1809.] 
often in a like degree rendered astonish- 
ing to the wealthy, but ignorant dilet- 
tanti, and are venerally augmented in 
price in proportion to their worthiless- 
ness. ‘To hasten that day, now fast ap- 
proaching by our improving knowledge, 
when such works will be all swept away 
to the lumber-rooms of oblivion, by the 
descendants of certain modern collectors, 
and when men who knew nothing of art 
will be content to ornament their houses 
with the best works of the best-appreci- 
ated artists of their time, is scarcely 
worth the pains the thankless task weuld 
cost; I shall therefore content myself 
with rejoicing, that, notwithstanding our 
lass in Grignon, we have at home, among 
many excellent judges, whom f{ have not 
the honour to know, « Woodford and a 
Howard, on whose opinions much reli- 
ance may be placed; and that if Irvine 
and Fagan ever return with their pro- 
found professional experience, I shall at 
least know four men, whom, if Raflael 
were to come from the shades, and want- 
eda jury to decide on the originality of 
his works, he would be contented to se- 
lect as impartial arbitrators. 
Here i meant to conclude this hasty 
sketch (which were I to detain long 
enough to copy and prepare in a manner 
more fit to meet the public eye, would 
probably never reach your press at all), 
when a recollection of another great ta- 
Jent of my departed friend occurs to me 
as worthy of being recorded, Possessing 
incomparable powers as. a caricaturist, 
which he executed on principles laid 
down in a manuscript, that I hope soon 
to be able to send yeu, a sort of club was 
established, a book opened, and a secre- 
tary elected many years back, whose of- 
fice it was to propuse to all artists, or 
lovers of the arts, as they came to Rome, 
to become members; which only con- 
fisted in the ceremony of allowing their 
caricatures to be inserted in the club- 
book, ayainst which the worthy Abhate » 
Leonetu (who Tam -happy to say still 
lives the friend of the English nation), 
was to insert three or four lines in [ta- 
ian, of bis own composition, somewhat 
@ativical, but only expressive of the weak 
Memoirs of Charles Grignon, Esq. 
553 
side of the character described. In this 
book, by general consent, Grignon was 
the designer, and although we all were 
allowed the liberty of retaliation (andl 
well remember caricaturing the carica- 
turist), yet none were permitted to be 
put on record but his. This book was 
saved, or at least a great part of it, from 
the double quarantine that his papers 
suffered, and I very lately had the plea- 
sure, by favour of bis relations, to see, 
like a new phantasmagoria, the expres- 
sive shades of a number of artists who 
are gone by, with others that still enjoy 
fame both at home and abroad. 
This confidence did honour to his im~ 
partiality, and those who knew them must 
allow that they were all fair, though all 
more or less ridiculous; neither did [ 
ever hear of any one that complained, 
except Mr. Moore, the painter of land- 
scapes; and this will not be wondered at 
when we recollect that it was he who 
placed his own whole length in the Gal- 
lery at Florence, where Raffael is con- 
tented with, barely spewing his sublime 
countenance, 
That he also possessed great prudence, 
sense, and judgment, will be manifested 
by the fact that when, in consequence of 
two Corsican spies, in our pay, breaking 
parole, all the English residents were or- 
dered into custody at Leghorn by Gene- 
ral Berthier, I think about 1802, Grig- 
non was excepted; and on his waiting on 
the genera! to express his fears, the gene- 
ral replied with great urkanity, “ You 
need not, Mr. Grignon, be under the 
Ieast apprehension; yourself and pro- 
perty are perfectly safe; you have al- 
_ ways conducted yourself with great pru- 
dence and propriety, and we do not 
make war with the arts.” 
The artist bowed, returned to his 
house to pursue his profession, and, like 
Parinegiano, received nothing from the 
invading soldiers but their admiration. 
_ He was about five feet six, well pro- 
portioued, with a countenance of great 
expression; humane, studious, but slow 
in bis studies, and rather inclined to me- 
lancholy. 
Extracts 
