THROUGH SWEDEN. 
1 51 
torical painter; but we may apply to him the faying, “ ne futor 
tiltra crept dam. Before the arrival of Mr. Belanger, he was the 
firft landfcape painter in Sweden. I fpeak only of his pictures in 
oil colours; for, as to the art of painting in body colours, he is 
ignorant of even its firft principles. Of all the artiffs that I know 
in Europe, Mr. Martin is the happieft in his folly. He is fo per¬ 
fectly fatisfied that he is the firft painter in Europe of every kind, 
that the love of glory and renown, a paffion attended often 
with many painful anxieties and ftruggles, occafions no other 
than the moft pleating fenfations in his breaft. If he fhould but 
touch the canvas with his pencil, there would prefently appear, 
as he imagines, fome embryo of fuperior excellep.ce. He makes 
no fcruple to infinuate very plainly, that his own productions are 
the firft in the univerfe: he puts them on a level with thofe of 
the admired artifts recorded in hiftory ; and concludes his pane¬ 
gyric on himfelf by obferving, that he alone of the great painters 
is now alive, and deploring the lofs that threatens the arts by his 
advanced age. He is a good-natured man, and as much difpofed 
to be complaifant to others, as well pleafed with himfelf, if they 
will only hear his prattle. There are fome who not only have 
patience to do this, but find great amufement in it; while others 
of a more ferious and fevere turn either defpife his vanity, or la¬ 
ment the weaknels of human nature. His laft productions are in 
every refpeCt execrable; but he has done fome things which, for 
fo northerly an artift, poffefs confiderable merit. The chief ex¬ 
cellency of his beft pieces confifts in an agreeable harmonioufnefs 
Vol. I. Y throughout 
