George Morland 



in 1791, and upon the guarantee of the solicitor, or attorney as 

 he was called in those days, they agreed to accept payment by 

 instalments spread over a certain period. Morland, on his side, 

 promised everything that was good — economy, temperance, and 

 other virtues, which may have been innate in him, but had certainly 

 never been cultivated by him before. With every good hope, 

 therefore, that he would turn over a new leaf and make the most of 

 his fine genius, his friends rented a house for him in Charlotte 

 Street, Fitzroy Square, upon receiving a pledge that he would 

 endeavour to pay off his debts at the rate of £120 per month. 



For a time Morland worked assidiously, and according to Dawe 

 earned a very handsome income. About this time, says his friend, 

 he painted for his friend. Colonel Stuart, " The Benevolent 

 Sportsman," a picture which had been ordered for three years as a 

 companion to that of " The Gypsies " before mentioned, and so 

 great was his readiness with the brush, that he completed this in 

 about a week, and received for it seventy guineas, his prices having 

 been nearly doubled since the production of his first picture. 



For Mr Wedd [his solicitor] he painted in one day two small 

 pictures, "Watering the Farmer's Horse," and " Rubbing down 

 the Post Horse," for which he was paid fifteen guineas, and he has 

 been frequently known to earn a hundred guineas in a week. 



On the other hand Morland seems by this time to have 

 earned the distrust, the very natural distrust, of his former 

 creditors and patrons, who were not so ready now to pay him money 

 on account for pictures which he had in hand or in contemplation 

 Consequently, in order to get ready-money, which was so necessary 

 for his indulgence of the extravagant habits which he could not 

 break off, he fell to the expediency of painting a large number of 

 small pictures, for which he still found no difficulty in getting 

 purchasers. For this reason his credit undoubtedly suffered, and at 

 the same time his reputation. From this period began the mental 

 and moral deterioration which eventually resulted in utter ruin. 

 Previously he had been a gay spark, carried away to mad pranks, 

 reckless prodigality, and occasional bouts of intemperance by an 

 excess of animal spirits and love of good fellowship. But now his 

 intemperance seems to have become a confirmed habit — he had 



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