- 
* Joshua Reynolds, 
18C9.] 
_with real modesty, infinite patience with 
grand couceptions, and who added to 
them all, probity, honourable delicacy, 
and natural politeness. Such a charac- 
ter ought not, i think, to be buried in 
oblivious forgetfulness, aud if afew hours 
thus spent will rescue his memory, you 
wil, Tain sure, readily open a pagefor 
this hasty sketch in the records uf your 
_ Monthly enrablatures. 
Charles Giignon, son of Thomas Grig- 
non (a inathematician and_horologist of 
untivalled excellence), has been said to 
date his descent from the illustrious 
Ademare (who, agreeable tu the. custom 
of France, 
the lords ship of Grignon, assumed that 
name). Ie was born in.1754, in Russel- 
street, Covent-sarden, and very early in 
life miapifested a strong predilection for 
the fine arts, by copying, ac seven years 
of age, some prints of Llogarth so excel- 
leutly, as to attract the notice of Sir 
At fifteen, he gained 
the honorary silver pallet from the So- 
ciety of Arts, for the best drawing of the 
human figuie; having, at thirteen years 
_of age, been pinced by his reflecting fa- 
ther: asa pupil with ¢ hat correct draughts- 
aman, Cypriani, of whom he was at ail 
tinies “ favourite elewe. 
On the 9th of August, 1769, he was 
admitted a student of the Royal Aca- 
demy; and in 1780, he contended for 
the gold medal given for the best histori- 
cal painting, and vained it with great an- 
plause, having fuurtecn or fifteen coniue-~ 
titors. The subject was the Choice of 
Ifercules, from the Greek of Prodicus; 
and to make his- picture more classical, 
he divested it of ail emblematical allu- 
sions, except the club. 
On these occasions 2 trial sketch is al- 
ways made, in the presence of the presi- 
dent and counci!; and thet no previous 
assistance may be obtained from those 
more experienced, the subject is not ane, 
nounced till the student 1s catled before 
them. The trial sketch was the Angels 
appearing to Abraham, when they pro- 
mised him a son-in his old age. Sir Jo- 
shiua Reynolds chose it, and Grignon ac- 
quitted himself much to his saustaction, 
After this he was sent aut, under the 
auspices of the Academy, for ‘Caran years 
study in Rome, where hie soon executed 
a large histor’ ical. co mposition of the at- 
tack on Captain Coukby the natives of 
the island ‘oh Owyhice, on February 4, 
4779, having skeiched the whole sccery 
fiom the deseriprion of Lieutenant Mar- 
gist, who wis on shore at the time when 
Memoirs of Charles Grignon, Esq. 
on becoming « possessed of 
549 
that dreadful lesson was given to circum- 
navigators, who too often, under the in-, 
fluence of the insolence of power, trifle 
with the feelings bf men in a state of sa- 
vage freedom, forgetting that the inhe- 
rent right of possessicn uf soil and coun- 
try is eugravena on thew hearts with doa- 
ble energy, and that consequently inva- 
sion and personal injuries are felt by 
them with enthusiastic indignation, 
Grignon, i in this picture, chose the mo- 
ment previous to that fatal catastrophe, 
three of the party being killed, others 
wounded, and Captain Cook in the atti- 
tude of attempting to undeceive the 
islanders: and he bestowed so much 
study on it, that but for the repeated en- 
treaties of lis friend the Abbate Grant, 
who never ceased drging him to put the 
finishing hand to the canvas, it would 
never, perhays, have been compleated ; 
for his style of painting led him into sac 
nice criticisms, that the advancement ef 
his designs was often retarded by them; 
and thus it happened, that his erand 
work, undertaken under the patronage of 
Tord Clive, was even, L believe, at his 
death unfinished, and at this day proba- 
bly remains in his study at Rome. 
The subject of this ‘noble picture was 
from the pe vet Esehylus—Pronictheus 
chained to the Rock, a prey to Vultures, 
Mercury, the Nymphs, &c. “To render 
this subject worthy of his patron and jim. 
self, [ well remember that all the mu- 
seams were ransacked, old prints studied, 
Mr. Deare’s fine selections selected, and, 
abose all, the Maente-Cavallo Colossus 
daily perused, a namber of sketches 
made, and cach submitted in turn to 
Deare’s inspection, of whose opinion he 
stood in awe; it was even modelled in 
clay, and at last, when the outline of the 
principal figuce was got in on the large 
canvas, a score of pentimenti marked 
his indecision and anxiety. 
The finished study was however coim- 
pleted, and the public will learn with 
pleasure, that after twice suffering qua- 
rantine, at Leehora and London, it at 
length rests in the hands of his brother, 
in the house of their late father, in Rus- 
sel-street, Covent-sarden, an evident mo- 
nument of C, Girignon’s great taste, ta- 
lents, and indastry. 
Here also will be found another finish- 
ed study of Homer reeiting bis Poems at 
the Tomb of Achilles; a picture be- 
spoken by Lord Berwick, and which, like 
the Prometheus, was slso to have its 
figures larger even than the life; bit, in 
consequence of the first French revolu- 
tionary 
