ORDAINED AN ARTIST. 201 ing his powers upon so low a branch of his art as portrait painting, and advised him to make an essay at historical composition. He pointed out, as an interesting theme, the Death of Socrates, and read to his friend that touching story, probably from some elementary volume. West was pleased with the suggestion, and proceeded to sketch out his first historical picture. It was about this time that he made the acquaintance of Dr. Smith, the provost of Philadelphia College, who proceeded to 'cram' him with a superficial, but still useful, knowledge of the rudiments of the Greek and Latin languages and classical mythology. His ardent labour appears to have overwrought his frame, and he was attacked by a severe illness, which confined him for several weeks to his bed. On his recovery he returned to Springfield, and soon afterwards a solemn conclave of his father's Quaker brethren met there to determine his future vocation. A Quaker artist was something of an anomaly; but, on the other hand, there was the lad's own passionate love of Art to be considered, his mother's ambitious hopes, and the preacher's remarkable prophecy. It was, therefore, determined, after much weighty deliberation, that he should be allowed to follow out the bias of his peculiar genius, and, being summoned into the assembly, was set apart, as it were, by a species of religious ceremonial, to the service and worship of Art. 7. Shortly after this remarkable incident he lost his mother, for whom he had cherished a warm affection. When he recovered from the blow, it seemed that the spell which attached him to his father's house was broken, and, proceeding to Philadelphia, he set up there as a portrait painter (August 1756). He resided with a brother-in-law, named Clarkson, and soon obtained sufficient employment. His days he occupied in painting, his evenings in receiving lessons from his old instructor, Dr. Smith. The conviction that his professional education could not be called complete until he had examined the masterpieces of the great European painters animated him in the practice of the most rigid economy, that he might accumulate a sufficient sum to carry him to Rome. Having exhausted the patronage 202 AN AMERICAN IN ROME. of Philadelphia, he next established himself in New York, where his growing reputation procured him many sitters, and enabled him to double his charges. A Flemish picture which he saw here, of a hermit praying in a lamp-lighted cell, excited in him a desire to paint the same strong contrasts of light and shade, and he chose as a subject a man reading by candle-light. Having received no instruction in the practice of his art, he was at first ignorant of the proper mode of procedure. He surmounted the difficulty by causing his landlord to sit in a darkened closet, looking upon an open book, with a candle near him, while he himself posted his easel in the adjoining room, from which he could observe his model through a narrow passage. 8. He set out for Italy in 1760, his funds being sensibly increased by a munificent gift of fifty guineas from a Mr. Kelly, whose half-length portrait he had painted. After a brief delay at Leghorn, he pushed on to Rome, receiving letters of introduction from Messrs. Jackson and Rutherford, the correspondents of the owner of the ship which had brought him over. His arrival at Rome (July 10, 1760) produced a signal sensation. Here was a young man from the comparatively unknown region of North America, where, it was popularly supposed, only an imperfect civilisation prevailed, come to study the master-pieces of the great masters, fired by the wild ambition of becoming an artist! Could roses bloom on thistles, or figs grow upon thorn-trees? The English diplomatist, Mr. Robinson, received him with a ready welcome, and took him to an evening party, where he met most of the eminent personages to whom his letters of introduction were addressed. Among these was a well-known connoisseur, Cardinal Albani, who was old and blind, and so ignorant of America and the Americans that he inquired whether West was black or white ! Satisfied on the latter point, the old man, who was a craniologist, passed his hands over the artist's head, and remarked that it was excellently formed. The next day, when he went to examine some of the art treasures of the city, he was attended by half-a-hundred of the principal virtuosi, who listened with astonishment to HE PRODUCES A SENSATION. 203 his racy and original criticisms. On seeing the Apollo Belvidere, the god of the unerring bow,' he exclaimed, it is said, 'How like a young Mohawk!'-a greater tribute to the genius of the sculptor of that immortal statue than his padded and periwigged audience were probably aware of! 9. To prove that he had some right to cherish the noble ambition of becoming one of the brotherhood of Art, was West's next attempt, and he persuaded Mr. Robinson to sit to him for his portrait. Mr. Robinson consented, though he was sitting at the same time to the celebrated German artist Mengs. When his portrait was completed he sent it, without revealing the artist's name, to the house of his friend Mr. Crespigné, where an evening party-the élite of Rome was assembled. It was examined with general admiration, and pronounced by most of the artists present to be the work of Mengs, though it was admitted that he had excelled even himself in the colouring. An English connoisseur, Mr. Dance, however, declared it was not by Mengs; the colouring was superior, he said, to any found in that artist's works, but the drawing was not so good. Mr. Crespigné at last announced-to the universal surprise and astonishment that the portrait was the work of the young American, Benjamin West. The artist was overwhelmed with congratulations, and Mengs himself was the first to applaud, and, what was better, to counsel. 10. After visiting Florence, Bologna, and Rome-his expenses being met by the liberality of his old Philadelphian patrons-West, in 1763, set out for England, loaded with honours. In London he was introduced to Reynolds and Wilson, to Burke, Garrick, and the leading English literati, receiving from all the kindest encouragement and the most liberal patronage. Abandoning all thoughts of returning to America, he established himself in Bedford Street, Covent Garden, and devoted himself to the assiduous practice of his profession. Through the Archbishop of York he obtained an introduction to the royal closet, and was soon distinguished by George III. with special favour. His admirable pictures of 'The Death of General Wolfe'— 204 A LIFE OF LABOUR. by which he is best known to posterity-of 'Death on the Pale Horse,' and 'Christ healing the Sick,' raised him to the highest place among the historical painters of his day. In 1791, he was elected President of the Royal Academy, a post he occupied, with the exception of a short interval, until his death, in 1820. 11. To the last he continued a hard worker. He rose early, and devoted the morning, before breakfast, and the evening, after dinner, to the study of the subjects on which he was engaged. The interval, or from ten to four, he occupied at his easel. Thus, he was enabled to produce, in oil alone, upwards of four hundred pictures, many of them of a colossal size. He was not a man of genius; and the success he attained is a remarkable proof of what may be effected by persons of ordinary powers, if they concentrate all their energies upon one particular pursuit. As Beethoven said, "The barriers were never raised which could say to aspiring talents and persistent industry, "Thus far, and no farther." Or, to quote the admirable advice of Goldsmith, People may tell you of your being unfit for some peculiar occupations in life; but heed them not. Whatever employ you follow with perseverance and assiduity will be found fit for you; it will be your support in youth, and comfort in age. In learning the useful part of any profession, very moderate abilities will sufficegreat abilities are generally injurious to the possessors. Life has been compared to a race; but the allusion still improves by observing that the most fit are ever the most apt to stray from the course.' EPILOGUE. 1. WHEN Richard Burke was found, after one of his brother Edmund's most brilliant orations, absorbed in thought, a friend inquired the cause. He replied, I have been wondering how Ned has contrived to monopolise all the talents of the family; but then, again, I remember, when we were at play, he was always at work.' And without work, genius, as in the case of Edgar Allan Poe, A CLUSTER OF EXAMPLES. 205 will accomplish little; will leave only dazzling fragments, the disjecta membra of some grand conception for posterity to mourn over 'what might have been.' There is no better substitute for extraordinary talents than extraordinary industry, and nothing more commendable than the cultivation-true, honest, and zealous of inferior natural powers. 2. We might multiply examples of the devotedness with which all great artists have adhered to the profession they have adopted, and how they have subordinated all things to the necessity of attaining excellence in one special pursuit. Choose your aim, and go straight to it, as the bullet to its mark this is the lesson which is read by the lives of all illustrious men. The father of William Etty the painter was a manufacturer of gingerbread and spice nuts, and though his son evinced an early predisposition to Art, he apprenticed him to a printer. But the boy had fixed his soul on becoming an artist, and occupied every leisure moment in learning to paint and draw. When out of his apprenticeship he was enabled to enter the Royal Academy, and by dint of sheer industry, hard work, unremitting labour, rose to a position of distinguished repute among English painters. 3. When the elder brother of Sebastian Bach wished to divert the young student from his musical studies, he deprived him of a candle, but the boy went on working by moonlight. Sir Thomas Lawrence was the son of a Bristol inkeeper, and began to use his pencil when four or five yearsold. He enjoyed but two years' instruction at school, but the power of work which he possessed enabled him to supply every deficiency, and conquer every obstacle. While a resident at Bath, he was employed in portrait painting at least four hours daily; the remainder of his time he devoted to studies and voluntary exercises connected with his beloved art. This is the spirit in which every man must labour who seeks to rise above his fellows;-he must make of life one long apprenticeship. 4. A remarkable instance we may borrow from foreign biography, when it treats of the career of the great Italian |