a confectioner. They soon, however, removed to No. 41, Jermyn-street. They next applied for an interview with Sir Joshua Reynolds, which was willingly granted; and the father and the young artist proceeded to Leicester-square. Young Lawrence took with him his oil portrait of himself, with which Sir Joshua was evidently much struck. Then turning to the boy, he said gravely: "Stop, young man, I must have some talk with you. Well, I suppose, now, you think this is very fine, and the colouring very natural-hey! hey!" He next began to point out the imperfections in the painting, which he then took out of the room: he soon returned, said a few kind words, and in conclusion, "It is clear you have been looking at the old masters; but my advice to you is, to study nature; apply your talents to nature." Reynolds then dismissed him with marked kindness, assuring him that he would be welcome whenever he chose to call.

On September 13, 1787, Lawrence was admitted a student at the Royal Academy, and soon left all his competitors in the antique school far behind.

About this time, Mr. Lawrence, with two legacies, left to his son and his daughter Anne, purchased a museum then exhibiting in the Strand; and to its stuffed birds and other natural curiosities, were added his son's paintings; but this speculation did not pay its expenses, and the curiosities were soon sold for a trifle.

Sir Martin Archer Shee, writing in 1789, describes Lawrence as a very genteel, handsome young man, but rather effeminate in his manner. "A new paper that puffs him here very much says he is not yet one-and-twenty; and I am told by some of the students who knew him in Bath, that he is three-and-twenty. When I lodged in Aungier-street, I remember poor Stokes showing me a picture of Lady Leeson, painted by him in Bath, and at that time he was looked upon as an artist of great merit there. He is wonderfully laborious in his manner of painting, and has the most uncommon patience and perseverance. His price is ten guineas a head, and I hear he intends raising it. There is no young artist in London bids so fair to arrive at excellence, and I have no doubt he will, if he be careful, soon make a fortune."

In the previous year he exhibited the portrait of the Princess Amelia: he pleased the Princess by his pencil, and by his manners; and he won the regard of the foreign domestics by well-timed and gentle flirtations with the spouse

of one of the court musicians. These latter were in their nature so harmless, as to amuse the lady herself, and excite merriment in the King and Queen, who occasionally rallied the young painter upon his gallantry.

HISTORICAL PIECE FROM HOMER.

In 1788, whilst Lawrence was in lodgings in Jermyn-street, (opposite St. James's Church,) he painted for Mr. Richard Payne Knight his historical piece of Homer reciting his poem to the Greeks. The figure in the foreground of the young victor in the foot-race was a study from the living model, Jackson, the pugilist. His figure was large, but he had a distinct and marked indication of every individual muscle; and his joints were small, and knit in the manner which is inimitably copied in many of the statues and paintings of Michael Angelo. Lawrence was much struck with this subject, which he painted with great care and study.

LAWRENCE'S EARLY PORTRAITS.

In 1790, Lawrence painted the celebrated beauty and actress, Miss Farren, afterwards Countess of Derby. She is represented in a white satin cloak and a muff: the success of the picture excited much jealousy, which led Mr. Burke to say to the painter, "Never mind what little critics say, for painters' proprieties are always best."

In 1792, Lawrence painted two elaborate whole-length portraits of George III. and Queen Charlotte, which Lord Macartney took out as presents to the Emperor of China. He next painted a whole-length portrait of the King, for which he received the then large sum of 300 guineas.

LAWRENCE ELECTED A.R.A.

In November, 1791, at the express desire of His Majesty and the Queen, young Lawrence, after one defeat, was admitted an Associate of the Royal Academy, by the suspension of a law against the admission of an Associate under the age of twenty-four. His reception, however, was much opposed by several Academicians, notwithstanding his election was supported by Sir Joshua Reynolds. It was virulently attacked by Peter Pindar.

DEATH OF SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

In the funeral procession of Reynolds, on March 3, 1792, were Lawrence and twelve other Associates, among whom were Bourgeois, Bonomi, Stothard, Smirke, and Shee.

Lawrence, now only in his twenty-third year, was unanimously elected Sir Joshua's successor as Painter to the Dilettanti Society, who rescinded their law, "that no person was admissible as a member who had not crossed the Alps."

"SERJEANT-PAINTER TO THE KING."

Next, the King appointed Lawrence to succeed Sir Joshua as his painter in ordinary; though at this period were living, in high repute, West, Fuseli, Barry, Opie, and Northcote.

The slight shown to Hogarth's talents by George II. was enough to procure him favour in the household of his grandson, George III., soon after whose accession Hogarth was appointed Serjeant-Painter to all his Majesty's works, which his enemies jeeringly interpreted as chief "panel-painter." The office was held by Sir James Thornhill in the reign of George I., who knighted him in 1720.

To Hogarth succeeded Allan Ramsay, and next Sir Joshua Reynolds, upon whose decease Mr. Lawrence succeeded as state-painter, as the office was now designated. It is hardly necessary to remind the reader that Sir Joshua was succeeded in the chair of the Royal Academy by Benjamin West, whose name stood high as a painter of history, and who, with the personal favour of King George III. enjoyed the nominal rank of historical painter to his Majesty, and a salary or allowance of 1,000l. per annum from the privy purse, in that capacity. The office of Serjeant-Painter, or painter in ordinary, was, however, the only recognised appointment in the royal household, connected with the arts.

LAWRENCE IN OLD BOND STREET.-ELECTED R.A.

With increase of honour, the painter grew more expensive in his dress and style of living: he took handsome apartments at No. 24, Old Bond-street, made his friend Farington his secretary, and allowed 207. per week for domestic outlay. Yet, thus early he was indebted a large sum of money which

Mr. Angerstein had advanced him. "I began life wrongly," said Lawrence, in after years. "I spent more money than I earned, and involved myself in debt, for which I have been paying heavy interest." His usual price at this period for a full-length portrait, was one hundred guineas; for a half length fifty; and for the head size twenty-five. The success of Lawrence in portrait-painting led to his being attacked by unprincipled critics, as well as by envious artists. It was whispered that he could only copy, not create. This taunt stung him so sharply that he resolved to attempt history; and, while he was hesitating as to subjects, the Royal Academy, December 4, 1795, admitted him a member. This brought a gay crowd of sitters-he recollected that he was labouring on borrowed money—and he returned to portraiture. He was now living at No. 29, Old Bond-street.

To this year's Exhibition he sent the portrait of Cowper, the poet, with whom there grew up a correspondence and intimacy the poet invited the painter to Weston; and his last words were, “When will you give me a drawing of the old

oak?"

:

FAILURE OF A PORTRAIT.

Mr. Hayes, the surgeon, of Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-square, used to relate the following occurrence in Lawrence's atelier when he resided in Old Bond-street. It happened that he had painted the portrait of a Mr. Sheepshanks, a friend of Mr. Hayes, who, when the picture was finished, brought with him to the artist's room a friend from the town where Mr. Sheepshanks resided, and who was well acquainted with him. Now, the visitor was a rough old squire, a perfect Tony Lumpkin, rich, and master over all things in his neighbourhood except himself. Mr. Hayes introduced him among the portraits, and anticipated his instant recognition of the likeness of his country friend and neighbour, Mr. Sheepshanks.

The squire, however, gaped and gazed, without the slightest emotion; and at last, as if tired, and wishing to depart, he begged that the portrait of his friend might be shown to him

at once.

At this, Mr. Hayes, who was somewhat peppery, fired up. Zounds," cried the astonished surgeon, " that is it which you have been looking at these five minutes!"

"That he hang me if it is a bit like un-no more like un than it's like our parson."

In vain did Hayes try to persuade the country gentleman that it was an admirable painting and a correct likeness. His friend as sturdily maintained that he "was not to be done arter that fashion-that the portrait wasn't a bit like un, and he wouldn't give a guinea for a score of such pictures."

With coarseness and stupidity on the one side, and anger on the other, a strange scene ensued:

So high at last the contest rose,

From words they next proceed to blows,
When luckily came by a third.

This third was the astonished Mr. Lawrence, who had been below stairs, and knew nothing of the dispute and fracas; but hearing a scuffle in his painting-room, he ran up stairs, and to his surprise, saw the two infuriated combatants, and the portrait, the innocent cause of the battle, knocked off the easel upon the floor.

Having parted “the friends," Lawrence learnt the source of their quarrel. He bore the explanation with great equanimity, and reconciled the parties; nor would he suffer them to leave till they shook hands, embraced, and, probably, hated each other most cordially ever after.

THE TWO SATANS.

In 1794, there had been for some time much gossip in the studios about Lawrence's engagement upon a grand poetic work, which his private friends were admitted to see, during its progress. They fondly talked of the grandeur of the outlines, the magnificent colouring, and sublime sentiment of the picture till their eulogy knew no bounds. The secret of the subject, was, however, preserved intact till the Exhibition of 1797, when the Catalogue revealed: "170. Satan calling his Legions. T. Lawrence, R.A." This was high game for Anthony Pasquin, and at it he flew, and applied to the painter's rash attempt in this path of sublimity, Pope's stinging line

"For fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

"The picture, (says Pasquin) is a mélange made up of the worst parts of the divine Buonarotti and the extravagant Goltzius. The figure of Satan is colossal and very ill-drawn : the body is so disproportioned to the extremities, that it appears all legs and arms, and might at a distance be mistaken