THE IMPERTURBABLE COMMODORE. 117 



Other than his new companion, and complimented 

 him accordingly. " Ay," said he, " the world is 

 pleased with my work, I wish I were so too ; but 

 time and industry are necessary, as well as tal- 

 ents to make a good painter. K you have lei- 

 sure, and will stay awhile, I will show you how 

 I paint, and will relate to you an incident of my 

 life, which will prove to you how sadly situated 

 an artist is sometimes." On receiving an assent, 

 he continued : " Sir, if you should ever paint, 

 and paint portraits, you will often meet with dif- 

 ficulties. For instance, the brave commodore of 

 whom this is the portrait," pointing to the picture 

 occupying the easel before him, " the brave com- 

 modore, though an excellent man at everything 

 else, is the worst sitter I ever saw. The first 

 morning that he came to me, he was in full uni- 

 form, and with a sword at his side. After a few 

 minutes conversation, and when all was ready on 

 my part, I bade him ascend this throne, place 

 himself in an attitude which I contemplated, and 

 assume an air becoming an officer of the navy. 

 " Well, he mounted, placed himself as I had 

 desired, but merely looked at me as if I had 

 been a block of stone. I waited a few minutes, 

 when, observing no change in his countenance, 

 I ran the chalk over the canvass to form a rough 

 outline. This done, I looked up to his face again, 

 and opened a conversation which I thought would 



