f>orace tKHatpole 229 



He was born in Yorkshire and put apprentice 

 to a coach-painter, but feeling the emotions of 

 genius, he left his master without leave, and 

 repaired to London, where he studied a little, 

 and gave indications enough of abilities to excite 

 a generous patronage in some gentlemen of his 

 own county, who raised a contribution sufficient 

 to send him to Rome, whither he accompanied 

 Mr. Talman in 1710. In that capital of the arts 

 he studied under Cavalier Luti, and in the 

 Academy gained the second prize of the 

 second class ; still without suspecting that 

 there was a sister art within his reach, 

 more congenial to his talents. Though his first 

 resources were exhausted, he still found friends. 

 Another of his countrymen, Sir John Went- 

 worth, allowed him ^40 a year for seven years. 

 But it was at Rome that his better star brought 

 him acquainted with Lord Burlington, whose 

 sagacity discovered the rich vein of genius that 

 had been hid from the artist himself. On their 

 return to England in 1719, Lord Burlington 

 gave him an apartment in his own house, and 

 added all the graces of favor and recommenda- 

 tion. By that noble person's interest Kent was 

 employed in various works, both as a painter 

 of history and portrait ; and yet it must be al- 

 lowed that in each branch partiality must have 

 operated strongly to make his lordship believe 



