224 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



PAINTINGS. CROMWELL. PASTORAL SHIPS. FAMILY PORTRAITS AND DIS 

 TANT RELATIONS. FAMILY APARTMENTS. PERSONAL CLEANLINESS. THB 



WREKIN. 



THE pictures which most interested me were portraits of 

 Cromwell and Charles, one of Rubens, two of very beau 

 tiful women of the family, by Sir Peter Lely, a female face by 

 Carlo Dolci, and two or three little things by Rubens. The 

 portrait of Cromwell appears as if he might have sat for it, as, 

 if I remember rightly, is asserted. It looks like one s idea 

 of him, but not in the best light of his character a melan 

 choly, sour, deep, stern face. 



There is a large landscape representing a brook tumbling 

 over a rock into the sea, on which is a fleet of shipping. The 

 story is, that it was painted by a French artist on a visit here, 

 and when first exhibited had, in place of the sea, a broad 



meadow through which the brook meandered. Lady 



suggested that a few sheep on the broad green ground of the 

 meadow would be a pleasing addition. &quot; Sheeps ! mi lady V 

 said the chagrined artist, &quot;suppose you better like it with 

 sheeps, I shall make de sheeps :&quot; and so he painted a blue 

 sea over the green meadow, and abruptly embouched his 



brook into it, that he might appropriately gratify Lady * s 



maritime penchant. 



Among the family portraits one was shown having a title 



