368 



a few words with regard to the painter him- 

 self'. When he lived at Bath, I made frequent 

 excursions with him into the country ; he 

 was a man of an eager irritable mind, though 

 warmly attached to those he loved; of a lively 

 and playful imagination, yet at times severe 

 and sarcastic : but when we came to cottage 

 or village scenes, to groups of children, or to 

 any objects of that kind which struck his 

 fancy, I have often remarked in his counte- 

 nance an expression of particular gentle- 

 ness and complacency. I have often too 

 observed Sir Joshua Reynolds, when chil- 

 dren have been playing before him ; the 

 most affectionate parent could not gaze at 

 them with a look more expressive of kind- 

 ness and interest. He was indeed the mild- 

 est and most benevolent of men ; but in 

 that look was clearly expressed the mixture 

 of interest which arose from his art* and 

 which seemed to give additional force to his 

 natural philanthropy. 



With respect to the particular subject of 

 this Essay, although by the study of pic- 

 tures a man will gain but little knowledge 



