134 Fine Arts. [Chap. X, 



when they delineated individual nature. His 

 portraits remind the spectator of the invention of 

 history^ and the amenity of landscape *"." 



But sir Joshua Reynolds was not alone in this 

 department of painting. Many others, though 

 not all equally deserving, are entitled to a place 

 amona: those disting-uished artists who do honour 

 to the period under review. Beside a numher of 

 others who might be mentioned, the merits of 

 Lawrence, Ramsay, Gainsborough, Northcote, 

 Opie, Beechy, Romney, and Barry, of Great 

 Britain; of Greuze, of France ; and of Stuart f, 

 of the United States, entitle them to the highest 

 praise. 



* Character by Burke, in tlie life of Sir Joshua Reynolds by 

 Malone, 8vo, p. IIQ. 



f Mr. Gilbert Stuart, tlie celebrated portrait painter, is a native 

 of the state of Rhode Island. He discovered, early in life, a taste 

 for painting. This was encouraged by a friend of the family, who 

 had himself considerable skill in the same art, and who took 

 young Stuart with him to Great Britain, where he spent several 

 years before he reached the age of manhood. On returning to his 

 native countiy, and discovering a growing fondness for the pencil, 

 he was patronised by Mr. Joseph Anthony, a respectabk merchant 

 of Rhode Island, afterward of Philadelphia, by whom he was 

 again sent to England, and placed under the tuition of Mr. West, 

 where he made great proficiency, and soon became distinguished 

 as a portrait painter. The high reputation which he has since 

 gained in this branch of the art is generally known, botli in Great 

 Britain and America. A late satirical, and in many respects very 

 exceptionable writer, speaking of this gentleman, expresses him- 

 self iu the following terms : *' I do not know any living artist 

 to whom I would so eagerly sit, for an immediate and faithful 

 resemblance, as to G. Stuart ; as, I believe, he sees his object, and 

 the infinity of tints constituting that object, with more perspi- 

 cuity than any other existing portrait painter." See Anthony 

 rasf^uiu's Roijal Academicians. 



