208 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
as an artist. Even an unskilled observer, however, could not fail 
to be struck with the more prominent qualities of his works, — the 
truthfulness of representation, the clearness of conception, the power 
and precision of execution, and the freshness and thoughtfulness 
by which his pictures are characterised. A peculiar excellence 
attaching to the productions of his pencil is derived from their high 
moral character. Of his historical paintings each depicts some 
scene of deep moral interest, or illustrates and enforces some great 
moral or religious lesson ; and when he ceased to occupy himself 
with such subjects, it was to Nature in her serener and grander 
aspects that he turned, or among the dwellers in quiet pastoral 
regions that he sought the objects of his art. In scenes of calm 
natural beauty, amidst the solemn silence of the everlasting hills, 
he delighted to roam, and such scenes he sought especially to 
transfer to his canvas. They lifted up his own soul to (rod, and 
he sought by his art to make them the means of producing the 
same effect on others. He delighted also to depict scenes in the 
common life of men, scenes which had powerfully touched that 
chord of human sympathy which so strongly vibrated in his own 
soul. With a deep sense of humour, and with an eye for the 
ludicrous both in form and action, he never stooped to cater for 
the mere amusement of the public, nor did he ever use his skill 
in such a way as to offend the sensibilities of the least refined. 
Nothing mean, nothing trivial, nothing fantastic, engaged his pencil. 
In all ho did a high moral purpose is discernible, and his works, if 
they have secured for him the reputation of a great artist, no less 
commend him as a great moral teacher. This is wholly in keeping 
with his general character. Endowed with genius and keen sus- 
ceptibilities, he was at the same time a man of high principle, of 
a vigorous and manly intellect, of simple and natural tastes, of 
broad sympathies, of warm affections, and of a kindly and genial 
spirit. 
Not long after exhibiting his first pictures Harvey became an 
Associate of the Academy. From that time forward he took a 
lively interest in that Institution, and to his zeal and energy it 
was in no small measure indebted for its establishment and early 
success. In 1870 he appeared as its historian in a volume in which 
the origin and progress of the Academy are narrated, and many 
