by   
which the fraudulent disposition of the 
priesthood had1 in the decay of its     
power1 rendered itself venerable to the 
most enlightened minds2 and the night   
was devoted to the consideration of the 
causes which contribute to the          
developement of genius1 or of the events
 which tend to stifle and overwhelm its 
powers4 ,every recreation of the        
stranger in ,rome was an effort of the  
memory1 of abstraction1 and of          
fancy4--,society1 in this elevated state
 of enjoyment1 surrounded by the        
greatest works of human creation1 and   
placed amidst the monuments of the most 
illustrious of mankind1--and that of the
 ,quakers of ,pennsylvania1 employed in 

the mechanical industry of felling      
timber1 and amid the sobriety of rural  
and commercial oeconomy1 were like the  
extremes of a long series of events1 in 
which1 though the former is the         
necessary consequence of the latter1 no 
resemblance can be traced in their      
respective characteristics4 ,in ,america
 all was young1 vigorous1 and           
growing1--the spring of a nation1       
frugal1 active1 and simple4 ,in ,rome   
all was old1 infirm1 and decaying1--the 
autumn of a people who had gathered     
their glory1 and were sinking into sleep
 under the disgraceful excesses of the  
vintage4 ,on the most inert mind1       
passing from the one continent to the   
other1 the contrast was sufficient to   
excite great emotion2 on such a         
character as that of ,mr4 ,west1 who was
 naturally disposed to the contemplation
 of the sublime and beautiful1 both as  
to their moral and visible effect1 it   
made a deep and indelible impression4   
,it confirmed him in the wisdom of those

 strict religious principles which      
denied the utility of art when solely   
employed as the medium of amusement2 and
 impelled him to attempt what could be  
done to approximate the uses of the     
pencil to those of the pen1 in order to 
render ,painting1 indeed1 the sister of 
,eloquence and ,poetry4  ,but the course
 of study in the ,roman schools was not 
calculated to enable him to carry this  
grand purpose into effect2 for the      
principles by which ,michael ,angelo and
 ,raphael had attained their excellence1
 were no longer regarded4 ,the study of 
,nature was deserted for that of the    
antique2 and pictures were composed     
according to rules derived from other   
paintings1 without respect to what the  
subject required1 or what the           
circumstances of the scene probably     
appeared to be4 ,it was1 therefore1 not 
one of the least happy occurrences in   
his life that he went to ,rome when     
society was not only in the most        
favourable state for the improvement of 

his mind1 and for convincing him of the 
deleterious influence of the arts when  
employed as the embellishments of       
voluptuousness and luxury2 but also when
 the state of the arts was so mean1 that
 the full effect of studying the antique
 only1 and of grouping characters by    
academical rules1 should appear so      
striking as to satisfy him that he could
 never hope for any eminence1 if he did 
not attend more to the phenomena of     
,nature1 than to the productions of the 
greatest genius4 ,the perusal of the    
works of other painters1 he was         
sensible1 would improve his taste2 but  
he was convinced1 that the design which 
he had formed for establishing his own  
fame1 could not be realised1 if1 for a  
single moment1 he forgot that their     
works1 however exquisite1 were but the  
imitations and forms of those eternal   
models to which he had been             
instinctively directed4  ,it was on the 
#ajth of ,july1 #agfj1 that he arrived  
at ,rome4 ,the ,french ,courier         

conducted him to a hotel1 and1 having   
mentioned in the house that he was an   
,american1 and a ,quaker1 come to study 
the fine arts1 the circumstance seemed  
so extraordinary1 that it reached the   
ears of ,mr4 ,robinson1 afterwards ,lord
 ,grantham1 who immediately found       
himself possessed by an irresistible    
desire to see him2 and who1 before he   
had time to dress or refresh himself1   
paid him a visit1 and insisted that he  
should dine with him4 ,in the course of 
dinner1 that gentleman inquired what    
letters of introduction the ,artist had 
brought with him2 and ,west having      
informed him1 he observed it was        
somewhat remarkable that the whole of   
them should be addressed to his most    
particular friends1 adding1 that as he  
was engaged to meet them at a party in  
the evening1 he expected ,west would    
accompany him4 ,this attention and      
frankness was acknowledged as it        
deserved to be1 and is remembered by the
 ,artist among those fortunate incidents

 which have rendered the recollection of
 his past life so pleasant1 as scarcely 
to leave a wish for any part of it to   
have been spent otherwise than it was4  
,at the hour appointed1 ,mr4 ,robinson  
conducted him to the house of ,mr4      
,crispign1 an ,english gentleman who had
 long resided at ,rome1 where the       
evening party was held4  ,among the     
distinguished persons whom ,mr4 ,west   
found in the company1 was the celebrated
 ,cardinal ,albani4 ,his eminence1      
although quite blind1 had acquired1 by  
the exquisite delicacy of his touch1 and
 the combining powers of his mind1 such 
a sense of antient beauty1 that he      
excelled all the virtuosi then in ,rome1
 in the correctness of his knowledge of 
the verity and peculiarities of the     
smallest medals and intaglios4 ,mr4     
,robinson conducted the ,artist to the  
inner apartment1 where the ,cardinal was
 sitting1 and said1 ,i have the honour  
to present a young ,american1 who has a 
letter of introduction to your eminence1

 and who has come to ,italy for the     
purpose of studying the fine arts4 ,the 
,cardinal fancying that the ,american   
must be an ,indian1 exclaimed1 ,is he   
black or white8 and on being told that  
he was very fair1 ,what as fair as ,i   
am8 cried the ,cardinal still more      
surprised4 ,this latter expression      
excited a good deal of mirth at the     
,cardinal's expence1 for his complexion 
was of the darkest ,italian olive1 and  
,west's was even of more than the usual 
degree of ,english fairness4 ,for some  
time after1 if it be not still in use1  
the expression of as fair as the        
,cardinal acquired proverbial currency  
in the ,roman conversations1 applied to 
persons who had any inordinate conceit  
of their own beauty4  ,the ,cardinal1   
after some other short questions1       
invited ,west to come near him1 and     
running his hands over his features1    
still more attracted the attention of   
the company to the stranger1 by the     
admiration which he expressed at the    

form of his head4 ,this occasioned      
inquiries respecting the youth2 and the 
,italians concluding that1 as he was an 
,american1 he must1 of course1 have     
received the education of a savage1     
became curious to witness the effect    
which the works of ,art in the          
,belvidere and ,vatican would produce on
 him4 ,the whole company1 which         
consisted of the principal ,roman       
nobility1 and strangers of distinction  
then in ,rome1 were interested in the   
event2 and it was arranged in the course
 of the evening that on the following   
morning they should accompany ,mr4      
,robinson and his proteg to the palaces4
  ,at the hour appointed1 the company   
assembled2 and a procession1 consisting 
of upwards of thirty of the most        
magnificent equipages in the capital of 
,christendom1 and filled with some of   
the most erudite characters in ,europe1 
conducted the young ,quaker to view the 
master-pieces of art4 ,it was agreed    
that the ,apollo should be first        

submitted to his view1 because it was   
the most perfect work among all the     
ornaments of ,rome1 and1 consequently1  
the best calculated to produce that     
effect which the company were anxious to
 witness4 ,the statue then stood in a   
case1 enclosed with doors1 which could  
be so opened as to disclose it at once  
to full view4 ,west was placed in the   
situation where it was seen to the most 
advantage1 and the spectators arranged  
themselves on each side4 ,when the      
keeper threw open the doors1 the ,artist
 felt himself surprised with a sudden   
recollection altogether different from  
the gratification which he had expected2
 and without being aware of the force of
 what he said1 exclaimed1 ,my ,god1 how 
like it is to a young ,mohawk warrior4  
,the ,italians1 observing his surprise1 
and hearing the exclamation1 requested  
,mr4 ,robinson to translate to them what
 he said2 and they were excessively     
mortified to find that the god of their 
idolatry was compared to a savage4 ,mr4 

,robinson mentioned to ,west their      
chagrin1 and asked him to give some more
 distinct explanation1 by informing him 
what sort of people the ,mohawk ,indians
 were4 ,he described to him their       
education2 their dexterity with the bow 
and arrow2 the admirable elasticity of  
their limbs2 and how much their active  
life expands the chest1 while the quick 
breathing of their speed in the chace1  
dilates the nostrils with that apparent 
consciousness of vigour which is so     
nobly depicted in the ,apollo4 ,i have  
seen them often1 added he1 standing in  
that very attitude1 and pursuing1 with  
an intense eye1 the arrow which they had
 just discharged from the bow4 ,this    
descriptive explanation did not lose by 
,mr4 ,robinson's translation4 ,the      
,italians were delighted1 and allowed   
that a better criticism had rarely been 
pronounced on the merits of the statue4 
,the view of the other great works did  
not awaken the same vivid feelings4     
,those of ,raphael1 in the ,vatican1 did

 not at first particularly interest him2
 nor was it until he had often visited  
them alone1 and studied them by himself1
 that he could appreciate the fulness of
 their excellence4 ,his first view of   
the works of ,michael ,angelo1 was still
 less satisfactory3 indeed1 he continued
 always to think1 that1 with the single 
exception of the ,moses1 that ,artist   
had not succeeded in giving a probable  
character to any of his subjects1       
notwithstanding the masterly hand and   
mind which pervade the weakest of his   
productions4  ,among the first objects  
which particularly interested ,mr4      
,west1 and which he never ceased to     
re-visit day after day with increasing  
pleasure1 were the celebrated statues   
ascribed to ,phidias1 on the ,monte     
,cavallo4 ,the action of the human      
figure appeared to him so majestic1 that
 it seemed to throw1 as it were1 a      
visible kind of awe into the very       
atmosphere1 and over all the surrounding
 buildings4 ,but the smallness of the   

horse struck him as exceedingly         
preposterous4 ,he had often examined it 
before the idea occurred to him that it 
was probably reduced according to some  
unknown principle of antient art2 and in
 this notion he was confirmed1 by       
observing something of the same kind in 
the relative proportion of human figures
 and animals1 on the different gems and 
bas-reliefs to which his attention was  
subsequently directed4 ,the antient     
sculptors uniformly seemed to consider  
the human figure as the chief object1   
and sacrificed1 to give it effect1 the  
proportions of inferior parts4 ,the     
author of the group on the ,monte       
,cavallo1 in the opinion of ,mr4 ,west1 
represented the horse smaller than the  
natural size1 in order to augment the   
grandeur of the man4 ,how far this      
notion1 as the principle of a rule1 may 
be sound1 it would be unnecessary1      
perhaps impertinent1 to inquire here2   
but its justness as applicable to the   
sculptures of antiquity1 is abundantly  

verified by the bas-reliefs brought from
 the ,parthenon of ,athens4 ,it is1     
indeed1 so admitted a feature of antient
 art1 as to be regarded by some critics 
as having for its object the same effect
 in sculpture1 which is attained by     
light and shadow in painting4--,in a    
picture1 the ,artist1 by a judicious    
obscurity1 so veils the magnitude of the
 car in which he places a victor1 that  
notwithstanding its size1 it may not    
appear the principal object2 but this   
artifice is denied to the sculptor1 who 
is necessitated to diminish the size of 
those things which are of least         
importance1 in order to give dignity to 
the predominant figures4 ,raphael1 in   
making the boat so small in the         
miraculous draught of fishes1 is thought
 to have injudiciously applied this rule
 of antient sculpture2 for he ought to  
have accomplished1 by foreshortening1   
the same effect which he meant to       
produce by diminishing the size4 ,it    
should1 however1 be observed1 that great

 doubts are entertained if the statues  
on the ,monte ,cavallo were originally  
integral parts of the same group2 but   
although this doubt may be well founded1
 it will not invalidate the supposed    
general principle of the antient        
sculptors1 corroborated1 as it is1 by   
innumerable examples4  ,in the evening1 
after visiting the palaces1 ,mr4        
,robinson carried ,mr4 ,west to see a   
grand religious ceremony in one of the  
churches4 ,hitherto he was acquainted   
only with the simple worship of the     
,quakers4 ,the pomp of the papal        
ceremonies was as much beyond his       
comprehension1 as the overpowering      
excellence of the music surpassed his   
utmost expectations4 ,undoubtedly1 in   
all the spectacles and amusements of    
,rome1 he possessed a keener sense of   
enjoyment1 arising from the simplicity  
of his education1 than most other       
travellers4 ,that same sensibility to   
the beauty of forms and colours which   
had awakened his genius for painting1   

was1 probably1 accompanied with a       
general superior susceptibility of the  
other organs as well as the sight2 for  
it is observed that a taste for any one 
of the fine arts is connected with a    
general predilection for them all4 ,but 
neither the ,apollo1 the ,vatican1 nor  
the pomp of the ,catholic ritual1       
excited his feelings to so great a      
degree as the spectacle which presented 
itself to his view around the portico of
 the church4 ,bred in the universal     
prosperity of ,pennsylvania1 where the  
benevolence of the human bosom was only 
employed in acts of hospitality and     
mutual kindness1 he had never witnessed 
any spectacle of beggary1 nor had he    
ever heard the name of ,god uttered to  
second an entreaty for alms4 ,here1     
however1 all the lazars and the wretched
 in ,rome were collected together2      
hundreds of young and old in that       
extreme of squalor1 nakedness1 and      
disease which affrights the ,english    
traveller in ,italy1 were seen on all   

sides2 and their importunities and      
cries1 for the love of ,god1 and the    
mercy of ,christ1 to relieve them1      
thrilled in his ears1 and smote upon his
 heart to such a degree1 that his joints
 became as it were loosened1 and his    
legs scarcely able to support him4 ,many
 of the beggars knew ,mr4 ,robinson1 and
 seeing him accompanied by a stranger1  
an ,englishman1 as they concluded the   
,artist to be from his appearance1      
surrounded them with confidence and     
clamours4         99       99       99  
99       99  ,as they returned from the 
church1 a woman somewhat advanced in    
life1 and of a better appearance than   
the generality of the beggars1 followed 
them1 and ,mr4 ,west gave her a small   
piece of copper money1 the first ,roman 
coin which he had received in change1   
the relative value of which to the other
 coins of the country was unknown to    
him4 ,shortly afterwards they were      
joined by some of the ,italians1 whom   
they had seen in the morning1 and while 

they were conversing together1 he felt  
some one pull his coat1 and turned      
round4 ,it was the poor woman to whom he
 had given the piece of copper money4   
,she held out in her hand several       
smaller pieces1 and as he did not       
understand her language1 he concluded   
that she was chiding him for having     
given her such a trifle1 and coloured   
deeply with the idea4 ,his ,english     
friend1 observing his confusion1        
inquired what he had given her1 and he  
answered that he did not know1 but it   
was a piece of money which he had       
received in change4 ,robinson1 after a  
short conversation with the beggar1 told
 ,mr4 ,west that she had asked him to   
give her a farthing4 ,but as you gave   
her a two-penny piece1 said he1 she has 
brought you the change4 ,this instance  
of humble honesty1 contrasted with the  
awful mass of misery with which it was  
united1 gave him a favourable idea of   
the latent sentiments of the ,italians4 
,how much1 indeed1 is the character of  

that people traduced by the rest of     
,europe6 ,how often is the traveller in 
,italy1 when he dreads the approach of  
robbers1 and prepares against murder1   
surprised at the bountiful disposition  
of the common ,italians1 and made to    
blush at having applied the charges     
against a few criminals to the character
 of a whole people--without reflecting  
that the nation is only weak because it 
is subdivided4     ,chap4 ,,vii4        
,anecdote of a famous                   
,impoverisatore4--,west the subject of  
one of his     finest                   
effusions4--,anecdote of ,cardinal      
,albani4--,west introduced to           
,mengs4--,satisfactory result of        
,wests's first essay in                 
,rome4--,consequences of the continual  
excitement which the ,artist's          
feelings endured4--,he goes to ,florence
 for advice4--,he accompanies ,mr4      
,matthews in a tour4--,singular instance
 of liberality towards the     ,artist  
from several ,gentlemen of              

,philadelphia4  ,it was not1 however1   
the novelty1 variety1 and magnificence  
of the works of art and antiquity in    
,rome1 that kept ,mr4 ,west in a        
constant state of high excitement2 the  
vast difference in the manners of the   
people from those of the inhabitants of 
,america1 acted also as an incessant    
stimulus on his feelings and            
imagination3 even that difference1 great
 as it happened to be1 was rendered     
particularly interesting to him by      
incidents arising out of his own        
peculiar situation4 ,one night1 soon    
after his arrival in ,rome1 ,mr4 ,gavin 
,hamilton1 the painter1 to whom he had  
been introduced by ,mr4 ,robinson1 took 
him to a coffee-house1 the usual resort 
of the ,british travellers4 ,while they 
were sitting at one of the tables1 a    
venerable old man1 with a guitar        
suspended from his shoulder1 entered the
 room1 and coming immediately to their  
table1 ,mr4 ,hamilton addressed him by  
the name of ,homer4--,he was the most   

celebrated ,improvisatore in all ,italy1
 and the richness of expression1 and    
nobleness of conception which he        
displayed in his effusions1 had obtained
 for him that distinguished name4 ,those
 who once heard his poetry1 never ceased
 to lament that it was lost in the same 
moment1 affirming1 that it often was so 
regular and dignified1 as to equal the  
finest compositions of ,tasso and       
,ariosto4--,it will1 perhaps1 afford    
some gratification to the admirers of   
native genius to learn1 that this old   
man1 though led by the fine frenzy of   
his imagination to prefer a wild and    
wandering life to the offer of a settled
 independence1 which had been often made
 to him in his youth1 enjoyed in his old
 age1 by the liberality of several      
,englishmen1 who had raised a           
subscription for the purpose1 a small   
pension1 sufficient to keep him         
comfortable in his own way1 when he     
became incapable of amusing the public4 
,after some conversation1 ,homer        

requested ,mr4 ,hamilton to give him a  
subject for a poem4 ,in the mean time1 a
 number of ,italians had gathered round 
them to look at ,mr4 ,west1 who they had
 heard was an ,american1 and whom1 like 
,cardinal ,albani1 they imagined to be  
an ,indian4 ,some of them1 on hearing   
,homer's request1 observed1 that he had 
exhausted his vein1 and had already said
 and sung every subject over and over4  
,mr4 ,hamilton1 however1 remarked that  
he thought he could propose something   
new to the bard1 and pointing to ,mr4   
,west1 said1 that he was an ,american   
come to study the fine arts in ,rome2   
and that such an event furnished a new  
and magnificent theme4 ,homer took      
possession of the thought with the      
ardour of inspiration4 ,he immediately  
unslung his guitar1 and began to draw   
his fingers rapidly over the strings1   
swinging his body from side to side1 and
 striking fine and impressive chords4   
,when he had thus brought his motions   
and his feelings into unison with the   

instrument1 he began an extemporaneous  
ode in a manner so dignified1 so        
pathetic1 and so enthusiastic1 that ,mr4
 ,west was scarcely less interested by  
his appearance than those who enjoyed   
the subject and melody of his numbers4  
,he sung the darkness which for so many 
ages veiled ,america from the eyes of   
,science4 ,he described the fulness of  
time when the purposes for which it had 
been raised from the deep were to be    
manifested4 ,he painted the seraph of   
knowledge descending from heaven1 and   
directing ,columbus to undertake the    
discovery2 and he related the leading   
incidents of the voyage4 ,he invoked the
 fancy of his auditors to contemplate   
the wild magnificence of mountain1 lake1
 and wood1 in the new world2 and he     
raised1 as it were1 in vivid            
perspective1 the ,indians in the chase1 
and at their horrible sacrifices4 ,but1 
he exclaimed1 the beneficent spririt of 
improvement is ever on the wing1 and1   
like the ray from the throne of ,god    

which inspired the conception of the    
,virgin1 it has descended on this youth1
 and the hope which ushered in its new  
miracle1 like the star that guided the  
magi to ,bethlehem1 has led him to      
,rome4 ,methinks ,i behold in him an    
instrument chosen by heaven1 to raise in
 ,america the taste for those arts which
 elevate the nature of man1--an         
assurance that his country will afford a
 refuge to science and knowledge1 when  
in the old age of ,europe they shall    
have forsaken her shores4 ,but all      
things of heavenly origin1 like the     
glorious sun1 move ,westward2 and ,truth
 and ,art have their periods of shining1
 and of night4 ,rejoice then1 ,o        
venerable ,rome1 in thy divine destiny1 
for though darkness overshadow thy      
seats1 and though thy mitred head must  
descend into the dust1 as deep as the   
earth that now covers thy antient helmet
 and imperial diadem1 thy spirit1       
immortal and undecayed1 already spreads 
towards a new world1 where1 like the    

soul of man in ,paradise1 it will be    
perfected in virtue and beauty more and 
more4 ,the highest efforts of the       
greatest actors1 even of ,garrick       
himself delivering the poetry of        
,shakespeare1 never produced a more     
immediate and inspiring effect than this
 rapid burst of genius4 ,when the       
applause had abated1 ,mr4 ,west being   
the stranger1 and the party addressed1  
according to the common practice1 made  
the bard a present4 ,mr4 ,hamilton      
explained the subject of the ode3 though
 with the weakness of a verbal          
translation1 and the imperfection of an 
indistinct echo1 it was so connected    
with the appearance which the author    
made in the recital1 that the incident  
has never been obliterated from ,mr4    
,west's recollection4  ,while the       
,artist was gratifying himself with a   
cursory view of the works of art1 and of
 the curiosities1 ,mr4 ,hope1 of        
,amsterdam1 the father of the gentlemen 
who have since become so well known in  

,london for their taste in the arts1 and
 their superb collections of pictures   
and marbles1 arrived in ,rome4 ,mr4     
,west being introduced to him1          
accompanied him to ,cardinal ,albani1 to
 whom he had letters of introduction1   
and witnessed a proof of the peculiar   
skill of his ,eminence4 ,the ,cardinal  
requested ,mr4 ,hope to come near him1  
and according to his usual custom with  
strangers1 drew his hands over his face1
 observing that he was a ,german4 ,in   
doing the same thing to ,mr4 ,west1 he  
recognized him as the young ,american4  
,at this time ,mengs was in the zenith  
of his popularity1 and ,west was        
introduced to him at the ,cardinal's    
villa4 ,he appeared to be as much struck
 as every other person1 with the        
extraordinary circumstance of an        
,american coming to study the fine arts2
 and begged that ,mr4 ,west would show  
him a speciman of his proficiency in    
drawing4 ,in returning home1 our ,artist
 mentioned to ,mr4 ,robinson that as he 

had never learnt to draw1 he could not  
produce any sketch like those made by   
the other students2 but that he could   
paint a little1 and if ,mr4 ,robinson   
would take the trouble to sit1 he would 
execute his portrait to shew ,mengs4    
,the proposal was readily acceded to1   
and it was also agreed1 that except to  
two of their most intimate              
acquaintances1 the undertaking should be
 kept a profound secret4 ,when the      
picture was finished1 it was so         
advantageous to the ,artist1 that it    
tended to confirm the opinion which was 
entertained of his powers1 founded only 
on the strength of the curiosity which  
had brought him from ,america4 ,but1    
before shewing it to ,mengs1 it was     
resolved that the taste and judgment of 
the public with respect to its merits   
should be ascertained4  ,mr4 ,crespign1 
one of the two friends in the secret1   
lived as a ,roman gentleman1 and twice a
 year gave a grand assembly at his      
house1 to which all the nobility and    

strangers in ,rome1 the most eminent for
 rank1 birth1 and talents1 were invited4
 ,it was agreed that the portrait should
 be exhibited at one of his parties1    
which happened to take place soon after 
it was finished4 ,a suitable frame being
 provided1 the painting was hung up in  
one of the rooms4 ,the first guests who 
arrived1 were ,amateurs and ,artists2   
and as it was known among them that     
,robinson was sitting to ,mengs for his 
portrait1 it was at once thought to be  
that picture1 and they agreed that they 
had never seen any painting of the      
,artist so well coloured4 ,as the guests
 assembled1 the portrait became more and
 more the subject of attention1 and ,mr4
 ,west sat behind on a sofa equally     
agitated and delighted by their         
strictures1 which ,mr4 ,robinson        
reported to him from time to time4 ,in  
the course of the evening ,mr4 ,dance1  
an ,englishman of great shrewdness1 was 
observed looking with an eye of more    
than common scrutiny at the portrait1 by

 ,mr4 ,jenkins1 another of the guests1  
who1 congratulating ,robinson in getting
 so good a portrait from ,mengs1 turned 
to ,dance1 and said1 ,the he must now   
acknowledge that ,mengs could colour as 
well as he could draw4 ,dance confessed 
that he thought the picture much better 
coloured than those usually painted by  
,mengs1 but added that he did not think 
the drawing either so firm or good as   
the usual style of that ,artist4 ,this  
remark occasioned some debate1 in which 
,jenkins1 attributing the strictures of 
,dance to some prejudice which he had   
early conceived against ,mengs1 drew the
 company around to take a part in the   
discussion4 ,mr4 ,crespign seizing the  
proper moment in their conversation to  
produce the effect intended1 said to    
,jenkins that he was mistaken1 and that 
,dance was in the right1 for1 in truth1 
the picture was not painted by ,mengs4  
,by whom then1 vociferated every one1   
for there is no other painted now in    
,rome capable of executing any thing so8

 ,by that young gentleman there1 said   
,mr4 ,crespign1 turning to ,west4 ,at   
once all eyes were bent towards him1 and
 the ,italians1 in their way1 ran and   
embraced him4 ,thus did the best judges 
at once1 by this picture1 acknowledge   
him as only second in the executive     
department of the art to the first      
painter then in ,rome4 ,mengs himself1  
on seeing the picture1 expressed his    
opinion in terms that did great honour  
to his liberality1 and gave the ,artist 
an advice which he never forgot1 nor    
remembered without gratitude4 ,he told  
him that the portrait showed that he had
 no occasion to learn to paint at ,rome4
 ,you have already1 sir1 said he1 the   
mechanical part of your art3 what ,i    
would1 therefore1 recommend to you1 is  
to see and examine every thing deserving
 of your attention here1 and after      
making a few drawings of about half a   
dozen of the best statues1 go to        
,florence1 and observe what has been    
done for ,art in the collections there4 

,then proceed to ,bologna1 and study the
 works of the ,caracci2 afterwards visit
 ,parma1 and examine1 attentively1 the  
pictures of ,corregio2 and then go to   
,venice and view the productions of     
,tintoretti1 ,titian1 and ,paul         
,veronese4 ,when you have made this     
tour1 come back to ,rome1 and paint an  
historical composition to be exhibited  
to the ,roman public2 and the opinion   
which will then be formed of your       
talents should determine the line of our
 profession which you ought to follow4  
,this judicious advice1 so different    
from those absurd academical dogmas     
which would confine genius to the       
looking only to the works of art1 for   
that perfection which they but dimly    
reflect from nature1 ,west found accord 
so well with his own reflections and    
principles1 that he resolved to follow  
it with care and attention4 ,but the    
thought of being in ,rome1 and the      
constant excitement arising from        
extraordinary and interesting objects1  

so affected his mind1 accustomed to the 
sober and uniform habits of the         
,quakers1 that sleep deserted his       
pillow1 and he became ill and constantly
 feverish4 ,the public took an interest 
in his situation4 ,a consultation of the
 best ,physicians in ,rome was held on  
his case1 the result of which was a     
formal communication to ,mr4 ,robinson1 
that his friend must immediately quit   
the capital1 and seek relief from the   
irritated state of his sensibility in   
quiet and retirement4 ,accordingly1 on  
the #bjth of ,august he returned to     
,leghorn4  ,messrs4 ,jackson and        
,rutherford1 by whose most friendly     
recommendation he had obtained so much  
flattering distinction at ,rome1        
received him into their own house1 and  
treated him with a degree of hospitality
 that merits for them the honour of     
being considered among the number of his
 early patrons4 ,mr4 7afterwards ,sir   
,john7 ,dick1 then the ,british ,consul 
at ,leghorn1 and his lady1 also treated 

him with great partiality1 and procured 
for him the use of the ,imperial baths4 
,his mind being thus relieved from the  
restless ecstasy which he had suffered  
in ,rome1 and the intensity of interest 
being diminished by the circumscribed   
nature of the society of ,leghorn1      
together with the bracing effects of    
sea-bathing1 he was soon again in a     
condition to resume his study in the    
capital4 ,but the same overpowering     
attacks on his feelings and imagination 
soon produced a relapse of his former   
indisposition1 and compelled him to     
return to ,leghorn1 where he was again  
speedily cured of his fever1 but it left
 in its dregs a painful affection in the
 ancle1 that threatened the loss of the 
limb4 ,the well-known ,nanoni1 an       
eminent surgeon1 who had introduced many
 improvements in the treatment of       
diseased joints1 was at this period     
resident in ,florence1 and ,messrs4     
,jackson and ,rutherford wrote to ,sir  
,horace ,mann1 then the ,british        

,minister at the ,ducal ,court1 to      
consult him relative to the case of ,mr4
 ,west3 his answer induced them to      
advise the ,artist to go to ,florence4  
,after a painful period of eleven months
 confinement to his couch and chamber1  
he was perfectly and radically cured4   
,a state of pain and disease is adverse 
to mental improvement2 but there were   
intervals in which ,mr4 ,west felt his  
anguish abate1 and in which he could not
 only participate in the conversation of
 the gentlemen to whose kindness he had 
been recommended1 but was able1         
occastionally1 to exercise his pencil4  
,the testimonies of friendship which he 
received at this perdiod from ,sir      
,horace ,mann1 the ,marquesses of ,creni
 and ,riccardi1 the late ,lord ,cooper1 
and many others of the ,british nobility
 then travelling in ,italy1 made an     
indelible impression on his mind1 and   
became a stimulating motive to his      
wishes to excel in his art1 in order to 
demonstrate by his proficiency that he  

was not unworthy of their solicitude4   
,he had a table constructed so as to    
enable him to draw while he lay in bed2 
and in that situation he amused and     
improved himself in delineating the     
picturesque conceptions which were      
constantly presenting themselves to his 
fancy4  ,when he was so far recovered as
 to be able to take exercise1 and to    
endure the fatigue of travelling1 a     
circumstance happened which may be      
numbered among the many fortunate       
accidents of his professional career4   
,mr4 ,matthews1 the manager of the      
important commercial concerns of        
,messrs4 ,jackson and ,rutherford1 was  
one of those singular men who are but   
rarely met with in mercantile life1     
combining the highest degree of literary
 and elegant accomplishments with the   
best talents for active business4 ,he   
was not only confessedly one of the     
finest classical scholars in all ,italy1
 but1 out of all comparison1 the best   
practical antiquary1 perhaps1 then in   

that country1 uniting1 along with the   
minutest accuracy of criticism1 a       
delicacy of taste in the perception of  
the beauty and judgment of the antients1
 seldom found blended with an equal     
degree of classical erudition4 ,affairs 
connected with the business of the      
house1 and a wish to see the principal  
cities of ,italy1 led ,mr4 ,matthews1   
about the period of ,mr4 ,west's        
recovery1 to visit ,florence1 and it was
 agreed between them that they should   
together make the tour recommended by   
,mengs4  ,in the mean time1 the good    
fortune of ,west was working to happy   
effects in another part of the world4   
,the story of ,mr4 ,robinson's portrait 
had made so great a noise among the     
travellers in ,italy1 that ,messrs4     
,jackson and ,rutherford1 in sending    
back the ship to ,philadelphia1 in which
 the ,artist had come passenger1        
mentioned it in their letters to ,mr4   
,allen4 ,it is seldom that commercial   
affairs are mingled with those of art1  

and it was only from the ,italian shore 
that a mercantile house could introduce 
such a topic into their correspondence4 
,it happened that on the very day this  
letter reached ,mr4 ,allen1 ,mr4        
,hamilton1 then ,governor of            
,pennsylvania1 and the principal members
 of the government1 along with the most 
considerable citizens of ,philadelphia1 
were dining with him4 ,after dinner1    
,mr4 ,allen read the letter to the      
company1 and mentioned the amount of the
 sum of money which ,west had paid into 
his hands at the period of his departure
 from ,america1 adding that it must be  
pretty far reduced4 ,but1 said he with  
warmth1 ,i regard this young man as an  
honour to the country1 and as he is the 
first that ,america has sent to         
cultivate the fine arts1 he shall not be
 frustrated in his studies1 for ,i have 
resolved to write to my correspondents  
at ,leghorn1 to give him1 from myself1  
whatever money he may require4 ,mr4     
,hamilton felt the force of this        

generous declaration1 and said1 with    
equal animation1 ,i think exactly as you
 do1 ,sir1 but you shall not have all   
the honour of it to yourself1 and1      
therefore1 ,i beg that you will consider
 me as joining you in the responsibility
 of the credit4 ,the consequence of this
 was1 that upon ,west going1 previously 
to leaving ,florence1 to take a small   
sum of about ten pounds from the bankers
 to whom he had been recommended by     
,messrs4 ,jackson and ,rutherford1 a    
letter was brought in1 while he was     
waiting for his money1 and the gentleman
 who opened it said to him1 that the    
contents of the letter would probably   
afford him unexpected pleasure1 as it   
instructed them to give him unlimited   
credit4 ,a more splendid instance of    
liberality is not to be found even in   
the records of ,florence4 ,the          
munificence of the ,medici was excelled 
by that of the magistracy of            
,philadelphia4     ,chap4 ,,viii4       
,the result of the ,artist's experiment 

to discover the methods by which        
,titian produced his splendid           
colouring4--,he returns to              
,rome4--,reflections suggested by       
inspecting the ,egyptian                
,obelisk4--,considerations of the       
,author on the same subject2 an         
anecdote of a ,mohawk ,indian who became
 an ,actor at ,new ,york4--,anecdote    
of a ,scottish ,fanatic who arrived in  
,rome1 to convert the                   
,pope4--,sequel of the ,adventure4--,the
 ,artist prepares to visit              
,england4--,having completed his ,st4   
,jerome1 after ,corregio's famous       
picture1 he is elected an ,honorary     
,member of the ,academy of ,parma1 and  
invited to ,court4--,he proceeds by the 
way of ,genoa towards ,france4--        
,reflections on the ,state of           
,italy4--,adventure on reaching the     
,french     frontiers4--,state of ,taste
 in ,france4   ,from ,florence the      
,artist proceeded to ,bologna1 and      
having staid some time there1 carefully 

inspecting every work of celebrity to   
which he could obtain access1 he went on
 to ,venice1 visiting in his route all  
the objects which ,mengs had recommended
 to his attention4 ,the style of        
,titian1 which in breadth and clearness 
of colouring so much excels that of     
almost every other painter1 was the     
peculiar characteristic of the ,venetian
 school which interested him the most1  
and seemed to him1 at first1 involved in
 inexplicable mystery4 ,he was never    
satisfied with the explanations which   
the ,italian amateurs attempted to give 
him of what they called the internal    
light of that master's productions4     
,repeated experiments1 however1 enabled 
him1 at last1 to make the discovery     
himself4 ,indeed1 he was from the first 
persuaded that it was chiefly owing to  
the peculiar genius of the ,artist      
himself1--to an exquisite delicacy of   
sight which enabled him to perceive the 
most approximate tints1--and not to any 
particular dexterity of pencilling1 nor 

to any superiority in the materials of  
his colours4 ,this notion led ,mr4 ,west
 to try the effect of painting in the   
first place with the pure primary       
colours1 and softening them afterwards  
with the semi tints2 and the result     
confirmed him in the notion that such   
was probably the peculiar method of     
,titian4 ,but although this idea was    
suggested by his visits to the          
collections of ,venice1 he was not      
perfectly satisfied with its soundness  
as a rule1 till many years after his    
arrival in ,london1 and many            
unsuccessful experiments4  ,having      
completed his tour to the most          
celebrated repositories of art in       
,italy1 and enriched his mind1 and      
improved his taste1 by the perusal      
rather than the imitation of their best 
pieces1 he returned to ,rome1 and       
applied himself to a minute and         
assiduous study of the great ornaments  
of that capital1 directing his principal
 attention to the works of ,raphael1 and

 improving his knowledge of the antient 
costume by the study of ,cameos1 in     
which he was assisted by ,mr4 ,wilcox1  
the author of the ,roman                
,conversations1--to whom he had been    
introduced by ,mr4 ,robinson1 at ,mr4   
,crespign's1 on the occasion of the     
exhibition of the ,portrait1--a man of  
singular attainments in learning1 and of
 a serene and composed dignity of mind  
and manners that rendered him more      
remarkable to strangers than even his   
great classical knowledge4  ,of all the 
monuments of antient art in ,rome1 the  
,obelisk brought from ,egypt1 in the    
reign of ,augustus1 interested his      
curiosity the most1 and even for a time 
affected him as much as those which so  
agitated him by their beauty4 ,the      
hieroglyphics appeared to resemble so   
exactly the figures in the ,wampum belts
 of the ,indians1 that it occurred to   
him1 if ever the mysteries of ,egypt    
were to be interpreted1 it might be by  
the aborigines of ,america4 ,this       

singular notion was not1 however1 the   
mere suggestion of fancy1 but the effect
 of an opinion which his early friend   
and tutor ,provost ,smith conceived1 in 
consequence of attending the grand      
meeting of the ,indian chiefs1 with the 
,governors of the ,british colonies1    
held at ,east town1 in ,pennsylvania1 in
 the year following the disastrous fate 
of ,bradock's army4 ,the chiefs had     
requested this interview1 in order to   
state to the officers the wrongs and    
injuries of which they complained2 and  
at the meeting they evidently read the  
reports and circumstances of their      
grievances from the hieroglyphical      
chronicle of the ,wampum belts1 which   
they held in their hands1 and by which1 
from the date of their grand alliance   
with ,william ,penn1 the man from the   
ocean1 as they called him1 they minutely
 related all the circumstances in which 
they conceived the terms and spirit of  
the treaty had been infringed by the    
,british1 defying the officers to show  

any one point in which the ,indians had 
swerved from their engagements4 ,it     
seemed to ,dr4 ,smith that such a minute
 traditionary detail of facts could not 
have been preserved without some        
contemporary record2 and he1 therefore1 
imagined1 that the constant reference   
made to the figures on the belts was a  
proof that they were chronicles4 ,this  
notion was countenanced by another      
circumstance which ,mr4 ,west had       
himself often noticed4 ,the course of   
some of the high roads through          
,pennsylvania lies along what were      
formerly the war tracks of the ,indians2
 and he had frequently seen             
hieroglyphics engraved on the trees and 
rocks4 ,he was told that they were      
inscriptions left by some of the tribes 
who had passed that way in order to     
apprize their friends of the route which
 they had taken1 and of any other matter
 which it concerned them to know4 ,he   
had also noticed among the ,indians who 
annually visited ,philadelphia1 that    

there were certain old chiefs who       
occasionally instructed the young       
warriors to draw red and black figures1 
similar to those which are made on the  
belts1 and who explained their          
signification with great emphasis1 while
 the students listened to the recital   
with profound silence and attention4 ,it
 was not1 therefore1 extraordinary1     
that1 on seeing similar figures on the  
,egyptian trophy1 he should have thought
 that they were intended to transmit the
 record of transactions like the ,wampum
 belts4--,a language of signs derived   
from natural objects1 must have         
something universal in its very nature2 
for the qualities represented by the    
emblematic figure1 would1 doubtless1 be 
those for which the original of the     
figure was most remarkable3 and1        
therefore1 if there be any resemblance  
between the ,egyptian hieroglyphics and 
those used by the ,american ,indians1   
the probability is1 that there is also  
some similar intrinsic meaning in their 

signification4 ,but the ,wampum belts   
are probably not all chronicles2 there  
is reason to believe that some of them  
partake of the nature of calendars1 by  
which the ,indians are regulated in     
proceedings dependant on the seasons2   
and that1 in this respect1 they answer  
to the household ,gods of the           
patriarchal times1 which are supposed to
 have been calendars1 and the figure of 
each an emblem of some portion of the   
year1 or sign of the ,zodiac4 ,it would 
be foreign to the nature of this work to
 investigate the evidence which may be  
adduced on this subject1 or to collect  
those various and scattered hints which 
have given rise to the opinion1 and with
 a faint1 but not fallacious ray1 have  
penetrated that obscure region of       
antient history1 between the period when
 the devotion of mankind1 withdrawn from
 the worship of the ,deity1 was         
transferred to the adoration of the     
stars1 and prior to the still greater   
degradation of the human faculties when 

altars were raised to idols4  ,the idea 
of the ,indians being in possession of  
hieroglyphical writings1 is calculated  
to lead us to form a very different     
opinion of them to that which is usually
 entertained by the world4 ,except in   
the mere enjoyments of sense1 they do   
not appear to be inferior to the rest of
 mankind2 and their notions of moral    
dignity are exactly those which are     
recommended to our imitation by the     
literature of all antiquity4 ,but they  
have a systematic contempt for whatever 
either tends to increase their troubles1
 to encumber the freedom of their       
motions1 or to fix them to settled      
habitations4 ,in their unsheltered      
nakedness1 they have a prouder          
consciousness of their importance in the
 scale of beings1 than the philosophers 
of ,europe1 with all their multiplicity 
of sensual and intellectual             
gratifications1 to supply which so many 
of the human race are degraded from     
their natural equality4 ,the ,indian1   

however1 is not deficient in mental     
enjoyments1 or a stranger to the        
exercise of the dignified faculties of  
our common nature4 ,he delivers himself 
on suitable occasions with a majesty of 
eloquence that would beggar the oratory 
of the parliaments1 and the pulpits of  
,christendom2 and his poetry unfolds the
 loftiest imagery and sentiment of the  
epic and the hymn4 ,he considers himself
 as the lord of the creation1 and       
regards the starry heaven as his canopy1
 and the everlasting mountain as his    
throne4 ,it would be absurd1 however1 to
 assert with ,rousseau1 that he is1     
therefore1 better or happier than       
civilized man2 but it would be equally  
so to deny him the same sense of        
dignity1 the same feeling of dishonour1 
the same love of renown1 or ascribe to  
his actions in war1 and his recreations 
in peace1 baser motives than to the     
luxurious warriors and statesmen of     
,europe4 ,before ,mr4 ,west left        
,america1 an attempt was made to educate

 three young ,indians at ,new ,york2 and
 their progress1 notwithstanding that   
they still retained something of their  
original wildness of character1 exceeded
 the utmost expectations of those who   
were interested in the experiment4 ,two 
of them1 however1 in the end1 returned  
to their tribe1 but they were rendered  
miserable by the contempt with which    
they were received2 and the brother of  
the one who remained behind1 was so     
affected with their degradation1 that he
 came to the city determined to redeem  
his brother from the thraldom of        
civilization4 ,on his arrival he found  
he had become an actor1 and was fast    
rising into celebrity on the stage4 ,on 
learning this circumstance1 the resolute
 ,indian went to the theatre1 and seated
 himself in the pit4 ,the moment that   
his brother appeared1 he leapt upon the 
stage1 and drawing his knife1 threatened
 to sacrifice him on the spot unless he 
would immediately strip himself naked1  
and return with him to their home in the

 woods4 ,he upbraided him with the      
meanness of his disposition1 in         
consenting to make himself a slave4 ,he 
demanded if he had forgotten that the   
,great ,spirit had planted the ,indian  
corn for their use1 and filled the      
forests with game1 the air with birds1  
and the waters with fish1 that they     
might be free4 ,he represented the      
institutions of civilized society as    
calculated to make him dependant on the 
labour of others1 and subject to every  
chance that might interrupt their       
disposition to supply his wants4 ,the   
actor obeyed his brother1 and returning 
to the woods1 was never seen again in   
the town4 ,a  ,it may1 perhaps1 not be  
an impertinent digression to contrast   
this singular occurrence in the theatre 
of ,new ,york with another truly        
,european1 to which ,mr4 ,west was a    
witness1 in the ,cathedral of ,st4      
,peter4 ,among other intelligent        
acquaintances which he formed in ,rome  
was the ,abat ,grant1 one of the        

adherents of that unfortunate family1   
whom the baseness of their confidential 
servants1 and the factions of ambitious 
demagogues1 deprived1 collectively1 of  
their birthright4 ,this priest1 though a
 firm ,jacobite in principle1 was1 like 
many others of the same political       
sentiments1 liberal and enlightened1    
refuting1 by his conduct1 the false and 
fraudulent calumnies which have been so 
long alleged against the gallant men who
 supported the cause of the ill-fated   
,stuarts4 ,on ,st4 ,peter's day1 when   
the ,pope in person performs high mass  
in the cathedral1 the ,abat offered to  
take ,mr4 ,west to the church1 as he    
could place him among the ecclesiastics1
 in an advantageous situation to witness
 the ceremony4 ,glad of such an offer1  
,mr4 ,west willingly accompanied him4   
,the vast edifice2 the immense multitude
 of spectators2 the sublimity of the    
music2 and the effect of the pomp       
addressed to the sight1 produced on the 
mind of the ,painter feelings scarcely  

less enthusiastic than those which the  
devoutest of the worshippers            
experienced1 or the craftiest inhabitant
 of the ,vatican affected to feel4 ,at  
the elevation of the host1 and as he was
 kneeling beside the ,abat1 to their    
equal astonishment he heard a voice1    
exclaiming behind them in a broad       
,scottish accent1 ,o ,lord1 cast not the
 church down on them for this           
abomination6 ,the surrounding ,italian  
priests1 not understanding what the     
enthusiast was saying1 listened with    
great comfort to such a lively          
manifestation of a zeal1 which they     
attributed to the blessed effects of the
 performance4 ,the ,abat1 however1 with 
genuine ,scottish partiality1 was       
alarmed for his countryman1 and         
endeavoured to persuade him to hold his 
tongue during the ceremony1 as he ran   
the risk of being torn to pieces by the 
mob4  ,it appeared that this zealous    
,presbyterian1 without understanding a  
word of any civilized language1 but only

 a dialect of his own1 had come to ,rome
 for the express purpose of attempting  
to convert the ,pope1 as the shortest   
way1 in his opinion1 of putting an end  
to the reign of ,antichrist4 ,when mass 
was over1 the ,abat1 anxious to avert   
from him the consequences which his     
extravagance would undoubtedly entail1  
if he continued to persevere in it1     
entered into conversation with him4 ,it 
appeared he had only that morning       
arrived in ,babylon1 and being unable to
 rest until he had seen a glimpse of the
 gorgeous harlot1 he had not then       
provided himself with lodgings4 ,the    
,abat conducted him to a house where he 
knew he would be carefully attended2 and
 he also endeavoured to reason with him 
on the absurdity of his self-assumed    
mission1 assuring him that unless he    
desisted1 and behaved with              
circumspection1 he would inevitably be  
seized by the ,inquisition4 ,but the    
prospect of ,martyrdom augmented his    
zeal2 and the representations of the    

benevolent ,catholic only stimulated his
 enterprise2 so that in the course of a 
few days1 much to his own exceeding     
great joy1 and with many comfortable    
salutations of the spirit1 he was seized
 by the ,inquisition1 and lodged in a   
dungeon1 ,on hearing this1 the ,abat    
applied to ,king ,james in his behalf1  
and by his ,majesty's influence he was  
released1 and sent to the ,british      
,consul at ,leghorn1 on condition of    
being immediately conveyed to his       
friends in ,scotland4 ,it happened1     
however1 that no vessel was then ready  
to sail1 and the taste of persecution   
partaking more of the relish of         
adventure than the pungency of          
suffering1 the missionary was not to be 
so easily frustrated in his meritorious 
design2 and1 therefore1 he took the     
first opportunity of stealing silently  
back to ,rome1 where he was again       
arrested and confined4 ,by this time the
 affair had made some noise1 and it was 
universally thought by all the ,english 

travellers1 that the best way of        
treating the ridiculous madman was to   
allow him to remain some time in        
solitary confinement in the dungeons of 
the ,inquisition4 ,when he had been     
imprisoned about three months1 he was   
again liberated1 sent to ,leghorn1 and  
embarked for ,england1 radically cured  
of his inclination to convert the ,pope1
 but still believing that the punishment
 which he had suffered for his folly    
would be recorded as a trial which he   
had endured in the service of the faith4
  ,in the mean time ,west was carefully 
furnishing his mind by an attentive     
study of the costume of antiquity1 and  
the beauties of the great works of      
modern genius4 ,in doing this1 he       
regarded ,rome only as an university1 in
 which he should graduate2 and1 as a    
thesis preparatory to taking his degree 
among the students1 he painted a picture
 of ,cimon and ,iphigenia1 and1         
subsequently1 another of ,angelica and  
,madoro4 ,the applause which they       

received justified the opinion which    
,mengs had so early expressed of his    
talent1 and certainly answered every    
object for which they were composed4 ,he
 was honoured1 in consequence1 with the 
marks of academical approbation1 usually
 bestowed on fortunate ,artists4 ,he    
then proposed to return to ,america1    
with a view to cultivate in his native  
country that profession in which he had 
already acquired so much celebrity4 ,at 
this juncture he received a letter from 
his father1 advising him1 as peace had  
been concluded between ,france and      
,england1 to go home for a short time   
before coming to ,america2 for the      
mother country was at that period still 
regarded as the home of her ,american   
offspring4 ,the advice of his father was
 in unison with his own wishes1 and he  
mentioned his intention to ,mr4 ,wilcox4
 ,that gentleman1 conceiving that he    
spoke of ,america as his home1 expressed
 himself with grief and surprise at a   
determination so different from what he 

had expected2 but1 upon being informed  
of the ambiguity in the phrase1 he      
exclaimed that he could hardly have     
resolved1 on quitting ,italy1 more      
opportunely1 for ,dr4 ,patoune1 a       
,scotish gentleman1 of considerable     
learning1 and some taste in painting1   
was then returning homeward1 and waiting
 at that time in ,rome1 until he should 
be able to meet with a companion4 ,it   
was therefore agreed that ,west should  
be introduced to him2 and it was soon   
after arranged that the ,doctor should  
proceed to ,florence1 while the ,artist 
went to take leave of his friends at    
,leghorn1 to express to them his        
gratitude for the advantages he had     
derived from their constant and         
extraordinary kindness1 which he        
estimated so highly1 that he could not  
think of leaving ,italy without         
performing this pleasing and honourable 
pilgrimage4 ,it was also agreed between 
him and his companion1 that the ,doctor 
should stop a short time at ,parma1     

until ,west should have completed a copy
 of the ,st4 ,jerome of ,corregio1 which
 he had begun during his visit to that  
city with ,mr4 ,matthews4  ,during their
 stay at ,parma1 the ,academy elected   
,mr4 ,west a member1 an honour which the
 ,academies of ,florence and ,bologna   
had previously conferred on him2 and it 
was mentioned to the ,prince that a     
young ,american had made a copy of the  
,st4 ,jerome of ,corregio in a style of 
excellence such as the oldest           
,academicians had not witnessed4 ,the   
,prince expressed a wish to see this    
extraordinary ,artist1 particularly when
 he heard that he was from              
,pennsylvania1 and a ,quaker4 ,mr4 ,west
 was1 in consequence1 informed that a   
visit from him would be acceptable at   
,court3 and it was arranged that he     
should be introduced to ,his ,highness  
by the chief ,minister4 ,mr4 ,west      
thought that1 in a matter of this kind1 
he should regulate his behaviour by what
 he understood to be the practice in the

 court of ,london2 and1 accordingly1 to 
the astonishment of the whole of the    
courtiers1 he kept his hat on during the
 audience4 ,this1 however1 instead of   
offending the ,prince1 was observed with
 evident pleasure1 and made his         
reception more particular and           
distinguished2 for ,his ,highness had   
heard of the peculiar simplicity of the 
,quakers1 and of the singularly         
,christian conduct of ,william ,penn4   
,from ,parma he proceeded to ,genoa1 and
 thence to ,turin4 ,considering this    
,city as the last stage of his          
professional observations in ,italy1 his
 mind unconsciously took a retrospective
 view of the different objects he had   
seen1 and the knowledge which he had    
acquired since his departure from       
,america4 ,although his art was always  
uppermost in his thoughts1 and although 
he could not reflect on the course of   
his observations without pleasure and   
hope1 he was often led to advert to the 
lamentable state into which every thing1

 as well as ,art1 had fallen in ,italy1 
in consequence of the general           
theocratical despotism which over-spread
 the whole country1 like an unwholesome 
vapour1 and of those minute subdivisions
 of territory1 in which political       
tyranny exercised its baleful influence 
even where the ecclesiastical oppression
 seemed disposed to spare4 ,he saw1 in  
the infamous establishment of the       
cicisbeo1 the settled effect of that    
general disposition to palliate vice1   
which is the first symptom of decay in  
nations2 and he was convinced that1     
before vice could be thus exalted into  
custom1 there must exist in the         
community which would tolerate such an  
institution1 a disregard of all those   
obligations which it is the pride of    
virtue to incur1 and the object of law  
to preserve4 ,it seemed to him that     
every thing in ,italy was in a state of 
disease2 and that the moral energy was  
subsiding1 as the vital flame diminishes
 with the progress of old age4 ,for     

although the forms and graces of the    
human character were often seen in all  
their genuine dignity among the common  
people1 still even the general          
population seemed to be defective in    
that detestation of vice found in all   
countries in a healthful state of       
morals1 and which is often strongest    
among the lowest of the vulgar1         
especially in what respects the conduct 
of the great4 ,he thought that the      
commonalty of ,italy had lost the tact  
by which the good and evil of actions   
are discriminated2 and that1 whatever   
was good in their disposition1 was      
constitutional1 and unconnected with any
 principle of religion1 or sense of     
right4 ,in the ,papal states1 this      
appeared to be particularly the case4   
,all the creative powers of the mind    
seemed there to be extinct4 ,the country
 was covered with ruins1 and the human  
character was in ashes4 ,sometimes1     
indeed1 a few embers of intellect were  
seen among the clergy2 but the          

brightness of their scintillation was   
owing to the blackness of death with    
which they were contrasted4 ,the        
splendour of the nobility struck him    
only as a more conspicuous poverty than 
the beggary of the common people2 and   
the perfect contempt with which they    
treated the feelings of their           
dependants1 seemed to him scarcely less 
despicable than the apathy with which it
 was endured4 ,the innumerable examples 
of the effects of this moral paralysis  
to which he was a witness on his arrival
 in ,rome1 filled him for some time with
 indescribable anxiety1 and all his     
veneration for the ,roman majesty was   
lost in reflections on the offences     
which mankind may be brought to commit  
on one another4 ,but at ,genoa1         
,leghorn1 and ,venice1 the ,italians    
were seen to less disadvantage4         
,commerce1 by diffusring opulence1 and  
interweaving the interests of all       
classes1 preserved in those cities some 
community of feeling1 which was         

manifested in an interchange of respect 
and consideration between the higher and
 the lower orders2 and ,lucca he thought
 afforded a perfect exception to the    
general degeneracy of the country4 ,the 
inhabitants of that little republic     
presented the finest view of human      
nature that he had ever witnessed4 ,with
 the manliness of the ,british character
 they appeared to blend the suavity of  
the ,italian manners2 and their private 
morals were not inferior to the         
celebrity of their public virtues4 ,so  
true it is1 that man1 under the police  
and vigilance of despotism1 becomes more
 and more vicious2 while1 in proportion 
to the extension of his freedom1 is the 
vigour of his private virtue4 ,when     
deprived of the right of exercising his 
own judgment1 he feels1 as it were1 his 
moral responsibility at an end1 and     
naturally blames the system by which he 
is oppressed1 for the crimes which his  
own unresisted passions instigate him to
 commit4 ,to an ,englishman the         

remembrance of a journey in ,italy is   
however often more delightful than that 
of any other country1 for no where else 
is his arrogance more patiently endured1
 his eccentricities more humourously    
indulged1 nor the generosity of his     
character more publicly acknowledged4   
,in coming from ,italy into ,france1    
,mr4 ,west was particularly struck with 
the picturesque difference in the       
character of the peasantry of the two   
countries2 and while he thought1 as an  
,artist1 that to give appropriate effect
 to a national landscape it would not   
only be necessary to introduce figures  
in the costume of the country1 but in   
employments and recreations no less     
national1 he was sensible of the truth  
of a remark which occurs to almost every
 traveller1 that there are different    
races of the human species1 and that the
 nature of the dog and horse do not vary
 more in different climates than man    
himself4 ,in making the observation1 he 
was not1 however1 disposed to agree with

 the continental philosophers1 that this
 difference1 arising from climate1 at   
all narrowed the powers of the mind1    
though it influenced the choice of      
objects of taste4 ,for whatever tends to
 make the mind more familiar with one   
class of agreeable sensations than      
another1 will1 undoubtedly1 contribute  
to form the cause of that preference for
 particular qualities in objects by     
which the characteristics of the taste  
of different nations is discriminated4  
,although1 of all the general           
circumstances which modify the opinions 
of mankind1 climate is1 perhaps1 the    
most permanent1 it does not1 therefore1 
follow that1 because the climate of     
,france or ,italy induces the           
inhabitants to prefer1 in works of art1 
certain qualities of the excellence of  
which the people of ,england are not so 
sensible1 the climate of ,great ,britain
 does not1 in like manner1 lead the     
inhabitants to discover other qualities 
equally valuable as sources of          

enjoyment4 ,thus1 in sculpture for      
example1 it would seem that in naked    
figures the inhabitants of a cold       
climate can never hope to attain that   
degree of eminence which we see         
exemplified in the productions of the   
,grecian and ,italian sculptors2 not    
that the ,artists may not execute as    
well1 but because they will not so      
readily find models2 or1 what is perhaps
 more to the point1 they will not find a
 taste so capable of appreciating the   
merits of their performances4 ,in ,italy
 the eye is familiar with the human form
 in a state of almost complete nudity2  
and the beauty of muscular expression1  
and of the osteological proportions of  
man1 is there as well known as that of  
the features and complexion of his      
countenance2 but the same degree of     
nakedness could not be endured in the   
climate of ,england1 for it is          
associated with sentiments of modesty   
and shame1 which render even the        
accidental innocent exposure of so much 

of the body offensive to the feelings of
 decorum4 ,it is not1 therefore1 just to
 allege1 that1 because the ,italians are
 a calm1 persuasive1 and pensive people1
 and the ,french all stir1 talk1 and    
inconstancy1 they are respectively      
actuated by different moral causes4 ,it 
will not be asserted that1 though the   
sources of their taste in art spring    
from different qualities in the same    
common objects1 any innate incapacity   
for excellence in the fine arts is      
induced by the ,english climate1 merely 
because that climate has the effect of  
producing a different moral temperament 
among the inhabitants4  ,on the morning 
after arriving at the first frontier    
town1 in coming from ,savoy into        
,france1 and while breakfast was        
preparing1 ,mr4 ,west and his companion 
heard the noise of a crowd assembled in 
the yard of the inn4 ,the ,doctor rose  
and went to the window to inquire the   
occasion3 immediately on his appearance 
the mob became turbulent1 and seemed to 

menace him with some outrage4--,the     
,peace of #agfc had been but lately     
concluded1 and without having any other 
cause for the thought1 it occurred to   
the travellers that the turbulence must 
have originated in some political       
occurrence1 and they hastily summoned   
the landlord1 who informed them1 ,that  
the people had1 indeed1 assembled in a  
tumultuous manner round the inn on      
hearing that two ,englishmen were in the
 house1 but that they might make        
themselves easy1 as he had sent to      
inform the magistrates of the riot4     
,soon after1 one of the magistrates     
arrived1 and on being introduced by the 
landlord to the travellers1 expressed   
himself to the following effect3 ,i am  
sorry that this occurrence should have  
happened1 because had ,i known in time1 
,i should1 on hearing that you were     
,englishmen1 have come with the other   
magistrates to express to you the       
sentiments of respect which we feel     
towards your illustrious nation2 but1   

since it has not been in our power to   
give you that testimony of our esteem2  
on the contrary1 since we are           
necessitated by our duty to protect you1
 ,i assure you that ,i feel exceedingly 
mortified4 ,i trust1 however1 that you  
will suffer no inconvenience1 for the   
people are dispersing1 and you will be  
able to leave the town in safety6 ,this 
place1 he continued1 is a manufacturing 
town1 which has been almost ruined by   
the war4 ,our goods went to the ocean   
from ,marseilles and ,toulon2 but the   
vigilance of your fleets ruined our     
trade1 and these poor people1 who have  
felt the consequence1 consider not the  
real cause of their distress4 ,however1 
although the populace do not look beyond
 the effects which immediately press    
upon themselves1 there are many among us
 well acquainted with the fountain-head 
of the misfortunes which afflict        
,france1 and who know that it is less to
 you than to ourselves that we ought to 
ascribe the disgraces of the late war4  

,you had a man at the head of your      
government 7alluding to the first ,lord 
,chatham71 and your counsellors are men4
 ,but it is the curse of ,france that   
she is ruled by one who is1 in fact1 but
 the agent and organ of valets and      
strumpets4 ,the ,court of ,france is no 
longer the focus of the great men of the
 country1 but a band of profligates that
 have driven away the great4 ,this state
 of things1 however1 cannot last long1  
the reign of the ,pompadours must draw  
to an end1 and ,frenchmen will one day  
take a terrible revenge for the insults 
which they suffer in being regarded only
 as the materials of those who pander to
 the prodigality of the ,court4 ,this   
singular address1 made in the year      
#agfc1 requires no comment2 but it is a 
curious historical instance of the      
commencement of that1 moral re-action to
 oppression which subsequently has so   
fully realized the prediction of the    
magistrate1 and which1 in its violence1 
has done so much mischief1 and          

occasioned so many misfortunes to       
,europe4  ,the travellers remained no   
longer in ,paris than was necessary to  
inspect the principal works of the      
,french ,artists1 and the royal         
collections4 ,mr4 ,west1 however1       
continued long enough to be satisfied   
that the true feeling for the fine arts 
did not exist among the ,french to that 
degree which he had observed in ,italy4 
,on the contrary1 it seemed to him that 
there was an inherent affectation in the
 general style of art among them1 which 
demonstrated1 not only a deficiency of  
native sensibility1 but an anxious      
endeavour to conceal that defect4 ,the  
characteristics of the ,french ,school1 
and they have not yet been redeemed by  
the introduction of any better manner1  
might1 to a cursory observer1 appear to 
have arisen from a corrupted taste1     
while1 in fact1 they are the            
consequences only of that inordinate    
national vanity which in so many        
different ways has retarded the         

prosperity of the world4 ,in the opinion
 of a ,frenchman1 there is a quality of 
excellence in every thing belonging to  
,france1 merely because it is ,french1  
which gives at all times a certain      
degree of superiority to the actions and
 productions of his countrymen2 and this
 delusive notion has infested not only  
the literature and the politicks of the 
nation1 but also the principles of ,art1
 to such a deep and inveterate extent1  
that the morality of painting is not yet
 either felt or understood in that      
country4 ,in the mechanical execution1  
in drawing1 and in the arrangement of   
parts1 the great ,french painters are   
probably equal to the ,italians2 but in 
producing any other sentiment in the    
spectator than that of admiration at    
their mechanical skill1 they are greatly
 behind the ,english4 ,painting has much
 of a common character with dramatic    
literature1 and the very best pictures  
of the ,french ,artists have the same   
kind of resemblance to the probability  

of ,nature1 that the tragedies of their 
great dramatic authors have to the      
characters and actions of men4 ,but in  
rejecting the pretensions of the ,french
 to superiority either in the one       
species of art or in the other1 the     
rejection ought not to be extended too  
far4 ,they are wrong in their theory2   
but their practice so admirably accords 
with it1 that it must be allowed1 were  
it possible for a people so enchanted by
 self-conceit to discover that the true 
subjects of ,art exist only in ,nature1 
they evince a capacity sufficient to    
enable them to acquire the pre-eminence 
which they unfortunately believe they   
have already attained4 ,but these       
opinions1 with respect to the           
peculiarities of the ,french taste1     
though deduced from incidental remarks  
in conversations with ,mr4 ,west1 must  
not be considered as his4 ,the respect  
which he has always entertained towards 
the different members of his own        
profession never allows him to express  

himself in any terms that might possibly
 be construed by malice or by ignorance 
to imply any thing derogatory to a class
 which he naturally considers among the 
teachers of mankind4 ,he may think1     
indeed he has expressed as much1 that   
the style of the ,french ,artists is not
 the most perspicuous2 and that it is1  
if the expression may be allowed1 more  
rhetorical than eloquent2 but still he  
regards them as having done honour to   
their country1 and1 in furnishing       
objects of innocent interest to the     
minds of mankind1 as having withdrawn so
 far the inclinations of the heart from 
mere sensual objects4 ,the true use of  
painting1 he early thought1 must reside 
in assisting the reason to arrive at    
correct moral inferences1 by furnishing 
a probable view of the effects of       
motives and of passions2 and to the     
enforcement of this great argument his  
long life has been devoted1 whether with
 complete success it would be           
presumptuous in any contemporary to     

determine1 and injudicious in the author
 of these memoirs to assert4         99 
99       99       99       99  ,a ,the  
following ,extract from the ,journal of 
a ,friend1 who has lately travelled     
through the principal parts of the      
,united ,states1 will probably be found 
interesting1 as it tends to throw some  
degree of light on the sentiments of the
 ,indians2 of which the little that is  
known has hitherto never been well      
elucidated4  ,one of my                 
fellow-passengers was a settler in the  
new state of ,tenessee1 who had come to 
,charleston with ,horses for sale1 and  
was going to ,baltimore and             
,philadelphia for the purpose of        
investing his money in an assortment of 
goods suited to the western country4    
,the ideas of civilized and savage life 
were so curiously blended in this man1  
that his conversation afforded me       
considerable amusement4 ,under the garb 
and appearance of a methodist preacher1 
,i found him a hunter and a warrior2    

with no small portion of the adventurous
 spirit proper to both those characters4
 ,he had served as a militia-man or     
volunteer under ,general ,jackson1 in   
his memorable campaign against the      
,creek ,indians in #ahac2 and he related
 to me some interesting particulars of  
the principal and final action which    
decided the fate of the war4 ,the       
,indians had posted themselves at a     
place called1 in their language1        
,talapoosie1 and by the ,americans1 the 
,horse-shoe2 a position of great natural
 strength1 the advantages of which they 
had improved to the best of their skill1
 by a breast-work seven feet high1      
extending across the neck of land which 
formed the only approach to their       
encampment4 ,this seems to have been    
viewed by the ,creeks themselves as the 
last stand of their nation3 for1        
contrary to the usual practice of the   
,indians1 they made every preparation   
for defence1 but none for retreat4      
,their resistance was proportionably    

desperate and bloody4 ,for several hours
 they supported a continued fire of     
musketry and cannon without shrinking2  
till at length the ,american ,general1  
finding that he had lost a great number 
of men1 and that he could not otherwise 
dislodge the enemy1 gave orders for a   
general assault4 ,the breast-work was   
carried by storm2 and the ,indians1     
broken at all points1 and surrounded by 
superior numbers1 were nearly all put to
 the sword4 ,out of one thousand        
warriors who composed the ,creek ,army1 
scarcely twenty made their escape4 ,a   
body of ,choctaw ,indians1 who attended 
the ,american ,army as auxiliaries1 were
 the chief actors in this massacre1 and 
displayed their usual barbarous         
ferocity4 ,it affords a remarkable      
illustration of the savage character1   
that the whole of this bloody scene     
passed in the most perfect silence on   
the part of the ,indians3 there was no  
outcry1 no supplication for mercy3 each 
man met his fate without uttering a     

word1 singly defending himself to the   
last4 ,the lives of the women and       
children were spared1 but many of the   
boys were killed in the action1 fighting
 bravely in the ranks with their fathers
 and elder brothers4 ,my ,tenessee      
friend received four arrows from the    
bows of these juvenile warriors1 while  
in the act of mounting the breast-work4 
,in hearing such a story1 it is         
impossible not to be touched with a     
feeling of sympathy for a high-minded   
but expiring people1 thus gallantly but 
vainly contending1 against an           
overwhelming force1 for their native    
woods1 and their name as a ,nation2 or  
to refrain from lamenting that the      
settlement of the ,new ,world cannot be 
accomplished at a less price than the   
destruction of the original and rightful
 proprietors of the soil4    ,,end ,,of 
,,part ,i4        ,the ,life and ,works 
of ,benjamin ,west1 ,esq4  ,by ,john    
,galt1 ,esq4  ,part ,,ii4   ,to ,simon  
,m',gillivray1 ,esq4 ,this ,work ,is    

inscribed1 with every sentiment of      
esteem1 by the ,author4     ,preface4   
,nearly the whole of this work was      
printed during the last illness of ,mr4 
,west4 ,the manuscript had long         
previously been read to him4 ,my custom 
was1 to note down those points which    
seemed1 in our conversations1 to bear on
 his biography1 and1 from time to time1 
to submit an entire chapter to his      
perusal2 afterwards1 when the whole     
narrative was formed1 it was again      
carefully read over to him4 ,still1     
however1 ,i am apprehensive that some   
mistakes in the orthography of names may
 have been committed2 for although the  
same custom was strictly observed in    
preparing the manuscript of the first   
part of his ,memoirs for the press1 yet1
 in perusing the proofs1 he found       
several errors of that kind4 ,it was    
intended that he should have read the   
proofs of this part also1 but the       
progress of his disease unfortunately   
rendered it impracticable4   ,j4,g4     

#cjth ,march1 #ahbj4     ,introduction4 
,although ,mr4 ,west was1 strictly      
speaking1 a self-taught artist1 yet it  
must be allowed that in his education he
 enjoyed great and singular advantages4 
,a strong presentiment was cherished in 
his family1 that he would prove an      
extraordinary man1 and his first rude   
sketch in childhood was hailed as an    
assurance of the fulfilment of the      
prediction of ,peckover4 ,the very      
endeavours of his boyish years were     
applauded as successful attainments2 no 
domestic prejudices were opposed to the 
cultivation of his genius2 even the     
religious principles of the community in
 which he lived were bent in his favour1
 from a persuasion that he was endowed  
by ,heaven with a peculiar gift2 and    
whatever the defects of his early essays
 may have been1 it was not one of the   
least advantageous circumstances of his 
youth1 that they were seen only by      
persons1 who1 without being competent   
judges of them1 as works of art1 were   

yet possessed of such a decided         
superiority of intellect1 that their    
approbation in any case would have been 
esteemed great praise4  ,the incidents  
attending his voyage to ,italy1 and his 
introduction to the artists1 virtuosi1  
and travellers at ,rome1 were still more
 auspicious4 ,taken in connection with  
his previous history1 they form one of  
the most remarkable illustrations of the
 doctrine of fortune1 or destiny1 that  
is to be found in authentic biography4  
,without any knowledge of his abilities 
or acquirements1 his arrival in the     
capital of ,christendom1 the seat of the
 arts1 was regarded as an interesting   
event3 his person was contemplated as an
 object of curiosity2 and a strong      
disposition to applaud his productions1 
was excited by the mere accident of his 
having come from ,america to study the  
fine arts4 ,a prepossession so          
extraordinary has no parallel4 ,it would
 almost seem1 as if there had been some 
arrangement in the order of things that 

would have placed ,mr4 ,west in the     
first class of artists1 although he had 
himself mistaken the workings of        
ambition for the consciousness of       
talent4 ,many men of no inconsiderable  
fame have set out in their career with  
high expectations in their favour2 but  
few1 of whom such hopes were            
entertained1 have1 by a succession of   
works1 in which the powers of the mind  
were seemingly unfolded with more and   
more energy1 so long continued to       
justify the presentiments of his early  
friends4 ,it is not1 however1 the object
 of this undertaking to form any        
estimate of the genius of ,mr4 ,west1 or
 of the merits of his works2 another    
opportunity1 distinct from his memoirs1 
will be taken for that purpose2 but only
 to resume the narrative of his         
progress1 in his profession1 by which it
 will appear that a series of           
circumstances no less curious than those
 which tended to make him an artist1    
facilitated his success1 and placed him 

in that precise station in society1     
where1 in this country1 at the time1    
there was the only chance of profitable 
employment as an historical painter4    
,contents4  ,part ,,ii4    ,chap4 ,i4   
,mr4 ,west arrives in                   
,england4--,relative ,condition of      
,artists in     ,society4--,mr4 ,west's 
,american ,friends in this              
,country4--,of ,governor     ,hamilton  
and ,mr4 ,allen4--,circumstances        
favourable to their ,reception     in   
the ,circles of ,fashion4--,mr4 ,west's 
,visit to ,bath1 and ,excursions     to 
see some of the ,collections of ,art in 
,england4--,he settles as a             
,portrait ,painter4--,introduction to   
,burke and ,dr4 ,johnson4--,anecdote of 
a ,monk1 the ,brother of ,mr4           
,burke4--,introduction to ,archbishop   
,drummond4--,mr4 ,west's ,marriage4     
,chap4 ,,ii4      ,some ,notice of      
,archbishop ,drummond4--,mr4 ,west      
paints a ,picture for ,his              
,grace4--,his ,grace's ,plan to procure 

,engagements for ,mr4 ,west as an       
,historical ,painter4--,project for     
ornamenting ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral with
     ,pictures4--,anecdote of ,dr4      
,terrick1 ,bishop of ,london4--,the     
,altar-piece of ,st4 ,stephen's         
,walbrook4--,state of public ,taste with
     respect to the ,arts4--,anecdotes  
of ,hogarth and ,garrick4  ,chap4 ,,iii4
      ,archbishop ,drummond's ,address  
in procuring for ,mr4 ,west the         
,patronage     of the ,king4--,singular 
,court ,anecdote of a ,lady of          
,fashion4--,character     of the ,king  
in his ,youth4--,anecdotes of the ,king 
and ,queen1--,the     ,king employs ,mr4
 ,west to paint the ,departure of       
,regulus4--,mr4 ,west's     ,celebrity  
as a ,skater4--,anecdote of ,lord       
,howe4--,his ,fame as a ,skater     of  
great ,service in his professional      
,success4  ,chap4 ,,iv4      ,the       
,king's personal ,friendship for ,mr4   
,west4--,circumstances which led     to 
the ,establishment of the ,royal        

,academy4--,first ,exhibition of the    
,works of ,british ,artists4--,the      
,departure of ,regulus finished1 and    
taken to ,buckingham ,house4--,anecdote 
of ,kirby4--,the ,formation of the      
,royal ,academy4--,anecdote of          
,reynolds4--,the ,academy instituted4   
,chap4 ,v4      ,the ,opening of the    
,royal ,academy4--,the ,death of        
,general     ,wolfe4--,anecdote of ,sir 
,joshua ,reynolds4--,new ,pictures      
ordered by the     ,king4--,origin of   
the ,series of ,historical ,pictures    
painted for ,windsor                    
,castle4--,design for a grand ,chapel in
 ,windsor ,castle1 to illustrate     the
 ,history of revealed ,religion4--,his  
,majesty's ,scruples on the             
,subject4--,his confidential            
,consultation with several eminent      
,divines4--,the ,design undertaken4     
,chap4 ,,vi4      ,singular ,anecdote   
respecting the ,author of the ,letters  
of ,junius1--,of     ,lachlan           
,mc,lean4--,anecdote of the ,duke of    

,grafton4--,of the ,marquis of          
,lansdowne4--,of ,sir ,philip ,francis2 
,critique on the ,transfiguration of    
,raphael by ,sir ,philip ,francis1 and  
,objections to his ,opinion4  ,chap4    
,,vii4      ,observations on ,mr4       
,west's ,intercourse with the           
,king4--,anecdote of     the ,american  
,war4--,studies for the ,historical     
,pictures at ,windsor                   
,castle4--,anecdote of the late ,marquis
 of ,buckingham4--,anecdote of ,sir     
,joshua ,reynolds2 and of the ,athenian 
,marbles4--,election of ,mr4 ,west to   
the ,presidency of the ,royal           
,academy4--,his ,speech to the          
,academicians     on that occasion4     
,chap4 ,,viii4      ,the first          
,discourse of ,mr4 ,west to the         
,students of the                        
,academy4--,progress of the ,arts4--,of 
the ,advantages of ,schools of          
,art4--,on the ,natural ,origin of the  
,arts4--,of the ,patronage which        
honoured the ,patrons and the           

,artists4--,professional                
,advice4--,promising     ,state of the  
,arts in ,britain4  ,chap4 ,,ix4        
,discourse to the ,royal ,academy in    
#agid4--,observations on the ,advantage 
of drawing the ,human ,figure           
correctly4--,on the ,propriety of       
cultivating the ,eye1 in order to       
enlarge the ,variety of our ,pleasures  
derived from ,objects of ,sight4--,on   
characteristic ,distinctions in         
,art4--,illustrations drawn from the    
,apollo ,belvidere1 and from the        
,venus de ,medici2 comprehending        
critical ,remarks on those ,statues4    
,chap4 ,x4      ,discourse to the       
,academy in #agig--- ,on the ,principles
 of ,painting and     ,sculpture4--,of  
,embellishments in ,architecture4--,of  
the ,taste of the                       
,ancients4--,errors of the              
,moderns4--,of the good ,taste of the   
,greeks     in ,appropriations of       
,character to their ,statues4--,on      
,draiwing4--,of     ,light and          

,shade4--,principles of ,colouring in   
,painting4     --,illustration4--,of the
 ,warm and ,cold ,colours4--,of ,copying
 fine     ,pictures4--,of               
,composition4--,on the ,benefits to be  
derived from     ,sketching4--and of the
 ,advantage of being familiar with the  
,characteristics of ,objects in ,nature4
  ,chap4 ,,xi4                          
,discourse4--,introduction4--,on the    
,philosophy of ,character in ,art4--,of 
,phidias4--,of ,apelles4--,of the       
,progress of the ,arts among the        
,moderns4--,of ,leonardo da ,vinci4--,of
 ,michael ,angelo1 ,raphael1 and        
,bartolomeo4--,of ,titian4--,of the     
,effects of ,patronage4  ,chap4 ,,xii4  
,discourse4--,introduction4--,of        
appropriate ,character in ,historical   
,composition4--,architecture among the  
,greeks and ,romans4--,of the           
,athenian ,marbles4--,of the ,ancient   
,statues4--,of the ,moses and ,saviour  
of ,michael ,angelo4--,of the ,last     
,judgment of ,michael ,angelo4--,of     

,leonardo da ,vinci4--,of               
,bartolomeo4--,of ,raphael4--,of        
,titian1 and his     ,st4 ,peter        
,martyr4--,of the different ,italian    
,schools4--,of the ,effects     of the  
,royal ,academy4--,of the ,prince       
,regent's ,promise to encourage the     
,fine ,arts4  ,chap4 ,,xiii4      ,mr4  
,west's ,visit to ,paris4--,his         
distinguished ,reception by the         
,members of the ,french                 
,government4--,anecdote of ,mr4         
,fox4--,origin of     the ,british      
,institution4--,anecdotes of ,mr4 ,fox  
and ,mr4     ,percival4--,anecdote of   
the ,king4--,history of the ,picture of 
,christ     ,healing the                
,sick4--,extraordinary ,success         
attending the ,exhibition of     the    
,copy in ,america4  ,chap4 ,,xiv4       
,reflections4--,offer of                
,knighthood4--,mr4 ,wyatt chosen        
,president of the                       
,academy4--,restoration of ,mr4 ,west to
 the ,chair4--,intrigues respecting     

the ,pictures for ,windsor              
,castle4--,mr4 ,west's ,letter to the   
,king4--,orders to proceed with the     
,pictures4--,the ,king's ,illness4--,mr4
     ,west's ,allowance cut off1--and   
the ,pictures countermanded4--,death of 
,mrs4 ,west4--,death of the ,artist4    
,appendix4      ,the ,life and ,works of
 ,benjamin ,west     ,chap4 ,i4         
,mr4 ,west arrives in                   
,england4--,relative ,condition of      
,artists in     ,society4--,mr4 ,west's 
,american ,friends in this              
,country4--,of ,governor     ,hamilton  
and ,mr4 ,allen1--- ,circumstances      
favourable to their ,reception     in   
the ,circles of ,fashion4--,mr4 ,west's 
,visit to ,bath1 and ,excursions     to 
see some of the ,collections of ,art in 
,england4--,he settles as a             
,portrait ,painter4--,introduction to   
,burke and ,dr4 ,johnson4--,anecdote    
of a ,monk1 the ,brother of ,mr4        
,burke4--,introduction to ,archbishop   
,drummond4--- ,mr ,west's ,marriage4    

,mr4 ,west arrived in ,england on the   
#bjth of ,august1 #agfc4 ,the sentiments
 with which he approached the shores of 
this island1 were those of a stranger   
visiting interesting scenes1 mingled    
with something of the solicitude and    
affections of a traveller returning     
home4 ,he had no intention of remaining 
in ,london3 he was only desirous to see 
the country of his ancestors1 and his   
mind1 in consequence1 was more          
disengaged from professional feelings   
than at any period from that in which   
his genius was first awakened4 ,he      
considered his visit to ,england as     
devoted to social leisure1 the best kind
 of repose after mental exertion2 but   
the good fortune which had hitherto     
attended him in so remarkable a manner1 
still followed him1 and frustrated the  
intentions with which he was at that    
time actuated4  ,those who have at all  
attended to what was then the state of  
the arts in this country1 and more      
particularly to the relative condition  

of artists in society1 and who can      
compare them with the state of both at  
the present period1 will not hesitate to
 regard the arrival of ,mr4 ,west as an 
important event4 ,in the sequel of this 
work1 it may be necessary to allude to  
the moral and political causes which    
affect the progress of the fine arts1   
and opportunities will1 in consequence1 
arise to show how meanly they were      
considered1 how justly1 indeed1 it may  
be said1 they were rejected1 not only by
 the ,british public in general1 but    
even by the nobility4 ,a few eminent    
literary characters were sensible of    
their importance1 and lamented the      
neglect to which they were consigned2   
but the great body of the intelligent   
part of the nation neither felt their   
influence1 nor were aware of their      
importance to the commerce and renown of
 the kingdom4 ,artists stood1 if        
possible1 lower in the scale of society 
than actors2 for ,garrick had redeemed  
the profession of the latter from the   

degradation to which it had been        
consigned from the time of the          
,commonwealth2 but ,reynolds1 although  
in high repute as a portrait-painter1   
and affecting a gentlemanly liberality  
in the style of his living1 was not so  
eminently before the public eye as to   
induce any change of the same           
consequence towards his profession4     
,mr4 ,west found1 on his arrival in     
,london1 several ,american families who 
had come across the ,atlantic after the 
peace to visit their relations1 and he  
had the unexpected pleasure of hearing  
that ,mr4 ,william ,allen1 ,governor    
,hamilton1 and ,dr4 ,smith1 his earliest
 friends and patrons1 were in this      
country4  ,mr4 ,allen1 like many others 
in the colonies at that time1 was both a
 professional man and a merchant4 ,he   
held indeed the dignified office of     
chief justice in ,pennsylvania1 and was 
a person of powerful and extensive      
connections in the mother-country4      
,hamilton1 who had been many years      

governor1 was chiefly indebted to him   
for the rank which he enjoyed1 in       
consequence of having married his       
sister4  ,the naval and military        
officers who had occasion1 during the   
war1 to visit ,philadelphia1 found in   
the houses of the governor and ,mr4     
,allen a cordial hospitality which they 
never forgot4 ,many of these officers   
were related to persons of distinction  
in ,london1 and being anxious to testify
 to the ,americans their grateful sense 
of the kindness which they had          
experienced1 rendered the strangers     
objects of hospitable solicitude and    
marked respect in the first circles of  
the metropolis4 ,mr4 ,west1 accordingly1
 on his arrival1 participated in the    
advantages of their favourable          
reception1 and before he was known as an
 artist1 frequented the parties of      
several of the highest characters in the
 state4  ,his first excursion from      
,london was to ,hampton ,court to see   
the ,cartoons of ,raphael4 ,soon after1 

he visited ,oxford1 ,blenheim1 and      
,corsham2 whence he proceeded to ,bath1 
where ,mr4 ,allen was at that time      
residing4 ,here he remained about a     
month2 and in returning to town made a  
short tour1 in the course of which he   
inspected the collections of art at     
,storehead1 ,fonthill1 ,wilton ,house1  
the ,cathedral of ,salisbury1 and the   
,earl of ,radnor's seat at ,longford4   
,at ,reading he staid some time with his
 half-brother1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,west1 the  
eldest son of his father4 ,when he      
returned to ,london he was introduced by
 ,mr4 ,patoune1 his travelling companion
 from ,rome1 to ,reynolds1 and a        
friendship commenced between them which 
was only broken by death4 ,he also1 much
 about the same time1 formed an         
acquaintance with ,mr4 ,richard ,wilson1
 the landscape painter1 to whom indeed  
he had brought very warm letters of     
introduction1 from some of that great   
artist's friends and admirers in ,italy4
  ,the first lodgings which ,mr4 ,west  

occupied1 in his professional capacity1 
were in ,bedford-,street1               
,covent-,garden1 where1 when it was     
understood that he intended to practise1
 he was visited by all the artists of   
eminence then in ,london1 and welcomed  
among them with a cordiality that       
reflected great honour on the generosity
 of their dispositions4 ,in this house  
the first picture which he painted in   
,england was executed4 ,the subject was 
,angelica and ,medora1 which1 with the  
,cymon and ,iphiginia1 painted at ,rome1
 and a portrait of ,general ,moncton1   
7who acquired so much celebrity by his  
heroic conduct as second in command     
under ,general ,wolfe at ,quebec17 by   
the advice of ,reynolds and ,wilson1 he 
sent to the exhibition in ,spring       
,gardens in #agfd4  ,while he was       
engaged on the picture of ,angelica and 
,medora1 ,dr4 ,markham1 then ,master of 
,westminster-,school1 paid him a visit  
and invited him to a dinner1 at which he
 introduced him to ,dr4 ,johnson1 ,mr4  

,burke2 ,mr4 ,chracheroide1 and ,mr4    
,dyer4 ,on being introduced to ,burke he
 was so much surprised by the           
resemblance which that gentleman bore to
 the chief of the ,benedictine monks at 
,parma1 that when he spoke he could     
scarcely persuade himself he was not the
 same person4 ,this resemblance was not 
accidental2 the ,protestant orator was1 
indeed1 the brother of the monk4  ,it   
always appeared to ,mr4 ,west that there
 was about ,mr4 ,burke a degree of      
mystery1 connected with his early life1 
which their long intercourse1 subsequent
 to the introduction at ,dr4 ,markham's1
 never tended to explain4 ,he never     
spoke of any companions of his boyhood1 
nor seemed to have any of those pleasing
 recollections of the heedless and      
harmless days of youth1 which afford to 
most men of genius some of the finest   
lights and breaks of their fancy2 and   
his writings corroborate the            
observation4 ,for1 although no prose    
writer ever wrote more like a poet than 

this celebrated man1 his imagery is     
principally drawn from general nature or
 from art1 and but rarely from any thing
 local or particular4  ,the conversation
 after dinner chiefly turned1 on        
,american subjects1 in which ,mr4       
,burke1 as may well be supposed1 took a 
distinguished part1 and not more        
delighted the ,artist with the rich     
variety and affluence of his mind1 than 
surprised him by the correct            
circumstantiality of his descriptions2  
so much so1 that he was never able to   
divest himself of an impression received
 on this occasion1 that ,mr4 ,burke had 
actually been in ,america1 and visited  
the scenes1 and been familiar with many 
of the places which he so minutely      
seemed to recollect4 ,upon a            
circumstance so singular1 and so much at
 variance with all that has hitherto    
been said respecting the early history  
of this eminent person1 it is needless  
to dilate4 ,the wonder which it may     
excite ,i have no means of allaying2 but

 ,i should not omit to mention here1    
when ,mr4 ,burke was informed that ,mr4 
,west was a ,quaker1 that he observed1  
he had always regarded it among the most
 fortunate circumstances of his life1   
that his first preceptor was a member of
 the ,society of ,friends4  ,dr4        
,markham in #agfe introduced ,mr4 ,west 
to ,dr4 ,newton1 ,bishop of ,bristol1   
,dr4 ,johnson1 ,bishop of ,worcester1   
and ,dr4 ,drummond1 ,archbishop of      
,york4 ,dr4 ,newton engaged him to paint
 the ,parting of ,hector and            
,andromache1 and afterwards sat to him  
for his portrait1 in the back ground of 
which a sketch of this picture was      
introduced3 and for the ,bishop of      
,worcester he painted the ,return of the
 ,prodigal ,son4 ,the encouragement     
which he thus received from these       
eminent divines was highly creditable to
 their taste and liberality1 and is in  
honourable contrast to the negligence   
with which all that concerned the fine  
arts were treated by the nobility and   

opulent gentry4 ,it is1 however1        
necessary to mention one illustrious    
exception4 ,lord ,rockingham offered    
,mr4 ,west a regular1 permanent         
engagement of #gjj per annum to paint   
historical subjects for his mansion in  
,yorkshire3 but the ,artist on          
consulting his friends found them       
unanimously of opinion1 that although   
the prospect of encouragement which had 
opened to him ought to make him resolve 
to remain in ,england1 he should not    
confine himself to the service of one   
patron1 but trust to the public4 ,the   
result of this conversation was a       
communication to ,dr4 ,smith and ,mr4   
,allen1 of the attachment he had formed 
for the lady whom he afterwards married1
 and that it was his intention to return
 to ,america in order to be united to   
her4 ,in consequence of this1 an        
arrangement took place1 by which the    
father of ,mr4 ,west came over to this  
country with the bride1 and the marriage
 was solemnised on the #b;d of          

,september1 #agfe1 in the church of ,st4
 ,martin in the ,fields4     ,chap4     
,,ii4        ,some ,notice of           
,archbishop ,drummond4--,mr4 ,west      
paints a ,picture for ,his              
,grace4--,his ,grace's ,plan to procure 
,engagements for ,mr4 ,west as an       
,historical ,painter4--,project for     
ornamenting ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral with
     ,pictures4--,anecdote of ,dr4      
,terrick1 ,bishop of ,london4--,the     
,altarpiece     of ,st4 ,stephens1      
,walbrook4--,state of public ,taste with
 respect to the     ,arts4--,anecdotes  
of ,hogarth and ,garrick4  ,in          
,archbishop ,drummond ,mr4 ,west found  
one of the most active and efficient    
patrons that he had yet met with4 ,this 
eminent prelate was esteemed1 by all who
 enjoyed the pleasure of his            
acquaintance1 for a peculiar dignity of 
mind1 and a liberality of sentiment that
 reflected lustre on his exalted rank4  
,he had in his youth travelled on the   
,continent1 and possessing an innate    

sensibility to the moral influence of   
the fine arts1 had improved his natural 
taste by a careful inspection of every  
celebrated work to which he could obtain
 access4 ,he lamented that in this      
great1 flourishing1 and triumphant      
nation1 no just notion of the value of  
the fine arts was entertained2 and on   
all occasions1 when a suitable          
opportunity presented itself1 he never  
failed to state this opinion1 and to    
endeavour to impress it on others4 ,he  
frequently invited ,mr4 ,west to his    
table2 and the ,artist remarked that he 
seemed to turn the conversation on the  
celebrity which the patronage of the    
arts had in all ages reflected on the   
most illustrious persons and families1  
addressing himself with particular      
emphasis to his sons4 ,in the course of 
one of these conversations1 he engaged  
,mr4 ,west to paint for him the story of
 ,agrippina landing with the ashes of   
,germanicus1 and sent one of the young  
gentlemen to the library for the volume 

in which ,tacitus describes the         
circumstances4 ,having read the passage1
 he commented on it at some length1 in  
order to convey to ,mr4 ,west an idea of
 the manner in which he was desirous the
 subject should be treated4  ,the       
painter1 on returning home1 felt his    
imagination so much excited by the      
historian's description1 and the remarks
 of the ,archbishop1 that he immediately
 began to compose a sketch for the      
picture1 and finished it before going to
 bed4 ,next morning he carried it to    
,his ,grace1 who1 equally surprised and 
delighted to find his own conception so 
soon embodied in a visible form1        
requested the ,artist to proceed without
 delay in the execution of the picture4 
,in the interim1 the ,archbishop        
endeavoured1 by all the means in his    
power1 to procure encouragement for ,mr4
 ,west to devote himself exclusively to 
historical composition2 and with this   
view he set on foot a scheme to raise   
three thousand guineas to constitute a  

fund1 which would be a sufficient       
inducement for the ,artist1 in the first
 instance1 to forego1 at least for a    
time1 the drudgery of portrait painting4
 ,but the attempt failed3 so little was 
the public disposed to patronise        
historical subjects from the pencil of a
 living artist1 that after fifteen      
hundred pounds were subscribed1 it was  
agreed to relinquish the undertaking4   
,as this fact is important to the       
history of the progress of the arts in  
this country1 ,i present my readers with
 a copy of the subscription-paper1 with 
the names and amount of the sums        
attached to them1 by the respective     
subscribers1  ,in #agff ,mr4 ,west made 
a proposal to his friend ,bishop        
,newton1 who was then ,dean of ,st4     
,paul's1 to present a gratuitous        
offering to the ,cathedral1 by painting 
a religious subject to fill one of the  
large spaces which the architect of the 
building had allotted for the reception 
of pictures2 and speaking on the design 

one day after dinner at the ,bishop's   
when ,reynolds was present1 he said that
 the giving of the ,law on ,mount ,sinai
 would make an appropriate subject4     
,reynolds was delighted with the idea of
 decorating ,st4 ,paul's by the         
voluntary offerings of artists1 and     
offered to paint a ,nativity as his     
contribution4 ,a formal proposal was in 
consequence made to the ,dean and       
,chapter1 who embraced it with much     
satisfaction4 ,but ,dr4 ,terrick1 the   
,bishop1 felt some degree of jealousy at
 the design being adopted1 without      
consulting him1 and set himself so      
decidedly against it that it was        
necessarily abandoned4 ,dr4 ,newtorn    
had1 in his capacity of ,dean1 obtained 
7without reflecting that ,terrick had a 
veto over all7 the consent of the other 
curators of the ,cathedral1 namely1 of  
the ,lord ,mayor1 the ,archbishop of    
,canterbury1 and the ,king4 ,but1       
exclaimed ,dr4 ,terrick1 with the energy
 of an ancient martyr1 ,i have heard of 

the proposition1 and as ,i am head of   
the ,cathedral of the metropolis1 ,i    
will not suffer the doors to be opened  
to introduce popery4 ,it is to be hoped 
that the declaration proceeded from the 
fear implied1 and not because ,dr4      
,newton omitted to ask his consent      
before applying to the ,king and the    
,archbishop4  ,mr4 ,west was1 however1  
too deeply impressed with the advantage 
which would accrue to the arts by       
inducing the guardians of the ,church to
 allow the introduction of pictures1 to 
be discouraged by the illiberality of   
the ,bishop of ,london4 ,he therefore   
made a proposal to paint an ,altar-piece
 for the beautiful church of ,st4       
,stephen's1 ,walbrook1 and it was       
accepted4 ,in the same year his friend1 
,mr4 ,wilcox1 gave him a commission to  
execute another sacred subject1 which he
 presented to the ,cathedral of         
,rochester1 and it is placed over the   
communion-table4 ,in these biographical 
sketches it cannot be expected that a   

history of all ,mr4 ,west's numerous    
works should be related4 ,it is the     
history of the ,artist1 not of his      
works1 that is here written2 and1       
therefore1 except where the incidents   
connected with them are illustrative of 
the state of public feeling towards the 
arts1 it is unnecessary to be more      
particular4 ,i have1 however1 prepared a
 complete catalogue of his designs1 with
 such remarks concerning them as must   
satisfy any want that may be felt by    
this systematic omission in the         
narrative4 ,i should1 however1 mention  
that1 in this stage of his career1 the  
two of his earliest pictures1 which     
attracted the greatest share of public  
attention1 were the ,orestes and        
,pylades1 and the ,continence of        
,scipio4 ,he had undertaken them on     
speculation1 and the applause which they
 obtained1 when finished1 were an       
assurance of his success and reward4    
,his house was daily thronged with the  
opulent and the curious to see them2    

statesmen sent for them to their        
offices2 princes to their bedchambers1  
and all loudly expressed their          
approbation1 but not one ever enquired  
the price2 and his imagination1 which   
had been elevated in ,italy to emulate  
the conceptions of those celebrated men 
who have given a second existence to the
 great events of religion1 history1 and 
poetry1 was allowed in ,england to      
languish over the unmeaning faces of    
portrait-customers4 ,it seemed to be    
thought that the genius of the ,artist  
could in no other way be encouraged1    
than by his friends sitting for their   
own likenesses1 and paying liberally for
 them4 ,the moral influence of the art  
was unfelt and unknown2 nor can a more  
impressive instance of this historical  
truth be adduced1 than the following    
anecdote of ,hogarth1 which ,garrick    
himself related to ,mr4 ,west4  ,when   
that artist had published the plates of 
the ,election1 he wished to dispose of  
the paintings1 and proposed to do so by 

a raffle of two hundred chances1 at two 
guineas the stake2 to be determined on  
an appointed day4 ,among a small number 
of subscribers1 not half what ,hogarth  
expected1 ,garrick had put down his     
name2 and when the day arrived he went  
to the artist's house to throw for his  
chance4 ,after waiting a considerable   
time no other person appeared1 and      
,hogarth felt this neglect not only as  
derogatory to his profession1 but       
implying that the subscription had      
something in it of a mendicant          
character4 ,vexed by such a mortifying  
result of a plan which he had sanguinely
 hoped would prove1 at least1 a         
morning's amusement to the fashionable  
subscribers1 he insisted that1 as they  
had not attended1 nor even sent any     
request to him to throw for them1 that  
,garrick should go through the formality
 of throwing the dice2 but only for     
himself4 ,the actor for some time       
opposed the irritated artist2 but at    
last consented4 ,instead1 however1 of   

allowing ,hogarth to send them home1 he 
begged that they might be carefully     
packed up1 until his servant should call
 for them2 and on returning to his      
house1 he dispatched a note to the      
painter1 stating that he could not      
persuade himself to remove works so     
valuable and admired1 without acquitting
 his conscience of an obligation due to 
the author and to his own good fortune  
in obtaining them4 ,and knowing the     
humour of the person he addressed1 and  
that if he had sent a cheque for the    
money it would in all probability be    
returned1 he informed him that he had   
transferred two hundred guineas at his  
bankers1 which would remain at the      
disposal of ,hogarth or his heirs1      
whether it was or was not then accepted4
 ,the charge of habitual parsimony      
against ,garrick was not well founded2  
and this incident shows that he knew    
when to be properly munificent4 ,in the 
acquisition and management of his       
affluent fortune1 it would have been    

more correct to have praised him for a  
judicious system of economy1 than to    
have censured him for meanness4 ,it     
ought to have been considered1 that he  
was professionally required to deal with
 a class of persons not famed for       
prudence in pecuniary concerns1 and to  
whom the methodical disbursements of    
most private gentlemen would probably   
have appeared penurious4     ,chap4     
,,iii4        ,archbishop ,drummond's   
,address in procuring for ,mr4 ,west the
 ,patronage     of the ,king4--,singular
 ,court ,anecdote of a ,lady of         
,fashion4--,character     of the ,king  
in his ,youth4--,anecdotes of the ,king 
and ,queen4--,the ,king     employs ,mr4
 ,west to paint the ,departure of       
,regulus4--,mr4 ,west's     ,celebrity  
as a ,skater1--,anecdote of ,lord       
,howe4--,his ,fame as a ,skater     of  
great ,service in his professional      
,success4  ,the coldness with which     
,archbishop ,drummond's scheme for      
raising three thousand guineas had been 

received by the persons to whom he had  
applied1 and the prejudice which he     
found almost universally entertained    
against the efforts of living genius1   
chagrined him exceedingly4 ,he regarded 
the failure as a stigma on the age1 and 
on his country2 and1 as a public man1 he
 thought it affected himself personally4
 ,with this feeling1 he declared to the 
gentlemen who had exerted themselves in 
the business1 that he saw no way of     
engrafting a taste for the fine arts on 
the ,british public1 unless the ,king   
could be so far engaged in the attempt1 
as to make it fashionable to employ     
living artists1 according to the bent of
 their respective talents4 ,but1 about  
this period1 the affair of ,wilkes      
agitated the nation2 and the ,duke of   
,portland and ,lord ,rockingham1 who    
were among the most strenuous of ,mr4   
,west's friends1 being both of the ,whig
 party1 undervalued the importance      
attached to ,his ,majesty's influence   
and countenance4 ,the ,archbishop was   

not1 however1 discouraged by their      
political prejudices2 on the contrary1  
he thought that ,his ,majesty was one of
 those characters who require to be     
personally interested in what it is     
desired they should undertake2 and he   
resolved to make the attempt4 ,the      
address with which ,his ,grace managed  
the business1 evinced great knowledge of
 human nature1 and affords a pleasing   
view of the ingenuousness of the ,king's
 disposition4  ,when the picture of     
,agrippina was finished1 the ,archbishop
 invited the most distinguished artists 
and amateurs to give him their opinion  
of the work2 and satisfied by the       
approbation which they all expressed1 he
 went to court1 and took an opportunity 
of speaking on the subject to the ,king1
 informing ,his ,majesty1 at the same   
time1 of all the circumstances connected
 with the history of the composition2   
and on what principle he had always     
turned his conversations with ,mr4 ,west
 to excite an interest for the promotion

 of the arts in the minds of his family4
 ,the dexterity with which he           
recapitulated these details produced the
 desired effect4 ,the curiosity of the  
,king was roused1 and he told the       
,archbishop that he would certainly send
 for the ,artist and the picture4  ,this
 conversation probably lasted longer    
than the usual little reciprocities of  
the drawing-room2 for it occasioned a   
very amusing instance of female         
officiousness4 ,a lady of distinguished 
rank1 having overheard what passed1     
could not resist the delightful         
temptation of being the first to        
communicate to ,mr4 ,west the           
intelligence of the honour that awaited 
him4 ,on quitting the palace1 instead of
 returning home1 she went directly to   
his house1 and1 without disclosing her  
name1 informed him of the whole         
particulars of the conversation which   
had passed between the ,archbishop and  
the ,king4 ,in the evening1 ,barnard1   
who had been an attendant on the ,king  

from the cradle1 and who was not more   
attached to ,his ,majesty1 than he was  
himself in return affectionately        
beloved1 came to ,mr4 ,west1 and        
requested him to be in attendance next  
morning at the ,queen's house1 with the 
picture of ,agrippina4 ,in delivering   
the message1 this faithful servant was  
prompted by his own feelings to give the
 ,artist some idea of ,his ,majesty's   
real character1 which at that time was  
very much misrepresented to the public2 
and ,mr4 ,west during the long term of  
forty years of free and confidential    
intercourse with the ,king1 found the   
account of ,barnard to be in every      
essential and particular point correct4 
,the ,king was described to him as a    
young man of great simplicity and       
candour of disposition1 sedate in his   
affections1 and deeply impressed with   
the sanctity of principle2 scrupulous in
 forming private friendships2 but1 when 
he had taken any attachment1 not easily 
swayed from it1 without being convinced 

of the necessity and propriety of so    
doing4  ,at the time appointed1 ,mr4    
,west was in attendance with the        
picture2 and ,his ,majesty came into the
 room where he was waiting4 ,after      
looking at it some time with much       
apparent satisfaction1 he enquired if it
 was in a proper light2 and1 on being   
told that the situation was certainly   
not the most advantageous1 he conducted 
the ,artist through several apartments  
himself1 till a more satisfactory place 
was found4 ,he then called several of   
the domestics into the room1 and1       
indeed1 assisted them himself to remove 
the picture4 ,when the servants had     
retired1 and he had satisfied himself   
with looking at it1 he went out of the  
apartment and brought in the ,queen1 to 
whom he introduced the ,artist with so  
much warmth1 that ,mr4 ,west felt it at 
the moment as something that might be   
described as friendliness4  ,the ,queen1
 though at this period very young1      
possessed a natural graciousness of     

manner1 which her good sense and the    
consciousness of her dignity rendered   
peculiarly pleasing2 so that our ,artist
 was not only highly gratified by the   
unexpected honour of this distinguished 
introduction1 but delighted with the    
affability and sweetness of her         
disposition4  ,when ,their ,majesties   
had examined the picture1 the ,king     
observed that he understood the same    
subject had seldom been properly        
treated4 ,mr4 ,west answered1 that it   
was1 indeed1 surprising it should have  
been neglected by ,poussin1 who was so  
well qualified to have done it justice1 
and to whose genius it was in so many   
respects so well adapted4 ,his ,majesty 
then told the ,queen the history of the 
picture before them1 dwelling with some 
expressions of admiration on the        
circumstance of the sketch having been  
made in the course of one evening after 
the artist had taken coffee with the    
,archbishop of ,york1 and shown to ,his 
,grace the next morning4 ,turning       

briskly round to ,mr4 ,west1 he said1   
,there is another noble ,roman subject  
which corresponds to this one1 and ,i   
believe it also has never been well     
painted2 ,i mean the final departure of 
,regulus from ,rome4 ,don't you think it
 would make a fine picture8 ,the ,artist
 replied1 that it was undoubtedly a     
magnificent subject4 ,then1 said ,his   
,majesty1 you shall paint it for me2    
and1 ringing the bell in the same       
moment1 ordered the attendant who       
answered to bring the volume of ,livy in
 which the event is related1 observing  
to the ,queen1 in a sprightly manner1   
that the ,archbishop had made one of his
 sons read to ,mr4 ,west2 but ,i will   
read to him myself the subject of my    
picture2 which1 on the return of the    
servant with the book1 he did           
accordingly4 ,and the ,artist was       
commanded to come with the sketch as    
soon as possible4  ,the ,archbishop was 
highly delighted at the successful      
result of his scheme1 and augured from  

the event the happiest influence to the 
progress of the arts2 nor has his       
patriotic anticipations been unrewarded2
 for1 without question1 so great and so 
eminent a taste for the fine arts as    
that which has been diffused throughout 
the nation1 during the reign of ,george 
the ,third1 was never before produced in
 the life-time of one monarch1 in any   
age or country4  ,but in relating the   
different incidents which contributed to
 bring ,mr4 ,west into favourable       
notice1 there is one of a peculiar      
nature1 which should not be omitted4    
,during winter1 at ,philadelphia1       
skating was one of the favourite        
amusements of the youth of that city1   
and many of them excelled in that       
elegant exercise4 ,mr4 ,west1 when a    
boy1 had1 along with his companions1    
acquired considerable facility in the   
art2 and having become exceedingly fond 
of it1 made himself1 as he grew up to   
manhood1 one of the most accomplished   
skaters in ,america4 ,some of the       

officers at that time quartered there1  
also practised the amusement2 and1 among
 others1 ,colonel ,howe1 who afterwards 
succeeded to the title of his elder     
brother1 and who1 under the name of     
,general ,howe1 is so well known in the 
disastrous transactions of the          
subsequent civil war1 which ended in    
establishing the independence of the    
,united ,states4 ,in the course of the  
winter preceding ,mr4 ,west's departure 
for ,italy1 they had become acquainted  
on the ice4  ,in ,italy ,mr4 ,west had  
no opportunity of skating2 but when he  
reached ,lombardy1 where he saw so much 
beautiful frozen water1 he regretted    
that he had not brought his skates with 
him from ,america4 ,the winter1 however1
 which succeeded his arrival in         
,england1 proved unusually severe2 and  
one morning1 when he happened to take a 
walk in ,st4 ,james's park1 he was      
surprised to see a great concourse of   
the populace assembled on the canal4 ,he
 stopped to look at them1 and seeing a  

person who lent skates on hire1 he made 
choice of a pair1 and went on the ice4  
,a gentleman who had observed his       
movements1 came up to him as he retired 
to unbuckle the skates1 and said1 ,i    
perceive1 ,sir1 you are a stranger1 and 
do not perhaps know that there are much 
better places than this for the exercise
 of skating4 ,the ,serpentine ,river1 in
 ,hyde ,park1 is far superior1 and the  
basin in ,kensington ,gardens still more
 preferable4 ,here1 only the populace   
assemble2 on the ,serpentine1 the       
company1 although better1 is also       
promiscuous2 but the persons who        
frequent the basin in the ,gardens are  
generally of the rank of gentlemen1 and 
you will be less annoyed among them than
 at either of the other two places4  ,in
 consequence of this information1 on the
 day following1 ,mr4 ,west resolved to  
visit the ,gardens2 and1 in going along 
,piccadilly with that intention1 bought 
a pair of skates1 which1 on reaching the
 margin of the ice1 he put on1 ,after a 

few trial-movements on the skirts of the
 basin1 like a musician tuning his      
violin before attempting a regular piece
 of composition1 he dashed off into the 
middle of the company1 and performed    
several rounds in the same style which  
he had often practised in ,america4     
,while engaged in this manner1 a        
gentleman called to him by name2 and1 on
 stopping1 he found it was his old      
acquaintance ,colonel ,howe4  ,the      
,colonel immediately came up1 and       
exclaimed1 ,mr4 ,west1 ,i am truly glad 
to see you in this country1 and at this 
time4 ,i have not heard of you since we 
parted on the wharf at ,philadelphia1   
when you sailed for ,italy2 but ,i have 
often since had occasion to recollect   
you4 ,i am1 therefore1 particularly glad
 to see you here1 and on the ice2 for   
you must know that1 in speaking of the  
,american skaters1 it has been alleged1 
that ,i have learnt to draw the long bow
 among them2 but you are come in a lucky
 moment to vindicate my veracity4  ,he  

then called to him ,lord ,spencer       
,hamilton1 and some of the ,cavendishes1
 who were also on the ice1 and          
introduced ,mr4 ,west to them as one of 
the ,american skaters1 of whom they had 
heard him so often speak1 and would not 
credit what he had said of their        
performance2 and he requested ,mr4 ,west
 to show them what1 in ,philadelphia1   
was called the ,salute4 ,mr4 ,west had  
been so long out of practice1 that he   
was at first diffident of attempting    
this difficult and graceful movement3   
but1 after a few trials1 and feeling    
confidence in himself1 he at last       
performed it with complete success4 ,out
 of this trivial incident1 an           
acquaintance arose between him and the  
young noblemen present4 ,they spoke of  
his talents as a skater2 and their      
praise1 in all their usual haunts1 had  
such an effect1 that1 in the course of a
 few days1 prodigious crowds of the     
fashionable world1 and of all           
descriptions of people1 assembled to see

 the ,american skater4 ,when it was     
afterwards known to the public that he  
was an artist1 many of the spectators   
called at his rooms2 and he1 perhaps1   
received more encouragement as a        
portrait-painter on account of his      
accomplishment as a skater1 than he     
could have hoped for by any ordinary    
means to obtain4     ,chap4 ,,iv4       
,the ,king's personal ,friendship for   
,mr4 ,west4--,circumstances which led   
to the ,establishment of the ,royal     
,academy4--,first ,exhibition of the    
,works of ,british ,artists4--,the      
,departure of ,regulus finished1 and    
taken to ,buckingham ,house4--,anecdote 
of ,kirby4--,the ,formation of the      
,royal ,academy4--,anecdote of          
,reynolds4--,the ,academy instituted4   
,the ,king1 at the period when he was   
pleased to take ,mr4 ,west under his own
 particular patronage1 possessed great  
conversational powers1 and a            
considerable tincture of humour4 ,he had
 read much1 and his memory was          

singularly exact and tenacious3 his     
education had1 indeed1 been conducted   
with great prudence1 and1 independent of
 a much larger stock of literary        
information than is commonly acquired by
 princes1 he was fairly entitled to be  
regarded as an accomplished gentleman4  
,for the fine arts he had not1 perhaps1 
any natural taste2 he had1 however1 been
 carefully instructed in the principles 
of architecture by ,chambers1 of        
delineation by ,moser1 and of           
perspective by ,kirby2 and he was fully 
aware of the lustre which the arts have1
 in all ages1 reflected on the different
 countries in which the cultivation of  
them has been encouraged to perpetuate  
the memory of great events4 ,his        
employment of ,mr4 ,west1 although      
altogether in his private capacity1 was 
therefore not wholly without a view to  
the public advantage1 and it is the more
 deserving of applause1 as it was rather
 the result of principle than of        
personal predilection4  ,when ,mr4 ,west

 had made a sketch for the ,regulus1 and
 submitted it to ,his ,majesty1 after   
some conversation1 as to the dimensions1
 the ,king fixed on an advantageous part
 of the walls in one of the principal   
apartments1 and directed that the       
picture should be painted of a size     
sufficient to fill the whole space4     
,during the time that the work was going
 on1 the ,artist was frequently invited 
to spend the evening at                 
,buckingham-house1 where he was often   
detained by the ,king as late as eleven 
o'clock1 on topics connected with the   
best means of promoting the study of the
 fine arts in the kingdom4 ,it was in   
these conversations that the plan of the
 ,royal ,academy was digested2 but it is
 necessary to state more particularly   
the different circumstances which       
co-operated at this period to the       
formation of that valuable institution4 
,at the annual exhibitions of the       
paintings and drawings1 which obtained  
the premiums of the ,society for the    

,encouragement of ,arts1 ,agriculture1  
and ,commerce1 it was then customary    
with artists to send occasionally their 
works to be exhibited with those of the 
competitors1 as a convenient method of  
making themselves known to the public4  
,but the visitors hearing from the      
newspapers only of the pictures which   
had gained the prizes1 concluded that   
they were the best in the exhibition2   
and the works of the matured artists    
were overlooked in the attention paid to
 the efforts of juvenile emulation4     
,this neglect mortified the artists1 and
 induced them to form themselves into an
 association for the exhibition of their
 own productions4 ,the novelty of this  
plan attracted much attention1 and      
answered the expectations of those with 
whom it originated4 ,such was the state 
of things with the artists when ,mr4    
,west came to ,england2 and to the first
 exhibition1 after his arrival1 he sent1
 as ,i have already mentioned1 three    
pictures4 ,the approbation which these  

works obtained1 induced the association 
to elect him one of the directors1 and  
he held this situation till1 the society
 beginning to grow rich by the receipts 
of the exhibitions1 the management of   
its concerns became an object of        
ambition4 ,this association was         
incorporated in #agfe1 under the        
designation of the ,incorporated        
,artists4  ,chambers and ,payne1 who    
were leading members in the ,society1   
being both architects1 were equally     
desirous that the funds should be laid  
out in the decoration of some edifice   
adapted to the objects of the           
institution4 ,this occasioned so much   
debate1 division1 and rivalry1 among    
their respective partisans1 that ,mr4   
,west was induced to resign the office  
of director1 and to withdraw along with 
,mr4 ,reynolds 7afterwards ,sir ,joshua7
 and others1 disgusted with the         
bickering animosities which disgraced   
the proceedings at their meetings4 ,this
 transaction made some noise at the     

time1 and it happened on the very day   
when ,mr4 ,west waited on the ,king1    
with his sketch of the ,departure of    
,regulus1 that the newspapers contained 
some account of the matter4 ,his        
,majesty enquired the cause and         
particulars of the schism1 and ,mr4     
,west1 in stating what they were1       
mentioned that the principles of his    
religion made him regard such           
proceedings as exceedingly derogatory to
 the professors of the arts of peace4   
,this led the ,king to say that he would
 gladly patronise any association which 
might be formed more immediately        
calculated to improve the arts4 ,mr4    
,west1 after retiring from the palace1  
communicated this to ,chambers and      
,moser1 and1 upon conferring on the     
subject with ,mr4 ,coats1 it was agreed 
that the four should constitute         
themselves a committee of the dissenting
 artists1 to draw up the plan of an     
academy4 ,when this was mentioned to    
,his ,majesty1 he not only approved of  

their determination1 but took a great   
personal interest in the scheme1 and    
even drew up several of the laws himself
 with his own hand4 ,nor should one     
remarkable circumstance be omitted2 he  
was particularly anxious that the whole 
design should be kept a profound secret1
 being apprehensive that it might be    
converted into some vehicle of political
 influence4  ,in the mean time the      
picture of the ,departure of ,regulus   
was going forward1 and it was finished  
about the time that the code of rules   
for the academy was completed4 ,the     
incorporated artists were also busy1 and
 had elected as their president ,mr4    
,kirby1 who had been preceptor in       
perspective to the ,king1 and who had   
deservedly gained great celebrity by his
 treatise on the principles of that     
branch of art4 ,kirby1 having free      
access to the royal presence1 and never 
hearing from ,his ,majesty any thing    
respecting the academy1 was so satisfied
 in his own mind that the rumours1      

respecting such an institution being    
intended1 were untrue1 that1 in his     
inaugural address from the chair1 he    
assured the incorporated artists there  
was not the slightest intention         
entertained of establishing a ,royal    
,academy of ,art4  ,when the ,departure 
of ,regulus was finished1 the ,king     
appointed a time for ,mr4 ,west to bring
 the picture to ,buckingham-house4 ,the 
,artist having carried it there1 ,his   
,majesty1 after looking at it some time1
 went and brought in the ,queen by the  
hand1 and seated her in a chair1 which  
,mr4 ,west placed in the best situation 
for seeing the picture to advantage4    
,while they were conversing on the      
subject1 one of the pages announced ,mr4
 ,kirby2 and the ,king consulted ,her   
,majesty in ,german about the propriety 
of admitting him at that moment4 ,mr4   
,west1 by his residence among the       
,german inhabitants of ,lancaster in    
,america1 knew enough of the language to
 understand what they said1 and the     

opinion of the ,queen was that ,kirby   
might certainly be admitted1 but for    
,his ,majesty to take his own pleasure4 
,the attendant was in consequence       
ordered to show him in1 and ,mr4 ,west  
was the more pleased at this incident1  
as it afforded him an advantageous      
opportunity of becoming personally known
 to ,kirby1 with whom1 on account of his
 excellent treatise1 he had for some    
time been desirous to become acquainted4
  ,when ,kirby looked at the picture he 
expressed himself with great warmth in  
its praise1 enquiring by whom it had    
been painted2 upon which the ,king      
introduced ,mr4 ,west to him4 ,it would 
perhaps be doing injustice to say that  
the surprise with which he appeared to  
be affected on finding it the production
 of so young a man1 had in it any       
mixture of sinister feeling2 but it     
nevertheless betrayed him into a fatal  
indiscretion4 ,as a preceptor to the    
,king1 he had been accustomed to take   
liberties which ought to have terminated

 with the duties of that office2 he1    
however1 inadvertently said1 ,your      
,majesty never mentioned any thing of   
this work to me4 ,the tone in which this
 was uttered evidently displeased the   
,king1 but the discretion of the        
unfortunate man was gone1 and he        
enquired in a still more disagreeable   
manner1 ,who made this frame8 ,mr4      
,west1 anxious to turn the conversation1
 mentioned the maker's name2 but this   
only served to precipitate ,mr4 ,kirby  
into still greater imprudence1 and he   
answered somewhat sharply1 ,that person 
is not ,your ,majesty's workman2 and    
naming the ,king's carver and gilder    
said1 ,it ought to have been made by    
him4 ,the ,king appeared a good deal    
surprised at all this1 but replied in an
 easy good-humoured way1 ,kirby1        
whenever you are able to paint me a     
picture like this1 your friend shall    
make the frame4 ,the unhappy man1       
however1 could not be restrained1 and he
 turned round to ,mr4 ,west1 and in a   

tone which greatly lessened the         
compliment the words would otherwise    
have conveyed1 said1 ,i hope you intend 
to exhibit this picture4 ,the ,artist   
answered1 that as it was painted for    
,his ,majesty1 the exhibition must      
depend on his pleasure2 but that1 before
 retiring1 it was his intention to ask  
permission for that purpose4 ,the ,king 
immediately said1 ,assuredly ,i shall be
 very happy to let the work be shown to 
the public4--,then1 ,mr4 ,west1 added   
,kirby1 you will send it to my          
exhibition1 7meaning to the exhibition  
of the ,incorporated ,artists74 ,no1    
interposed the ,king1 firmly1 it must go
 to my exhibition1--to the ,royal       
,academy4 ,poor ,kirby was              
thunderstruck2 but only two nights      
before1 in the confidence of his        
intercourse with the ,king1 he had      
declared that even the design of forming
 such an institution was not            
contemplated4 ,his colour forsook him1  
and his countenance became yellow with  

mortification4 ,he bowed with profound  
humility1 and instantly retired1 nor did
 he long survive the shock4         99  
99       99       99       99  ,on the  
day following1 a meeting of the artists 
who had separated themselves from the   
incorporated association1 was to be     
holden in the evening at the house of   
,wilton the sculptor1 in order to       
receive the code of laws1 and to        
nominate the office-bearers of the      
,academy4 ,in the course of the morning1
 ,mr4 ,penny1 who was intended to be    
appointed professor of painting1 called 
on ,mr4 ,west and mentioned that he had 
been with ,reynolds1 and that he        
thought1 for some unfathomable reason or
 another1 that distinguished artist     
would not attend the meeting4 ,soon     
after1 ,moser likewise called1 and      
stated the same thing4 ,mr4 ,west was   
much perplexed at this information2 for 
it had been arranged with the ,king that
 ,reynolds1 although not in the secret1 
nor at all consulted in the formation of

 the ,academy1 should be the president4 
,he therefore went immediately to his   
house1 and finding him disengaged1      
mentioned1 without alluding to what he  
had heard1 the arrangements formed for  
instituting an academy1 and that a      
meeting of thirty artists named by the  
,king1 of the forty members of which it 
was intended the ,academy should        
consist1 was that evening to take place 
at ,wilton's4 ,reynolds was much        
surprised to hear matters were so far   
advanced1 and explained to ,mr4 ,west   
that ,kirby had assured him in the most 
decided manner1 that there was no truth 
whatever in the rumour of any such      
design being in agitation1 and that he  
thought it would be derogatory to attend
 a meeting1 constituted1 as ,kirby      
represented it1 by persons who had no   
sanction or authority for doing what    
they had undertaken4 ,to this ,mr4 ,west
 answered1 ,as you have been told by    
,mr4 ,kirby that there is no intention  
to form any institution of the kind1 and

 by me that there is1 that even the     
rules are framed1 and the officers      
condescended on1 yourself to be         
president1 ,i must insist on your going 
with me to the meeting1 where you will  
be satisfied which of us deserves to be 
credited in this business4  ,in the     
evening1 at the usual hour1 ,mr4 ,west  
went to take tea with ,reynolds1 before 
going to the meeting1 and it so fell    
out1 either from design or accident1    
that it was not served till a full hour 
later than common1 not indeed till the  
hour fixed for the artists to assemble  
at ,wilton's1 so that1 by the time they 
arrived there1 the meeting was on the   
point of breaking up1 conceiving that as
 neither ,reynolds nor ,west had come1  
something unexpected and extraordinary  
must have happened4 ,but on their       
appearing1 a burst of satisfaction      
manifested the anxiety that had been    
felt1 and without any farther delay the 
company proceeded to carry into effect  
the wishes of the ,king4 ,the code of   

laws was read1 and the gentlemen        
recommended by the ,king to fill the    
different offices being declared the    
officers1 the code of laws was accepted4
 ,reynolds was declared president1      
,chambers treasurer1 ,newton secretary1 
,moser keeper1 ,penny professor of      
painting1 ,wale professor of            
perspective1 and ,dr4 ,william ,hunter  
professor of anatomy4 ,a report of the  
proceedings was made to ,his ,majesty   
next morning1 who gave his sanction to  
the election1 and the ,academy was thus 
constituted4 ,the academicians          
afterwards met and chose a council to   
assist the president1 and visitors to   
superintend the schools in three        
branches of art1 painting1 sculpture1   
and architecture4 ,thus1 on the #ajth   
,december1 #agfh1 under the title of the
 ,royal ,academy of the ,arts in        
,london1 that ,institution1 which has   
done more to excite a taste for the fine
 arts in this country1 than any similar 
institution ever did in any other1 was  

finally formed and established4         
,chap4 ,v4        ,the opening of the   
,royal ,academy4--,the ,death of        
,general     ,wolfe4--,anecdote of ,sir 
,joshua ,reynolds4--,new ,pictures      
ordered by the     ,king4--,origin of   
the ,series of ,historical ,pictures    
painted for ,windsor                    
,castle4--,design for a grand ,chapel in
 ,windsor ,castle1 to illustrate     the
 ,history of revealed ,religion4--,his  
,majesty's ,scruples on the             
,subject4--,his confidential            
,consultation with several eminent      
,divines4--,the ,design undertaken4     
,when the ,academy was opened1 the      
approbation which the ,regulus received 
at the exhibition gratified the ,king1  
and he resolved to give ,mr4 ,west still
 farther encouragement4 ,accordingly1 he
 soon after sent for him1 and mentioned 
that he wished him to paint another     
picture1 and that the subject he had    
chosen was ,hamilcar making his son     
,hannibal swear implacable enmity       

against the ,romans4 ,the painting being
 finished it was earned to              
,buckingham-house1 and ,his ,majesty1   
after looking at it with visible        
satisfaction1 said1 that he thought ,mr4
 ,west could not do better than provide 
him with suitable subjects to fill the  
unoccupied pannels of the room in which 
the two pictures were then placed4      
99       99       99       99       99  
,about this period1 ,mr4 ,west had      
finished his ,death of ,wolfe1 which    
excited a great sensation1 both on      
account of its general merits as a work 
of art1 and for representing the        
characters in the modern military       
costume4 ,the ,king mentioned that he   
heard much of the picture1 but he was   
informed that the dignity of the subject
 had been impaired by the latter        
circumstance2 observing that it was     
thought very ridiculous to exhibit      
heroes in coats1 breeches1 and cock'd   
hats4 ,the ,artist replied1 that he was 
quite aware of the objection1 but that  

it was founded in prejudice1 adding1    
with ,his ,majesty's permission1 he     
would relate an anecdote connected with 
that particular point4         99       
99       99       99       99  ,when it 
was understood that ,i intended to paint
 the characters as they had actually    
appeared in the scene1 the ,archbishop  
of ,york called on ,reynolds and asked  
his opinion1 the result of which was    
that they came together to my house4    
,for ,his ,grace was apprehensive that1 
by persevering in my intention1 ,i might
 lose some portion of the reputation    
which he was pleased to think ,i had    
acquired by his picture of ,agrippina1  
and ,your ,majesty's of ,regulus2 and he
 was anxious to avert the misfortune by 
his friendly interposition4 ,he informed
 me of the object of their visit1 and   
that ,reynolds wished to dissuade me    
from running so great a risk4 ,i could  
not but feel highly gratified by so much
 solicitude1 and acknowledged myself    
ready to attend to whatever ,reynolds   

had to say1 and even to adopt his       
advice1 if it appeared to me founded on 
any proper principles4 ,reynolds then   
began a very ingenious and elegant      
dissertation on the state of the public 
taste in this country1 and the danger   
which every attempt at innovation       
necessarily incurred of repulse or      
ridicule2 and he concluded with urging  
me earnestly to adopt the classic       
costume of antiquity1 as much more      
becoming the inherent greatness of my   
subject than the modern garb of war4 ,i 
listened to him with the utmost         
attention in my power to give1 but could
 perceive no principle in what he had   
delivered2 only a strain of persuasion  
to induce me to comply with an existing 
prejudice1--a prejudice which ,i thought
 could not be too soon removed4 ,when he
 had finished his discourse1 ,i begged  
him to hear what ,i had to state in     
reply1 and ,i began by remarking that   
the event intended to be commemorated   
took place on the #acth of ,september1  

#ageh1 in a region of the world unknown 
to the ,greeks and ,romans1 and at a    
period of time when no such nations1 nor
 heroes in their costume1 any longer    
existed4 ,the subject ,i have to        
represent is the conquest of a great    
province of ,america by the ,british    
troops4 ,it is a topic that history will
 proudly record1 and the same truth that
 guides the pen of the historian should 
govern the pencil of the artist4 ,i     
consider myself as undertaking to tell  
this great event to the eye of the      
world2 but if1 instead of the facts of  
the transaction1 ,i represent classical 
fictions1 how shall ,i be understood by 
posterity6 ,the only reason for adopting
 the ,greek and ,roman dresses1 is the  
picturesque forms of which their drapery
 is susceptible2 but is this an         
advantage for which all the truth and   
propriety of the subject should be      
sacrificed8 ,i want to mark the date1   
the place1 and the parties engaged in   
the event2 and if ,i am not able to     

dispose of the circumstances in a       
picturesque manner1 no academical       
distribution of ,greek or ,roman costume
 will enable me to do justice to the    
subject4 ,however1 without insisting    
upon principles to which ,i intend to   
adhere1 ,i feel myself so profoundly    
impressed with the friendship of this   
interference1 that when the picture is  
finished1 if you do not approve of it1  
,i will consign it to the closet1       
whatever may be my own opinion of the   
execution4 ,they soon after took their  
leave1 and in due time ,i called on the 
,archbishop1 and fixed a day with him to
 come with ,reynolds to see the         
painting4 ,they came accordingly1 and   
the latter without speaking1 after his  
first cursory glance1 seated himself    
before the picture1 and examined it with
 deep and minute attention for about    
half an hour4 ,he then rose1 and said to
 ,his ,grace1 ,mr4 ,west has conquered4 
,he has treated his subject as it ought 
to be treated4 ,i retract my objections 

against the introduction of any other   
circumstances into historical pictures  
than those which are requisite and      
appropriate2 and ,i foresee that this   
picture will not only become one of the 
most popular1 but occasion a revolution 
in the art4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,on ,mr4 ,west      
pausing1 the ,king said1 ,i wish that ,i
 had known all this before1 for the     
objection has been the means of ,lord   
,grosvenor getting the picture2 but you 
shall make a copy for me4 ,his ,majesty 
then entered into some further          
conversation respecting subjects for    
paintings to adorn the apartment2 and   
,mr4 ,west suggested that the ,death of 
,epaminondas would1 as a classic        
subject1 and with ,grecian              
circumstances1 make a suitable contrast 
with the ,death of ,wolfe4 ,the ,king   
received this idea with avidity2 and the
 conversation being pursued further on  
the same topic1 the ,artist also        
proposed the ,death of the ,chevalier   

,bayard for another picture1 which would
 serve to illustrate the heroism and    
peculiarities of the middle ages4 ,two  
pannels were still unprovided2 and ,mr4 
,west1 with submission to ,his ,majesty1
 begged that he might be allowed to take
 the incident of ,cyrus liberating the  
,family of the ,king of ,armenia for the
 one1 and of ,segestus1 and his         
daughter1 brought before ,germanicus1   
for the other4 ,the ,king was much      
pleased with the latter idea2 a notion  
being entertained by some antiquaries   
that the ,hanoverian family are the     
descendants of the daughter4  ,during   
the time that our ,artist was engaged in
 these works1 he was frequently at the  
palace with the ,king2 and ,his ,majesty
 always turned the conversation on the  
means of promoting the fine arts1 and   
upon the principles which should govern 
artists in the cultivation of their     
genius4 ,in one of these conversations1 
,mr4 ,west happened to remark1 that he  
had been much disgusted in ,italy at    

seeing the base use to which the talents
 of the painters in that country had    
been too often employed2 many of their  
noblest efforts being devoted to        
illustrate monkish legends1 in which no 
one took any interest1 while the great  
events in the history of their country  
were but seldom touched4 ,this led to   
some further reflections2 and the ,king1
 recollecting that ,windsor-,castle had1
 in its present form1 been erected by   
,edward the ,third1 said1 that he       
thought the achievements of his splendid
 reign were well calculated for         
pictures1 and would prove very suitable 
ornaments to the halls and chambers of  
that venerable edifice4 ,to this        
incident1 the arts are indebted for the 
series of pictures which bring the      
victories of ,cressy and ,poictiers1    
with the other triumphal incidents of   
that time1 again1 as it were1 into form 
and being1 with a veracity of historical
 fact and circumstance which render the 
masquerades by ,vario even a greater    

disgrace to ,st4 ,george's ,hall than   
they are to the taste of the age in     
which they were painted4         99     
99       99       99       99  ,in the  
execution of these different historical 
subjects1 the ,king took a great        
personal interests1 and one piece became
 the cause of another1 until he actually
 acquired a feeling like enthusiasm for 
the arts4 ,when he had resolved to adorn
 ,windsor-,castle with the achievements 
and great events of the reign of ,edward
 the ,third1 he began to think that the 
tolerant temper of the age was          
favourable to the introduction of       
pictures into the churches3 at the same 
time1 his scrupulous respect for what   
was understood to be the usage1 if not  
the law1 relative to the case1 prevented
 him for some time from taking any      
decisive step4 ,in the course of        
different conversations with ,mr4 ,west1
 on this subject1 he formed the design  
of erecting a magnificent oratory1 or   
private chapel1 in the ,horns' ,court of

 ,windsor-,castle1 for the purpose of   
displaying a pictorial illustration of  
the history of revealed religion4 ,but1 
before engaging in this superb project1 
he thought it necessary to consult some 
eminent members of the ,church1 who     
enjoyed his confidence1 as to the       
propriety of the design4 ,accordingly1  
he desired ,mr4 ,west to draw up a list 
of subjects from the ,bible1 susceptible
 of pictorial representation1 which     
,christians1 of all denominations1 might
 contemplate without offence to their   
tenets2 and he invited ,dr4 ,hurd1      
afterwards ,bishop of ,worcester1 ,dr4  
,douglas1 ,bishop of ,salisbury1 the    
,dean of ,windsor1 and several other    
dignitaries1 along with the ,artist1 to 
consider the business4 ,he explained to 
the meeting his scruples1 declaring that
 he did not1 in a matter of this kind1  
owing to his high station in the state1 
feel himself a free agent2 that he was  
certainly desirous of seeing the        
churches adorned with the endeavours of 

art1 and would deem it the greatest     
glory of his reign to be distinguished1 
above all others in the annals of the   
kingdom1 for the progress and successful
 cultivation of the arts of peace4 ,but1
 when ,i reflect1 said ,his ,majesty1   
how the ornaments of art in the churches
 were condemned at the ,reformation1 and
 still more recently in the unhappy     
times of ,charles the ,first1 ,i am     
anxious to govern my own wishes not only
 by what is right1 but by what is       
prudent1 in this matter4 ,if it is      
conceived that ,i am tacitly bound1 as  
,head of the ,church of ,england1 to    
prevent any such ornaments from being   
introduced into places of worship2 or if
 it be considered as at all savouring in
 any degree of a popish practice1       
however decidedly ,i may myself think it
 innocent1 ,i will proceed no farther in
 the business4 ,but1 if the church may  
be adorned with pictures1 illustrative  
of great events in the history of       
religion1 as the ,bible itself often is 

with engravings1 ,i will gladly proceed 
with the execution of this design4      
,little else passed at this interview2  
but he requested the churchmen to       
examine the matter thoroughly2 and      
appointed a particular day for them to  
report to him the result of their       
investigation3 presenting to them1 at   
the same time1 a paper1 containing a    
list of thirty-five subjects which he   
had formed with the ,artist1 for the    
decorations of the intended chapel4  ,on
 the day appointed1 ,mr4 ,west again met
 those eminent members of the hierarchy 
in the royal presence3 when ,dr4 ,hurd  
reported to ,his ,majesty1 that they had
 very seriously considered the important
 business which had been confided to    
them2 that1 having bestowed on it their 
gravest attention1 they were unanimously
 of opinion1 that the introduction of   
paintings into the chapel1 which ,his   
,majesty intended to erect1 would1 in no
 respect whatever1 violate the laws or  
usages of the ,church of ,england2 and  

that1 having examined the list of       
subjects1 which he proposed should      
constitute the decorations1 there was   
not one of them1 but1 which properly    
treated1 even a ,quaker might           
contemplate with edification4 ,this     
inadvertent observation attracted the   
,king's attention2 and he said1 that the
 ,quakers were a body of ,christians for
 whom he entertained the very highest   
respect1 and that he thought1 but for   
the obligations of his birth1 he should 
himself have been a ,quaker2 and he     
particularly enlarged on their peaceful 
demeanour and benevolence towards one   
another4         99       99       99   
99       99  ,the result of this        
conference was1 that ,mr4 ,west         
immediately received instructions to    
make designs from the list of subjects2 
and afterwards with the ,king himself1  
he assisted to form an architectural    
plan of the chapel1 which it was        
proposed should be ninety feet in length
 by fifty in breadth4 ,when some        

progress had been made in the paintings1
 ,mr4 ,wyat1 who had succeeded ,sir     
,william ,chambers as the royal         
architect1 received orders to carry this
 plan into execution2 and the grand     
flight of steps in the great staircase1 
executed by that architect1 was designed
 to lead immediately to a door which    
should open into the royal closet1 in   
the new chapel of ,,revealed ,,religion4
     ,chap4 ,,vi4        ,singular      
,anecdote respecting the ,author of the 
,letters of ,junius4--,of     ,lachlan  
,m',lean4--,anecdote of the ,duke of    
,grafton4--,of the ,marquis of          
,lansdowne4--,of ,sir ,philip ,francis2 
,critique on the ,transfiguration of    
,raphael by ,sir ,philip ,francis1 and  
,objections to his opinion4  ,by the    
eminent station which ,mr4 ,west has so 
long held among the artists1 and        
admirers of the fine arts1 in this      
country1 he became personally acquainted
 with almost every literary man of      
celebrity2 and being for many years a   

general visitor at the literary club1   
immortalised as the haunt of ,johnson1  
,burke1 ,garrick1 ,goldsmith1 and       
,reynolds1 he acquired1 without         
particularly attending to the literature
 of the day1 an extensive acquaintance  
with the principal topics which1 from   
time to time1 engaged the attention of  
men of letters4 ,an incident1 however1  
of a curious nature1 has brought him to 
be a party1 in some degree1 with the    
singular question respecting the        
mysterious author of the celebrated     
letters of ,junius4 ,on the morning that
 the first of these famous invectives   
appeared1 his friend ,governor ,hamilton
 happened to call1 and enquiring the    
news1 ,mr4 ,west informed him of that   
bold and daring epistle3 ringing for his
 servant at the same time1 he desired   
the newspaper to be brought in4         
,hamilton read it over with great       
attention1 and when he had done1 laid it
 on his knees1 in a manner that         
particularly attracted the notice of the

 painter1 who was standing at his easel4
 ,this letter1 said ,hamilton1 in a tone
 of vehement feeling1 is by that damned 
scoundrel ,m',lean4--,what ,m',lean8    
enquired ,mr4 ,west4--,the surgeon of   
,otway's regiment3 the fellow who       
attacked me so virulently in the        
,philadelphian newspaper1 on account of 
the part ,i felt it my duty to take1    
against one of the officers1 a captain1 
for a scandalous breach of the          
privileges of hospitality1 in seducing  
the wife of a very respectable man4     
,this letter is by him4 ,i know these   
very words3 ,i may well remember them1  
and he read over several phrases and    
sentences which ,m',lean had employed   
against him4 ,mr4 ,west then informed   
the ,governor1 that ,m',lean was in this
 country1 and that he was personally    
acquainted with him4 ,he came over1 said
 ,mr4 ,west1 with ,colonel ,barry1 by   
whom he was introduced to ,lord         
,shelburn1 7afterwards ,marquis of      
,lansdowne17 and is at present private  

secretary to ,his ,lordship4            
,throughout the progress of the         
controversy with ,junius1 ,hamilton     
remained firm in his opinion1 that the  
author was no other than the same       
,lachlan ,m',lean1 but at the literary  
club the general opinion ascribed the   
letters for some time to ,samuel ,dyer4 
,the sequel of this anecdote is curious4
 ,m',lean1 owing to a great impediment  
in his utterance1 never made any figure 
in conversation2 and passed with most   
people as a person of no particular     
attainments4 ,but when ,lord ,shelburn  
came into office1 he was appointed      
,under ,secretary of ,state1 and        
subsequently nominated to a             
,governorship in ,india3 a rapidity of  
promotion to a man without family or    
parliamentary interest1 that can only be
 explained by a profound conviction1 on 
the part of his patron1 of his superior 
talents1 and perhaps1 also1 from a      
strong sense of some peculiar           
obligation4 ,m',lean sailed for ,india  

in the ,aurora frigate1 and was lost1 in
 the wreck of that ship1 on the coast of
 ,africa4 ,that the letters of ,junius  
were not ascribed to him by any party is
 not surprising1 for his literary       
talents were unknown to the public2 but 
the general opinion of all men at the   
time was that they were the production  
of some person in connection with ,lord 
,shelburn4  ,upon this subject1 ,i hold 
no particular opinion of my own2 nor1   
indeed1 should ,i have perhaps noticed  
the circumstance at all1 but for a      
recent most ingenious publication which 
has ascribed these celebrated letters to
 the late ,sir ,philip ,francis4 ,one   
thing1 however1 merits attention in this
 curious controversy4 ,in the ,monthly  
,magazine for ,july1 #ahac1 there is an 
interesting account of a conversation   
between ,sir ,richard ,phillips and the 
,marquis of ,lansdowne on this subject2 
in which ,his ,lordship speaks of the   
obligation to secrecy imposed on himself
 in the question as having been removed 

by death2 an incidental expression that 
at once intimated a knowledge of the    
author1 and that he was dead at the time
 when this conversation took place4 ,the
 importance of the matter1 as an object 
of literary curiosity1 will excuse the  
introduction1 in an abbreviated form1 of
 what passed at that interview1 as well 
as of some minor circumstances connected
 with the question4  ,during the        
printing of ,almon's edition of ,junius1
 in which he endeavoured to show that   
the letters were written by a ,mr4      
,walter ,boyd1 ,sir ,richard ,phillips1 
the publisher of that work1 sought      
opinions among the characters then      
surviving1 whose names had been mixed   
with the writings of ,junius2 and he    
addressed himself particularly to the   
,duke of ,grafton1 the ,marquis of      
,lansdowne1 ,mr4 ,horne ,tooke1 and ,mr4
 ,grattan4 ,through two friends of the  
,duke of ,grafton he was informed1 that 
,his ,grace had endeavoured to live down
 the calumnies of ,junius1 and to forget

 the name of the author2 and that1 at   
the period of the publication1 offers   
were made to him of legal evidence on   
which to convict the author of a libel2 
but that1 as he had then treated the man
 with contempt1 he should decline to    
disturb him after so great a lapse of   
time4 ,from this communication it would 
seem1 that the ,duke believed that he   
knew the author1 and also that he was   
still alive4  ,sir ,richard1 on calling 
upon the ,marquis of ,lansdowne1 to whom
 he was personally known1 found him in  
his sick chamber1 suffering under a     
general breaking up of the constitution1
 but in his usual flow of spirits1      
anecdote1 and conversation4 ,on         
mentioning ,almon's new edition of      
,junius1 and that the editor had fixed  
on ,boyd as the author1 the ,marquis    
exclaimed1 ,i thought ,almon had known  
better3 ,i gave him credit for more     
discernment3 the world will1 however1   
not be deceived by him2 for there is    
higher evidence than his opinion4 ,look 

at ,boyd's other writings3 he never did 
write like ,junius2 and never could     
write like ,junius4 ,internal evidence  
destroys the hypothesis of ,almon4 ,sir 
,richard then said1 that many persons   
had ascribed these letters to ,his      
,lordship2 and that the world at large  
conceived that1 at least1 he was not    
unacquainted with the author4 ,the      
,marquis smiled1 and said1 ,no1 no3 ,i  
am not equal to ,junius3 ,i could not be
 the author2 but the grounds of secrecy 
are now so far removed by death1 and    
changes of circumstances1 that it is    
unnecessary the author of ,junius should
 much longer be unknown4 ,the world are 
curious about him2 and ,i could make a  
very interesting publication on the     
subject4 ,i knew ,junius2 and ,i knew   
all about the writing and production of 
those letters4 ,but look at my own      
condition now3 ,i don't think ,i can    
live another week3 my legs1 my strength1
 tell me so2 but the doctors1 who always
 flatter sick men1 assure me ,i am in no

 immediate danger4 ,they order me into  
the country1 and ,i am going there4 ,if 
,i live over the summer1 which1 however1
 ,i do not expect1 ,i promise you a very
 interesting pamphlet about ,junius4 ,i 
will put my name to it3 ,i will set that
 question at rest for ever4  ,sir       
,richard looked at the swollen limbs and
 other symptoms threatening the         
dissolution of this distinguished       
nobleman2 and1 convinced that he was1 in
 truth1 never likely to see him again1  
and that the secret of ,junius might be 
lost with him1 turned the conversation  
to the various persons who had1 at      
different times1 been named as the      
,junius2 and1 after mentioning five or  
six whose respective pretensions the    
,marquis treated as ridiculous1 ,his    
,lordship said1 ,it is of no use to     
pursue the matter further at this time4 
,i will1 however1 tell you this for your
 guide1 ,junius has never yet been      
publicly named4 ,none of the parties    
ever guessed at as ,junius were the true

 ,junius4 ,nobody has ever suspected    
him4 ,i knew him1 and knew all about it2
 and ,i pledge myself1 if these legs    
will permit me1 to give you a pamphlet  
on the subject1 as soon as ,i feel      
myself equal to the labour4 ,sir        
,richard soon after took his leave2 and 
about a week after the ,marquis expired4
  ,from ,horne ,tooke no information    
could be obtained3 whenever ,junius was 
mentioned1 he lost the balance of his   
mind1 and indulged himself in so much   
vanity1 conceit1 and ingenuity1 that it 
was almost useless to speak with him on 
the subject4  ,mr4 ,grattan wrote a very
 candid denial of any knowledge of the  
matter1 in a letter which was printed in
 the preface to ,almon's edition4  ,of  
the pretension afterwards set forward   
for ,dr4 ,wilmot1 ,i believe it was     
never entertained or supported by any   
good evidence3 ,dr4 ,francis1 the father
 of ,sir ,philip1 had been long before  
mentioned1 but for what reason ,i have  
never been able to ascertain4 ,the      

answer of ,sir ,philip himself on the   
subject is1 however1 curiously          
equivocal1 at least it so strikes me2   
although it is generally considered as a
 decided denial4 ,it is as follows3 ,the
 great civility of your letter induces  
me to answer it1 which1 with reference  
merely to its subject-matter1 ,i should 
have declined4 ,whether you will assist 
in giving currency to a silly1 malignant
 falsehood1 is a question for your own  
discretion3 to me it is a matter of     
perfect indifference4 ,but              
notwithstanding all this1 an amusingly  
mysterious circumstance has1 ,i am      
informed1 transpired since the death of 
,sir ,philip4 ,in a box1 it is said1    
which he carefully deposited with his   
banker's1 and which was not to be opened
 till after his death1 a copy of the    
publication1 ,junius identified1 with a 
common copy of the letters of ,junius1  
were found4 ,i shall offer no comment on
 this occurrence1 for even granting that
 it was true1 it might have been but a  

playful trick--if ,sir ,philip ,francis 
was1 in any respect1 a humorist4 ,but ,i
 have already digressed too far from the
 immediate object of my work2 and ,i    
cannot make a better amends to my       
readers than by inserting here a short  
paper1 written by that eminent person1  
and addressed to ,mr4 ,west4 ,it is a   
critique on the ,transfiguration by     
,raphael1 in which ,sir ,philip evinces 
considerable ingenuity1 by attempting   
not only to explain a defect in the     
composition1 felt by every man of taste1
 in the midst of the delight which1 in  
other respects1 it never fails to       
produce1 but to show that1 so far from  
being any defect1 it is in fact a great 
beauty4         99       99       99    
99       99  ,transfiguration by        
,raphael4  ,the title of this picture is
 a misnomer4 ,the picture itself tells  
you it is the ,ascension4 ,the          
,transfiguration is another incident1   
which happened long before the          
,ascension1 and is recited in the ninth 

chapter of ,st4 ,luke3--,when the       
countenance of ,jesus was changed1 and  
he became ,greek3 etethon and his       
clothing was white1 and lightened4 ,the 
robe of the ascending ,christ is ,,blue4
  ,the painter brings different         
incidents together to constitute one    
plot4 ,the picture consists of three    
separate groupes1 combined and united in
 one scheme or action4  ,i4 ,jesus      
ascending perpendicularly into the air1 
clothed in blue raiment1 and attended by
 two other figures4  ,,ii4 ,some of his 
disciples on the ,mount1 who see the    
ascent1 and lie dazzled and confounded  
by the sight4  ,,iii4 ,a number of      
persons at the bottom of the ,mount1 who
 appear to look intently on a young man 
possessed by a devil1 and convulsed4    
,none of them see the ,ascension but the
 young man1 or rather the devil1 who was
 in him1 does see it4 ,on all similar   
occasions1 those fallen angels know the 
,christ1 and acknowledge him4 ,the other
 figures are agitated with astonishment 

and terror1 variously and distinctly    
expressed in every one of them1 at sight
 of the effect which they see is made   
upon him by some object which they do   
not see4  ,this is the sublime          
imagination1 by which the lower part of 
the picture is connected with the upper4
  ,p4 ,,francis4  #acth ,july1 #ahaf4   
,but although it must be confessed that 
this comment is exceedingly ingenious1  
in so far as it explains the painter's  
design in representing the demoniac boy1
 as the connecting link between the     
action on the ,mount1 and the groupe at 
the foot of it2 yet1 upon an examination
 of the picture1 it will be found that  
it does not exhibit the ,ascension1 but 
the ,transfiguration2 and ,i beg leave  
to refer to a letter1 from my friend    
,mr4 ,m',gillivray1 in the ,appendix    
which seems to me as perfectly          
satisfactory on the subject as any thing
 of the kind ,i ever met with4 ,mr4     
,west was of the same opinion as ,mr4   
,m',gillivray2 but in conversing with   

him on the subject1 he did not enter    
into so distinct an explanation of his  
reasons for dissenting from the         
speculation of ,sir ,philip ,francis4   
,in criticism1 however1 whether the     
matter in question be works of art1 or  
of literature1 the best opinion is      
exactly that which is the most          
reasonable2 and the point at issue here1
 is not one in which an artist's        
judgment can be allowed greater weight  
than that of any other man4     ,chap4  
,,vii4        ,observations on ,mr4     
,west's ,intercourse with the           
,king4--,anecdote of the     ,american  
,war4--,studies for the ,historical     
,pictures at ,windsor                   
,castle4--,anecdote of the late ,marquis
 of ,buckingham4--,anecdote of ,sir     
,joshua ,reynolds2 and of the ,athenian 
,marbles4--,election of ,mr4 ,west to   
the ,presidency of the ,royal           
,academy4--,his ,speech to the          
,academicians     on that occasion4     
,while ,mr4 ,west was engaged on the    

series of religious and historical works
 for the ,king1 he had frequent         
opportunities of becoming acquainted    
with political incidents1 that a man    
less intent on his art1 and more        
ambitious of fortune1 might have turned 
to great advantage4 ,this was           
particularly the case during the        
,american ,war1 for ,his ,majesty       
knowing the ,artist's connections with  
that country1 and acquaintance with some
 of the most distinguished of the       
rebels1 often conversed with him on the 
subject2 and on different occasions ,mr4
 ,west was enabled to supply the ,king  
with more circumstantial information    
respecting some important events than   
was furnished by the official channels4 
,i do not consider myself at liberty1   
nor this a fit place1 to enter upon     
subjects so little in unison with the   
arts of peace1 or the noiseless tenour  
of an artist's life2 but1 among other   
curious matters that may be thrown out  
for the investigation of the future     

historian1 is an opinion which prevailed
 among some of the best informed in     
,america1 that when ,general ,washington
 was appointed to the supreme command of
 the army1 it was with the view and     
intention of effecting a reconciliation 
between the two countries4 ,a           
communication to this purpose is said to
 have been made by that illustrious man1
 which communication was never answered1
 nor ever laid formally before the      
,privy ,council1 at least not until more
 than six weeks after it had been       
received1 and then it was too late4     
,america was lost2 and millions spent1  
and thousands sacrificed afterwards in  
vain4 ,whether1 indeed1 the ,king ever  
did know the whole affair1 may be       
doubted4  ,the mind of ,mr4 ,west1      
however1 had no enjoyment in political  
cabals1 in the petty enmities of        
partizans1 or the factious intrigues of 
party leaders4 ,he was by his art wholly
 enchanted1 and saw in the prospect     
before him an adequate recompense in    

fame for all his exertions1 his days of 
labour1 and his nights of study4 ,the   
historical pictures for ,windsor ,castle
 cost him many a patient hour of        
midnight research2 for the means to     
assist his composition1 especially in   
architecture1 and the costume of the    
time1 were then far from being so easy  
of access as they are at present4 ,a    
long period of preference for classic   
literature1 and the illustration of the 
,greek and ,roman story1 had withdrawn  
the public taste from the no less       
glorious events of our own annals4 ,to  
mark1 therefore1 the epoch1 and manners 
of the age of ,poictiers and ,cressy1 of
 the ,institution of the ,garter1 and   
the other heroic and magnificent        
incidents of the reign of ,edward the   
,third1 with that historical truth which
 the artist thought essential to        
historical painting1 required the       
inspection of many an ancient volume1   
and much antiquarian research4 ,in the  
composition for the ,institution of the 

,garter1 the late ,marquis of           
,buckingham offered several suggestions1
 which were adopted2 and on ,his        
,lordship mentioning to the ,king1 that 
,mr4 ,west was descended of the         
,delawarre family1 the head of which    
bore a distinguished part in the great  
events of that time1 ,his ,majesty      
ordered ,mr4 ,west to insert his own    
portrait among the spectators           
represented in the gallery1 and         
immediately over the shield bearing the 
arms of the ,earl of ,delawarre4 ,mr4   
,west himself was not1 at that period1  
acquainted with the descent of his      
pedigree2 but it happened in a          
conversation one day with ,lord         
,buckingham1 that ,his ,lordship        
enquired from what part of ,england his 
family had been originally1 and upon    
,mr4 ,west telling him1 ,his ,lordship  
said1 that the land which his ancestors 
had formerly possessed was become his by
 purchase2 and that the ,wests of ,long 
,crandon were sprung from the ancient   

,earls of ,delawarre4  ,but1 except the 
historical information required for his 
pictures1 in which he was indefatigable1
 until master of all that could be      
obtained1 ,mr4 ,west1 following the     
early and wise advice of ,dr4 ,smith of 
,philadelphia1 wasted none of his time  
in other literary pursuits4 ,among his  
learned and ingenious cotemporaries1    
however1 he acquired a general knowledge
 of the passing literature of the day1  
and in consequence1 there are few       
authors of any celebrity1 especially the
 cotemporaries of ,johnson1 of whom he  
does not possess interesting anecdotes1 
as well as an acquaintance with the     
merit which they were severally allowed 
to possess4  ,one day at ,sir ,joshua   
,reynolds1 after dinner when ,dr4       
,johnson1 ,goldsmith1 and ,burke were   
present1 the conversation turned on the 
degree of excellence which sculpture    
attained among the ,greeks4 ,it was     
observed incidentally1 that there was   
something in the opinion of the         

ancients1 on this subject1 quite        
inexplicable2 for1 in the time of       
,alexander the ,great1 although painting
 was allowed to have been progressive1  
sculpture was said to have declined1 and
 yet the finest examples of the art1 the
 ,apollo and ,venus1 were considered as 
the works of that period4 ,different    
theories were sported on this occasion1 
to explain this seeming contradiction2  
none of them1 however1 were             
satisfactory4 ,but1 on the arrival of   
the ,athenian marbles1 which ,lord      
,elgin brought to this country1 ,mr4    
,west was convinced1 at the first sight 
of them1 of the justness of ancient     
criticism1 and remembered the           
conversation alluded to4  ,perhaps ,i   
may be allowed to mention here1 without 
impropriety1 that ,i was at ,athens when
 the second cargo of these celebrated   
sculptures was dispatched2 that ,i took 
some interest in getting the vessel     
away2 and that ,i went with her myself  
to the island of ,idra4 ,two            

circumstances occasioned this           
interference on my part2--an ,italian   
artist1 the agent of ,lord ,elgin1 had  
quarrelled about the marbles with       
,monsieur ,fauvelle1 the ,french        
,consul1 a man of research and taste1 to
 whom every traveller that visited      
,athens1 even during the revolutionary  
war1 might have felt himself obliged4   
,fauvelle was1 no doubt1 ambitious to   
obtain these precious fragments for the 
,napoleon ,museum at ,paris2 and1       
certainly1 exerted all his influence to 
get the removal of them interdicted4 ,on
 the eve of the departure of the vessel1
 he sent in a strong representation on  
the subject to the governor of the city1
 stating1 what ,i believe was very true1
 that ,lord ,elgin had never any        
sufficient firman or authority for the  
dilapidations that he had committed on  
the temples4 ,luseri1 the ,italian      
alluded to1 was alarmed1 and called on  
me at the monastery of the ,roman       
propaganda1 where ,i then resided2 and  

it was agreed between us1 that if any   
detention was attempted1 ,i should      
remonstrate with the governor1 and      
represent to him that such an arrest of 
,british property would be considered as
 an act of hostility4 ,but our fears    
were happily removed4 ,no notice was    
taken by the governor of ,monsieur      
,fauvelle's remonstrance4 ,in the       
evening ,i embarked on board the vessel 
at the ,pireus1 and next morning was    
safely landed on the island of ,idra1   
where the vessel1 after remaining a day 
or two1 sailed for ,malta4  ,but to     
return to the biographical narrative4   
,on the death of ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1
 in #agia1 ,mr4 ,west was unanimously   
elected ,president of the ,royal        
,academy4 ,the choice was not more a    
debt of gratitude on the part of the    
,institution1 to one who had essentially
 contributed to its formation1 than a   
testimony of respect deservedly merited 
by the conduct and genius of the ,artist
 who1 when the compass1 number1 and     

variety of his pictures are considered1 
was1 at that period1 decidedly the      
greatest historical painter then living1
 who had been born a ,british subject4  
,this event1 at once so honourable to   
his associates and himself1 was         
confirmed by the sanction of ,his       
,majesty on the #bdth of ,march1 #agib2 
on which occasion1 on taking the chair1 
,mr4 ,west addressed the ,academicians  
to the following effect3--         99   
99       99       99       99           
,,gentlemen1  ,the free and unsolicited 
choice with which you have called me to 
fill this chair1 vacated by the death of
 that great character1 ,sir ,,joshua    
,,reynolds1 is so marked an instance of 
your friendship and good opinion1 that  
it demands the immediate acknowledgment 
of my thanks1 which ,i beg you to       
accept4  ,i feel more sensibly the      
dignity to which you have raised me1 as 
,i am placed in succession after so     
eminent a character1 whose exalted      
professional abilities1 and very        

excellent discourses delivered under    
this roof1 have secured a lasting honor 
to this ,institution and to the country2
 while his amiable dispositions1 as a   
man1 will make his loss to be long      
regretted by all who had the happiness  
to know him4  ,,his ,,majesty having    
been graciously pleased to approve and  
confirm the choice which you have made  
of me as your ,president1 it becomes my 
duty1 as far as my humble abilities will
 permit1 to study and pursue whatever   
may be the true interest1 the           
prosperity1 and the glory of this       
,,academy4 ,in the prosecution of this  
duty1 ,i can make no doubt of success1  
when ,i reflect that all the departments
 and classes of this ,institution are   
filled with men of established          
professional reputation1 selected from  
professors of the three great branches  
of art1 which constitute the objects of 
your studies and1 when ,i see this union
 of abilities strengthened by many      
ingenious productions of other able     

artists1 who1 although they have not as 
yet the honour of belonging to this     
body1 will1 nevertheless1 enable us to  
maintain the accustomed brilliancy of   
our ,exhibitions1 and1 consequently1 to 
secure to us the approbation of a       
liberal and judicious public4  ,the     
,exhibitions are of the greatest        
importance to this ,institution2 and the
 ,institution is become of great        
importance to the country4 ,here        
ingenious youth are instructed in the   
art of design2 and the instruction      
acquired in this place1 has spread      
itself through the various manufactures 
of this country1 to which it has given a
 taste that is able to convert the most 
common and simple materials into rare   
and valuable articles of commerce4      
,those articles the ,british merchant   
sends forth into all the quarters of the
 world1 where they stand preeminent over
 the productions of other nations4  ,but
 important as this is1 there is another 
consequence of a more exalted kind2 ,i  

mean1 the cultivating of those higher   
excellences in refined art1 which have  
never failed to secure to nations and to
 the individuals who have nourished     
them1 an immortality of fame1 which no  
other circumstances have been equally   
able to perpetuate4 ,for it is by those 
higher and more refined excellences of  
painting1 sculpture1 and architecture1  
that ,grecian and ,roman greatness are  
transmitted down to the age in which we 
live1 as if it was still in existence4  
,many centuries have elapsed since      
,greeks and ,romans have been overthrown
 and dissolved as a people2 but other   
nations1 by whom similar refinements    
were not cultivated1 are erased from the
 face of the earth1 without leaving any 
monument or vestige to give the         
demonstration that they were ever great4
  ,it may1 therefore1 be fairly assumed1
 that an ,,academy1 whose objects and   
effects are so enlightened and extensive
 as those which are prosecuted here1 is 
highly worthy of the protection of a    

patriot-king1 of a dignified nobility1  
and of a wise people4  ,another         
circumstance1 permit me1 gentlemen1 to  
mention1 because ,i can speak of it with
 peculiar satisfaction1 as important to 
the best interests of this ,institution1
 and with the fullest assurance of its  
truth1 from the personal knowledge ,i   
have had of you all1 and the intimacy in
 which ,i have stood with most of you2  
it is this1 that ,i have ever found you 
steadily determined to support the      
regulations under which this ,,academy  
has been governed1 and brought to its   
present conspicuous situation1 and by an
 attention to which1 we shall always be 
sure to go on with the greatest prudence
 and advantage4  ,it is a matter of no  
less satisfaction to me1 when ,i say1   
that ,i have always observed your bosoms
 to glow with gratitude and loyal       
affection to our ,august ,founder1      
,patron1 and ,benefactor4 ,i am         
convinced1 it is your wish to retain    
,his friendship1 and the friendship of  

every branch of ,his ,illustrious       
,family4 ,i know these to be your       
sentiments1 and they are sentiments in  
which ,i participate with you4 ,in every
 situation of my life it shall be my    
invariable study to demonstrate my duty 
to my sovereign1 my love for this       
,institution1 and my zeal for the       
cultivation of genius1 and the growth of
 universal virtue4  ,mr4 ,west having   
thus been raised to the head of an      
institution1 embracing within itself the
 most distinguished artists at that time
 in the world1 it might be proper to    
pause here to review the merits of the  
works and exertions by which he acquired
 this eminent honour1 had he not1 since 
that time1 attained still more          
distinction in his profession4 ,i shall1
 however1 for the present1 suspend the  
consideration of his progress1 as an    
artist1 to trace his efforts1 in the    
situation of ,president of the ,royal   
,academy1 to promote the improvement of 
the pupils1 by those occasional         

discourses1 which1 in imitation of the  
excellent example of ,sir ,joshua       
,reynolds1 he deemed it an essential    
part of his duty to deliver4     ,chap4 
,,viii4        ,the first ,discourse of 
,mr4 ,west to the ,students of the      
,academy4--,progress of the ,arts4--,of 
the ,advantages of ,schools of          
,art4--,on the ,natural ,origin of the  
,arts4--,of the ,patronage which        
honoured the ,patrons and the           
,artists4--,professional                
,advice4--,promising     ,state of the  
,arts in ,britain4  ,mr4 ,west's first  
discourse to the students of the ,royal 
,academy was delivered on the #ajth of  
,december1 #agib1 on the occasion of the
 distribution of the prizes4 ,without   
ostensibly differing in his views from  
,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 who by his      
lectures acquired1 as an author1 a      
degree of celebrity equal to his fame as
 an artist1 the new ,president confined 
himself more strictly to professional   
topics4 ,he recalled to the remembrance 

of his auditors the circumstances in    
which the ,academy originated1 and      
reminded them of the encouragement which
 the efforts of artists had received    
from the countenance which the ,king had
 given to the arts4 ,let those1 said he1
 who have traced the progress of the    
fine arts1 say among what people did the
 arts rise1 from such a state as that in
 which they were in this country about  
forty years ago1 to the height which    
they have attained here in so short a   
period4 ,in ancient ,greece1 from the   
retreat of ,xerxes1 when they were in   
their infancy1 to the age of ,alexander 
the ,great1 when they reached their     
maturity1 we find a period of no less   
than one hundred and fifty years        
elapsed4 ,in ,rome we can make no       
calculation directly applicable2 for    
among the ,romans the habit of employing
 ,greek artists1 and the rage of        
collecting1 suffered no distinct traces 
to be left of the progress of the arts  
among them4 ,even in architecture1 to   

which their claims were most obviously  
decided1 we see not sufficiently the    
gradations of their own peculiar taste  
and genius4 ,but in modern ,italy1      
leaving out of view the age of ,cimabue1
 and even that of ,giotto1 and dating   
from the institution of the ,academy of 
,st4 ,luke at ,florence1 it required a  
hundred and fifty years to produce a    
,michael ,angelo1 a ,raphael1 and a     
,bramante4  ,mr4 ,west1 after a few     
general observations on the necessary   
union between moral conduct and good    
taste1 adverts to the alleged influence 
which such institutions as the ,royal   
,academy have in producing mannerism in 
the students1 than which nothing can be 
more obnoxious to the progress of       
refined art4 ,but1 said he1 while ,i am 
urging the advantage of freedom and     
nature in study to genius1 let me not be
 misunderstood4 ,there is no untruth in 
the idea that great wits are allied to  
great eccentricity4 ,genius is apt to   
run wild if not brought under some      

regulation4 ,it is a flood whose current
 will be dangerous if it is not kept    
within proper banks4 ,but it is one     
thing to regulate its impetuosity1 and  
another very different to direct its    
natural courses4 ,in every branch of art
 there are certain laws by which genius 
may be chastened2 but the corrections   
gained by attention to these laws       
amputate nothing that is legitimate1    
pure1 and elegant4 ,leaving these graces
 untouched1 the schools of art have     
dominion enough in curbing what is wild1
 irregular1 and absurd4  ,a college of  
art founded in this part of the world   
cannot be expected1 like a college of   
literature1 to lay before its young     
members all that may be necessary to    
complete their knowledge and taste4     
,what is to be had from books may be    
obtained almost every where2 but the    
books of instruction by which the artist
 alone can be perfected1 are those great
 works which still remain immoveable in 
that part of the world1 where the fine  

arts in modern times have been carried  
to their highest degree of perfection4  
,i trust a period will come1 when this  
,academy will be able to send the young 
artist1 not from one spot or one        
seminary to another1 but to gather      
improvement from every celebrated work  
of art wherever situated4 ,but the      
progress and all future success of the  
artist must depend upon himself4 ,he    
must be in love with his art or he will 
never excel in it4  ,that the arts of   
design were among the first suggestions 
vouchsafed by ,heaven to mankind1 is not
 a proposition at which any man needs to
 start4 ,this truth is indeed manifested
 by every little child1 whose first     
essay is to make for itself the         
resemblance of some object to which it  
has been accustomed in the nursery4  ,in
 the arts of design were conveyed the   
original means of communicating ideas1  
which the discoverers of countries show 
us to have been seized upon1 as it were 
involuntarily1 by all the first stages  

of society4 ,although the people were   
rude in knowledge and in manners1 yet   
they were possessed of the means by     
which they could draw figures of things1
 and they could make those figures speak
 their purposes to others as well as to 
themselves4 ,the ,mexicans conversed in 
that way when ,cortes came among them2  
and the savages of ,north ,america still
 employ the same means of communicating 
intelligence4  ,when1 therefore1 you    
have taken up the arts of design as your
 profession1 you have embraced that     
which has not only been sanctioned by   
the cultivation of the earliest         
antiquity1 but to which their is no     
antiquity prior1 except that of the     
visible creation4  ,religion itself in  
the earlier days of the world1 would    
probably have failed in its progress    
without the arts of design1 for religion
 was then emblematic2 and what could an 
emblematic theology do without the aid  
of the fine arts1 and especially the art
 of sculpture8 ,religion and the arts1  

in fact1 sprung up together1 were       
introduced by the same people1 and went 
hand in hand1 first through the         
continent of ,asia1 then through ,egypt1
 next through ,greece and her colonies1 
and in process of time through every    
part of ,italy1 and even to the north of
 ,europe4 ,in the pagodas of ,india1 in 
some caverns of ,media1 and among       
various ruins in ,persia1 are still to  
be seen the early monuments of          
emblematic art1 and wrought in all the  
possible difficulties of skill4  ,when  
in the space of two thousand years1     
after the erection of some of those     
monuments1 the fine arts came to be     
established in ,greece in a better      
spirit as to taste1 a higher estimation 
could not be annexed to any circumstance
 in society1 than was given to the arts 
by the wise and elegant inhabitants of  
that country4 ,they regarded them as    
their public records1 as the means of   
perpetuating all public fame1 all       
private honour1 and all valuable        

instruction4 ,the professors of them    
were considered as public characters who
 watched over the events that were      
passing1 and who had in their hands the 
power of embodying them for ever4 ,and  
is not this still the case with the     
artists of every country1 how varied    
soever may be its maxims1 or its system 
of action1 from those of ,greece8 ,is   
the artist indeed not that watchman who 
observes the great incidents of his     
time1 and rescues them from oblivion8   
,when he turns from these views to      
contemplate the patronage which has been
 given to the fine arts1 will he have   
less reason to esteem his profession1--a
 profession so richly cherished by all  
the greatest characters of the earth8   
and which in return has immortalised its
 patrons4 ,posterity has never ceased to
 venerate the names of the ,cosmos and  
,lorenzos who sought art1 and fostered  
to their full maturity the various      
talents of their countrymen4 ,the palace
 of the ,medici1 still existing in      

,florence1 exhibits not only in its     
treasures the proofs of their           
munificence1 but also within its walls  
those apartments and offices for        
artists1 in every branch which those    
great men considered requisite to the   
decoration of their residence4 ,and     
history has immortalised the solicitude 
with which the vast fortune of the      
family1 acquired originally in          
honourable commerce1 and rising         
gloriously to sovereign power1 was made 
contributory to the nourishing of the   
arts and literature2 of every thing that
 was intellectual1 liberal1 and great4  
,mr4 ,west then continued to enumerate  
the honour which the successive         
illustrious patrons of the fine arts    
have acquired1 deducing from it motives 
of emulation to the young students to   
strive for similar distinction1 that    
their names may be mingled with those   
illustrious races and families to whom  
,heaven is pleased to give superior     
eminence and influence in human affairs4

 ,in doing this he took occasion to     
animadvert on the base adulation of the 
artists of ,france in the age of ,louis 
,,xiv42 or rather of the dishonour which
 the patronage of that monarch has drawn
 upon himself1 by the unworthy manner in
 which he required the artists to       
gratify his personal vanity4 ,he then   
proceeded to give some professional     
advice4 ,i wish1 said he1 to leave this 
impression on the minds of all who hear 
me1 that the great alphabet of our art  
is the human figure4 ,by a competent    
knowledge of that figure the painter    
will be enabled to give a more just     
character and motion to that which he   
intends to delineate4 ,when that motion 
is actuated by passion1 and combined    
with other figures1 groups are formed4  
,these groups make words1 and these     
words make sentences2 by which the      
painter's tablet speaks a universal     
language2 and he concluded with saying1 
,gentlemen1 ,it is a great treasure and 
a great trust which is put into our     

hands4 ,the fine arts were late before  
they crossed the ,british ,channel1 but 
now we may fairly pronounce that they   
have made their special abode with us4  
,there is nothing in this climate       
unpropitious to their growth2 and if the
 idea has been conceived in the world1  
enough has been done by the artists of  
,great ,britain to disprove it4 ,i know 
that ,i am speaking to the first        
professional characters in ,europe in   
every branch of elegant art1 as well as 
those who are most distinguished in     
taste and judgment4 ,if there be        
diffused through this country a spirit  
of encouragement equal to the abilities 
which are ripe to meet it1 ,i may       
venture to predict that the sun of our  
arts will have a long and glorious      
career4     ,chap4 ,,ix4                
,discourse to the ,royal ,academy in    
#agid4--,observations on the ,advantage 
of drawing the ,human ,figure           
correctly4--,on the ,propriety of       
cultivating the ,eye1 in order to       

enlarge the ,variety of our ,pleasures  
derived from ,objects of ,sight4--,on   
characteristic ,distinctions in         
,art4--,illustrations drawn from the    
,apollo ,belvidere1 and from the        
,venus de ,medici2 comprehending        
critical ,remarks on those ,statues4    
,the prizes in the ,royal ,academy being
 distributed every second year1 on the  
#ajth of ,december1 #agid1 ,mr4 ,west   
delivered another ,discourse1 in which  
he took a more scientific view of the   
principles of the fine arts1 than in the
 desultory observations which           
constituted the substance of his first  
lecture4 ,as it contained much valuable 
information1 mixed up with remarks      
incidental to the occasion1 ,i have     
taken the liberty of abstracting the    
professional instruction from the less  
important matter1 in order to give what 
deserves to be preserved and generally  
known in a concise and an unbroken form4
  ,it may be assumed1 said ,mr4 ,west1  
as an unquestionable principle1 that the

 artist who has made himself master of  
the drawing of the human figure1 in its 
moral and physical expression1 will     
succeed not only in portrait-painting1  
but in the delineation of animals1 and  
even of still life1 much better than if 
he had directed his attention to        
inferior objects4 ,for the human figure 
in that point of consideration1 in which
 it becomes a model to art1 is more     
beautiful than any other in nature2 and 
is distinguished1 above every other1 by 
the variety of the phenomena which it   
exhibits1 arising from the different    
modifications of feeling and passion4   
,in my opinion1 it would1 therefore1 be 
of incalculable advantage to the public1
 if the drawing of the human figure were
 taught as an elementary essential in   
education4 ,it would do more than any   
other species of oral or written        
instruction1 to implant among the youth 
of the noble and opulent classes that   
correctness of taste which is so        
ornamental to their rank in society2    

while it would guide the artizan in the 
improvement of his productions in such a
 manner1 as greatly to enrich the stock 
of manufactures1 and to increase the    
articles of commerce2 and1 as the sight 
is perhaps the most delightful of all   
our senses1 this education of the eye   
would multiply the sources of enjoyment4
  ,the value of the cultivated ear is   
well understood2 and the time bestowed  
on the acquisition of the universal     
language of music1 is abundantly repaid 
by the gratification which it affords1  
although not employed in the            
communication of knowledge1 but merely  
as a source of agreeable sensation4     
,were the same attention paid to the    
improvement of the eye1 which is given  
to that of the ear1 should we not be    
rewarded with as great an increase of   
the blameless pleasures of life1--from  
the power of discriminating hues and    
forms1--as we derive from the knowledge 
of musical proportions and sounds8 ,the 
cultivation of the sense of sight would 

have such an effect in improving even   
the faculty of executing those          
productions of mechanical labour which  
constitute so large a portion of the    
riches of a commercial and refined      
people1 that it ought to be regarded    
among the mere operative classes of     
society as a primary object in the      
education of their apprentices4 ,indeed1
 it may be confidently asserted1 that an
 artizan1 accustomed to an accurate     
discrimination of outline1 will1 more   
readily than another not educated with  
equal care in that particular1 perceive 
the fitness or defects of every species 
of mechanical contrivance2 and1 in      
consequence1 be enabled to suggest      
expedients which would tend to enlarge  
the field of invention4 ,we can form no 
idea to ourselves how many of the       
imperfections in the most ingenious of  
our machines and engines would have been
 obviated1 had the inventors been       
accustomed to draw with accuracy4  ,but1
 to the student of the fine arts1 this  

important branch of education will yield
 but few of the advantages which it is  
calculated to afford1 unless his studies
 are directed by a philosophical spirit1
 and the observation of physical        
expression rendered conducive to some   
moral purpose4 ,without the guidance of 
such a spirit1 painting and sculpture   
are but ornamental manufactures2 and the
 works of ,raphael and ,michael ,angelo1
 considered without reference to the    
manifestations which they exhibit of    
moral influence1 possess no merit beyond
 the productions of the ordinary        
paper-hanger4  ,the first operation of  
this philosophical spirit will lead the 
student to contemplate the general form 
of the figure as an object of beauty2   
and thence instruct him to analyse the  
use and form of every separate part2 the
 relation and mutual aid of the parts to
 each other2 and the necessary effect of
 the whole in unison4  ,by an           
investigation of this kind1 he will     
arrive at what constitutes character in 

art2 and1 in pursuing his analysis1 he  
will discover that the general          
construction of the human figure in the 
male indicates strength and activity2   
and that the form of the individual man1
 in proportion to the power of being    
active1 is more or less perfect4 ,in the
 male1 the degree of beauty depends on  
the degree of activity with which all   
the parts of the body are capable of    
performing their respective and mutual  
functions2 but the characteristics of   
perfection of form in the female are    
very different2 delicacy of frame and   
modesty of demeanour1 with less         
capability to be active1 constitute the 
peculiar graces of woman4  ,when the    
student has settled in his own mind the 
general and primary characteristics1 in 
either sex1 of the human figure1 the    
next step will enable him to reduce the 
particular character of his subject into
 its proper class1 whether it rank under
 the sublime or the beautiful1 the      
heroic or the graceful1 the masculine or

 the feminine1 or in any of its other   
softer or more spirited distinctions4   
,for the course of his studies will have
 made him acquainted with the moral     
operations of character1 as they are    
expressed upon the external form2 and   
the habit of discrimination1 thus       
acquired1 will have taught him the      
action or attitude by which all moral   
movements of character are usually      
accompanied4 ,by this knowledge of the  
general figure1 this habitual aptitude  
to perceive the beauty and fitness of   
its parts1 and of the correspondence    
between the emotions of the mind and the
 actions of the body1 he will find      
himself in possession of all that       
,zeuxis sought for in the graces of the 
different beautiful women whom he       
collected together1 that he might be    
enabled to paint a proper picture of    
,helen2 and it is the happy result of   
this knowledge which we see in the      
,apollo ,belvidere and the ,venus de    
,medici1 that renders them so valuable  

as objects of study4  ,but the student  
must be always careful to distinguish   
between objects of study and objects of 
imitation2 for the works which will best
 improve his taste and exalt his        
imagination1 are precisely those which  
he should least endeavour to imitate2   
because1 in proportion to their         
appropriate excellences1 their beauties 
are limited in their application4  ,the 
,apollo is represented by the           
mythologists as a perfect man1 in the   
vigour of life2 tall1 handsome and      
animated2 his locks rising and floating 
on the wind2 accomplished in mind and   
body2 skilled in the benevolent art of  
alleviating pain2 music his delight1 and
 poetry and song his continual          
recreation4 ,his activity was shown in  
dancing1 running1 and the manly         
exercises of the quoit1 the sling1 and  
the bow4 ,he was swift in his pursuits1 
and terrible in his anger4--,such was   
the ,pythian ,apollo2 and were a        
sculptor to think of forming the statue 

of such a character1 would he not       
determine that his body1 strong and     
vigorous from constant exercise1 should 
be nobly erect2 that1 as his lungs were 
expanded by habits of swiftness in the  
chase1 his chest should be large and    
full2 that his thighs1 as the source of 
movement in his legs1 should have the   
appearance of enlarged vigour and       
solidity2 and that his legs1 in a       
similar manner1 should also possess     
uncommon strength to induce and         
propagate the action of the feet8 ,the  
nostrils ought to be elevated1 because  
the quick respirations of running and   
dancing would naturally produce that    
effect2 and1 for the same reason1 the   
mouth should appear to be habitually a  
little open4 ,while his arms1 firm and  
nervous by the exercise of the quoit1   
the sling1 and the bow1 should          
participate in the general vigour and   
agility of the other members2--and would
 not this be the ,apollo ,belvidere8    
,were the young artist1 in like manner1 

to propose to himself a subject in which
 he would endeavour to represent the    
peculiar excellences of woman1 would he 
not say1 that these excellences consist 
in a virtuous mind1 a modest mien1 a    
tranquil deportment1 and a gracefulness 
in motion8 ,and1 in embodying the       
combined beauty of these qualities1     
would he not bestow on the figure a     
general1 smooth1 and round fulness of   
form1 to indicate the softness of       
character2 bend the head gently forward1
 in the common attitude of modesty2 and 
awaken our ideas of the slow and        
graceful movements peculiar to the sex1 
by limbs free from that masculine and   
sinewy expression which is the          
consequence of active exercise8--and    
such is the ,venus de ,medici4 ,it would
 be utterly impossible to place a person
 so formed in the attitude of the       
,apollo1 without destroying all those   
amiable and gentle associations of the  
mind which are inspired by contemplating
 'the statue which enchants the world4' 

,art affords no finer specimens of the  
successful application of the principles
 which ,i have laid down than in those  
two noble productions4     ,chap4 ,x4   
,discourse to the ,academy in           
#agig4--,on the ,principles of ,painting
 and     ,sculpture4--,of               
,embellishments in ,architecture4--,of  
the ,taste of the                       
,ancients4--,errors of the              
,moderns4--,of the good ,taste of the   
,greeks in     ,appropriations of       
,character to their ,statues4--,on      
,drawing4--,of ,light     and           
,shade4--,principles of ,colouring in   
,painting4--,illustration4--,of     the 
,warm and ,cold ,colours4--,of ,copying 
fine ,pictures4--,of                    
,composition4--,on the ,benefits to be  
derived from ,sketching2--and of     the
 ,advantage of being familiar with the  
,characteristics of ,objects     in     
,nature4  ,in the discourse which ,mr4  
,west delivered from the chair of the   
,academy in #agig1 he resumed the       

subject which he had but slightly       
opened1 in that of which the foregoing  
chapter contains the substance4 ,i shall
 therefore endeavour in the same manner1
 and as correctly as ,i can1 to present 
a view of the mode in which he treated  
his argument1 and as nearly as possible 
in his own language4  ,as the foundation
 of those philosophical principles1 said
 ,mr4 ,west1 on which the whole power of
 art must rest1 ,i wish to direct the   
attention of the student1 especially in 
painting and sculpture1 to an early     
study of the human figure1 with         
reference to proportion1 expression1 and
 character4  ,when ,i speak of painting 
and sculpture1 it is not my intention to
 pass over architecture1 as if it were  
less dependent on philosophical         
principles1 although what ,i have       
chiefly to observe with respect to it   
relates to embellishment2--a branch of  
art which artists are too apt to regard 
as not under the control of any         
principle1 but subject only to their own

 taste and fancy4 ,if the young         
architect commences his career with this
 erroneous notion1 he will be undone1 if
 there is any just notions of his art in
 the country4  ,it is1 therefore1       
necessary1 as he derives his models from
 the ancients1 that he should enquire   
into the origin of those embellishments 
with which the architects of antiquity  
decorated their various edifices4 ,in   
the prosecution of his enquiries1 he    
will find that the ornaments of temples 
and mausolea1 may be traced back to the 
periods of emblematic art1 and become   
convinced that the spoils of victims1   
and instruments of sacrifice1 were      
appropriate ornaments of the temple2    
while urns1 containing the ashes of the 
dead1 and the tears of the surviving    
friends1 were the invariable decorations
 of the mausoleum4 ,the good taste of   
the classic ancients prevented them from
 ever intermixing the respective emblems
 of different buildings1 or rather1 in  
their minds custom preserved them from  

falling into such an incongruous error1 
as to place the ornaments belonging to  
the depositaries of the dead on         
triumphal arches1 palaces1 and public   
offices4 ,they considered in the        
ornaments the character and purpose of  
the edifice2 and they would have been   
ashamed to have thought it possible that
 their palaces might be mistaken for    
mausolea1 or their tombs for the        
mansions of festivity4  ,is the country 
in which we live free from the          
absurdities which confound these        
necessary distinctions8 ,have we never  
beheld on the porticoes of palaces1     
public halls1 or places of amusement1   
the skins of animals devoted to the     
rites of the pagan religion1 or vases   
consecrated to the ashes of the dead1 or
 the tears of the living8 ,violations of
 sense and character1 in this respect1  
are daily committed4 ,we might1 with as 
much propriety1 adorn the friezes of our
 palaces and theatres with the skulls   
and cross thigh-bones of the human      

figure1 which are the emblems of death  
in every country throughout modern      
,europe6  ,i do not here allude to any  
particular work1 nor do ,i speak of this
 want of principle as general4 ,it is   
indeed impossible that ,i can be        
supposed to mean the latter2 for we have
 among us men distinguished in the      
profession of architecture1 who would do
 honour to the most refined periods of  
antiquity4 ,but all are not equally     
chaste2 and in addressing myself to the 
young1 it is my duty to guard them      
against those deviations from good      
taste1 which1 without such a caution1   
they might conceive to be sanctioned by 
some degree of example4 ,it is my wish  
to preserve them from the innovations of
 caprice and fashion1 to which the      
public is always prone2 and to assure   
the youth of genius1 that while he      
continues to found the merit of his     
works on true principles1 he will always
 find1 notwithstanding the apparent     
generality of any fashion1 that there is

 no surer way1 either to fame or        
fortune1 than by acting in art1 as well 
as life1 on those principles which have 
received the sanction of experience1 and
 the approbation of the wise of all     
ages4  ,i shall now return to the       
consideration of painting and sculpture4
  ,the ,greeks1 above all others1 afford
 us the best and most decided proofs of 
the beauty arising from the             
philosophical consideration of the      
subject intended to be represented4 ,to 
all their deities a fixed and           
appropriate character was given1 from   
which it would have perhaps been        
profanity to depart4 ,this character was
 the result of a careful consideration  
of the ideal beauty suitable to the     
respective attributes of the different  
deities4 ,thus in their ,jupiter1       
,neptune1 ,hercules1 ,vulcan1 ,mars1 and
 ,pluto2 the ,apollo1 ,mercury1 ,hymen1 
and ,cupid1 and also in the goddesses   
,juno1 ,minerva1 ,venus1 ,hebe1 the     
,nymphs and ,graces2 appeared a vast    

discrimination of character1 at the same
 time as true an individuality as if the
 different forms had been the works of  
,nature herself4  ,in your progress     
through that mechanical part of your    
professional education1 which is        
directed to the acquisition of a perfect
 knowledge of the human figure1 ,i      
recommend to you a scrupulous exactness 
in imitating what is immediately before 
you1 in order that you may acquire the  
habit of observing with precision every 
object that presents itself to your     
sight4 ,accustom yourselves to draw all 
the deviations of the figure1 till you  
are as much acquainted with them as with
 the alphabet of your own language1 and 
can make them with as much facility as  
your letters2 for they are indeed the   
letters and alphabet of your profession1
 whether it be painting or sculpture4   
,these divisions consist of the head1   
with its features taken in three points 
of view1 front1 back1 and profile2 the  
neck in like manner1 also the thorax1   

abdomen1 and pelvis2 thigh1 knee1 leg1  
ankle1 the carpus1 metacarpus1 and toes2
 the clavicula1 arm1 fore-arm1 wrist1   
carpus1 metacarpus1 and fingers4 ,while 
you are employed on these1 it would be  
highly proper to have before you the    
osteology of the part on which you are  
engaged1 as in that consists the        
foundation of your pursuit4 ,and1 in    
this period of your studies1 ,i         
recommend that your drawings be         
geometrical1 as when you draw and study 
a column with its base and capital4 ,at 
the same time you should not neglect to 
gain a few points in perspective1       
particularly so far as to give effect to
 the square and cylinder1 in order to   
know what constitutes the vanishing     
point1 and point of distance1 in the    
subject you are going to draw4  ,after  
you have perfected yourselves in the    
parts of the figure1 begin to draw the  
,greek figures entire1 with the same    
attention to correctness as when you    
drew the divisions in your earlier      

lessons4 ,attend to the perspective     
according to the vanishing point        
opposite to your eye4 ,you will         
naturally seek to possess your mind with
 the special character of the figure    
before you2--and of all the ,grecian    
figures1 ,i would advise you to make    
from the ,apollo and ,venus a general   
measurement or standard for man and     
woman1 taking the head and its features1
 as the part by which you measure the   
divisions of those figures4  ,light and 
shade must not be neglected2 for what   
you effect in drawing by the contour of 
the figure1 light and shade must effect 
with the projections of those parts     
which front you in the figure4 ,light   
and shade there produce what becomes    
outline to another drawing of the same  
object in a right angle to the place    
where you sit4  ,it seems not impossible
 to reduce to the simplicity of rule or 
principle1 what may have appeared       
difficult in this branch of art to young
 students1 and may have been too often  

pursued at random by others4 ,all forms 
in nature1 both animate and inanimate1  
partake of the round form more than of  
any other shape2 and when lighted1      
whether by the sun or flame1 or by      
apertures admitting light1 must have two
 relative extremes of light and shadow1 
two balancing tints1 the illuminated and
 the reflected1 divided by a middle tint
 or the aerial4 ,the effect of          
illumination by flame or aperture1      
differs from that of the sun in this    
respect2 the sun illuminates with       
parallel rays1 which fall over all parts
 of the enlightened side of the subject1
 while the light of a flame or an       
aperture only strikes directly on the   
nearest point of the object1 producing  
an effect which more or less resembles  
the illumination of the sun in          
proportion to the distance and          
dimensions of the object4  ,let us then 
suppose a ball to be the object on which
 the light falls1 in a direction of     
forty-five degrees or the diagonal of a 

square1 and at a right angle from the   
ball to the place where you stand4 ,one 
half of the ball will appear            
illuminated1 and the other dark4 ,this  
state of the two hemispheres constitutes
 the two masses of light and shadow4 ,in
 the centre of the mass of light falls  
the focus of the illumination in the    
ball2 between the centre of the         
illumination and the circle of the ball1
 where the illumination1 reaches its    
extremity1 lies what may be called the  
transparent tint2 and between it and the
 dark side of the ball lies the serial  
or middle tint4 ,the point of darkness1 
the extreme of shade1 is diametrically  
opposite to the focus of illumination1  
between which and the aerial tint lies  
the tint of reflection4 ,if the ball    
rests on a plain1 it will throw a shadow
 equal in length to one diameter and a  
quarter of the ball4 ,that shadow will  
be darker than the shade on the ball1   
and the darkest part will be where the  
plain and ball come in contact with each

 other4  ,this simple experiment1       
whether performed in the open sun-shine1
 or with artificial illumination1 will  
lead you to the true principles of light
 and shade over all objects in nature1  
whether mountains1 clouds1 rocks1 trees1
 single figures1 or groups of figures4  
,it would therefore be of great use1    
when you are going to give light and    
shade to any object1 first to make the  
experiment of the ball1 and in giving   
that light and shade1 follow the lessons
 with which it will furnish you4  ,you  
will find that this experiment will     
instruct you1 not only in the principles
 of light and shade1 but also of        
colours2 for that there is a            
corresponding hue with respect to       
colours is not to be disputed4 ,in order
 to demonstrate this1 place in the ball 
which you have illuminated1 the         
prismatic colours1 suiting their hues to
 those of the tints4 ,yellow will answer
 to the focus of illumination1 and the  
other secondary and primary hues will   

fall into their proper places4 ,hence1  
on the enlightened side of a group or   
figure1 you may lay yellow1 orange1 red1
 and then violet1 but never on the side 
where the light recedes4 ,on that side  
must come the other prismatic colours in
 their natural order4 ,yellow must pass 
to green1 the green to blue1 and the    
blue to purple4 ,the primary colours of 
yellow1 orange1 and red1 are the warm   
colours1 and belong to the illuminated  
side of objects2 the violet is the      
intermediate1 and green1 blue1 and      
purple are the cold colours1 and belong 
to the retiring parts of your           
composition4  ,on the same principle1   
and in the same order1 must be placed   
the tints which compose the fleshy      
bodies of men and women1 but so blended 
with each other1 as to give the softness
 appropriate to the luminous quality and
 texture of flesh2 paying attention1 at 
the same time1 to reflections on its    
surface from other objects1 and to its  
participation of their colours4 ,the    

latter is a distinct circumstance       
arising from accident4  ,when the sun   
illuminates a human body1 in the same   
manner as the ball1 the focus of the    
illumination in that body will partake  
of the yellow2 and the luminous or      
transparent tint1 will have the orange  
and the red4 ,these produce1 what is    
called1 the carnation4 ,the pure red1   
occasioned by the blood1 lies in the    
lips1 cheeks1 joints1 and extremities of
 the figure1 and no where else4 ,on the 
receding side of the focus is the local 
colour of the flesh1 and on the receding
 side of that is the greenish tint2 in  
the shade will fall the cold or bluish1 
and in the reflection will fall the tint
 of purple4 ,the most perfect tint of   
ground1 from which to relieve this      
arrangement of colours1 is either blue1 
grey1 or purple1 for those colours      
partake of the complexion of the watery 
sky in which the rainbow appears1 or the
 ground which best exhibits the         
prismatic colours4  ,in acquiring a     

practical knowledge of the happiest     
manner of distributing your colours     
according to nature1 it will assist you1
 if you will copy with attention some   
pieces of ,titian1 ,correggio1 ,reubens1
 and ,vandyke2 the masters in whose     
works you will most eminently find the  
system pursued1 which ,i have           
endeavoured to illustrate by the simple 
image of the ball4  ,having passed from 
the antique school1 to that in which you
 draw after the living figure1 still    
adhere to that scrupulous exactness of  
drawing with which you first set out2   
marking with precision the divisions of 
the figure4 ,after you have made        
yourselves acquainted with the drawing  
of the living figure1 you must then     
begin to enlarge your lines1 and to give
 softness and breadth1 to direct your   
attention to what constitutes style and 
character1 and to discriminate these    
from what constitutes manner4  ,to      
assist you in this nice discrimination1 
consult the prints and works of ,michael

 ,angelo1 ,raphael1 and ,hannibal       
,carracci4 ,in them you will find the   
strongest and purest evidence of style  
and character1 yet all differing from   
each other1 and all equally brought out 
of nature4 ,i do not recommend them with
 a view that you should adopt the style 
and character of any of them2 but to    
show from those great examples1 that    
style and character1 although ever      
founded in nature1 are as various as the
 individual genius of every artist2 that
 they are as free to you as they were to
 those masters2 that if you will consult
 your own mind1 you will draw forth a   
style and character of your own1 and    
therefore no man can ever be excused for
 sinking into a mannerist4  ,and ,i     
cannot omit to observe here1 that in the
 order of your studies1 your mental     
powers should be cherished and brought  
into action by reading and reflection1  
but not until you have acquired         
practical facility in your art4 ,too    
often it happens1 and ,i have seen it   

with concern1 that the presumption of   
youth1 or the errors of instruction1    
have reversed this order1 and have      
carried many to attempt essays of       
research and learning1 before they were 
well grounded in the principles of      
professional practice4 ,what other      
consequences can follow from such a     
course1 but that the student will turn  
in discontent from his own productions1 
because they fall short of the ideas in 
his mind2 and induce him1 perhaps1 to   
abandon1 with disgust1 a profession in  
which he might have shone with          
distinction1 had he taken a right method
 of cultivating his own powers6  ,the   
great masters were all at an early age  
great in the mechanical department of   
their art1 before they established any  
name by their philosophical style and   
character4 ,michael ,angelo1 when a mere
 youth1 modelled and drew in a manner   
which astonished his own master4        
,raphael1 at not more than nineteen     
years of age1 rivalled his instructor1  

,pietro ,perugino1 in his executive     
talent2 and1 owing to this1 he was      
enabled1 at the age of only twenty-five1
 to send forth his two great works1 the 
,dispute on the ,sacrament1 and the     
,school of ,athens4 ,guido1 ,bernini1   
and many others of the first class1     
pursued the same course of study1 and   
were in the full possession of their    
powers very young4 ,vandyke1 before he  
was twenty years old1 assisted ,reubens 
in his greatest works2 and on a certain 
occasion1 when the pupils of ,reubens   
were amusing themselves in the absence  
of their master1 one of them happened to
 fall against 'the ,mother1' in the     
,descent from the ,cross1 which ,vandyke
 repaired in a manner so admirable1 that
 when the painter came next to the      
picture1 he expressed himself surprised 
at the excellence of his own work1 and  
said1 that he thought he had not done   
that arm so well4 ,in a word1 wherever  
we find the executive power high at an  
early age1 whether in painting or       

sculpture1 we have an assurance of      
future excellence1 which nothing but    
indolence can prevent4 ,and1 to give    
that early facility correctness of      
execution1 remember and pursue the great
 maxim of ,apelles3--    ',nulla dies1  
sine linea4'  ,the young artist may1    
indeed1 draw lines every day and every  
hour with advantage1 whether it be to   
amuse himself in society or in the      
fields4 ,he should accustom himself to  
sketch every thing1 especially what is  
rare and singular in nature4 ,let       
nothing of the animate creation on the  
earth1 or in the air1 or in the water1  
pass you unnoticed2 especially those    
which are distinguished for their       
picturesque beauty1 or remarkable for   
dignity of form or elegance of colour4  
,fix them distinctly in your sketch-book
 and in your memory4 ,observe1 with the 
same contemplative eye1 the landscape1  
the appearance of trees1 figures        
dispersed around1 and their aerial      
distance1 as well as lineal forms4 ,in  

this class of observations1 omit not to 
observe the light and shade1 in         
consequence of the sun's rays being     
intercepted by clouds or other          
accidents4 ,besides this1 let your mind 
be familiar with the characteristics of 
the ocean2 mark its calm dignity when   
undisturbed by the winds1 and all its   
various states between that and its     
terrible sublimity when agitated by the 
tempest4 ,sketch with attention its     
foaming and winding coasts with distant 
land1 and that awful line which         
separates it from the ,heavens4         
,replenished with these stores1 your    
imagination will then come forth as a   
river1 collected from little springs1   
spreads into might and majesty4 ,the    
hand will then readily execute what it  
has been so practised in acquiring2     
while the mind will embrace its subjects
 with confidence1 by being so well      
accustomed to observe their picturesque 
effect4     ,chap4 ,,xi4                
,discourse4--,introduction4--,on the    

,philosophy of ,character in ,art4--,of 
,phidias4--,of ,apelles4--,of the       
,progress of the ,arts among the        
,moderns4--,of ,leonardo da ,vinci4--,of
 ,michael ,angelo1 ,raphael1 and        
,bartolomeo4--,of ,titian4--,of the     
,effects of ,patronage4  ,it is not my  
intention to give all the discourses    
which ,mr4 ,west addressed to the       
students of the ,academy1 but only those
 which contain1 what may be called1     
illustrations of the principles of his  
art4 ,the following1 however1 is so     
interesting and so various in its       
matter1 that it would be improper in me 
to make any attempt to garble or abridge
 it1 beyond omitting the mere incidental
 notice of temporary circumstances4     
,the discourse which ,i am about to     
deliver1 according to usual custom on   
the return of this day1 must be         
considered as addressed more immediately
 to those among the students1 who have  
made so much progress in art1 as to be  
masters of the human figure1 of         

perspective1 and of those other parts of
 study1 which ,i have heretofore        
recommended as the elements of painting 
and sculpture2 and who are therefore    
about to enter on the higher paths of   
professional excellence4 ,it will       
consequently be my object1 now1 to show 
how that excellence is to be attained2  
and this will best be done1 as ,i       
conceive1 by showing how it has been    
attained by others1 in whom that        
excellence has been most distinguished  
in the ancient and modern world4 ,by    
pursuing the principles on which they   
moved1 you have the best encouragement  
in their illustrious example1 while1 by 
neglecting those principles1 you can    
have no more reason to hope for such    
success as they met with1 than you can  
think of reaching a distant land1       
without road or compass to direct your  
steps4  ,the ground which ,i shall      
propose for your attention is this--to  
investigate those philosophical         
principles on which all truth of        

character is founded1 and by which that 
sublime attainment1 the highest         
refinement in art1 and without which    
every thing else is merely mechanical1  
may be brought to a decided point1 in   
all the variety by which it is          
distinguished through the animated      
world4  ,on this ground1 and on this    
alone1 rose ,phidias and ,apelles to the
 celebrity which they held among the    
,greeks2 and among the ,italians1       
,leonardo da ,vinci1 ,michael ,angelo1  
,raphael1 ,titian1 ,correggio1 and some 
others1 who became the completest models
 in sculpture and painting4 ,their      
predecessors1 indeed1 in both countries1
 had for a considerable time been       
preparing the way1 but not having       
equally studied the best means1 or those
 means not having been equally before   
them1 it was reserved of course for the 
great characters ,i have mentioned1 to  
unite philosophical with professional   
truth1 and to exhibit to the world in   
their works the standards of style4     

,from the same source arose another     
consequence1 ever worthy and pleasing to
 be mentioned2--the exhibition of those 
perfections was always accompanied by   
that ardent patronage1 which not only   
cheered their minds1 and invigorated    
their powers1 but has left a glory on   
their country1 which no subsequent      
events have been able to obliterate1 and
 which never will be obliterated in any 
country where the sublimity of art1     
involving the most refined              
embellishments of civilized life1 is    
cherished by those who are in a capacity
 to cherish it4  ,in a very early period
 of the arts in ,greece1 we meet with a 
circumstance which shows the advantages 
derived from consulting with philosophy1
 if it does not also show the origin and
 outset of those advantages4 ,the       
circumstance to which ,i allude is1 that
 in the period when the sculptors       
contented themselves with the stationary
 forms and appearance of figures1 in    
imitation of their predecessors1 the    

,egyptians2 at that time they began to  
submit their works to the judgment of   
philosophers1 one of whom1 being called 
in to survey a statue1 which a sculptor1
 then eminent1 was going to expose to   
public view1 remarked1 that the human   
figure before him wanted motion1 or that
 expression of intellect and will1 from 
which motion and character too must     
arise2 for man had a soul and mind1     
which put him at the head of the animal 
creation1 and1 therefore1 without that  
soul and mind1 the form of man was      
degraded4  ,this observation touched the
 point1 then1 necessary to be obviated1 
in order to overcome the primitive      
rudeness which still attached to        
sculpture2 and without the application  
of the principle contained in the       
observation1 sculpture and painting too 
might have stood still for ages4 ,and   
from what other source than the         
principles of philosophic study1 or1 in 
other words1 from reflection on the     
moral powers or passions of man1 their  

several effects1 as produced in their   
workings on the human figure1 could that
 improvement be obtained8 ,it was the   
constant employment of the philosophic  
mind1 to study those causes and effects1
 and to reduce them to a more distinct  
display for the truth and utility of    
their own writings4 ,the philosophers   
were1 therefore1 the most likely to     
assist the artist in those displays of  
character which tended to illustrate the
 truth of his own works4 ,nor on this   
account is it any disparagement to the  
artists of those days1 when philosophic 
studies were confined to particular     
classes of men1 that this moral view of 
art was not sufficiently taken up by the
 more mechanical part of the profession4
  ,thus1 however1 the opening was made  
to the important expression of          
character4 ,and the lesson suggested by 
the philosopher alluded to1 is not      
confined to the ,greeks alone4 ,i wish1 
young gentlemen1 to leave it in all its 
force upon your minds4 ,for if the      

figures you design1 whether singly or in
 groups1 have not their actions         
correspondent to what their minds appear
 to be pursuing1 they will suit any     
other subject as well as that in which  
they are placed4 ,this remark is the    
more worthy of attention1 as it does not
 apply to any of the figures of the     
,grecian masters whom ,i have mentioned4
 ,the figure by ,phidias on ,monte      
,cavallo at ,rome1 the ,apollo1 the     
,laocoon1 the ,venus1 the ,hercules1 and
 the fighting gladiator1 are all perfect
 on the just principles ,i have         
mentioned4 ,there is no room for        
amendment2 their propriety is           
unquestionable2 their truth eternal4    
,and so in the works of modern art1 we  
see the same truth and perfection in the
 ,capella ,sestina by ,michael ,angelo1 
in the ,supper by ,leonardo da ,vinci at
 ,milan1 in the ,cartoons by ,raphael1  
the ,st4 ,peter ,martyr by ,titian1 and 
the ,note by ,correggio4  ,having       
mentioned the figure on ,monte ,cavallo1

 representing1 as you all know1 a young 
man curbing a horse1 ,i cannot help     
stopping to remark1 that if any work of 
sculpture ever demonstrated more        
strongly the value of uniting           
philosophic science with that of art1   
for the production of character1 it is  
that work by ,phidias4 ,never did the   
power of art express more evidently than
 is done in the head of the young man1  
that every feature is moved by an       
internal mental power1 and corresponds  
in the most perfect truth with what we  
see to be the labouring passion4 ,when  
we view it in front we are astonished   
that the mouth does not speak4 ,no      
observer ever thinks that the head is a 
block of stone4 ,but the whole group is 
masterly on the most refined principles 
of science4 ,it was intended to be seen 
at an elevated point1 as well as at a   
distant one4 ,all its forms1 therefore1 
are grand without the minutiae of parts2
 its effects are striking and momentary2
 and in every circumstance considered1  

it is plainly the work of consummate    
genius and science united4  ,was it     
possible that in an age which gave a    
,phidias to the ,greeks1 there should   
not have been a ,pericles to reward1 by 
his patronage1 merit so exalted8  ,we   
may carry the same reflections into the 
progress of the pencil4 ,as the ,greeks 
became refined in their minds1 they     
gained an ,apelles to paint1 and an     
,alexander to patronise4 ,we are not    
enabled now to speak of the works of    
that great master4 ,his figure of       
,alexander1 in the character of young   
,ammon1 is described as his             
master-piece4 ,such was the expression  
with which the hand grasped the         
thunder-bolt1 that it seemed actually to
 start from the pannel4 ,the expression 
and force of character given to the     
whole1 was equally marvellous4 ,and when
 we consider the refinement to which the
 human mind had then arrived among the  
,greeks1 the immense value which they   
put upon the works of that artist1 and  

that they were too wise to devote their 
applause to things which fell short of  
consummate excellence1 we cannot doubt  
but it was by the cultivation of the    
public mind that the arts reached such  
attainments among them4 ,what must have 
been their exquisite state when the     
simple line drawn by ,protogenes1--in   
the consciousness of his acknowledged   
perfection1 and which was intended to   
announce the man who drew it1 as much as
 if he had told his name1--was so far   
excelled by another simple line over it 
by ,apelles1 that the former at once    
confessed himself outdone8 ,those two   
lines1 simple as they were1 were by no  
means trifling in their instruction4    
,they gave us1 as it were1 an epitome of
 the progress which the arts had long   
been making in ,greece4 ,for if the     
drawing of a simple line1 of such a     
master as ,protogenes1 who was conceived
 by many to hold the first pencil in the
 world1 was surpassed1 to his great     
surprise1 by another1 how high must     

refinement have been raised by the      
exertions of the artists in a period so 
emulous of perfection6  ,the stages in  
the progress of modern art1 have been   
frequently distinguished by ages similar
 to those which succeed one another in  
the human growth4 ,we may safely assert1
 that in the infantine and youthful     
period of modern art1 literature and    
science were only seen in their infancy 
and growth4 ,the opening of nature      
displayed in the works of ,massaccio2   
the graces exhibited in those of        
,lorenzo ,ghiberti2 and the advancement 
in perspective made by one or two       
others1 kept pace nearly with that      
progress in philosophy which appeared in
 the best writings of those days4 ,as   
the one took a larger step in the next  
stage or period1 the other stepped forth
 in a like degree at the same time2 so  
that in ,leonardo da ,vinci we see the  
great painter and the great philosopher3
 his painting most clearly refined in   
its principles1 and enlarged in its     

powers by his philosophical studies4 ,as
 a philosopher1 and especially in those 
parts of knowledge which were most      
interesting to his profession1 he laid  
that foundation of science which has    
ever since been adopted and admired4 ,as
 a painter1 he not only went far beyond 
his predecessors1 but laid down those   
principles of science in the expression 
of individual character1 and of a soul  
and figure specifically and completely  
appropriated to each other1 which opened
 the way to the greatness acquired by   
those who followed him in his studies4  
,in that point of excellence1 ,leonardo 
da ,vinci was original2 and it was the  
natural result of a mind like his1      
formed to philosophical investigation1  
and deeply attentive to all the variety 
of appearances by which the passions are
 marked in the human countenance and    
frame4 ,these he traced to their        
sources3 he found them in their radical 
principles1 and by his knowledge of     
these principles1 his expression of     

character became perfected4  ,the nature
 exhibited by ,massaccio had not gone to
 that extent of expression4 ,it however 
spoke a soul3 he drew forth an inward   
mind on the outward countenance3 he gave
 a character2 but that character was not
 so discriminated as to become the index
 of one particular passion more than    
another2 or to decide1 for instance1 the
 head of ,jupiter from that of a        
,minerva3 so at with the aid1 of        
different types1 it should not befit a  
,saviour or a ,magdalene4  ,we must take
 along with us in this review1 that the 
splendid patronage of the house of      
,medici came forward1 to meet1 and to   
cherish the happy advancements made by  
the masters of those days2 so that      
,florence1 which was then the greatest  
seat of the arts1 was no less brilliant 
and illustrious in the generosity which 
strove to perpetuate them1 than in the  
genius by which they had been           
cultivated4  ,leonardo da ,vinci1 by the
 principles which he so effectually     

realised1 has always been considered as 
having established the manly as well as 
the graceful age of modern art4 ,but    
manhood is never so fixed as to be      
incapable of progress4 ,the manhood then
 attained in art was capable of farther 
advancement beyond the growth which the 
powers of ,da ,vinci had given it4 ,this
 was eminently illustrated by the       
sublimity of style which was attained by
 the genius of ,michael ,angelo and of  
,raphael2--quality equally original in  
both1 although issuing from different   
principles4 ,in the former1 it was      
founded on that force and grandeur1     
allied to poetic spirit1 which rises    
above all that is common1 and leaves    
behind it all that is tame and simply   
correct2 which1 not content with        
engaging the senses1 seizes on the      
imagination1 while it never departs from
 truth4 ,in the latter1 it was made up  
of the beautiful and graceful1 which    
attracts by the assemblage of whatever  
is most perfect and elevated in the     

character or subject4  ,raphael coming  
somewhat later than ,michael ,angelo on 
the theatre of art1 had the advantage of
 many of that master's works1 as well as
 of all the improvements which had been 
made before4 ,his life was a short one1 
and the first studies of it were almost 
lost in the dry school of ,pietro       
,perugino4 ,but he soon found his way to
 the philosophy of ,leonardo da ,vinci1 
and to the profound principles on which 
his admirable expression of character is
 founded4 ,the dignity of drapery1 and  
of light and shade1 opened by           
,bartolomeo1 invited his studies2 and   
the sublimity of the human figure in the
 sculptures of his cotemporary1 ,michael
 ,angelo1 fastened on his contemplation4
 ,thus he entered at once1 as it were1  
into the inheritance of whatever        
excellencies had been produced before   
him4 ,with these advantages he was      
called to adorn the apartments of the   
,vatican4 ,and can we wonder that his   
first works there1 at the age of        

seven-and-twenty1 were the ,dispute on  
the ,sacrament1 and the ,school of      
,athens8  ,but what was it that         
contributed very much to the production 
of those works8 ,it was not the profound
 studies of ,raphael's mind1 but the    
spirit of the age which warmed those    
studies4--,it was a great age1 in which 
learning and science were become        
diffused1 at least throughout           
,europe3--a great age replete with      
characters studious of philosophy2 and1 
therefore1 fond of the instruction      
conveyed by the arts2--fond of those    
high and more profound compositions     
which entered into the spirit of        
superior character1 and made some study 
and research necessary to develope their
 beauties4 ,to meet the taste of such an
 age1 the two first public works of     
,raphael1 above mentioned1 were well    
suited1 inasmuch as they were intended  
to convey the comparative views of      
theology and human science1 or1 in other
 words1 the improvement of the human    

mind arising from the two great sources 
of national wisdom and revealed light4  
,it must not also be forgotten1 that    
while the spirit of the age was warming 
his mind to the peculiar dignity of     
theme and style which marks his works1  
the generous and noble patronage of the 
papal court was exerting its utmost     
power to immortalise him1 and every     
other great master that arose within the
 circle of its influence4 ,their merit  
and their fame found as animated a      
protector in ,leo ,x4 as ,phidias       
experienced in ,pericles1 or ,apelles in
 ,alexander the ,great4  ,as the        
,florentine and ,roman schools were thus
 gradually refined in the excellence of 
design and character1 by the aid of     
philosophical studies2 so the ,venetian 
masters were equally indebted to the    
like studies1 without which1 they would 
never have reached their admirable      
system of colouring4 ,if any have       
conceived otherwise1 they have taken a  
very superficial view of their system4  

,where is there greater science         
concerned than in the whole theory of   
colours8 ,it employed the investigation 
of ,newton2 and shall that pass for a   
common or easy attainment which took up 
so much of his profound studies8 ,the   
,venetian masters had been long working 
their way to the radical principles of  
this science1 not only for a just and   
perfect arrangement of their colouring1 
but for that clear and transparent      
system in the use of it1 which have     
equally marked that school in the days  
of its maturity under ,titian4 ,he it   
was who established1 on unerring        
principles1 founded on nature and truth1
 that accomplished system which ,john   
,bellini had first laboured to discover1
 and in which ,giorgioni had made       
further advancements4 ,besides his zeal 
in his profession1 ,titian was born in  
that higher rank of life which might be 
supposed to give him an easier access to
 the elegant studies of philosophic     
science2 and he had prosecuted1 with    

great ardour1 the science of chemisty1  
the better to understand the properties 
of colour1 their homogeneous blendings1 
purity1 and duration2 as well as the    
properties of oils1 gums1 and other     
fluids1 which might form the fittest    
vehicles to convey his colours upon     
canvass4  ,the elegant ,charles ,v4 was 
to ,titian in liberal pratronage what   
,leo ,x4 was to ,raphael4 ,that         
munificent prince carried him into      
,spain1 where his works laid the        
foundation of the ,spanish school in    
painting1 and gave a relish for that art
 to all the succeeding monarchs4  ,what 
has been remarked respecting ,titian and
 the ,venetian school1 is equally true  
of that of ,correggio among the ,lombard
 painters4 ,the mind of ,correggio      
appears evidently1 by his works1 to have
 been profoundly enlightened2 and       
especially in the philosophical         
arrangement and general doctrine of     
colours4 ,what has been said by some    
concerning the low circumstances of his 

fortune1 7which is not true17 neither   
proves the obscurity of his birth1 nor  
that philosophical researches were out  
of his reach1 or beside his emulation4  
,the truth is1 that he was born of a    
very honourable family1 and was         
accomplished in the elegancies of life2 
not that it is necessary for any man to 
have the advantages of birth1 in order  
to become enlightened by science in any 
way whatever4 ,the patronage which      
attended him was of the most elevated   
kind1 being dispensed by the illustrious
 houses of ,mantua and ,modena1 as well 
as by the institution of the ,doma of   
,parma4 ,but what is by no means less   
worthy of our notice is1 that of all the
 masters who have risen up in any of the
 schools of ,italy1 not one has been the
 means of giving success and reputation 
to those who have followed any of their 
respective styles equally with          
,correggio4 ,the ineffable softness1    
sweetness1 and grace in his paintings1  
have never varied in their effects with 

the course of time4 ,and they who have  
since partaken of these powers in his   
style1 have very generally become great 
masters1 7distinguished by none of the  
excesses which have sometimes attended  
the imitation of other models17 and     
successful in gainng the approbation and
 favour of the world4  ,the paths       
pursued by those great examples must    
become yours1 young gentlemen1 or you   
can neither be eminent in colouring1 nor
 sure in the execution of your art4 ,it 
is possible1 that by habits of practice1
 handed over from one to another1 or by 
little managements in laying colours on 
the canvass1 where little or nothing of 
the general science has been studied and
 attained1 many may so far succeed as to
 avoid glaring errors1 and a violation  
of those first principles which have    
their foundation in nature4 ,but that   
success is at all times extremely       
hazardous and dependent on chance4 ,more
 frequently it has introduced invincible
 conflicts between the primary and      

secondary colours1 to the ruin of       
harmony and aerial perspective1 and to  
the overthrow of the artist1 whenever   
the picture is glanced upon by the eye  
of scientific discernment4 ,contemptible
 are the best of such managements1 ever 
in the hands of those that know them    
best1 compared with a full and masterly 
possession of the philosophy by which   
this part of your art must be guided4   
,if the ordonnance of colour1 on each   
figure and on the whole1 is not disposed
 according to the immutable laws of the 
science1 no fine effect1 or accordant   
tones of colours1 can possibly be       
produced4 ,there is1 therefore1 but one 
way to make sure of success1 and to     
raise your characters in this point1 and
 that is by making yourselves masters of
 the whole philosophy of colours1 as    
,titian and ,correggio did1 and some    
others1 in whose works1 from first to   
last1 the minutest scrutiny will never  
find a colour misplaced or prejudiced by
 its disposition with others4  ,to be   

perfect1 is the emulation which belongs 
to those arts in which you are engaged1 
and the anxious hope of the country in  
which you live4 ,to animate you to that 
perfection1 is the object of what ,i    
have now addressed to you4 ,i am        
persuaded it is your ambition to be     
perfect4 ,this ,academy looks with      
pleasure on the progress of your        
studies1 as it may look with pride on   
the high and cultivated state to which  
the arts have been raised among us ever 
since they have had the establishment of
 a regular school4 ,it is no flattery to
 the present ra in ,britain to say1 that
 in no age of the world have the arts   
been carried in any country to such a   
summit as they now hold among us1 in so 
short a period as half a century at     
most4 ,among the ,greeks some centuries 
had elapsed1 amidst no little emulation 
in the arts1 before they obtained an    
,apelles4 ,in modern ,italy1 without    
going as far back as we might1 it took  
up a century from the appearance of     

,massaccio to the perfection of a       
,raphael4 ,if1 then1 the ,british school
 has risen so much more speedily to that
 celebrity in art1 which it is too well 
known and established to need any       
illustration here1 what should hinder   
her professors from becoming the most   
distinguished rivals of the fame        
acquired by the ,greeks and ,italians1  
with a due perseverance in the studies  
which lead to perfection1 and with those
 encouragements and support of patronage
 which are due to genius8  ,as the      
source of that patronage1 we look up    
with affectionate gratitude to the      
benign and flattering attention of our  
most gracious ,sovereign1 to whose      
regard for the elegant arts1 and        
munificent disposition to cherish every 
enlargement of science1 and improvement 
of the human mind1 his people are       
indebted for this public seminary1 his  
own favoured ,institution1 and the first
 which this country has ever been so    
fortunate as to see established4 ,under 

his royal patronage and support1 this   
,academy has risen to its present       
strength and flourishing condition4 ,his
 patronage1 which would be improperly   
estimated by mere expenditure1 in a     
country not similar in the latitude of  
government1 or in the controul over     
revenue1 to ancient ,greece or modern   
,italy1 but properly by its diffusive   
influence1 has been the source of every 
other patronage in the country2 has     
inspired that refined taste and ardour  
for elegant arts1 which have given in   
fact a new character to the people1 and 
has raised within and without this      
,academy that body of distinguished men1
 whose works have contributed to        
immortalise his reign1 as his love for  
the arts has become the means of        
immortalising them4  ,the patronage     
which has flowed from other quarters1   
deserves very honourable mention2 and is
 of so much importance1 that without it 
the spirit of art must droop1 and the   
very profession of it be contracted in  

every situation whatever4 ,it is not by 
the influence and support of any        
individual character1 how elevated      
soever1 or how warm soever in his       
attachment to taste and elegance1 that  
the extent of professional talents      
spread through a country1 can be        
effectually sustained with adequate     
encouragements4 ,it is the wealthy and  
the great1 who are commonly trained by  
their situations to the perception of   
what is elegant and refined1 that must  
come forward in such an illustrious     
undertaking4 ,it is only they who can   
meet every where the merit1 let it be   
disseminated as it may1 which is        
entitled1 to distinction4 ,without the  
patronage of such1 the arts could never 
have obtained their high meridian in    
,greece and ,italy4 ,had not the        
communities and rich individuals in     
,greece taken the arts under their      
protection1 not all the encouragement of
 ,pericles1 or of ,alexander the ,great1
 could have drawn forth that immense    

body of painting and sculpture which    
filled the country4 ,had the patronage  
of ,italy rested with the popes and     
princes1 unaccompanied by those         
munificent supports which flowed from   
the churches and convents1 as well as   
from private individuals of rank and    
wealth1 the galleries of that country   
could never have been so superbly filled
 as they were1 nor could those          
collections have been made from thence1 
which have filled so many galleries and 
cabinets elsewhere4  ,these facts are   
not to be denied2 but they also lead us 
to another lesson1 which is1 that the   
patronage so generally dispensed was for
 the protection of living genius1 and   
that they by whom it was so dispensed   
sought no other collections than the    
works of native and living artists4 ,on 
any other ground there can be no such   
thing as patronage4 ,nothing else is    
worthy of that name4 ,the true and      
generous patron of great works selects  
those which are produced by the talents 

existing around him4 ,by collecting from
 other countries1 he may greatly enrich 
himself1 but can never give celebrity to
 the country in which he lives4 ,the    
encouragement extended to the genius of 
a single artist1 though it may produce  
but one original work1 adds more to the 
celebrity of a people1 and is a higher  
proof of true patriotic ardour1 and of a
 generous love for the progress of art1 
than all the collections that ever were 
made by the productions of other        
countries1 and all the expenditures that
 ever were bestowed in making them4 ,did
 the habits of our domestic             
circumstances1 like those of ,italy1    
permit the ingenious student to have    
access to those works of established    
masters1 procured by the spirit of their
 noble and wealthy possessors1 and of   
many distinguished amateurs on the most 
liberal terms1 and with the honourable  
purpose of forming the taste1 as well as
 enriching the treasures1 of the        
country1 every thing would then be done1

 which is wanting to complete the public
 benefit of such collections1 and the   
general gratitude to which they who have
 made them would be entitled4 ,so       
abundant are the accomplished examples  
in art already introduced among us1 that
 there would then be no necessity for   
students to run to other countries for  
those improvements which their own can  
furnish4  ,it cannot be improper at any 
time to make these remarks2 while it    
must also be observed1 that the         
patronage held forth by many great and  
noble characters needs no spur2 and the 
means projected by other spirited       
individuals in opulent stations1 for    
extending and perpetuating the works of 
,british masters1 fall short in no      
degree of the most fervid energies and  
examples1 of which any country has been 
able to boast4  ,it is your duty1 young 
gentlemen1 to become accomplished in    
your professions1 that you may keep     
alive those energies and examples of    
patronage1 when you come to draw the    

attention of the world to your own      
works4 ,it is by your success that the  
arts must be carried on and preserved   
here4 ,patronage can only be expected to
 follow what is eminently meritorious1  
and more especially that general        
patronage diffused through the more     
respectable ranks of society1 which is  
to professional merit1 what the ocean is
 to the earth2--the great fund from     
whence it must ever be refreshed1 and   
without whose abundance1 conveyed       
through innumerable channels1 every     
thing must presently become dry1 and all
 productions cease to exist4     ,chap4 
,,xii4                                  
,discourse4--,introduction4--,of        
appropriate ,character in ,historical   
,composition4--,architecture among the  
,greeks and ,romans4--,of the           
,athenian ,marbles4--,of the ,ancient   
,statues4--,of the ,moses and ,saviour  
of ,michael ,angelo4--,of the ,last     
,judgment of ,michael ,angelo4--,of     
,leonardo da ,vinci4--,of               

,bartolomeo4--,of ,raphael4--,of        
,titian1 and his     ,st4 ,peter        
,martyr4--,of the different ,italian    
,schools4--,of the ,effects     of the  
,royal ,academy4--,of the ,prince       
,regent's ,promise to encourage the     
,fine ,arts4  ,after a careful          
examination of all the remaining notes  
of ,mr4 ,west1 it appeared to me1 that  
the discourse which he delivered on the 
#ajth of ,december1 #ahaa1 was the only 
one that required particular notice1    
after those which ,i have already       
introduced4 ,in some respects it will1  
perhaps1 be deemed the most interesting 
of the whole4  ,the few points1 said the
 ,president1 upon which ,i mean to touch
 in the present ,discourse1 are those   
which more immediately apply to the     
students1 who are generously striving to
 attain excellence in the first class of
 refined art1--historical painting4     
,whether their exertions are directed to
 painting1 or the sister arts1          
architecture and sculpture1 the first   

thing they must impress upon their      
minds1 and engraft upon every shoot of  
their fancy1 is that of the appropriate 
character1 by which the subject they are
 about to treat1 is distinguished from  
all other subjects4 ,on this foundation1
 all the points of refined art which    
are1 in the truest sense1 intellectual1 
invariably rest2 for without justness of
 character the works of the pencil can  
have but little value1 and can never    
entitle the artist to the praise of a   
well-governed genius1 or of possessing  
that philosophical precision of         
judgment1 which is the source of        
excellence in the superior walk of his  
profession4 ,at the same time1 let it be
 indelibly fixed in your minds1 that    
when decided character is to be given1  
that character must be accompanied by   
correctness of outline1 whether it be in
 painting or in sculpture4 ,any         
representation of the human figure1 in  
the higher department of art1 wanting   
these requisites1 is1 to the feelings of

 the educated artist1 deficient in that1
 for the loss of which no other         
excellency can compensate4              
,architecture4--,this department of art 
received its decided character from the 
,greeks4 ,they distinctly fixed the     
embellishments to the several orders2   
and1 by their adaptation of these       
embellishments and orders1 their        
buildings obtained a distinct and       
appropriate character1 which declared   
the uses for which they were erected4   
,the ,romans1 in their best era of      
taste1 copied their ,grecian instructors
 in that appropriate character of       
embellishment which explained1 at a     
glance1 the use of their respective     
buildings2 but1 in their latter ages1   
they declined from this original purity2
 and it is the fragments of that        
corruption1 in which they lost the      
characteristic precision of the ,greeks1
 that we have seen of late years        
employed upon many of our buildings4    
,the want of mental reflection in       

employing the orders of architectures   
with a rational precision as to         
character1 produces the same sort of    
deficiency which we find in an          
historical picture2 where1 although each
 figure1 in correct proportion1 be well 
drawn1 with drapery elegantly folded1   
yet1 not being employed appropriately to
 the subject1 affords no satisfaction to
 the spectator4  ,the ,greeks were in   
architecture what they were in          
sculpture2 and it is to them you must   
look for the original purity of both4   
,we feel rejoiced1 that the exertions   
recently made by a noble personage to   
enrich our studies in both of these     
departments of art are such1 that we may
 say1 ,london has become the ,athens for
 study4 ,it is the mental power         
displayed in the ,elgin marbles that ,i 
wish the juvenile artist to notice4     
,look at the equestrian groups of the   
young ,athenians in this collection1 and
 you will find in them that momentary   
motion which life gives on the occasion 

to the riders and their horses4 ,the    
horse we perceive feels that power which
 the impulse of life has given to his   
rider2 we see in him the animation of   
his whole frame2 in the fire of his     
eyes1 the distention of his nostrils1   
and in the rapid motion of his feet1    
yielding to the guidance of his rider1  
or in the speeding of his course3 they  
are1 therefore1 in perfect unison with  
the life in each4 ,at this moment of    
their animation1 they appear to have    
been turned into stone by some majestic 
power1 and not created by the human     
hand4 ,the single head of the horse1 in 
the same collection1 seems as if it had1
 by the same influence1 been struck into
 marble1 when he was exerting all the   
energy of his motion4  ,these admirable 
sculptures1 which now adorn our city1   
are the union of ,athenian genius and   
philosophy1 and illustrate my meaning   
respecting the mental impression which  
is so essentially to be given to works  
of refined art4 ,it was this point which

 the ,grecian philosophers wished to    
impress on the minds of their sculptors1
 not to follow their predecessors the   
,egyptians in sculpture1 who represented
 their figures without motion1 although 
nearly perfect in giving to them the    
external form4 ',it is the passions1'   
said they1 'with which man is endowed1  
that we wish to see in the movements of 
your figures4' ,this advice of the      
philosophers was felt by the sculptors1 
and the ,athenian marbles are the       
faithful records of the efficacy of that
 advice4  ,that you may distinctly      
perceive and invariably distinguish what
 we mean by appropriate character in    
art1 particularly in sculpture1 ,i would
 class with these sculptures1 the       
,hercules1 the ,apollo1 the ,venus1 the 
,laocoon1 and the ,gladiator4 ,in these 
examples you will find what is          
appropriate in character to subject1    
united with correctness of outline2 and 
it is this combination of truths which  
has arrested the attention of an        

admiring world1 ever since they were    
produced2 and which will attract to them
 the admiration of after ages1 so long  
as the workings of the mind on the      
external form can be contemplated and   
understood4  ,now let us see what works 
there are since the revival of art in   
the modern world1 which rest on the same
 basis of appropriate character and     
correctness of outline1 with those of   
the ancient ,greeks4  ,the ,moses which 
the powers of ,michael ,angelo's mind   
has presented to our view1 claims our   
first attention4 ,in this statue the    
points of character1 in every mode of   
precise1 determinate1 and elevated      
expression1 have been carried to a pitch
 of grandeur which modern art has not   
since excelled4 ,in this figure of      
,moses1 ,michael ,angelo has fixed the  
unalterable standard of the ,jewish     
lawgiver1--a character delineated and   
justified by the text in inspired       
sculpture4 ,the character of ,moses was 
well suited to the grandeur of the      

artist's conceptions1 and to the        
dreadful energy of his feelings4        
,accordingly1 in mental character1 this 
figure holds the first station in modern
 art2 and ,i believe we may venture to  
say1 had no competitor in ancient1      
except those of the ,jupiter and        
,minerva by ,phidias4 ,but the ,saviour1
 all meekness and benevolence1 which    
,michael ,angelo made to accompany the  
,moses1 was not in unison with his      
genius4 ,the figure is mean1 but        
slightly removed from an academical     
figure1 and in no point appropriate to  
the subject3 so are most of the single  
figures of the artist1 in his great work
 on the ,day of ,judgment2 but his      
groups in that composition are every    
where in character1 and have not their  
rivals either in painting or sculpture4 
,his ,bacchus claims our admiration1 as 
being appropriate to the subject1 by the
 same excellence in delineation which   
distinguish the groups in the ,day of   
,judgment4 ,no person can have a higher 

veneration than ,i have for that        
grandeur of character impressed on the  
figures by ,michael ,angelo2 but it is  
the fitness of the characters and of the
 action to the subject1 to which ,i wish
 to draw your attention1 and not to pour
 out praise on those points1 in which he
 and other eminent masters are          
deficient4 ,on this occasion1 ,i must   
therefore be permitted to repeat1 that  
most of the single figures in his great 
work of the ,day of ,judgment1 are      
deficient in the fitness of appropriate 
character1 and in the fitness of        
appropriate action to the subject2      
although as single figures they demand  
our admiration4 ,but excellent as they  
are1 they are but the ingenious         
adaptation of legs1 arms1 and heads1 to 
the celebrated ,torso1 which bears his  
name1 and which served as the model to  
most of his figures4 ,all figures in    
composition1 however excellent they may 
be in delineation1 which have not their 
actions and expressions springing from  

the subject in which they are the       
actors1 can only be considered as       
academical efforts1 without the impress 
of mental power1 and without any        
philosophical attention to the truth of 
the subject which the artist intended to
 illustrate4  ,leonardo da ,vinci is the
 first who had a full and right         
conception of the principle which ,i    
wish to inculcate1 and he has shown it  
in his picture of the ,last ,supper4    
,but it is necessary to distinguish what
 parts of the picture deserve           
consideration4 ,it is the decision1 the 
appropriate character of the apostles to
 the subject2 the significance of       
expression in their several             
countenances1 and the diversity of      
action in each figure2 their actions    
seemingly in perfect unison with their  
minds1 and their figures individually in
 unison with their respective           
situations2 some are confused at the    
words spoken by our ,saviour3 ,there is 
one amongst you who shall betray me2    

others are thrown under impressions of a
 different feeling4 ,in this respect the
 picture has left us without an appeal1 
either to nature or to art4 ,but ,da    
,vinci failed in the head of our        
,saviour4 ,he has failed in his attempt 
to combine the almost incompatible      
qualities of dignity and meekness which 
are demanded in the countenance of the  
,saviour4 ,he had exhausted his powers  
of characteristic discrimination in the 
heads of the apostles2 and in his       
attempt to give meekness to the         
countenance of ,jesus1 he sank into     
insipience4 ,he had the prudence1       
therefore1 to leave the face unfinished1
 that the imagination of the beholder   
might not be disappointed by an         
imperfect image1 but form one in his    
mind more appropriate to his feelings   
and to the subject4 ,the ruin of this   
picture1 the report of which ,i         
understand is true1 has deprived the    
world and the arts of one of the mental 
eyes of painting4 ,but pleasing as the  

works of ,leonardo da ,vinci are in     
general1 had he not produced this       
picture of the ,last ,supper1 and the   
cartoon of the equestrian combatants for
 the standard of victory1 he would      
scarcely have emerged1 as a painter of  
strong character1 above mediocrity4     
,indeed the back-ground1 and general    
distribution of this picture1           
sufficiently mark their ,gothic origin4 
,but his pictures1 generally speaking1  
are more characterised by their         
laborious finishing1 gentleness1 and    
sweetness of character1 than by the     
energies of a lively imagination4  ,fra4
 ,bartolomeo di ,st4 ,marco1 of         
,florence1 was one of the first who     
became enamoured of that superiority    
which grandeur and decision of character
 gives to art2 and1 indeed1 of all those
 higher excellences which the           
philosophical mind of ,da ,vinci had    
accomplished4 ,in the pictures of       
,bartolomeo we behold1 for the first    
time1 that breadth of the               

clair-obscure--the deep tones of colour1
 with their philosophical arrangement1  
united to that noble folding of drapery 
appropriate to1 and significant of1     
every character it covered2 a point of  
excellence in this master1 from which   
,raphael caught his first conception of 
that noble simplicity which             
distinguishes the dignity of his        
draperies1 and which it became his pride
 through life to imitate4  ,bartolomeo1 
in his figure of ,st4 ,mark1 has        
convinced us how important and          
indispensable is the union of mental    
conception with truth of observation1 in
 order to give a decided and appropriate
 character to an ,evangelist of the     
,gospel4 ,none of the pictures of this  
artist possess the excellence of his    
,st4 ,mark except one1 which is in the  
city of ,lucca1 the capital of the      
republic of that name2 and1 as that     
picture is but little known to          
travellers1 and almost unknown to many  
artists who have visited ,italy1 a      

description of it may not be            
unacceptable4  ,the picture is on       
pannel1 and its dimensions somewhat     
about twenty feet in height by fourteen 
in width4 ,the subject is the           
,assumption of the ,virgin ,mary4 ,the  
composition is divided into three       
groups2 the ,apostles and the sepulchre 
form the centre group1 from the midst of
 which the ,virgin ascends2 her         
body-drapery is of a deep ruby colour1  
which is the only decided red in the    
picture1 and her mantle blue1 but in    
depth of tone approaching to black1 and 
extended by angels to nearly each side  
of the picture4 ,this mantle is relieved
 by a light1 in tone resembling that of 
the break of day1 seen over the summit  
of a dark mountain1 which gives an awful
 grandeur to the effect of the picture  
on entering the chapel1 in which it is  
placed over the altar4 ,that awful light
 of the morning is contrasted with the  
golden effulgence above2 in the midst of
 which1 our ,saviour is seen with       

extended arms1 to receive and welcome   
his mother4  ,from the sepulchre1 and   
the ,apostles in the centre1 to the     
fore-ground1 the third group of figures 
partly lies in shade1 occasioned by the 
over-shadowing of the ,virgin's         
deep-toned mantle extended by angels4   
,on the other part of the group1 on the 
side where the light enters1 the figures
 are seen in the broad blaze of day2 and
 amongst them is the portrait of the    
artist4  ,when ,i first saw this        
picture1 my sensations were in unison   
with its awful character2 and ,i confess
 that ,i was touched with the same kind 
of sensibility as when ,i heard the     
inexpressibly harmonious blendings of   
vocal sounds in the solemn notes of ,non
 nobis ,domine4 ,i never felt more      
forcibly the dignity of music and the   
dignity of painting1 than from these two
 compositions of art4  ,when we consider
 the combination of excellence requisite
 to produce the sublime in painting2 the
 union of propriety with dignity of     

character2 the graceful grouping2 the   
noble folding of drapery1 and the deep  
sombrous tones of the clair-obscure1    
with appropriate colours harmoniously   
blending into one whole2--if there is a 
picture entitled to the appellation of  
sublime1 from the union of all these    
excellences1 ,it is that which ,i have  
described3 considered in all its parts1 
it is1 perhaps1 superior to any work in 
painting1 which has fallen under my     
observation4  ,when these powerful      
essays in art by ,da ,vinci1 ,bartolomeo
 di ,st4 ,marco1 and ,michael ,angelo   
became celebrated1 ,raphael1 having     
attained his adult age1 made his        
appearance at ,florence2 where the      
influence of the works of those three   
great artists pervaded all the avenues  
to excellence in art4  ,the gentle      
sensibility of ,raphael's mind was like 
the softened wax which makes more       
visible and distinct the form of the    
engraving with which it is touched4     
,blest by ,nature with this endowment1  

he became like the heir to the treasured
 wealth of many families4 ,enriched by  
the accumulated experience which was    
then in ,florence1 united to the early  
tuition of delineating from nature under
 ,pietro ,perugino1 and the subsequent  
discoveries of the ,grecian relics1     
,raphael's mind became stored with all  
that was excellent2 and he possessed a  
practised hand1 to make his conceptions 
visible on his tablets4 ,possessing     
these powers1 he was invited to ,rome1  
and began his picture of ,the ,dispute  
on the ,sacrament4 ,this picture he     
finished1 together with ,the ,school of 
,athens1 before he had attained his     
twenty-eighth year4 ,at ,rome he found  
himself amidst the splendour of a       
refined court1 and in the focus of human
 endowment4 ,he became sensible of the  
rare advantages of his situation2 he had
 industry and ardour to combine and to  
embrace them all2 and the effect is     
visible in his works4 ,the theological  
arrangement of the disputants on the    

,sacrament1 and the scholastic          
controversies at ,athens1 convince us of
 this truth4 ,in the upper part of the  
,dispute on the ,sacrament1 something   
may be observed of that taste of        
,bartolomeo in drapery1 and of the      
dryness and hardness of his first master
 ,pietro ,perugino2 but in the parts    
which make the aggregate of that work1  
he has blended the result of his own    
observations4 ,in his ,school of        
,athens1 this is still more strikingly  
the case2 and in his ,heliodorus we see 
additional dignity and an enlargement of
 style4  ,at this period of his life1   
such was the desire of his society by   
the great1 and such the ambition of     
standing forward amongst his patrons by 
all who were eminent for rank and taste1
 that he was seduced into courtly       
habits1 and relaxed from that studious  
industry1 with which he had formerly    
laboured2 and there are evident marks in
 many of his works in the ,vatican1 of a
 decline of excellence1 and that he was 

suffering pleasure and indolence to rob 
him of his fame4 ,sensible of this      
decline in his compositions1 the powers 
of his mind re-assumed their energies2  
and that re-animation stands marked in  
his unrivalled compositions of the      
,cartoons which are in this country1 and
 in the picture of the ,transfiguration4
  ,the transcendant excellence in       
composition1 and in appropriate         
character to subject1 in the cartoon of 
,paul preaching at ,athens1 has left us 
to desire or expect nothing farther to  
be done in telling this incident of     
history4  ,in the composition of the    
death of ,ananias1 and in the single    
figure of ,elymas the sorcerer struck   
blind1 we have the same example of      
excellence4 ,we have indeed in many of  
the characters and groups in the        
cartoons1 the various modes of          
reasoning1 speaking1 and feeling2 but so
 blended with nature and truth1 and so  
precise and determined in character1    
that criticism has nothing wherewith in 

that respect to ask for amendment4  ,had
 the life of this illustrious painter1  
which closed on his birth-day in his    
thirty-seventh year1 been prolonged to  
the period of that of ,leonardo da      
,vinci1 ,michael ,angelo1 or ,titian1   
when in the space of seventeen years at 
,rome he has given the world more       
unrivalled works of art1 than has fallen
 to the lot of any other painter1 what  
an additional excellence might we not   
have expected in his works for          
subsequent generations to admire4  ,the 
next distinguished artist who comes     
under our consideration is ,titian4 ,the
 grandeur which ,michael ,angelo gave to
 the human figure1 ,titian has rivalled 
in colour1 and both were dignified      
during their lives with the appellation 
of ,the ,divine4  ,i will pass over the 
many appropriate portraits which he     
painted of men1 and the portraits of    
women1 though not the most distinguished
 for beauty1 in the character of ,venus1
 to meet the fashion of the age in which

 he lived2 and notice only those works  
of mental power1 which have raised him  
to eminence in the class of refined     
artists4 ,on this point1 you will find  
that his picture of ,st4 ,peter ,martyr 
will justify the claim he has to that   
rank4  ,st4 ,peter the ,martyr was the  
head of a religious sect3 when on his   
way from the confines of ,germany to    
,milan with a companion1 he was attacked
 by one in opposition to his religious  
principles while passing through a wood1
 and murdered4 ,this is the subject of  
the picture4 ,the prostrate figure of   
the ,saint1 just fallen by a blow from  
the assassin1 raises one of his hands   
towards heaven1 with a countenance of   
confidence in eternal reward for the    
firmness of his faith2 while the        
assassin grasps with his left hand the  
mantle of his victim1 the better to     
enable him1 by his uplifted sword in the
 other hand1 to give the fatal blow to  
the fallen saint4 ,the companion is     
flying off in frantic dismay1 and has   

received a wound in the head from the   
assassin4  ,the ferocious and determined
 action of the murderer bestriding the  
body of the fallen saint1 completes a   
group of figures which have not a rival 
in art4 ,the majestic trees1 as well as 
the sable and rugged furze1 form an     
awful back-ground to this tragical      
scene1 every way appropriate to the     
subject4 ,the heavenly messengers seen  
in the glory above1 bearing the palm    
branches as the emblem of reward for    
martyrdom1 form the second light2 the   
first being the sky and cloud1 which    
gives relief to the black drapery of the
 wounded companion2 while the rays of   
light from the emanation above1         
sparkling on the dark branches of the   
trees as so many diamonds1 tie together 
by their light all the others from the  
top to the bottom of the picture4 ,the  
terror which the act of the murderer has
 spread1 is denoted by the speed of the 
horseman passing into the gloomy        
recesses of a distant part of the       

forest4  ,this picture1 taken in the    
aggregate1 is the first work in art in  
which the human figure and landscape are
 combined as an historical landscape1   
and where all the objects are the full  
size of nature4  ,when ,i saw this      
picture at ,venice in #agfa1 it was then
 in the same state of purity as when the
 ,bologna artists saw and studied it2   
and it is recorded that ,caracci        
declared this picture to be without     
fault4 ,but we have to lament the fatal 
effects which the goddess ,bellona has  
ever occasioned to the fine arts when   
she mounts her iron chariot of          
destruction4 ,when this picture fell    
under her rapacious power1 on board a   
,french vessel passing down the         
,adriatic sea from ,venice1 one of our  
cruisers chased the vessel into the port
 of ,ancona1 and a cannon-shot pierced  
the pannel on which the picture was     
painted1 and shivered a portion of it   
into pieces4  ,on its arrival at ,paris1
 the committee of the fine arts found it

 necessary to remove the painting from  
the pannel1 and place it on canvass2 but
 the picture has lost the principal     
light4  ,but to sum up ,titian's powers 
of conception1 no one has equalled him  
in the propriety and fitness of colour4 
,his pictures of ,st4 ,peter ,martyr2   
the ,david and ,goliah2 and the ,last   
,supper1 which is in the ,escurial1     
stand in the very highest rank in art4  
,on the latter of these pictures being  
finished1 ,titian in his letter to the  
,king1 announcing the circumstance1 says
 that it had been the labour of seven   
years4 ,but by his original sketch in   
oil colours1 which ,i have the good     
fortune to possess1 and by which we may 
form an estimate1 although the general  
effect and composition are unrivalled1  
the characters of the heads of the      
apostles are not equal to those of      
,leonardo da ,vinci on the same subject4
  ,antonio ,allegri da ,correggio is the
 sixth source1 whose emanating powers   
have illuminated the fine arts in the   

modern world4 ,a superstitious mind1 on 
seeing his works1 would suppose that he 
had received his tuition in painting    
from the angels2 as his figures seem to 
belong to another race of being than    
man1 and to have something too celestial
 for the forms of earth to have         
presented to his view4 ,such have been  
the sayings of many on seeing his works 
at ,parma1 but1 to my conception1 he    
painted from the nature with which he   
was surrounded4 ,his pictures of the    
,note1 ,st4 ,gierolimo1 and the ,st4    
,george1 are evident proofs of the      
observation4 ,in the first of these     
pictures his mental conception shines   
supreme4 ,it is the idea of illuminating
 the child in the subject of our        
,saviour's nativity4 ,this splendid     
thought of giving light to the infant   
,christ1 whose divine mission was to    
illuminate the human mind from ,pagan   
darkness1 no painter has since been so  
bold as to omit in any composition on   
the same subject4 ,the two latter       

pictures have all the beauties seen in  
the paintings of this master1 but they  
are deficient in appropriate character4 
,the inspiring power of ,correggio's    
works illuminated the genius of         
,parmegiano1 the energetic movements of 
whose graceful figures have never been  
equalled1 nor are they deficient in the 
moral influence of the art4 ,his ,moses 
breaking the tables in a church at      
,parma1 and his picture of the vision of
 ,st4 ,gierolimo1 now in ,england1 are  
filled with the impress of his          
intellectual powers1 and stand          
pre-eminent over all his works4  ,i have
 thus taken a survey of the works of    
art1 which stand supreme among the      
productions of ,grecian and ,italian    
genius1 and which are the sources from  
which the subsequent schools have       
derived most of the principles of their 
celebrity4  ,the papal vortex drew into 
it nearly all the various powers of     
human refinement1 and the inspiring     
influence of the first school in art    

having centered in ,rome gave it        
superiority1 till the ,constable        
,bourbon1 by sacking that city1 obliged 
the fine arts to fly from their place1  
like doves from the vultures3 they never
 re-appeared at ,rome but with secondary
 power4  ,about a century subsequent to 
their flight from ,rome they were       
re-animated1 and formed the second      
school of art in ,italy at the city of  
,bologna under the ,carracci1 at the    
head of which was ,ludovico4 ,he and his
 two relatives1 ,hanibal and ,augustin  
,carracci1 derived their principles from
 the ,venetian ,school1 from ,titian1   
,paul ,veronese1 and ,tintoret1 and from
 the ,lombard ,school of ,correggio and 
,parmegiano4 ,but the good sense of     
,ludovico raised by them and himself a  
school of their own1 which excelled in  
the power of delineating the human      
figure1 but which power gave to that    
school more academical taste than mental
 character4  ,their great work was that 
in the convent of ,st4 ,michael in      

,boresco1 near ,bologna2 but this work  
has perished by damp1 and the only      
remains on record of what it was1 are in
 the coarse prints which were done from 
copies executed when it was in good     
condition4 ,but grand as it must have   
been according to the evidence of these 
prints1 it was but an academical        
composition4  ,the picture by ,ludovico1
 however1 of our ,saviour's             
,transfiguration on the ,mount1         
consisting of six figures double the    
size of life1 has embraced nearly all   
the points of art1 and has placed the   
artist high in the first class of       
painters4  ,the masters of the          
,bolognese school going to ,rome and    
other parts of ,italy1 their successors 
at ,bologna contented themselves by     
retailing the several manners of the    
three ,carracci--,guido1 ,domenichino   
and ,guercino4 ,this system of retailing
 continued to descend from master to    
pupil1 until the school of ,bologna sunk
 into irrecoverable imbecility4  ,the   

most esteemed work in painting by       
,augustine ,carracci is the ,communion  
of ,st4 ,jerom4 ,it possesses grandeur  
of style1 is bold in execution1 and the 
faces are not deficient in the          
appropriate expression of sensibility   
towards the object before them4 ,it was 
on the composition of this picture1 that
 ,domenichino formed his on the same    
subject1 so much celebrated as to be    
considered next in merit to ,raphael's  
,transfiguration4 ,but fine as it is    
admitted to be1 we must say1 as a       
borrowed idea1 it lessens the merit of  
the artist's originality of mind4  ,the 
finest picture by ,guido is in a church 
at ,genoa1 where he has brought to a    
focus all the force of his powers in    
grace and beauty1 with an expression and
 execution of pencil rarely to be met   
with in art4 ,the subject is the        
,assumption of the ,virgin ,mary4 ,the  
angels1 who surround the ,virgin1 have  
something in their faces so celestial1  
that they seem as if they had really    

descended from ,heaven1 and sat to the  
artist while he painted them4 ,the      
,virgin herself seems to have had the   
same complacency4 ,the characters of the
 ,apostles' heads are so exquisitely    
drawn and painted1 as to be without     
competition in the works of any other   
painter4  ,the most esteemed picture by 
,guercino is is that of ,santa          
,petranella1 which he painted for ,st4  
,peter's ,church1 at ,rome4  ,but1      
,gentlemen1 if you aspire to excellence 
in your profession1 you must not rest   
your future studies on the excellence of
 any individual1 however exalted his    
name or genius2 but1 like the           
industrious bee1 survey the whole face  
of nature1 and sip the sweets from every
 flower4 ,when thus enriched1 lay up    
your acquisitions for future use2 and   
with that enrichment from ,nature's     
inexhaustible source1 examine the great 
works of art to animate your feelings1  
and to excite your emulation4 ,when you 
are thus mentally enriched1 and your    

hand practised to obey the powers of    
your will1 you will then find your      
pencils1 or your chisels1 as magic      
wands1 calling into view creations of   
your own1 to adorn your name and your   
country4  ,i cannot1 however1 close this
 ,discourse1 without acknowledging a    
debt due from this ,academy1 as well as 
that which is due to the ,academy       
itself4 ,soon after ,his present        
,majesty had ascended the throne1 his   
benign regard for the prosperity of the 
fine arts in these realms was manifested
 by his gracious commands to establish  
this favoured ,institution4  ,the heart 
of every artist1 and of the friend of   
art1 glowed with mutual congratulation  
to see a ,british ,king1 for the first  
time1 at the head of the fine arts4 ,his
 ,majesty nominated forty members       
guardians to his infant academy2 and    
that they have been faithful to the     
trust which he graciously reposed in    
them1 the several apartments under this 
roof sufficiently testify4 ,the         

professors are highly endowed with      
accomplishments and scientific knowledge
 in the several branches to which they  
are respectively appointed2 and the     
funds able to render relief to the      
indigent and decayed artists1 their     
widows and children4  ,who can reflect  
for a moment on the rare advantages here
 held out for the instruction of        
youthful genius1 and the aid given to   
the decayed1 their widows and helpless  
offspring1 without feeling the grateful 
emotions of the heart rise towards a    
patriot ,king1 for giving to the arts   
this home within the walls of a stately 
mansion1 and towards the members of this
 ,academy1 who1 as his faithful         
guardians1 have so ably fulfilled the   
purposes for which the ,institution was 
formed4  ,united to what the            
,academicians have done1 and are doing1 
another honourable establishment1       
sanctioned by ,his ,majesty for         
promoting the fine arts1 has been       
created and composed of noblemen and    

gentlemen whose known zeal for the      
success of refined art is so conspicuous
 and honourable to themselves4  ,such   
have been the efforts to give splendour 
to the fine arts in this country1 and   
such are the results which have attended
 these exertions2 that knowing1 as we   
do1 the movements of the arts on the    
,continent1 ,i may confidently say1 that
 our annual exhibitions1 both as to     
number and taste1 engrafted on nature   
and the fruit of mental conception1 are 
such that all the combined efforts in   
art on the continent of ,europe in the  
same time have not been able to equal4  
,to such attainments1 were those in     
power but to bestow the crumbs from the 
national table to cherish the fine arts1
 we might pledge ourselves1 that the    
genius of ,britain would1 in a few      
years1 dispute the prize with the       
proudest periods of ,grecian or ,italian
 art4 ,but1 ,gentlemen1 let us not      
despair2 we have heard from this place1 
the promise of patronage from the       

,prince ,regent1 the propitious light of
 a morning that will open into perfect  
day1 invigorating the growth of all     
around--the assurance of a new era to   
the elevation of the fine arts1 in the  
,united ,kingdom4     ,chap4 ,,xiii4    
,mr4 ,west's ,visit to ,paris4--,his    
distinguished ,reception by the         
,members of the ,french                 
,government4--,anecdote of ,mr4         
,fox4--,origin     of the ,british      
,institution4--,anecdotes of ,mr4 ,fox  
and ,mr4     ,percival4--,anecdote of   
the ,king4--,history of the ,picture of 
,christ     ,healing the                
,sick4--,extraordinary ,success         
attending the ,exhibition of     the    
,copy in ,america4  ,during the ,peace  
of ,amiens1 ,mr4 ,west1 like every other
 person who entertained any feeling of  
admiration for the fine arts1 was       
desirous of seeing that magnificent     
assemblage of paintings and sculptures1 
which constituted the glory and the     
shame of ,buonaparte's administration4  

,he accordingly furnished himself with  
letters from ,lord ,hawkesbury1 then    
,secretary of ,state1 to ,mr4 ,merry1   
the ,british representative at the      
consular court2 and also with           
introductions from ,monsieur ,otto1 the 
,french minister in ,london1 to the most
 distinguished members of his           
government4  ,on delivering ,lord       
,hawkesbury's letters to ,mr4 ,merry1   
that gentleman informed him that one of 
the ,french ministers had1 the preceding
 evening1 mentioned that ,monsieur ,otto
 had written in such terms respecting   
him1 that he and his colleagues were    
resolved to pay him every mark of the   
most distinguished attention4 ,mr4      
,merry1 therefore1 advised ,mr4 ,west to
 call on the several ministers himself  
with the letters1 and leave them with   
his card4 ,as the object for which the  
,artist had procured these introductions
 was only to obtain1 with more facility1
 access to the different galleries1 he  
was rather embarrassed by this          

information2 and would have declined    
delivering the letters altogether2 but  
,mr4 ,merry said1 that1 as his arrival  
in ,paris was already known to the      
government1 he could not with any       
propriety avoid paying his respects to  
the ministers4  ,after delivering his   
letters and card accordingly1 the hotel 
where he resided was1 in the course of  
the week1 visited by all the most       
distinguished of the ,french statesmen2 
and he had the honour of being invited  
to dine with them successively4 ,at     
these parties1 the conversation turned  
very much on the importance of the arts 
to all nations aspiring to fame and     
eminence2 and he very soon perceived1   
that the vast collection of trophies    
which adorned the ,louvre1 had not been 
formed so much for ostentatious         
exhibition1 as with a view to furnish   
models of study for artists2            
constituting1 in fact1 but the          
elementary part of a grand system of    
national decoration designed by         

,buonaparte1 and by which he expected to
 leave such memorials to posterity as   
would convince the world that his       
magnificence was worthy of his military 
achievements4  ,it happened at this     
particular period1 that the galleries of
 the ,louvre were closed to the public  
for some time1 but a deputation from the
 ,central ,administration of the ,arts1 
under whose care the collections were   
particularly placed1 waited on ,mr4     
,west1 and informed him1 that orders    
were given to admit him and his friends 
at all times4 ,denon was at the head of 
this deputation2 and in the course of   
the conversation which then took place1 
that accomplished enthusiast explained  
to ,mr4 ,west more circumstantially the 
extensive views entertained by the      
,french government with respect to the  
arts1 mentioning several of the superb  
schemes which were formed by the ,first 
,consul for the decoration of the       
capital4  ,this information made a very 
deep impression on the mind of ,mr4     

,west1 and he felt extremely sorrowful  
when he reflected1 that hitherto the    
,british government had done nothing    
decidedly with a view to promote the    
cultivation of those arts1 which may    
justly be said to constitute the olive  
wreath on the brows of every great      
nation4 ,mr4 ,fox and ,sir ,francis     
,baring1 who were at this same time in  
,paris1 happened soon after the         
departure of ,monsieur ,denon to call1  
and they went with ,mr4 ,west to the    
,louvre1 where1 as they were walking in 
the gallery1 he explained to them what  
he had heard4 ,an interesting discussion
 took place in consequence2 and ,mr4    
,west endeavoured to explain in what    
manner he considered the cultivation of 
the fine arts of the utmost importance  
even in a commercial point of view to   
,england4  ,mr4 ,fox paid great         
attention to what he said1 and observed1
 in a tone of regret1 ,i have been      
rocked in the cradle of politics from my
 infancy1 and never before was so much  

struck with the advantage1 even in a    
political bearing1 of the fine arts to  
the prosperity1 as well as the renown1  
of a kingdom2 and ,i do assure you1 ,mr4
 ,west1 that if ever ,i have it in my   
power to influence our government to    
promote the arts1 the conversation that 
we have had to-day shall not be         
forgotten4 ,sir ,francis ,baring also   
concurred in opinion1 that it was really
 become an imperious duty1 on the part  
of the ,british nation1 to do something 
for a class of art that1 undoubtedly1   
tended to improve the beauty1 and       
multiply the variety of manufactures1   
independent of all monumental           
considerations4  ,when ,mr4 ,west had   
returned home1 the subject was renewed  
with ,sir ,francis ,baring2 and he      
endeavoured to set on foot the formation
 of a society1 which should have the    
encouragement of the line arts for its  
object1 and thought that government     
might be induced to give it pecuniary   
assistance4 ,sir ,thomas ,barnard took  

up the idea with great zeal2 and several
 meetings took place at ,mr4 ,west's    
house1 at which ,mr4 ,charles ,long and 
,sir ,abraham ,hume were present1 which 
terminated in the formation of that     
association that now constitutes the    
,british ,institution1 in ,pall ,mall4  
,mr4 ,long undertook to confer with ,mr4
 ,pitt1 who was then again in power1 on 
the subject1 and the proposal was       
received by him with much apparent      
sincerity4 ,but a disastrous series of  
public events about the same time       
commenced3 the attention of the         
,minister was absorbed in the immediate 
peril of the state2 and he fell a victim
 to his anxieties1 without having had it
 in his power to further the objects of 
the association4  ,at the death of his  
great rival1 ,mr4 ,fox came into office2
 and he soon after called on ,mr4 ,west1
 and1 reminding him of the conversation 
in the gallery of the ,louvre1 said1 ,it
 is my earnest intention1 as soon as ,i 
am firmly seated on the saddle1 to      

redeem the promise that ,i then made4   
,but he also was frustrated in his      
intentions1 and fell a sacrifice to     
disease1 without being able to take any 
step in the business4 ,in the mean time1
 the ,shaksperian ,gallery was offered  
for sale2 and the gentlemen interested  
in this project raised a sum of money1  
by subscription1 and purchased that     
building with the intention of making it
 the approach to a proposed national    
gallery4  ,from ,mr4 ,percival the      
scheme met with a far different         
reception4 ,he listened to the          
representations which ,mr4 ,west made to
 him with a repressive coldness1 it     
might almost be said with indifference1 
had it not been marked with a decided   
feeling2 for he seemed to consider the  
whole objects of the ,british           
,institution1 and the reasons adduced in
 support of the claims which the        
interests of the arts had on government1
 as the visionary purposes of vain      
enthusiasts4 ,it was not within the     

small compass of that respectable       
individual's capacity to consider any   
generous maxim as founded in what he    
deemed wisdom1 or to comprehend1 that   
the welfare of nations could be promoted
 by any other means than precedents of  
office1 decisions of courts1 and ,acts  
of ,parliament4 ,an incident1 however1  
occurred1 which induced him to change   
his opinion of the utility of the fine  
arts4  ,at the anniversary dinner1 in   
#ahab1 before the opening of the        
,academy1 he was present1 with other    
public characters4 ,on the right hand of
 the ,president was seated the ,lord    
,chancellor ,eldon1 on his left ,lord   
,liverpool1 and on the right of the     
,chancellor ,mr4 ,percival4 ,a          
conversation took place1 naturally      
inspired by the circumstances of the    
meeting1 in which ,mr4 ,west            
recapitulated what he had formerly so   
often urged2 and ,mr4 ,percival1        
perceiving the impression which his     
observations made on those to whom they 

were particularly addressed1 requested  
him to put his ideas on the subject in  
writing1 and he would lay it before the 
,prince ,regent4 ,this took place on    
,saturday2 on ,wednesday ,mr4 ,west     
delivered his memorial2 on the ,friday  
following ,mr4 ,percival was            
assassinated2 and since that time       
nothing farther has been done in the    
business4  ,it is perhaps necessary to  
notice here1 that when it was first     
proposed to the ,king to sanction the   
establishment of the ,british           
,institution with his patronage1 he made
 some objection1 conceiving that it was 
likely to interfere with the ,royal     
,academy1 which he justly considered    
with the partiality of a parent4 ,but on
 ,mr4 ,west explaining to him that the  
two institutions were very different in 
their objects1 the ,academy being formed
 for the instruction of pupils1 and the 
other for the encouragement of artists  
arrived at maturity in their profession1
 ,his ,majesty readily consented to     

receive the deputation of the           
association appointed to wait on him in 
form to solicit his patronage4 ,except1 
however1 the honour of the ,king's name1
 the ,british ,institution1 formed      
expressly for the improvement of the    
public taste with a view to the         
encouragement of the arts1 has received 
neither aid nor countenance as yet from 
the state4  ,before concluding this     
summary account of the origin and       
establishment of the ,british           
,institution1 it may be expected of me  
to take some notice of the circumstances
 connected with the purchase and        
exhibition of ,mr4 ,west's picture of   
,christ ,healing the ,sick in the       
,temple2 an event which formed an era in
 the history of the arts in ,britain1   
and contributed in no small degree to   
promote the interests of the            
,institution4 ,perhaps the exhibition of
 no work of art ever attracted so much  
attention1 or was attended with so much 
pecuniary advantage to the proprietors2 

independent of which1 the history of the
 picture is itself interesting4  ,some  
years before1 a number of gentlemen1 of 
the society of ,quakers in              
,philadelphia1 set on foot a            
subscription for the purpose of erecting
 an hospital for the sick poor in that  
city4 ,among others to whom they applied
 for contributions in this country1 they
 addressed themselves to ,mr4 ,west4 ,he
 informed them1 however1 that his       
circumstances did not permit him to give
 so liberal a sum as he could wish1 but 
that if they would provide a proper     
place in the building1 he would paint a 
picture for it as his subscription1     
which perhaps would prove of more       
advantage than all the money he could   
afford to bestow1 and with this         
intention he began the ,christ ,healing 
the ,sick4 ,while the work was going    
forward1 it attracted a great deal of   
notice in his rooms1 and finally had the
 effect of inducing the association of  
the ,british ,institution to make him an

 offer of three thousand guineas for the
 picture4 ,mr4 ,west accepted the offer1
 but on condition that he should be at  
liberty to make a copy for the hospital 
at ,philadelphia1 and to introduce into 
the copy such alterations and           
improvements as he might think fit4     
,this copy he also executed1 and the    
success which attended the exhibition of
 it in ,america was so extraordinary1   
that the proceeds have enabled the      
committee of the hospital to enlarge the
 building for the reception of no less  
than thirty additional patients4        
,chap4 ,,xiv4                           
,reflections4--,offer of                
,knighthood4--,mr4 ,wyatt chosen        
,president of the                       
,academy4--,restoration of ,mr4 ,west to
 the ,chair4--,proceedings              
respecting the ,pictures for ,windsor   
,castle4--,mr4 ,west's ,letter to the   
,king4--,orders to proceed with the     
,pictures4--,the ,king's ,illness4--,mr4
     ,west's ,allowance cut off1--and   

the ,pictures countermanded4--,death of 
,mrs4 ,west4--,death of the ,artist4    
,hitherto it has been my pleasant task  
to record the series of prosperous      
incidents by which ,mr4 ,west was raised
 to the highest honours of his          
profession2 and had he survived the     
publication of this volume1 ,i should   
have closed the narrative with the last 
chapter4 ,but his death1 which took     
place after the proof was sent to me for
 his inspection1 has removed an         
obligation which ,i had promised to     
respect during his life1 while it was   
understood between us that the          
circumstances to which it related were  
to be carefully preserved for a         
posthumous publication4 ,the topics are 
painful1 and calculated to afford a far 
different view of human nature from that
 which ,i have ever desired to          
contemplate3 ,i do not allude to those  
things1 connected with political        
matters1 in which ,mr4 ,west was only by
 accident a witness1 but of transactions

 which personally affected himself4     
,during the time that he was engaged in 
the series of great pictures for        
,windsor ,castle1 he enjoyed1 as ,i have
 already mentioned1 an easy and         
confidential intercourse with the ,king1
 and ,i ought1 perhaps1 to have stated  
earlier1 that when he was chosen        
,president of the ,royal ,academy1 the  
late ,duke of ,gloucester called on him1
 and mentioned that ,his ,majesty was   
desirous to know if the honour of       
knighthood would be acceptable4 ,mr4    
,west immediately replied1 that no man  
had a greater respect for political     
honours and distinctions than himself1  
but that he really thought he had       
already earned by his pencil more       
eminence than could be conferred on him 
by that rank4 ,the chief value1 said he1
 of titles are1 that they serve to      
preserve in families a respect for those
 principles by which such distinctions  
were originally obtained4 ,but simple   
knighthood1 to a man who is at least    

already as well known as he could ever  
hope to be from that honour1 is not a   
legitimate object of ambition4 ,to      
myself1 then1 ,your ,royal ,highness    
must perceive the title could add no    
dignity1 and as it would perish with    
myself1 it could add none to my family4 
,but were ,i possessed of a fortune1    
independent of my profession1 sufficient
 to enable my posterity to maintain the 
rank1 ,i think that with my hereditary  
descent1 and the station ,i occupy among
 artists1 a more permanent title than   
that of knighthood might become a       
desirable object4 ,as it is1 however1   
that cannot be1 and ,i have been thus   
explicit with ,your ,royal ,highness    
that no misconception may exist on the  
subject4 ,the ,duke was not only pleased
 with the answer1 but took ,mr4 ,west   
cordially by both the hands1 and said1  
,you have justified the opinion which   
the ,king has of you1 and ,his ,majesty 
will be delighted with your answer2 and 
when ,mr4 ,west next saw the ,king his  

reception was unusually warm and        
friendly4  ,but notwithstanding all     
these enviable circumstances1 ,mr4 ,west
 was doomed to share some of the        
consequences which naturally attach to  
all persons in immediate connection with
 the great4 ,after his return from      
,paris1 it was alleged1 that the        
honourable reception which he allowed   
himself to receive from the ,french     
statesmen had offended the ,king4 ,the  
result of this was the temporary        
elevation of the late ,mr4 ,wyatt to the
 ,president's chair1 merely1 as ,i      
think1 because that gentleman was then  
the royal architect2 for it would be    
difficult to point out the merits which1
 as an artist1 entitled him to that     
honour4 ,but the election1 so far from  
giving satisfaction in the quarter where
 it was expected to be the most         
acceptable1 only excited displeasure2   
and ,mr4 ,west was1 in due time1        
restored to his proper seat in the      
,academy4  ,this1 as a public affair1   

attracted a good deal of notice at the  
time2 but it was1 in its effects1 of far
 less consequence to ,mr4 ,west than a  
private occurrence1 originating in      
circumstances that tend to throw a light
 on some of the proceedings that were   
deemed expedient to be adopted during   
the occasional eclipses of the ,king's  
understanding4  ,for upwards of twenty  
years ,mr4 ,west had received all his   
orders from the ,king in person3 the    
prices of the pictures which he painted 
were adjusted with ,his ,majesty2 and   
the whole embellishment of ,windsor     
,castle1 in what related to the         
scriptural and historical pictures1 was 
concerted between them1 without the     
interference of any third party4 ,but1  
in the summer of #ahja1 when the ,court 
was at ,weymouth1 ,mr4 ,wyatt called on 
,mr4 ,west1 and said1 that he was       
requested by authority to inform him1   
that the pictures painting for ,his     
,majesty's chapel at ,windsor should be 
suspended till further orders4  ,mr4    

,west was much surprised at this        
communication3 but1 upon interrogating  
,mr4 ,wyatt as to his authority1 he     
found that it was not from the ,king2   
and he afterwards discovered that the   
orders were given at ,weymouth by the   
,queen1 the late ,earl of ,roslyn being 
present4 ,what was the state of ,his    
,majesty's health at that time is now a 
matter of historical curiosity2 but this
 extraordinary proceeding deserves      
particular notice4 ,it rendered the     
studies of the best part of the         
,artist's life useless1 and deprived him
 of that honourable provision1 the fruit
 of his talents and industry1 on which  
he had counted for the repose of his    
declining years4 ,for some time it      
affected him deeply1 and he was at a    
loss what steps to take2 at last1       
however1 in reflecting on the marked    
friendship and favour which the ,king   
had always shown him1 he addressed to   
,his ,majesty a letter1 of which the    
following is a copy of the rough draft1 

being the only one preserved3 ,i give it
 verbatim3--  ,the following is the     
,substance of a ,letter ,i had the      
honour of writing to ,his ,majesty1     
taken at ,weymouth1 by the conveyance of
 ,mr4 ,james ,wyatt4  ,to the ,king's   
,most ,excellent ,majesty4  ,gracious   
,sire1 ,newman ,st4 ,sept4 #bf4 #ahja4  
,on the fifteenth of last month ,mr4    
,wyatt signified to me ,your ,majesty's 
pleasure1--',that the pictures by me now
 painting for ,his ,majesty's chapel at 
,windsor1 should be suspended until     
further orders4' ,i feel it a duty ,i   
owe to that communication1 to lay before
 ,your ,majesty1 by the return of ,mr4  
,wyatt to ,weymouth1 a statement of     
those pictures which ,i have painted to 
add to those for the chapel1 mentioned  
in the account ,i had the honour to     
transmit to ,your ,majesty in #agig by  
the hands of ,mr4 ,gabriel ,mathias4    
,since that period ,i have finished     
three pictures1 began several others1   
and composed the remainder of the       

subjects for the chapel1 on the progress
 of ,revealed ,religion1 from its       
commencement to its completion2 and the 
whole arranged with that circumspection 
from the ,four ,dispensations1 into     
five-and-thirty compositions1 that the  
most scrupulous amongst the various     
religious sects in this country1 about  
admitting pictures into churches1 must  
acknowledge them as truths1 or the      
,scriptures fabulous4 ,those are        
subjects so replete with dignity1       
character1 and expression1 as demanded  
the historian1 the commentator1 and the 
accomplished painter1 to bring them into
 view4 ,your ,majesty's gracious        
complacency and commands for my pencil  
on that extensive subject stimulated my 
humble abilities1 and ,i commenced the  
work with zeal and enthusiasm4 ,animated
 by your commands1 gracious ,sire1 ,i   
renewed my professional studies1 and    
burnt my midnight lamp to attain and    
give that polish at the close of ,your  
,majesty's chapel1 which has since      

marked my subsequent scriptural         
pictures4 ,your ,majesty's known zeal   
for promoting religion1 and the elegant 
arts1 had enrolled your virtues with all
 the civilized world2 and your gracious 
protection of my pencil had given to it 
a celebrity throughout ,europe1 and     
spread a knowledge of the great work on 
,revealed ,religion1 which my pencil was
 engaged on1 under ,your ,majesty's     
patronage3 it is that work which all    
,christendom looks with a complacency   
for its completion4  ,being             
distinguished by ,your ,majesty's       
benignity at an early period as a       
painter1 and chosen by those professors 
highly endowed in the three branches of 
the fine arts to fill their highest     
station1 and sanctioned by ,your        
,majesty's signature in their           
choice2--in that station1 ,i have been1 
for more than ten years1 zealous in     
promoting merit in those three branches 
of art1 which constitutes the views of  
,your ,majesty's establishment for      

cultivating their growth4 ,the ingenious
 artists have received my professional  
aid1 and my galleries and my purse have 
been open to their studies and their    
distresses4 ,the breath of envy1 nor the
 whisper of detraction1 never defiled my
 lips1 nor the want of morality my      
character1 and1 through life1 a strict  
adherer to truth2 a zealous admirer of  
,your ,majesty's virtues and goodness of
 heart1 the exalted virtues of ,her     
,majesty the ,queen1 and the high       
accomplishments of others of ,your      
,majesty's illustrious family1 have been
 the theme of my delight2 and their     
gracious complacency my greatest        
pleasure and consolation for many years1
 with which ,i was honoured by many     
instances of friendly notice1 and their 
warm attachment to the fine arts4  ,with
 these feelings of high sensibility1    
with which my breast has ever been      
inspired1 ,i feel with great concern the
 suspension given by ,mr4 ,wyatt to the 
work on ,revealed ,religion1 my pencil  

had advanced to adorn ,windsor-,castle4 
,if1 gracious ,sire1 this suspension is 
meant to be permanent1 myself and the   
fine arts have to lament4 ,for to me it 
will be ruinous1 and1 to the energetic  
artist1 in the highest branches of his  
professional pursuits--a damp in the    
hope of more exalted minds1 of patronage
 in the refined departments in painting4
 ,but ,i have this in store1 for the    
grateful feeling of my heart1 that1 in  
the thirty-five years by which my pencil
 has been honoured by ,your ,majesty's  
commands1 a great body of historical and
 scriptural compositions will be found  
in ,your ,majesty's possession1 in the  
churches1 and in the country4 ,their    
professional claims may be humble1 but  
they have been produced by a loyal      
subject of ,your ,majesty1 which may    
give them some claim to respect1 similar
 works not having been attained before  
in this country by a subject2 and this  
,i will assert as my claim1 that ,your  
,majesty did not bestow your patronage  

and commands on an ungrateful and a lazy
 man1 but on him who had a high sense of
 ,your ,majesty's honours and ,your     
,majesty's interests in all cases1 as a 
loyal and dutiful subject1 as well as   
servant1 to ,your ,majesty's gracious   
commands2 and ,i humbly beg ,your       
,majesty to be assured that  ,i am1     
,with profound duty1 ,your ,majesty's   
grateful ,,benjamin ,,west4   ,to this  
letter ,mr4 ,west received no answer2   
but on the return of the ,court to      
,windsor1 he went to the ,castle1 and   
obtained a private audience of the ,king
 on the subject1 by which it appeared   
that ,his ,majesty was not at all       
acquainted with the communication of    
which ,mr4 ,wyatt was the bearer1 nor   
had he received ,mr4 ,west's letter4    
,however1 the result of the interview   
was1 that the ,king said1 ,go on with   
your work1 ,west3 go on with the        
pictures1 and ,i will take care of you4 
,this was the last interview that ,mr4  
,west was permitted to enjoy with his   

early1 constant1 and to him truly royal 
patron2 but he continued to execute the 
pictures1 and in the usual quarterly    
payments received the thousand pounds   
per ann44 till ,his ,majesty's final    
superannuation1 when1 without any       
intimation whatever1 on calling to      
receive it1 he was informed that it had 
been stopped1 and that the intended     
design of the chapel of ,revealed       
,religion was suspended4  ,this was a   
severe stroke of misfortune to the      
,artist1 now far advanced in life1 but  
he submitted to it with resignation4 ,he
 took no measures1 nor employed any     
influence1 either to procure the renewal
 of the quarterly allowance1 or the     
payment of the balance of his account4  
,but being thus cast off from his best  
anchor in his old age1 he still         
possessed firmness of mind to think     
calmly of his situation4 ,he considered 
that a taste for the fine arts had been 
greatly diffused by means of the        
exhibitions of the ,royal ,academy1 and 

the eclat which the ,french had given to
 pictures and statues by making them    
objects of national conquest2 and having
 thus lost the patronage of the ,king1  
he determined to appeal to the public4  
,with this view he resolved to paint    
several large pictures2 and in the      
prosecution of this determination1 he   
has been amply indemnified for the      
effects of that poor economy that       
frustrated the nation from obtaining an 
honourable monument of the taste of the 
age1 and the liberality of a popular    
king4  ,without imputing motives to any 
party concerned1 or indeed without being
 at all acquainted with the             
circumstances that gave rise to it1 ,i  
should mention that a paper was         
circulated among the higher classes of  
society1 in which an account was stated 
of the amount of the money paid by ,his 
,majesty1 in the course of more than    
thirty years1 to ,mr4 ,west4 ,in that   
paper the interval of time was not at   
all considered1 nor the expense of      

living1 nor the exclusive preference    
which ,mr4 ,west had given to ,his      
,majesty's orders1 but the total        
sum2--which1 shown by itself1 and taken 
into view without any of these          
explanatory circumstances1 was very     
large1 and calculated to show that ,mr4 
,west might really indeed do without the
 thousand pounds a-year4 ,in order1     
however1 to place this proceeding in its
 true light1 ,i have inserted in the    
,appendix an account of the works       
executed and designed by ,mr4 ,west for 
the ,king1 and the prices allowed for   
them as charged in the audited account1 
of which the ,king himself had approved4
  ,independent of the relation which    
this paper bears to the subject of these
 memoirs1 it is a curious document1 and 
will be interesting as such1 as long as 
the history of the progress of the arts 
in this country excites the attention of
 posterity4  ,i have now but little to  
add to these memoirs4 ,but they would be
 deficient in an important event1 were  

,i to omit noticing the death of ,mrs4  
,west1 which took place on the #fth of  
,december1 #ahag4 ,the malady with which
 she had been afflicted for several     
years smoothed the way for her relief   
from suffering1 and softened the pang of
 sorrow for her loss4 ,she was in many  
respects a woman of an elevated         
character2 and her death1 after a union 
of more than half a century1 was to her 
husband one of those irreparable changes
 in life1 for which no equivalent can   
ever be obtained4  ,the last illness of 
,mr4 ,west himself was slow and         
languishing4 ,it was rather a general   
decay of nature1 than any specific      
malady2 and he continued to enjoy his   
mental faculties in perfect distinctness
 upon all subjects as long as the powers
 of articulation could be exercised4 ,to
 his merits as an artist and a man ,i   
may be deemed partial1 nor do ,i wish to
 be thought otherwise4 ,i have enjoyed  
his frankest confidence for many years1 
and received from his conversation the  

advantages of a more valuable species of
 instruction1 relative to the arts1 than
 books alone can supply to one who is   
not an artist4 ,while ,i therefore admit
 that the partiality of friendship may  
tincture my opinion of his character1 ,i
 am yet confident that the general truth
 of the estimate will be admitted by all
 who knew the man1 or are capable to    
appreciate the merits of his works4  ,in
 his deportment1 ,mr4 ,west was mild and
 considerate3 his eye was keen1 and his 
mind apt2 but he was slow and methodical
 in his reflections1 and the sedateness 
of his remarks must often in his younger
 years have seemed to strangers         
singularly at variance with the vivacity
 of his look4 ,that vivacity1 however1  
was not the result of any peculiar      
animation of temperament2 it was rather 
the illumination of his genius2 for when
 his features were studiously           
considered1 they appeared to resemble   
those which we find associated with     
dignity of character in the best        

productions of art4  ,as an artist1 he  
will stand in the first rank4 ,his name 
will be classed with those of ,michael  
,angelo and ,raphael2 but he possessed  
little in common with either4 ,as the   
former has been compared to ,homer1 and 
the latter to ,virgil1 in ,shakspeare we
 shall perhaps find the best likeness to
 the genius of ,mr4 ,west4 ,he          
undoubtedly possessed1 but in a slight  
degree1 that peculiar energy and        
physical expression of character in     
which ,michael ,angelo excelled1 and in 
a still less that serene sublimity which
 constitutes the charm of ,raphael's    
great productions4 ,but he was their    
equal in the fulness1 the perspicuity1  
and the propriety of his compositions4  
,in all his great works the scene       
intended to be brought before the       
spectator is represented in such a      
manner that the imagination has nothing 
to supply4 ,the incident1 the time and  
the place1 are there as we think they   
must have been2 and it is this wonderful

 force of conception which renders the  
sketches of ,mr4 ,west so much more     
extraordinary than his finished         
pictures4 ,in the finished pictures we  
naturally institute comparisons in      
colouring1 and in beauty of figure1 and 
in a thousand details which are never   
noticed in the sketches of this         
illustrious artist4 ,but although his   
powers of conception were so            
superior1--equal in their excellence to 
,michael ,angelo's energy1 or ,raphael's
 grandeur1--still in the inferior       
departments of drawing and colouring1 he
 was one of the greatest artists of his 
age2 it was not1 however1 till late in  
life that he executed any of those works
 in which he thought the splendour of   
the ,venetian school might be           
judiciously imitated4  ,at one time he  
intended to collect his works together1 
and to form a general exhibition of them
 all4 ,had he accomplished this1 the    
greatness and versatility of his talents
 would have been established beyond all 

controversy2 for unquestionably he was  
one of those great men1 whose genius    
cannot be justly estimated by particular
 works1 but only by a collective        
inspection of the variety1 the extent1  
and the number of their productions4    
,on the #ajth of ,march ,mr4 ,west      
expired without a struggle1 at his house
 in ,newman ,street1 and on the #bith he
 was interred with great funeral pomp in
 ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral4 ,an account of
 the ceremony is inserted in the        
,appendix4     ,appendix  ,no4 ,i4      
,the ,account3 of ,pictures painted by  
,benjamin ,west for ,his ,majesty1 by   
his ,gracious ,commands1 from #agfh to  
#aghj4 ,a ,true ,copy from ,mr4 ,west's 
,account ,books1 with their several     
,charges and ,dates4   ,when painted4   
,,subjects4                     4   s4  
#agfi4  #a4 ,regulus1 his ,departure    
from ,rome        #dbj  #j        #b4   
,hamilcar swearing his ,son             
,hannibal at the ,altar                 
#dbj  #j #agga   #c4 ,bayard at the     

moment of his death           receiving 
the ,constable ,bourbon         #cae  #j
        #d4 ,the ,death of ,epaminondas 
#cae  #j        #e4 ,the ,death of      
,general ,wolfe              #cae  #j   
#aggb4  #f4 ,cyrus receiving the ,king  
of           ,armenia and family        
prisoners            #aeg #aj        #g4
 ,germanicus receiving ,sagastis        
and his ,daughter prisoners             
#aeg #aj        #h4 ,the portrait of    
,her ,majesty1           the ,kit-cat   
size4        #i4 ,the portrait of ,his  
,majesty1           the same size1      
7companion17              #hd  #j       
#aj4 ,six of the ,royal ,children in one
           picture1 size of life        
#cae  #j       #aa4 ,her ,majesty and   
,princess ,royal1           in one      
picture                          #aeg   
#j       #ab4 ,his ,r4 ,h4 the ,prince  
of ,wales           and ,prince         
,frederic 7,duke of           ,york71 in
 one picture whole           length     
#baj  #j       #ac4 ,a second picture of

 ,ditto1 for           the ,empress of  
,russia1 sent by           ,his ,majesty
                             #baj  #j   
#ad4 ,a whole-length portrait of ,his   
,majesty1--,lord ,amherst and           
the ,marquis of ,lothian in the         
back-ground4                            
#bfb #aj       #ae4 ,a whole-length     
portrait of ,her           ,majesty1    
with all the ,royal           ,children 
in the back-ground             #bfb #aj 
#af4 ,whole-length portraits of ,prince 
,william 7,duke of ,clarence7 and       
,prince ,edward 7,duke of ,kent71       
in one picture                          
#bfb #aj #aggi4 #ag4 ,whole-length      
portraits of ,prince           ,adolphus
 and his sisters1 in one                
picture                                 
#bfb #aj   ,from the year #agfi the     
whole of the above pictures to #aggi    
were painted and paid for by ,his       
,majesty through the hands of ,mr4 ,r4  
,daulton and ,mr4 ,g4 ,mathias4  #aghj4 
,at this period ,his ,majesty was       

graciously pleased to sanction my pencil
 with his commands for a great work on  
,revealed ,religion1 from its           
commencement to its completion1 for     
pictures to embellish his intended ,new 
,chapel in ,windsor ,castle4 ,i arranged
 the several subjects from the four     
,dispensations4 ,his ,majesty was       
pleased to approve the arrangement      
selected1 as did several of the ,bishops
 in whose hands he placed them for their
 consideration1 and they highly approved
 the same4  ,his ,majesty then honoured 
me with his commands1 and did at that   
time1 the better to enable me to carry  
it into effect1 order his deputy        
privy-purse1 ,mr4 ,g4 ,mathias1 to pay  
me one thousand a year by quarterly     
payments1 which was regularly paid as   
commanded2 and the following are the    
subjects which ,i have painted from the 
,four ,dispensations1 for the ,chapel1  
of various dimensions4   ,,antideluvian 
,,dispensation4  ,when painted4         
,,subjects4                4 s4  #aghj4 

#a4 ,the expulsion of ,adam and ,eve    
from ,paradise                      #ece
  #j            #b4 ,the ,deluge        
#ebe  #j            #c4 ,noah and his   
,family sacrificing    #ebe  #j         
,,patriarchal ,,dispensation4           
#d4 ,the ,call of ,abraham going to     
sacrifice his son ,isaac            #fjj
  #j            #e4 ,the ,birth of      
,jacob and ,esau        #ebe  #j        
#f4 ,joseph and his brothers in ,egypt1 
composed1 not painted4            #g4   
,the ,death of ,jacob surrounded        
by his sons in ,egypt1 ditto4  ,,the    
,,mosaical ,,dispensation4              
#h4 ,the ,call of ,moses1 his ,rod      
turned into a ,serpent before the       
,burning ,bush1 composed1 but not       
painted4            #i4 ,moses and his  
brother ,aaron               before     
,pharaoh1 their ,rods turned            
into ,serpents                     #ajej
  #j           #aj4 ,moses destroying   
,pharaoh said               his host in 
the ,red ,sea           #ajej  #j       

#aa4 ,moses receiving the ,laws on      
,mount ,sinai                           
#abfj  #j           #ab4 ,moses         
consecrating ,aaron and                 
his sons to the priesthood        #ajej 
#j           #ac4 ,moses showing the    
,brazen ,serpent               to the   
infirm to be healed        #ajej  #j    
#ad4 ,the ,death of ,aaron on ,mount    
,hor1 composed1 but not painted4        
#ae4 ,moses presenting ,joshua to       
,eleazar the priest1 and ,congregation1 
as commanded1 composed1                 
but not painted4           #af4 ,moses  
sees the ,promised ,land                
from the top of ,mount ,abarim1         
and ,death1 a sketch in oil colours4    
#ag4 ,joshua commanding the ,ark        
and ,congregation to pass the           
river into the ,promised ,land1 a       
sketch in oil colour4 ,,the ,,prophets4 
#ah4 ,the prophets ,isaiah and ,jeremiah
       #ebe  #j       #ai4 ,the prophet 
,samuel anointing           ,david the  
son of ,jesse1 a sketch4       #bj4 ,the

 prophesying of ,zacharias at           
the birth of ,john his son              
#ebe  #j       #ba4 ,the ,angels        
announcing the ,birth           of our  
,saviour1 a cartoon for a               
painted-glass window1 by ,mr4           
,forrest                                
#ebe  #j       #bb4 ,the ,birth of our  
,saviour1 ditto1           for painted  
glass1 by ditto            #ebe  #j     
#bc4 ,the ,wise ,man's ,offering1 a     
cartoon for ditto                       
#ebe  #j       #bd4 ,john the ,baptist  
baptizing our           ,saviour1 on    
whom the ,holy           ,ghost descends
                        #ajej  #j       
#be4 ,christ's ,temptation and ,victory 
in the ,wilderness1 a sketch4       #bf4
 ,christ beginneth to preach at         
,nazareth1 his native place1 a          
sketch4       #bg4 ,christ healeth the  
,sick and           ,blind2 c4 in the   
,temple              #ajej  #j          
#bh4 ,the ,last ,supper2 which picture  
,his ,majesty presented to ,st4         

,george's ,chapel at ,windsor           
#gce  #j       #bi4 ,a ,last ,supper1   
painted for the           ,king's       
,chapel                          #gce   
#j       #cj4 ,the ,crucifixion1 a study
 in oil           colour1 for the glass 
painting by           ,messrs4 ,jervis  
and ,forrest to           colour from1  
and the cartoon the           size of   
the window                    #ajej  #j 
#ca4 ,the west end window of ,st4       
,george's ,chapel1 #bh feet wide by     
#cf high1 for them to draw the          
figures from on the glass               
#ajej  #j       #cb4 ,the ,resurrection1
 a study in           oil colour1 for   
glass painting by           ,messrs4    
,jervis and ,forrest to           colour
 from                            #ebe   
#j       #cc4 ,and the cartoon the size 
of the           window at the east end 
of ,st4           ,george's ,chapel1 #bh
 feet wide by           #cf high1 to    
draw from on the glass    #ajej  #j     
,and two side pictures                  

#ebe  #j      #cd4 ,the ,assumption of  
our ,saviour1          for the ,king's  
,chapel                  #ajej  #j      
#ce4 ,peter's first ,sermon1 or the     
,apostles receiving the ,cloven         
,tongues                                
#ajej  #j      #cf4 ,paul and ,barnabas 
rejecting the          ,jews1 and       
receiving the ,gentiles       #ajej  #j 
-----------                             
,total  #ba1gje  #j                     
-----------  ,painted for ,his          
,majesty's ,state ,rooms in ,windsor    
,castle the following ,pictures from the
 ,history of ,edward ,,iii4        #a4  
,edward ,,iii4 embracing his ,son on    
the field of battle at ,cressy          
#acfe  #j       #b4 ,the ,installation  
of the most noble          ,order of the
 ,garter                    #acfe  #j   
#c4 ,edward the ,black ,prince receiving
          ,john ,king of ,france and his
          son as prisoners              
#acfe  #j       #d4 ,st4 ,george        
destroying the ,dragon        #fcj  #j  

#e4 ,queen ,philippa defeats ,david     
,king of ,scotland1 at ,nevil's         
,cross1 and takes him prisoner          
#ebe  #j       #f4 ,queen ,philippa     
soliciting ,edward          ,,iii4 to   
save ,st4 ,pierre and the          brave
 burgesses of ,calais               #ebe
  #j       #g4 ,edward ,,iii4 forcing   
the passage of          the river ,somme
 in ,france               #fcj  #j      
#h4 ,edward ,,iii4 crowning ,ribemont   
at ,calais                              
#ebe  #j                                
-----------                             
,total   #ficj  #j                      
-----------        ,by ,his ,majesty's  
commands ,i made       nine designs for 
the ceiling in the       ,queen's       
,lodge1 ,windsor1 for ,mr4       ,haas  
to work the ceilings from4       ,viz4  
#a4 ,genius inspiring the fine arts     
to adorn the useful arts and sciences4  
#b4 ,agriculture4 #c4 ,manufactures4    
#d4 ,commerce4 #e4 ,botany4 #f4         
,chemistry4       #g4 ,celestial        

,science4 #h4 ,terrestrial              
,science2 and #i4 ,to adorn             
,empire                                 
#ebe  #j        ,myself and son1 with   
,mr4 ,rebecca1       for painting       
transparent and water       coloured    
pictures to adorn the marble            
gallery at a great evening entertainment
       in the ,castle given by ,their   
,majesties to the nobility              
#bej  #j        ,painted for ,his       
,majesty a whole-length       portrait  
of ,prince ,octavius       holding the  
,king's sword                    #gc #aj
        ,painted for ,his ,majesty the  
,apotheosis       of ,prince ,octavius  
and ,prince       ,alfred1 in one       
picture1 the size of life   #cae  #j    
,a portrait of ,prince ,augustus1 half  
length1 for the ,queen4        ,a second
 whole length of ,her       ,majesty1   
with all the ,royal children       in   
the back-ground1 which was placed       
in ,windsor ,castle1 but at present in  
the ,queen's ,palace1 ,london           

#bfb #aj        ,a picture of ,peter    
denying our1       ,saviour1 of which   
,his ,majesty honoured       me by      
accepting1 two half-length              
figures1 the size of life4              
-----------                             
,total  #adbf  #j                       
-----------  ,this is a true statement  
of the numbers of pictures1 cartoons1   
and drawings of designs1 and sketches of
 scripture subjects1 as well as         
historical events1 ,british as well as  
,greek1 ,roman1 and other nations1 with 
which ,i had been honoured by the       
,king's commands1 from #agfh1 to #eth   
,january #ahja1 to paint for ,his       
,majesty2 and the charges ,i made for   
each was by him most graciously         
acknowledged1 when my account was       
audited and allowed by ,mr4 ,g4         
,mathias1 ,his ,majesty's privy purse1  
who settled for debtor and creditor the 
whole amount between the above dates4   
,benjamin ,west4     ,appendix ,no4     
,,ii4    ,a ,catalogue of thee ,works of

 ,mr4 ,west4  ,regulus4  ,hanibal4      
,epaminondas4  ,bayard4  ,wolfe1 the    
first and second4  ,cyrus and the ,king 
of ,armenia with his ,family1 captives4 
,germanicus and ,segestus with his      
,daughter1 captives4  ,the ,apotheosis  
of ,prince ,alfred and ,prince          
,octavius4  ,the picture of the ,damsel 
accusing ,peter4  ,the ,queen1 with the 
,princess ,royal1 in one picture4       
,prince ,ernest and ,prince ,augustus2  
,princesses ,augusta1 ,elizabeth1 and   
,mary1 in one picture4  ,prince ,william
 and ,prince ,edward1 in one picture4   
,prince ,octavius4  ,the whole-length   
portrait of ,his ,majesty in            
,regimentals1 with ,lord ,amherst and   
the ,marquis of ,lothian on ,horseback1 
in the back-ground4  ,the whole-length  
portrait of ,her ,majesty1 with the     
fourteen ,royal ,children4  ,the same   
repeated4  ,the ,battle of ,cressy1 when
 ,edward ,,iii4 embraced his son4  ,the 
,battle of ,poitiers1 when ,john ,king  
of ,france is brought prisoner to the   

,prince4  ,the ,institution of the      
,order of the ,garter4  ,the ,battle of 
,nevil's ,cross4  ,the ,burgesses of    
,calais before ,edward ,,iii4  ,edward  
,,iii4 crossing the ,somme4  ,edward    
,,iii4 crowning ,ribemont1 at ,calais4  
,st4 ,george destroying the ,dragon4    
,the design of our ,saviour's           
,resurrection1 painted in colours1 with 
the ,women going to the ,sepulchre2 also
 ,peter and ,john4  ,the cartoon from   
the above design1 for the east window1  
painted in the ,collegiate ,church of   
,windsor1 on glass1 #cf feet high by #bh
 wide4  ,the design of our ,saviour's   
,crucifixion1 painted in colours4  ,the 
cartoon from the above design1 for the  
west window in the ,collegiate ,church1 
painting on glass1 #cf feet by #bh4     
,the cartoon of the ,angels appearing to
 the ,shepherds1 ditto for ditto4  ,the 
cartoon of the ,nativity of our         
,saviour1 for ditto1 ditto4  ,the       
cartoon of the ,magi presenting ,gifts  
to our ,saviour1 for ditto1 ditto4  ,the

 picture1 in water-colours1 representing
 ,hymen leading and dancing with the    
,hours before ,peace and and ,plenty4   
,the picture1 in water-colours1 of ,boys
 with the ,insignia of ,riches4  ,the   
companion1 with ,boys1 and the ,insignia
 of the ,fine ,arts4  ,genius calling   
forth the ,fine ,arts to adorn          
,manufactures and ,commerce1 and        
recording the names of eminent men in   
those pursuits4  ,husbandry aided by    
,arts and ,commerce4  ,peace and ,riches
 cherishing the ,fine ,arts4            
,manufactory giving support to          
,industry1 in ,boys and ,girls4  ,marine
 and inland ,navigation enriching       
,britannia4  ,printing aided by the     
,fine ,arts4  ,astronomy making new     
discoveries in the ,heavens4  ,the ,four
 ,quarters of the ,world bringing       
,treasures to the ,lap of ,britannia4   
,civil and ,military ,architecture      
defending and adorning ,empire4  ,the   
,expulsion of ,adam and ,eve from       
,paradise4  ,the ,deluge4  ,noah        

sacrificing4  ,abraham and his son      
,isaac going to sacrifice4  ,the ,birth 
of ,jacob and ,esau4  ,the ,death of    
,jacob in ,egypt1 surrounded by his     
,twelve ,sons4  ,moses and ,aaron before
 ,pharaoh2 their ,rods turned into      
,serpents4  ,pharaoh and his ,host lost 
in the ,red ,sea1 while ,moses stretches
 his ,rod over them4  ,moses receiving  
the ,law on ,mount ,sinai4  ,moses      
consecrateth ,aaron and his ,sons to the
 ,priesthood4  ,moses showeth the       
,brazen ,serpent to the ,people to be   
healed4  ,moses shown the ,promised     
,land from the top of ,mount ,pisgah4   
,joshua crossing the ,river ,jordan with
 the ,ark4  ,the ,twelve ,tribes drawing
 ,lots for the ,lands of their          
,inheritance1 #f feet by #aj4  ,the     
,call of ,isaiah and ,jeremiah1 each #e 
by #ad4  ,david anointed ,king1 #f by   
#aj4  ,christ's ,birth1 #f by #aj4  ,the
 naming of ,john2 or1 the ,prophecies of
 ,zacharias1 ditto4  ,the ,kings        
bringing ,presents to ,christ1 #f by    

#ab4  ,christ among the ,doctors1 #f by 
#aj4  ,the ,descent of the ,holy ,ghost 
on our ,saviour at the ,river ,jordan1  
#aj by #ad4  ,christ healing the ,sick  
in the ,temple1 ditto4  ,christ's ,last 
,supper1 #f by #aj4  ,christ's          
,crucifixion1 #af by #bh4  ,christ's    
,ascension1 #ab by #ah4  ,the           
,inspiration of ,st4 ,peter1 #aj by #ad4
  ,paul and ,barnabas rejecting the     
,jews1 and receiving the ,gentiles1     
ditto4  ,john called to write the       
,revelation1 #f by #aj4  ,saints        
prostrating themselves before the       
,throne of ,god4  ,the opening of the   
,seven ,seals2 or1 ,death on the ,pale  
,horse4  ,the overthrowing the ,old     
,beast and ,false ,prophet4  ,the ,last 
,judgment4  ,the ,new ,jerusalem4  ,the 
picture of ,st4 ,michael and his ,angels
 fighting and casting out the ,red      
,dragon and his ,angels4  ,do4 of the   
,women clothed in the ,sun4  ,do4 of    
,john called to write the ,revelation4  
,do4 of the ,beast rising out of the    

,sea4  ,do4 of the ,mighty ,angel1 one  
,foot upon ,sea and the other on ,earth4
  ,do4 of ,st4 ,anthony of ,padua4  ,do4
 of the ,madra ,dolo ,roso4  ,do4 of    
,simeon1 with the ,child in his arms4   
,a picture of a small ,landscape1 with a
 ,hunt passing ,in the back-ground4     
,do4 of ,abraham and ,isaac going to    
sacrifice1  ,do4 of a whole-length      
figure of ,thomas  ,becket1 larger than 
life4  ,do4 of the ,angel in the ,sun   
assembling the ,birds of the ,air1      
before the destruction of the ,old      
,beast4  ,four half-lengths4  ,the small
 picture of the ,order of the ,garter1  
differing in composition from the great 
picture at ,windsor4  ,the picture of   
the ,shunamite's ,son raised to ,life by
 the ,prophet ,elisha4  ,do4 of ,jacob  
blessing ,joseph's ,sons4  ,do4 of the  
,death of ,wolfe1 the third picture4    
,do4 of the ,battle of ,la ,hogue4  ,do4
 of the ,boyne4  ,do4 of the            
,restoration of ,charles ,,ii4  ,do4 of 
,cromwell dissolving the ,long          

,parliament4  ,a small portrait of      
,general ,wolfe1 when a ,boy4  ,the     
,picture of the ,golden ,age4  ,the     
picture of ,st4 ,michael chaining the   
,dragon1 in ,trinity ,college1          
,cambridge1 #ae by #h4  ,do4 of the     
,angels announcing the ,birth of our    
,saviour1 in the ,cathedral ,church at  
,rochester1 #aj by #f4  ,do4 of the     
,death of ,st4 ,stephen1 in the church  
of ,st4 ,stephen1 ,walbrook1 #aj by #ah4
  ,do4 of the ,raising of ,lazarus1 in  
the ,cathedral of ,winchester1 #aj by   
#ad4  ,do4 of ,st4 ,paul shaking the    
,viper off his ,finger1 in the chapel at
 ,greenwich1 #bg by #ae4  ,the ,supper1 
over the communion-table in the         
,collegiate ,church at ,windsor1 #h by  
#ac4  ,the ,resurrection of our         
,saviour1 in the east window of the     
,collegiate ,church at ,windsor1 #bh by 
#cb4  ,the ,crucifixion1 in the window  
of ditto1 #bh by #cf4  ,the ,angel      
announcing our ,saviour's ,birth1 in    
ditto1 #aj by #ad4  ,the ,birth of our  

,saviour1 in ditto1 #i by #af4  ,the    
,kings presenting ,gifts to our         
,saviour1 in ditto1 #i by #af4  ,the    
picture of ,peter denying our ,saviour1 
in the chapel of ,lord ,newark4  ,the   
,resurrection of our ,saviour1 in the   
church of ,barbadoes1 #aj by #f4  ,the  
picture of ,moses with the ,law1 and    
,john the ,baptist1 in ditto1 as large  
as life4  ,the picture of ,telemachus   
and ,calypso4  ,do4 of ,angelica and    
,madora4  ,do4 of the ,damsel and       
,orlando4  ,do4 of ,cicero at the ,tomb 
of ,archimedes4  ,do4 of ,st4 ,paul's   
,conversion2 his ,persecution of the    
,christians2 and the ,restoration of his
 ,sight1 under the hands of ,ananias1 in
 one frame1 divided in three parts4     
,do4 of ,mr4 ,hope's ,family1 containing
 nine figures as large as life4  ,large 
figures of ,faith1 ,hope1 ,charity1     
,innocence1 ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,mark1  
,st4 ,luke1 ,st4 ,john1 ,st4 ,matthias1 
,st4 ,thomas1 ,st4 ,jude1 ,st4 ,simon1  
,st ,james the ,major1 ,st4 ,philip1    

,st4 ,peter1 ,st4 ,andrew1 ,st4         
,bartholomew1 ,st4 ,james the ,minor1   
,malachi1 ,micah1 ,zachariah1 and       
,daniel4  ,paul shaking the ,viper from 
his ,finger4  ,paul preaching at        
,athens4  ,elimas the ,sorcerer struck  
blind4  ,cornelius and the ,angel4      
,peter delivered from ,prison4  ,the    
,conversion of ,st4 ,paul4  ,paul before
 ,felix4  ,two whole-lengths of the late
 ,archbishop of ,york's two eldest      
,sons4  ,a whole-length portrait of the 
late ,lord ,grosvenor4  ,the picture of 
,jacob drawing ,water at the ,well for  
,rachael and her ,flock1 in the         
possession of ,mrs4 ,evans4  ,the       
picture of the ,citizens of ,london     
offering the ,crown to ,william the     
,conqueror4  ,the ,queen soliciting the 
,king to pardon her son ,john4  ,moses  
showing the brazen ,serpent4  ,john     
showing the ,lamb of ,god4  ,three of   
the ,children of the late ,archbishop of
 ,york1 with the portrait of the        
,archbishop1 half-lengths1 in the       

possession of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,drummond4 
,the ,family-picture1 half-lengths1 of  
,mrs4 ,cartwright's ,children4  ,do4 of 
,sir ,edmund ,baker1 ,nephew and ,niece1
 half-length4  ,do4 of--,lunis1 ,esq4's 
,children1 half-lengths4  ,a ,lady      
leading three ,children along the ,path 
of ,virtue to the ,temple4  ,a picture  
of ,madora4  ,the picture of the late   
,lord ,clive receiving the ,duannic from
 the ,great ,mogul1 for ,lord ,clive4   
,christ receiving the ,sick and ,lame in
 the ,temple1 in the ,pennsylvanian     
,hospital1 ,philadelphia1 #aa feet by   
#ah4  ,the picture of ,pylades and      
,orestes1 for ,sir ,george ,beaumont4   
,the original sketch of ,cicero at the  
,tomb of ,archimedes1 for ditto4  ,the  
picture of ,leonidas ordering           
,cleombrotas into ,banishment1 with his 
,wife and ,children1 for ,w4 ,smith1    
,esq4  ,do4 of the ,marys at the        
,sepulchre1 for ,general ,stibert4  ,do4
 of ,alexander and his ,physician1 for  
ditto4  ,do4 of ,julius ,caesar reading 

the ,life of ,alexander4  ,do4 of the   
,return of the ,prodigal ,son1 for ,sir 
,james ,earle4  ,do4 of the ,death of   
,adonis1 for--,knight1 ,esq4 ,portland  
,place4  ,do4 of the ,continence of     
,scipio1 ditto4  ,do4 of ,venus and     
,cupid1 oval1 for ,mr4 ,steers ,temple4 
,do4 of ,alfred dividing his ,loaf1     
presented to ,stationers' ,hall by      
,alderman ,boydell4  ,do4 of ,helen     
brought to ,paris1 in the possession of 
a family in ,kent4  ,a small sketch of  
the ,shunamite's ,son restored1 c4      
,cupid stung by a ,bee1 oval1           
for--,vesey1 ,esq4 in ,ireland4         
,agrippina surrounded by her ,children1 
and reclining her ,head on the ,urn     
containing the ,ashes of ,germanicus1   
ditto4  ,the ,death of ,wolfe1 the      
fourth picture1 for ,lord ,bristol4  ,a 
do4 of do4 the fourth picture1 in the   
possession of the ,prince of ,waldeck4  
,a small do4 of do4 the fifth picture1  
ditto ,moncton family4  ,a small picture
 of ,romeo and ,juliet1 for the ,duke of

 ,courland4  ,a small picture of ,king  
,lear and his ,daughters1 ditto4  ,do4  
of ,belisarius and the ,boy1 for ,sir   
,francis ,baring4  ,do4 of ,sir ,francis
 ,baring and part of his ,family1       
containing six figures as large as life1
 ditto4  ,do4 of ,simeon and the ,child1
 as large as life1 for the ,provost of  
,eton4  ,do4 of the late ,lord ,clive   
receiving the ,duannic from the ,great  
,mogul1 a second picture1 for ,madras4  
,the second picture of ,philippa        
soliciting of ,edward ,,iii4 the pardon 
of the ,burgesses of ,calais1 in the    
possession of--,willet1 ,esq4  ,do4 of  
,europa on the back of the ,bull1 at    
,calcutta4  ,do4 of the ,death of       
,hyacinthus1 painted for ,lord ,kerry1  
but now in the ,national ,gallery at    
,paris4  ,the picture of ,venus         
presenting the ,girdle to ,juno1 painted
 for ,lord ,kerry1 and in the ,national 
,gallery2 figures as large as life in   
both pictures4  ,do4 of ,rinaldo and    
,armida1 for ,caleb ,whitford1 ,esq4    

,do4 of ,pharaoh's ,daughter with the   
,child ,moses1 for--,park1 ,esq43 the   
original painted for ,general ,lawrence4
  ,do4 of the ,stolen ,kiss1 painted for
 ditto1 and in the possession of ditto4 
,do4 of ,angelica and ,madora1 for      
ditto1 ditto4  ,do4 of the ,woman of    
,samaria at the ,well with ,christ1     
ditto4  ,do4 of ,paetus and ,arria1 in  
the possession of ,col4 ,smith1 at the  
,tower4  ,do4 of ,rebecca coming to     
,david1 for ,sir ,j4 ,ashley4  ,the     
,drawing respecting ,christ's ,nativity1
 for ,mr4 ,tomkins1 ,doctors' ,commons4 
,do4 of ,rebecca receiving the          
,bracelets at the ,well1 for the late   
,lord ,buckinghamshire4  ,the drawing of
 the ,stolen ,kiss1 ditto4  ,do4 of     
,rinaldo and ,armida1 ditto4  ,do4 of a 
,mother and ,child1 ditto4  ,the        
whole-length portrait of ,sir ,thomas   
,strange1 in the ,town-hall of ,halifax4
  ,do4 of ,sir ,john ,sinclair4  ,the   
picture of ,agrippina landing at        
,brundusium1 7the first picture17 in the

 possession of ,lord ,kinnoul4  ,do4 of 
do4 for the ,earl of ,exeter1 at        
,burleigh1 second picture4  ,do4 of do4 
7third picture17 in the possession      
of---- ,hatch1 ,esq41 in ,essex4  ,a    
small picture of ,jupiter and ,semele3  
the large picture lost at sea4  ,hector 
parting with his ,wife and ,child at the
 ,sun ,gate4  ,the prophet ,elisha      
raising the ,shunamite's son4  ,the     
raising of ,lazarus4  ,edward ,,iii4    
crossing the ,river ,somme4  ,queen     
,philippa at the ,battle of ,nevil's    
,cuoss4  ,the ,angels announcing to the 
,shepherds the ,birth of our ,saviour4  
,the ,magi bringing ,presents to our    
,saviour4  ,a view on the ,river ,thames
 at ,hammersmith4  ,a do4 on the banks  
of the ,river ,susquehanna1 in ,america4
  ,the picture of ,tangire ,mill1 at    
,eton4  ,do4 of ,chrysis returned to her
 father ,chyses4  ,venus and ,adonis1   
large as life4  ,the sixth picture of   
the ,death of ,wolfe4  ,the first and   
second picture of the ,battle of ,la    

,hogue4  ,the sketch1 of ,macbeth and   
the ,witches4  ,the small picture of the
 ,return of ,tobias4  ,the small picture
 of the ,return of the ,prodigal ,son4  
,do4 of ,ariadne on the ,sea-shore4     
,do4 of the ,death of ,adonis4  ,do4 of 
,john ,king of ,france brought to the   
,black ,prince4  ,do4 of ,antiochus and 
,stratonice4  ,do1 of ,king ,lear and   
his ,daughter4  ,the picture of ,chryses
 on the ,sea-shore4  ,do4 of ,nathan and
 ,david3--,thou art the ,man6 as large  
as life1  ,do4 of ,elijah raising the   
,widow's ,son to ,life4  ,do4 of the    
,choice of ,hercules4  ,do4 of ,venus   
and ,europa4  ,do4 of ,daniel           
interpreting the ,hand-writing on the   
,wall4  ,do4 of the ,ambassador from    
,tunis1 with his ,attendant1 as he      
appeared in ,england in #agha4  ,the    
drawing of ,marius on the ,ruins of     
,carthage4  ,do4 of ,cato giving his    
,daughter in ,marriage on his ,death1   
both in the possession of the ,archduke 
,joseph4  ,do4 of ,belisarius brought to

 his ,family4  ,the large picture of the
 ,stag1 or the rescuing of ,alexander   
the ,third1 for ,lord ,seaforth1 #ab    
feet by #ah4  ,the picture of ,cymon and
 ,iphigenia1 and ,endymion and ,diana1  
at ,wentworth ,castle1 ,yorkshire4  ,do4
 of ,cymon and ,iphigenia1 and ,angelica
 and ,madora1 in the possession of ,mr4 
,mitton1 of ,shropshire1 painted at     
,rome4  ,small picture of the ,battle of
 ,cressy4  ,small sketch of the ,order  
of the ,garter4  ,mr4 ,west's small     
picture of his ,family4  ,the sketch of 
,edward the ,third with his ,queen1 and 
the ,citizens of ,calais4  ,mr4 ,west's 
small copy from ,vandyke's picture of   
,cardinal ,bentivoglio1 now in the      
,national ,gallery at ,paris4  ,mr4     
,west's copy from ,correggio's          
celebrated picture at ,parma1 viz4 the  
,st4 ,girolemo1 now in the ,national    
,gallery4  ,the large ,landscape from   
,windsor ,forest4  ,the picture of ,mark
 ,antony showing the ,robe and ,will of 
,julius ,caesar to the ,people4  ,do4 of

 gistus viewing the ,body of            
,clytemnestra4  ,the large sketch of the
 window at ,windsor1 of the ,magi       
presenting ,gifts to the ,infant        
,christ4  ,the small sketch of the      
,battle of ,nevil's ,cross4  ,the second
 small sketch of the ,order of the      
,garter4  ,the small picture of ,ophelia
 before the ,king and ,queen1 with her  
brother ,laertes4  ,do4 of the ,recovery
 of ,his ,majesty in the year #aghi4    
,do4 from ,thomson's ,seasons1 of       
,miranda and her ,two ,companions4  ,do4
 of ,edward the ,third crowning         
,ribemont at ,calais1 a sketch4  ,the   
picture of ,leonidas taking leave of his
 ,family on his going to ,thermopyl4    
,do4 of a ,bacchant1 as large as life1  
half-length4  ,first sketch of the      
,battle of ,cressy4  ,the picture of    
,phaton soliciting ,apollo for the      
,chariot of the ,sun4  ,the second      
picture of ,cicero at the ,tomb of      
,archimedes4  ,the small picture of     
,belisarius and the ,boy1 different from

 that in the possession of ,sir ,francis
 ,baring4  ,the small picture of the    
,eagle giving the ,vase of ,water to    
,psyche4  ,do4 of the ,death of ,adonis1
 from ,anacreon4  ,do4 of ,moonlight and
 the ,beckoning ,ghost1 from ,pope's    
,elegy4  ,do4 of the ,angel sitting on  
the ,stone at the ,sepulchre4  ,second  
picture of the same1 but differing in   
composition4  ,a small sketch of ditto4 
,a sketch of ,king ,lear and his        
,daughter4  ,the second picture of      
,angelica and ,madora4  ,do4 of a       
,damsel and ,orlando4  ,mr4 ,west's     
portrait1 half-length4  ,sketch of his  
two ,sons1 when ,children4  ,do4 when   
,boys4  ,do4 when young ,men4  ,portrait
 of the ,rev4---- ,preston4  ,picture of
 the ,bacchant ,boys4  ,do4 of the ,good
 ,samaritan4  ,picture of the           
,destruction of the ,old ,beast and     
,false ,prophet3--,revelation4  ,do4 of 
,christ healing the ,sick1 ,lame1 and   
,blind1 in the ,tenrple4  ,do4 of       
,tintern ,abbey4  ,do4 of ,death on the 

,pale ,horse2 or1 the ,opening of the   
,seals4  ,do4 of ,jason and the ,dragon1
 in imitation of ,salvator ,rosa4  ,do4 
of ,venus and ,adonis looking at ,cupids
 bathing4  ,do4 of ,moses and ,aaron    
before ,pharaoh4  ,do4 of the ,uxbridge 
,passage-boat on the ,canal4  ,do4 of   
,st4 ,paul and ,barnabas rejecting the  
,jews1 and turning to the ,gentiles4    
,picture of the ,falling of ,trees in   
the ,great ,park at ,windsor4  ,do4 of  
,diomed and his ,chariot-horses struck  
by the ,lightning of ,jupiter4  ,do4 of 
the ,milk-woman in ,st4 ,james's ,park4 
,do4 of ,king ,lear in the ,storm at the
 ,hovel4  ,do4 of the ,expulsion of     
,adam and ,eve from ,paradise4  ,do4 of 
the ,order of the ,garter4  ,do4 of     
,orion on the ,dolphin's back4  ,do4 of 
,cupid complaining to ,venus of a ,bee  
having stung his finger4  ,do4 of the   
,deluge4  ,do4 of ,queen ,elizabeth's   
,procession to ,st4 ,paul's4  ,do4 of   
,christ showing a ,little ,child as the 
,emblem of ,heaven4  ,do4 of            

,harvest-home4  ,do4 of a ,view from the
 east end of ,windsor ,castle1 looking  
over ,datchet4  ,do4 of ,washing of     
,sheep4  ,do4 of ,st4 ,paul shaking the 
,viper from his ,finger4  ,do4 of the   
,sun setting behind a group of ,trees on
 the banks of the ,thames at            
,twickenham4  ,do4 of the driving of    
,sheep and ,cows to water4  ,do4 of     
,cattle drinking at a ,watering-place in
 the ,great ,park1 ,windsor1 with ,mr4  
,west drawing4  ,do4 of ,pharaoh and his
 ,host drowned in the ,red ,sea4  ,do4  
of ,calypso and ,telemachus on the      
,sea-shore2 second picture4  ,do4 of    
,gentlemen fishing in the ,water at     
,dagenham ,breach4  ,do4 of ,moses      
consecrating ,aaron and his ,sons to the
 priesthood4  ,picture of the ,view of  
,windsor-,castle from ,snow-,hill1 in   
the ,great ,park4  ,do4 of a ,mother    
inviting her little ,boy to come to her 
through a small ,stream of ,water4  ,do4
 of the naming of ,samuel1 and the      
prophesying of ,zacharias4  ,do4 of the 

,ascension of our ,saviour4  ,do of the 
,birth of ,jacob and ,esau4  ,do4 of the
 ,brewer's ,porter and ,hod ,carrier4   
,do4 of ,venus attended by the ,graces4 
,do4 of ,samuel1 when a ,boy1 presented 
to ,eli4  ,do4 of ,christ's ,last       
,supper4 7,in brown colour47  ,do4 of   
the ,reaping of ,harvest1 with ,windsor 
in the back-ground4  ,do4 of ,adonis and
 his ,dog going to the ,chace4  ,do4 of 
,christ among the ,doctors in the       
,temple4  ,do4 of ,moses shown the      
,promised ,land4  ,do4 of ,joshua       
crossing the ,river ,jordan with the    
,ark4  ,do4 of ,christ's ,nativity4     
,do4 of ,mothers with their ,children1  
in water1  ,do4 of ,cranford ,bridge4   
,do1 of the sketch of ,pyrrhus when a   
,child1 before ,king ,glaucus4  ,do4 of 
the ,traveller laying his ,piece of     
,bread on the ,bridle of the dead ,ass4 
,from ,sterne4  ,do4 of the ,captivity4 
,from ditto4  ,do4 of ,cupid letting    
loose ,two ,pigeons4  ,do4 of ,cupid    
asleep4  ,do4 of ,children eating       

,cherries4  ,sketch of a ,mother and her
 ,child on her ,lap4  ,the small picture
 of the ,eagle bringing the ,cup to     
,psyche4  ,the picture of ,st4 ,anthony 
of ,padua and the ,child4  ,do4 of      
,jacob1 and ,laban with his ,two        
,daughters4  ,do4 of the ,women looking 
into the ,sepulchre1 and beholding ,two 
,angels where the ,lord lay4  ,do4 of   
the ,angel loosening the ,chains of ,st4
 ,peter in ,prison4  ,do4 of the ,death 
of ,sir ,philip ,sydney4  ,do4 of the   
,death of ,epaminondas4  ,do4 of the    
,death of ,bayard4  ,the small sketch of
 ,christ's ,ascension4  ,the sketch of a
 ,group of ,legendary ,saints4 ,in      
imitation of ,reubens4  ,the picture of 
,kosciusco on a ,couch1 as he appeared  
in ,london1 #agig4  ,do4 of the ,death  
of ,cephalus4  ,do4 of ,abraham and     
,isaac3--,here is the ,wood and ,fire1  
but where is the ,lamb for ,sacrifice4  
,the sketch of the ,bard4 ,from ,gray4  
,do4 of the ,pardoning of ,john by his  
brother ,king ,henry1 at the            

,solicitation of his ,mother4  ,do4 of  
,st4 ,george and the ,dragon4  ,the     
picture of ,eponina with her ,children1 
giving ,bread to her ,husband when in   
,concealment4  ,the sketch on paper of  
,christ's ,last ,supper4  ,the picture  
of the ,pardoning of ,john1 at his      
,mother's ,solicitation4  ,do4 of the   
,death of ,lord ,chatham4  ,do4 of the  
,presentation of the ,crown to ,william 
the ,conqueror4  ,do4 of ,europa        
crowning the ,bull with ,flowers4  ,do4 
of ,mr4 ,west's ,garden1 ,gallery1 and  
,painting-,room4  ,do4 of the ,cave of  
,despair4 ,from ,spenser4  ,the picture 
of ,christ's ,resurrection4  ,the sketch
 of the ,destruction of the ,spanish    
,armada4  ,the picture of ,arethusa     
bathing4  ,the sketch of ,priam         
soliciting of ,achilles the ,body of    
,hector4  ,the picture of ,moonlight4   
7,small47  ,the small sketch of ,cupid  
showing ,venus his ,finger stung by a   
,bee4  ,the drawings of the ,two ,sides 
of the intended ,chapel at ,windsor1    

with the ,arrangement of the ,pictures1 
c4  ,the drawing of ,st4 ,matthew1 with 
the ,angel4  ,do4 of ,alcibiades and    
,timon of ,athens4  ,do4 of ,penn's     
,treaty4  ,do4 of ,regulus4  ,do4 of    
,mark ,antony1 showing the ,robe and    
,will of ,csar4  ,do4 of the ,birth of  
,jacob and ,esau4  ,do4 of the ,death of
 ,dido4  ,the large sketch1 in oil1 7on 
paper17 of ,moses receiving the ,laws on
 ,mount ,sinai4  ,the large drawing of  
the ,death of ,hippolytus4  ,the large  
sketch1 in oil1 of the ,death of ,st4   
,stephen4 ,on paper4  ,the drawing of   
the ,death of ,csar4  ,do4 of the       
,swearing of ,hannibal4  ,do4 of the    
,expulsion of ,adam and ,eve4  ,do4 of  
the ,deluge4  ,the sketch1 in oil1 of   
the ,landing of ,agrippina4 ,on paper4  
,do4 of ,leonidas ordering ,cleombrotus 
into ,banishment4 ,on paper4  ,the      
drawing of the ,death of ,epaminondas4  
,the sketch1 in oil1 of the ,death of   
,aaron4 ,on paper4  ,the drawing of the 
,death of ,sir ,philip ,sydney4  ,the   

sketch1 in oil1 7on paper17 of ,david   
prostrate1 whilst the destroying ,angel 
sheathes the ,sword4  ,the drawing of   
the ,women looking into the ,sepulchre4 
,do4 of ,st4 ,john ,preaching4  ,do4 of 
the ,golden ,age4  ,do4 of ,antinous and
 ,stratonice4  ,do4 of the ,death of    
,demosthenes4  ,the large sketch1 in    
oil1 7on paper17 of ,death on the ,pale 
,horse4  ,the drawing of ,king ,john and
 the ,barons with ,magna ,charta4  ,do4 
of ,la ,hogue4  ,do4 of ,jacob and      
,laban4  ,the large ditto of the        
,destruction of the ,assyrian ,camp by  
the destroying ,angel4  ,the large      
sketch1 in oil1 7on paper17 of ,christ  
raising the ,widow's ,son4  ,do4 in     
ditto1 7on paper17 of the ,water gushing
 from the ,rock1 when struck by ,moses4 
,the drawing of the ,death of ,socrates4
  ,do4 of the ,boyne4  ,do4 of the      
,death of ,eustace ,st4 ,celaine4  ,the 
sketch1 in oil1 7on paper17 of the      
,procession of ,agrippina with her      
,children and the ,roman ,ladies through

 the ,roman ,camp1 when in ,mutiny4     
,the drawing of the ,rescue of          
,alexander ,,iii4 of ,scotland from the 
,fury of the ,stag4  ,do4 of the ,death 
of ,wolfe4  ,the sketch1 in oil1 of     
,king ,alfred dividing his ,loaf with a 
,pilgrim4  ,the sketch1 in oil1 of the  
,raising of ,lazarus4  ,the small       
whole-length of ,thomas  ,becket1 in    
oil1 on canvass4  ,the small picture of 
the ,death of the ,stag4  ,the drawing  
of ditto4  ,do4 of ,nathan and ,david4  
,do4 of ,joseph making himself known to 
his ,brethren4  ,the drawing of         
,narcissus in the ,fountain4  ,do4      
sketch1 in small1 of the ,duannic       
received by ,lord ,clive4  ,do4 of the  
,continence of ,scipio4  ,do4 of the    
,last ,judgment1 and the ,sea giving up 
its ,dead4  ,do4 of the ,bard4 ,from    
,gray2  ,do4 of ,belisarius and his     
,family4  ,the sketch1 in oil1 of ,aaron
 standing between the ,dead and ,living 
to stop the ,plague4  ,do4 on paper1 of 
the ,messenger announcing to ,samuel the

 ,loss of the ,battle4  ,the drawing of 
,sir ,philip ,sydney ordering the ,water
 to be given to the wounded ,soldier4   
,the sketch of ,christ ,rejected4  ,the 
great picture of ,christ ,rejected4     
,do4 of ,death on the ,pale ,horse4     
,the second picture of ,christ healing  
the ,sick4  ,the third great picture of 
,lord ,clive receiving the ,duannie4    
,portrait of the ,duke of ,portland4    
,portrait of ,himself1 left unfinished4 
,n4,b4 ,besides these productions1 ,mr4 
,west has1 in his portfolios1 drawings  
and sketches exceeding two hundred in   
number4     ,,national ,,monument4      
,the following letter on an interesting 
subject is curious1 and is inserted here
 to be preserved4  ,mr4 ,west's ,letter 
to ,sir ,george ,beaumont1 ,bart4  ,east
 ,cowes ,castle1 ,isle of ,wight1       
,sept4 #cj4 #ahae4  ,,dear ,,sir        
,,george1  ,your letter to me from      
,keswick of the thirty-first of last    
month ,i have received at this place3 in
 that letter you have honoured me with  

the communication of 'the ,lords        
,commissioners of ,his ,majesty's       
,treasury having done you the honour1   
among others1 to inform you of the      
commands of ,his ,royal ,highness the   
,prince ,regent1 that measures be       
forthwith taken for the erection of a   
monument to commemorate the victory of  
,waterloo1 in pursuance of an address of
 the ,house of ,commons2 and to request 
you to apply to such artists as you     
think fit1 for designs for this national
 column2' and you are pleased to say1   
that you believe at this distance you   
cannot better forward their views than  
by applying to me4  ,the honourable way 
in which you have noticed my humble     
abilities in the arts1 by calling on    
them for a design for a monument1 to    
perpetuate an occurrence of such high   
military glory and national greatness as
 that of the victory of ,waterloo1      
demands my warmest acknowledgments1 and 
,i also feel a duty and profound respect
 for the sources of your instructions to

 procure appropriate designs from the   
artists4 ,when a monument is to be      
raised by a great and victorious nation 
7such as ,england7 in memory of her     
departed as well as her living heroes1  
,i feel it of the highest importance to 
her national character1 when her arts   
and her arms stand so high1 that they   
should bear a proud record to posterity 
of both their powers in such a building 
as that now under consideration4  ,to   
raise a record to departed virtue in an 
individual1 an obelisk1 a column1 or a  
statue1 may bear an honourable name to  
posterity2 but a record when thousands  
have devoted their lives to save their  
country from a rapacious enemy1 as in   
those victories gained by the ,greeks at
 ,thermopyl and ,marathon2 the ,english 
at ,blenheim and ,trafalgar2 and1       
lastly1 that greatest of all1 gained by 
the unsubdued valour and heroism of the 
armies of the ,united ,kingdom at       
,waterloo1 demands a building of greater
 magnitude and more national consequence

 than that of a column4  ,such a design 
as ,i have conceived to record that     
victory ,i will give to yourself and    
others for your consideration2 but not  
as a competitor presenting a drawing or 
model for a decision to be made on it as
 offered for competition3 ,i therefore  
give you the following ideas on friendly
 motives for a dignified building4  ,all
 records to be transmitted1 must be by  
the three means which have been         
established for that purpose2 namely1   
the pen1 the pencil1 and the chisel4 ,i 
therefore propose a building wherein    
these three may be employed to express  
the various incidents1 and to mark that 
victory distinct from all others1 by    
applying the several spoils and trophies
 taken2 and to have the building of     
considerable magnitude4 ,for as the     
subject is great1 so should be its      
representative3 nothing little or mean  
should be accepted1 or permitted to     
appear in such a work1 nothing but what 
will mark the great features of that    

event3 all of which by dates1 names1 and
 sculptured trophies1 as well as        
paintings1 may be proclaimed and        
recorded to distant times4  ,the basis  
of such an erection being intended      
solely to commemorate the battle of     
,waterloo1 its name should be in capital
 letters on the four faces1 and the     
trophies of that victory should enrich  
the sides of the same2 and the          
characters of the various military in   
,british armies made conspicuous by     
their numbers shown2 and on the summit  
of the lofty pile the sovereign's figure
 then in power should be placed4  ,the  
plan and dimensions of the building ,i  
present to you are as follows3--,its    
base a square of sixty feet1 and its    
height thirty3 this will make each of   
the four faces of the base a double     
square on its measurement4 ,from the    
centre of this base a building to be    
erected in diameter thirty feet1 and in 
height one hundred and twenty1 formed   
out of the spoils of victory1 and       

diminishing as it rises1 and to be      
surmounted by a figure twelve feet in   
height1 including the pedestal on which 
it stands1 ,in the centre1 over the     
front face of the great case1 to be the 
equestrian group of the ,duke of        
,wellington1 under which1 in large      
letters1 ,,waterloo to be inscribed2 and
 the four angles of the great base      
perpendicular tablets1 ornamented with  
military insignia expressive of the     
,british armies1 and inscribed on the   
four tablets the number of each regiment
 who shared in the glories of that day1 
and by the four tablets be placed the   
statues of distinguished generals4 ,thus
 ,i have presented you with the external
 appearance of my imaginary building in 
honour of the victory of ,waterloo2 and 
the interior of this building to be     
considered as the place of deposit for  
preserving the powers of the pen1 the   
pencil1 and other gems from perishing by
 water or by fire3 to be built of stone1
 and all its ornaments to be made of    

durable metals3 all of which to be      
illustrative of the victory for which   
such a building was erected4  ,the      
situation of this building should be a  
populous one1 and that within a circus  
or square of a diameter not less than   
six hundred and fifty-eight feet4 ,this 
size of space will give the spectator an
 opportunity of viewing the erection at 
double the distance of its elevation1   
which is the optical distance that      
pictures1 statues1 and buildings should 
always be seen at4  ,should my ideas of 
a building to commemorate the military  
achievements of ,waterloo be viewed with
 complacency by yourself and others1 ,i 
shall feel a satisfaction1 as ,president
 of the ,royal ,academy1 to have done my
 duty2 and should ,his ,royal ,highness 
the ,prince ,regent be pleased to       
signify his approbation1 ,i shall be    
gratified and honoured4 ,with the       
sincerity of profound respect1  ,i am1  
,my dear ,sir ,george1 ,your obliged and
 obedient ,servant1 ,,benjamin ,,west4  

99       99       99       99       99  
,suffolk ,lane1 #bhth ,jan1  ,,my ,,dear
 ,,sir1  ,sir ,philip ,francis's        
critique on the ,transfiguration appears
 very ingenious1 so far as it explains  
the painter's design in representing the
 ,demoniac ,boy as the connecting link  
between the action on the ,mount and the
 groupe at the foot of it2 but ,i cannot
 agree with ,sir ,philip in supposing   
the picture to represent the ,ascension 
and as you request me to state my       
reasons for this dissent1 ,i shall      
briefly endeavour to specify them4  ,i  
have not seen the original picture2 but 
in the copy of it by ,harlow1 which was 
much admired in ,rome1 and which one    
would think must be accurate1 at least  
in regard to so important a point1 since
 it was exhibited beside the            
original--,i say in ,harlow's copy the  
raiment of our ,saviour is white1 not   
blue4 ,the white has1 indeed1 in the    
shaded part1 a bluish tinge1 but the    
colour is decidedly a white1 and1       

therefore1 ,sir ,philip's assumption    
that it is blue appears contrary to the 
fact4  ,the ,transfiguration was        
witnessed by only three of the          
,apostles1 ,peter1 ,james1 and ,john1   
7see ,st4 ,matthew1 chap4 xvii1 v4 #a1  
#b1 and #c47 exactly as represented ,in 
the picture1 'and 7see v4 #i47 as they  
came down from the mountain1 ,jesus     
charged them1 saying1 ,tell the vision  
to no man1 until the ,son of ,man be    
risen again from the dead4'  ,it maybe  
as well1 to prevent the trouble of an   
reference1 to quote at once from the    
,evangelist1 the description of the     
subject which it appears to me the      
painter meant to represent4   ,chap4    
xvii4 as before4  #a4 ,and after six    
days ,jesus taketh ,peter1 ,james1 and  
,john his brother1 and bringeth them up 
into an high mountain apart1  #b4 ,and  
was transfigured before them3 and his   
face did shine as the sun1 and his      
raiment was white as the light4  #c4    
,and1 behold1 there appeared unto them  

,moses and ,elias talking with him4  #f4
 ,and when the disciples heard1 they    
fell on their faces1 and were sore      
afraid4  #ad4 ,and when they were come  
to the multitudes there came to him a   
man1 kneeling down to him1 and saying1  
#ae4 ,lord1 have mercy on my son3 for he
 is lunatic and sore vexed3 and         
oft-times he falleth into the fire1 and 
oft into the water4  #af4 ,and ,i       
brought him to thy disciples1 and they  
could not cure him1 c4  ,now this is    
exactly the scene delineated in the     
picture4 ,there are on the ,mount the   
three disciples1 fallen on the ground1  
and shading their faces from the 'bright
 cloud' which overshadows the           
transfigured ,saviour2 and ,moses and   
,elias are the two figures of old men   
attending the ,saviour1 or 'talking with
 him4'  ,at the foot of the ,mount1     
there are the multitude1 the lunatic    
boy1 his father holding him1 the        
disciples who could not cure him2 and   
one of whom appears in the act of       

attempting to cure him1 by addressing or
 exorcising the demon who is in him4    
,there are also several women in the    
groupe2 and it seems that instead of    
bringing 'different incidents together  
to constitute one plot1' the painter1 on
 the contrary1 has exactly followed the 
,evangelist1 and represented the same   
instant of time in the action on the    
,mount1 among the multitude at the foot 
of it4  ,i cannot imagine how ,sir      
,philip ,francis could have supposed the
 picture to represent the ,ascension1   
which took place in the presence of the 
,eleven ,apostles and of them only1 7see
 ,st4 ,luke1 last chapter and last      
paragraph17 as follows3  ,and he led    
them out as far as ,bethany1 and he     
lifted up his hands1 and he blessed     
them4 ,and it came to pass1 when he     
blessed them1 he was parted from them1  
and carried up into ,heaven4  ,this     
bears no resemblance whatever to the    
scene represented in the picture1 and   
the opinion given by ,sir ,philip can   

only have arisen from an imperfect      
recollection of the ,sacred ,writings1  
and from having neglected to refer to   
the text4  ,i am1 ,my dear ,sir1 ,yours 
truly1 ,s4,m',g-------4  ,john ,galt1   
,esq4     ,the ,funeral of ,mr4 ,west4  
,it would be improper to close this     
appendix without giving some account of 
the funeral of ,mr4 ,west4  ,soon after 
,mr4 ,west's decease1 a deputation from 
the ,council of the ,royal ,academy     
waited on his sons and the executors1 to
 apprise them of the intention of that  
body to honour the remains of their late
 ,president41 by attending them to his  
grave1 according to the ceremonial      
adopted on the public interment of the  
late ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 in ,st4    
,paul's ,cathedral4 ,his ,majesty       
having1 as ,patron of the ,royal        
,academy1 given his gracious sanction   
that similar honours should be paid to  
the late venerable ,president1 his sons 
and executors adopted active            
preparations to carry the arrangement   

into effect4 ,as the schools of the     
,royal ,academy were closed1 and all its
 functions suspended1 by the death of   
the late ,president1 it was of material 
importance on this account1 and with the
 view to the usual preparatory          
arrangements for the annual exhibition1 
that the funeral should not be delayed2 
and as early a day as practicable was   
therefore fixed for the public interment
 in ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral4 ,the       
obvious consequence1 however1 of this   
has been1 that owing to the absence from
 town1 at this particular season1 of so 
many noblemen and gentlemen of the      
highest rank1 and the indisposition of  
several others1 many warm admirers and  
friends of this celebrated artist and   
amiable man1 who have1 during his long  
life1 honoured him with their           
friendship1 and who have been           
particularly desirous of paying their   
last tribute of respect to his remains1 
have been precluded attending the       
funeral4 ,the corpse was privately      

brought to the ,royal ,academy on       
,tuesday evening1 attended by the sons  
and grandson of the deceased1 and two   
intimate friends1 ,mr4 ,henderson 7one  
of the trustees and executors of the    
deceased7 and ,mr4 ,hayes 7for many     
years his medical attendant71 and was   
received by the council and officers of 
the ,royal ,academy1 and their          
undertaker and his attendants1 with     
every mark of respect4 ,the body was    
then deposited in the smaller           
,exhibition-room1 on the ground-floor1  
which was hung on the occasion with     
black4  ,about half-past ten yesterday  
morning1 the ,academicians1 ,associates1
 and ,students1 assembled in the ,great 
,exhibition-room1 and the nobility1     
gentry1 and the deceased's private      
friends1 soon after arrived1 and joined 
the mournful band4 ,the chief mourners  
were in seclusion in the library of the 
,academy4 ,about half-past twelve       
o'clock1 the whole of the arrangements  
having been effected1 the ,procession   

moved from ,somerset ,house to ,st4     
,paul's ,cathedral in the following     
order3    ,six ,constables1 by threes4  
,four ,marshalmen1 two and two4   ,city 
,marshal on horseback4   ,undertaker on 
horseback4   ,six ,cloakmen on          
horseback1 by twos4   ,four ,mutes on   
horseback1 by twos4   ,lid of ,feathers1
 with attendant ,pages4  ,hearse and    
,six1 with rich trappings1 feathers1 and
 velvets1 attended by ,eight ,pages4    
,two ,mourning ,coaches and four1 with  
attendant ,pages1 conveying the         
,pall-bearers4  ,mourning ,coach and    
,four1 with attendant ,pages1 conveying 
the ,sons and ,grandson of the deceased1
 as ,,chief ,,mourners4  ,mourning      
,coach and ,four1 with attendant ,pages1
 conveying the ,family ,trustees and    
,executors of the deceased4  ,mourning  
,coach and ,four1 with attendant ,pages1
 conveying the ,reverends the ,vicar of 
,mary-la-bonne1 the ,chaplain to the    
,lord ,mayor1 and the ,medical          
,attendant of the deceased4  ,then      

followed ,sixteen ,mourning ,coaches and
 ,pairs1 with ,attendant ,pages1        
conveying the ,right ,rev4 the          
,chaplain1 the ,secretary for ,foreign  
,correspondence1 and the ,members of the
 ,royal ,academy and ,students4  ,twenty
 ,mourning ,coaches and ,pairs1 with    
attendant ,pages1 conveying the         
,mourners and ,private ,friends of the  
deceased4  ,the ,procession was closed  
by above sixty carriages1 arranged in   
rank by the junior ,city ,marshal and   
,marshalmen--the servants wearing       
hat-bands and gloves4  ,the ,procession 
was attended on each side by fifty      
,constables1 to preserve order2 and the 
accesses from ,bridge-street1           
,chancery-lane1 the ,old ,bailey1 c4    
were stopped4 ,on reaching ,st4 ,paul's 
,cathedral1 where the senior ,city      
,marshal was in wailing1 with several   
assistants1 to arrange the ,procession1 
it entered at the great ,western ,gate1 
and was met at the entrance of the      
,cathedral by the ,church ,dignitaries1 

c4 the whole then proceeded to the      
,choir in the following order3     ,the 
two junior ,vergers4   ,the ,marshals4  
,the young ,gentlemen of the ,choir1 two
 by two4   ,their ,almoner1 or ,master4 
,the ,vicars ,choral1 two by two4   ,the
 ,sub-,dean and ,junior ,canons1 two by 
two4   ,the ,feathers1 with ,attendant  
,pages and ,mutes4   ,the two ,senior   
,vergers4   ,honourable and ,rev4 ,dr4  
,wellesley4   ,the ,canon residentiary1 
and the ,rev4 the ,prebendary4          
,,the ,,corpse   ,pall-bearers4         
,pall-bearers4   ,the ,earl of          
,aberdeen1          ,right ,honourable  
,sir   ,his ,excellency the ,american   
,william ,scott1   ,ambassador1         
,honourable ,gen4 ,phipps1   ,hon4      
,augustus ,phipps1          ,sir ,george
 ,beaumont1   ,sir ,thomas ,baring4     
,sir ,robert ,wilson4   ,,chief         
,,mourners4    ,the ,sons and ,grandson 
of deceased1 namely1   ,raphael ,lamar  
,west1 ,esq4   ,benjamin ,west1 ,esq4   
and   ,mr4 ,benjamin ,west1 jun4        

followed by   ,robert ,brunning 7the old
 ,servant of deceased7   ,henry         
,fauntleroy1 ,esq4 and ,james ,henry    
,henderson1 ,esq4   7the ,family        
,trustees and ,executors of deceased47  
and   ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,heslop1 ,vicar of
 ,st4 ,mary-la-,bonne2 the ,rev4   ,mr4 
,borrodaile1 ,chaplain to the ,lord     
,mayor2 and ,joseph   ,hayes1 ,esq4     
,medical ,attendant on deceased 7,dr4   
,baillie being unavoidably     absent74 
,then followed  ,the ,bishop of         
,salisbury1 7,as ,chaplain to the ,royal
 ,academy2 and an ,honorary ,member74   
,prince ,hoare1 ,esq4 7,secretary for   
,foreign ,correspondence to the ,royal  
,academy47  ,the body of ,academicians  
and ,associates of the ,royal ,academy1 
according to seniority1 two by two1     
,students1 two by two4  ,and the private
 mourners of the deceased1 consisting   
of--,aldermen ,wood and ,birch1 ,rev4   
---- ,est1 ,rev4 ,holt ,oakes1 ,henry   
,bankes1 ,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,william ,smith1 
,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,richard ,hart ,davies1   

,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,george ,watson ,taylor1  
,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,jesse ,watts ,russell1   
,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,archibald ,hamilton1     
,esq41 ,thomas ,hope1 ,esq41 ,samuel    
,boddington1 ,esq41 ,richard ,payne     
,knight1 ,esq41 ,thomas ,lister ,parker1
 ,esq41 ,george ,hibbert1 ,esq41 ,john  
,nash1 ,esq41 ,john ,edwards1 ,esq41    
,major ,payne1 ,captain ,henry          
,wolseley1 ,captain ,francis ,halliday1 
,james ,st4 ,aubyn1 ,esq41 ,henry       
,sansom1 ,esq41 ---- ,magniac1 ,esq41   
,george ,sheddon1 ,esq41 ,james ,dunlop1
 ,esq41 ,joseph ,ward1 ,esq41 ,n4 ,ogle1
 ,esq41 ,george ,repton1 ,esq41 ,william
 ,wadd1 ,esq41 ,henry ,woodthorpe1 jun4 
,esq41 ,christ4 ,hodgson1 ,esq41 ----   
,cockerell1 sen4 ,esq41 ---- ,cockerell1
 jun4 ,esq41 ,leigh ,hunt1 ,esq41 ,p4   
,turnerelli1 ,esq41 ,j4 ,holloway1      
,esq41 ,charles ,heath1 ,esq41 ,henry   
,eddridge1 ,esq41 ,a4 ,robertson1 ,esq41
 ,w4 ,j4 ,newton1 ,esq41 ,john ,taylor1 
,esq41 ,t4 ,bonney1 ,esq41 ---- ,muss1  
,esq41 ---- ,martin1 ,esq41 ,j4 ,green1 

,esq41 ,john ,gait1 ,esq41 ,william     
,carey1 ,esq41 ---- ,leslie ,esq41 ---- 
,behnes1 ,esq41 ,george ,samuel1 ,esq41 
,john ,young1 ,esq41 ,christopher ,pack1
 ,esq41 ,w1 ,delamotte1 ,esq41 ,e4      
,scriven ,esq41 ,j4 ,m4 ,davis1 ,esq41  
,c4 ,smart1 ,esq41 c4  ,it being        
,passion ,week1 the usual chanting and  
performance of music in the             
,cathedral-service could not take place1
 but an ,anthem was1 by special         
permission1 allowed to be sung2 and the 
,hon4 and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,wellesley1        
assisted by the ,rev4 the ,prebendary1  
performed the solemn service in a very  
impressive manner4 ,the body was placed 
in the choir1 and at the head were      
arranged1 on chairs1 the chief mourners 
and executors4 ,the pall-bearers were   
seated on each side of the corpse1 and  
the ,members of the ,royal ,academy1 and
 other mourners1 were arranged on each  
side of the choir4 ,after the ,anthem1  
the body was attended to the vault-door 
by the pall-bearers1 followed by the    

chief mourners and executors1 and was   
conveyed into the crypt1 and placed     
immediately beneath the perforated brass
 plate1 under the centre of the dome4   
,dr4 ,wellesley1 with the other canons1 
and the whole choir1 then came under the
 dome1 and the pall-bearers1 chief      
mourners1 and executors1 stood by them4 
,the ,members of the ,royal ,academy    
were ranged on the right1 and the other 
mourners on the left1 forming a circle1 
the outside of which was protected by   
the ,marshals and undertaker's          
attendants4 ,here the remainder of the  
service was completed1 and the sexton1  
placed in the crypt below1 at the proper
 period1 let fall some earth1 as usual1 
on the coffin4 ,after the               
funeral-service was ended1 the chief    
mourners and executors1 accompanied by  
most of the other mourners1 went into   
the crypt1 and attended the corpse to   
its grave1 which was sunk with          
brick-work under the pavement at the    
head of the grave of the late ,sir      

,joshua ,reynolds1 and adjoining to that
 of the late ,mr4 ,west's intimate and  
highly-valued friend1 ,dr4 ,newton1     
formerly ,bishop of ,bristol1 and ,dean 
of ,st4 ,paul's1 the brick-work of whose
 grave forms one side of ,mr4 ,west's2  
thus uniting their remains in the silent
 tomb4 ,sir ,christopher ,wren1 the     
great architect1 lies interred close by1
 as well as those eminent artists1 the  
late ,mr4 ,opie and ,mr4 ,barry4  ,the  
,members of the ,royal ,academy1 and all
 the mourners1 then returned to         
,somerset-,house1 in the like order of  
procession 7with the exception of the   
hearse and feathers17 where refreshments
 were provided for them4  ,the whole of 
this affecting ceremony was conducted   
with great solemnity and respect1 and   
was witnessed by an immense concourse of
 people4  ,the carriages attending in   
the ,procession were those of the ,lord 
,mayor1 the ,archbishop of ,york1 the   
,dukes of ,norfolk1 ,northumberland1 and
 ,argyll2 the ,marquisses of ,lansdowne 

and ,stafford2 the ,earls of ,liverpool1
 ,essex1 ,aberdeen1 ,carlisle1          
,dartmouth1 ,powis1 ,mulgrave1 ,darnley1
 and ,carysfort2 ,viscount ,sidmouth2   
the ,bishops of ,london1 ,salisbury1    
,carlisle1 and ,chester2 ,admiral ,lord 
,radstock2 the ,right ,honourables ,sir 
,william ,scott1 ,charles ,manners      
,sutton1 and ,charles ,long2 the        
,american ,ambassador2 the ,hon4        
,general ,phipps1 ,augustus ,phipps2    
,sirs ,george ,beaumont1 ,j4 ,fleming   
,leicester1 ,thomas ,baring1 and ,henry 
,fletcher2 the ,solicitor ,general1 ,sir
 ,robert ,wilson1 ,dr4 ,heslop1 ,dr4    
,baillie1 ,aldermen ,birch and ,wood1   
,mr4 ,chamberlain ,clarke1 ,henry       
,bankes1 ,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,richard ,hart   
,davies1 ,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,george ,watson  
,taylor1 ,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,jesse ,watts    
,russell1 ,esq4 ,m4,p41 ,henry          
,fauntleroy1 ,esq41 ,archibald          
,hamilton1 ,esq41 ,thomas ,courts1      
,esq41 ,john ,penn1 ,esq41 ,thomas      
,hope1 ,esq41 ,samuel ,boddington1      

,esq41 ,walter ,fawkes1 ,esq41 ,george  
,hibbert1 ,esq41 ,john ,yenn1 ,esq41    
,john ,soane1 ,esq41 ,francis ,chantry1 
,esq41 ,henry ,sanson1 ,esq41 ,john     
,nash1 ,esq41 ,john ,edwards1 ,esq41    
,george ,sheddon1 ,esq41 ,james ,dunlop1
 ,esq41 ,joseph ,ward1 ,esq41 ,henry    
,meux1 ,esq4 c4 c4  ,the following is   
the ,inscription upon the ,tombstone    
over the deceased3--  ,here lie the     
,remains of ,,benjamin ,,west1 ,esq41   
,president of the ,royal ,academy of    
,painting1 ,sculpture1 and              
,architecture3 born #ajth ,oct4 #agch1  
at ,springfield1 in ,pennsylvania1 in   
,america3 died in ,london1 #aath ,march1
 #ahbj4  ,,end ,,of ,,part ,,ii4