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Collins. Born at Honiton in 1742, he studied art in London, 
where, after some years spent in Bath, he returned, and succeeded 
in increasing his reputation. Later, with Romney, he went to 
Italy, and then to India, where his eyesight failed, and he was 
obliged to return and abandon miniature painting, This was in 
1788, in 1791 he was made a Royal Academician, and for some 
time, until blindness overtook him, he wrought portraits in 
crayon of great merit.* 
Another bird of passage was William Armfield Hobday, who 
was born in 1771, at Birmingham, where his father had realised 
a good property in manufacture. Redgrave gives the following 
account of him: ‘An early talent for drawing was encouraged, 
and he was placed under an engraver ; but he did not like the 
art, and left his master in the sixth year of his time, and at once 
commenced painting small portraits in water colours and 
miniatures, which he exhibited at the Academy in 1794-96. He 
came to London, and though he met with good encouragement, 
and added considerably to the allowance made to him by his 
father, yet he rushed into society and expense, to the neglect of 
his art, and in his falling fortunes married, and increased in 
extravagance. He went yearly to Bristol and to Bath, where he 
found much employment, and eventually, about 1802, settled at 
Bristol, where he painted during fourteen years, was well 
supported, and made large gains. But in 1818 he returned 
penniless to London, and took alarge house. His art could not, 
however, maintain his extravagance; he sold pictures by 
commission and engaged in other speculations, finishing by 
bankruptcy in 1829 ; but his property did not realise a dividend, 
*The Chairman, Canon Ellacombe, showed a very beautiful portrait 
by Humphrey of the notorious Col. Francis Charteris ; and the 
Holburne Museum contains one of Mr. Cussans,.most probably by 
this artist. Many fine works by him and his master, Collins, were 
shown at the Burlington Fine Arts Club Exhibition of Miniatures, in 
1889. 
