VISIT TO SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE. 129 



with some original drawings. The servant said his master was 

 in ; I gave my name, and waited about five minutes, when he 

 came down from his room. His manner and reception impressed 

 me most favourably, and I was surprised to find him dressed as 

 if for the whole day, in a simple but clean garb. He shook my 

 hand, read my letters, and so gave me time to glance at the 

 marble figures in the room and to examine his face. It did not 

 show the marks of genius that I expected in one so eminent, but 

 looked pale and pensive. After reading my letters he said he 

 was pleased to meet. another American introduced to him by 

 his friend Sully, adding, that he wished much to see the 

 drawings of a inan so highly spoken of, and appointing next 

 Thursday to call on me. He took a large card and wrote the 

 appointment on it, and put it back in its place. 



" Sir Thomas is no ornithologist, and therefore could not well 

 judge of the correctness of the detail of my drawings, which can 

 be appreciated fully only by those who are acquainted with the 

 science of which I myself am yet only a student. But I found 

 that he had a perfect idea of the rules of drawing any object 

 whatever, as well of the forms and composition, or management 

 of the objects offered for the inspection of his keen eyes. I 

 thought from his face that he looked at them witli astonishment 

 and pleasure, although he did not open his lips until I had shown 

 the last drawing, when he asked if I ' painted in oils ?' On 

 answering him in the affirmative, he invited me to examine his 

 rooms. The room where he painted, to my utter astonishment, 

 had a southern light : upon his easel was a canvas (kitcat), on 

 which was a perfect drawing in black chalk, beautifully finished, 

 of a nobleman, and on a large easel a full-size portrait of a 

 noble lady, represented in the open air ; and on the latter he went 

 to work. I saw that his pallet was enormous, and looked as if 

 already prepared with the various tints wanted by some one else, 

 and that he had an almost innumerable number of brushes and 

 pencils of all descriptions. He now glazed one part of his 

 picture, and then retouched another part with fine colours, and 

 in a deliberate way which did not indicate that he was ia any 

 haste to finish it. He next laid down his pallet, and, turning 

 to the chalk drawing upon the unpainted canvas, asked me how 

 I liked his manner of proceeding ? But as no compliment .could 



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