38 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



from the butterfly itself/ He sallied forth, extended 

 his walk to the fields, some miles distant, and caught 

 one of those beautiful insects ; it was of the species 

 called the Peacock. Our artist brought it carefully 

 home, and commenced sketching it, but not in the 

 painting room ; and leaving it on the table, a servant 

 swept the pretty little creature away, before its portrait 

 was finished. On learning his loss, away went Stothard 

 once more to the fields to seek another butterfly. But 

 at this time one of the tortoise-shell tribe crossed his 

 path, and was secured. He was astonished at the com- 

 bination of colour that presented itself to him in this 

 small but exquisite work of the Creator, and from that 

 moment determined to enter on a new and difficult 

 field the study of the insect department of Natural 

 History. He became a hunter of butterflies. The 

 more he caught, the greater beauty did he trace in their 

 infinite variety, and he would often say that no one 

 knew what he owed to these insects they had taught 

 him the finest combinations in that difficult branch of 

 art colouring/' 



The above doubtless has its parallel in the experience 

 of many artistic minds, whose very nature it is to ap- 

 preciate to the full the perfections set forth in a butterfly, 

 admiring 



" The velvet nap which, on his wings doth lie, 

 The silken down with which his back is dight, 

 His broad outstretched horns, his airy thigh, 

 His glorious colours and his glistening eye." 



SPENSER. 



