LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. XXXI. 



deed were in Latin, and more in French ; which 

 being languages that I did not understand, I had 

 recourse to him for what I wanted to know of these 

 subjects, which he cheerfully read to me; and it 

 was as easy for him, at sight, to read English 

 from a Greek, Latin, or French book, as from an 

 English one. He furnished me with pencils and 

 Indian ink, shewing me how to draw with them ; 

 and although he had but an indifferent hand at 

 that work, yet he was a very acute judge; and 

 consequently a very fit person for shewing me 

 how to correct my own work. He was the first 

 who ever sat to me for a picture, and I found it 

 was much easier to draw from the life than from 

 any picture whatever, as nature was more striking 

 than any imitation of it. 



Lady Dipple came to his house in about half 

 a year after I went thither. And as they thought I 

 had a genius for painting, they consulted together 

 about what might be the best way to put me for- 

 ward. Mr. Baird thought it would be no difficult 

 matter to make a collection for me among the 

 neighbouring gentlemen, to put me to a painter at 

 Edinburgh : but he found, upon trial, that nothing 

 worth the while could be done among them. And 

 as to himself, he could not do much that way, 

 because he had but a small estate, and a very nu- 

 merous family. Lady Dipple told me that she was 

 to go to Edinburgh next spring, and that if I 

 would go thither, she would give me a year's bed 

 and board at her house gratis, and make all the 



