xvii Wedgwood and Flaxman 1 9 7 



became filled with the heroism which breathed through 

 its pages, and the ambition took possession of him that 

 he too would design and embody in poetic forms the 

 majestic Ajaxes and Achilleses. He began to draw and 

 model in plaster of Paris, wax, and clay. Of course his 

 first designs were very crude, though some of them are 

 still preserved. After he had become famous, a friend 

 asked him how he had accomplished these early works. 

 " Sir," said he, " we are never too young to learn what 

 is useful, or too old to grow wise and good." 



When he arrived at his tenth year, his health 

 improved. His limbs gained strength, he began to 

 move about more freely and was able to throw away 

 his crutches. He continued to model figures as before, 

 and rapidly" improved. Mr. Matthew not only patron- 

 ised him, and gave him commissions, but also invited 

 him to his house, where he made the acquaintance of 

 some artists, amongst others of Eomney, Stothard, and 

 Blake the poet - painter. Mrs. Matthew and Mrs. 

 Barbauld were amongst his advisers and counsellors. 

 They encouraged him to read Greek and foreign 

 languages. He repaired to Mrs. Matthew's house in 

 the evenings, to hear her read Homer and Virgil, and 

 discourse upon Latin verse and sculpture. While she 

 read Homer, Flaxman by her side endeavoured to 

 embody in drawings such passages as caught his fancy. 

 This was, as he afterwards said, one of the happiest 

 periods of his life. 



He obtained from Mr. Crutch ely what was to him 



