104 Plijmpton in the Olden Time, by James Hine, F.E.I. B. A, 
the building, which is rather out at elbows. In fact — what with 
the Castle, Priory, and Grammar School — the description which 
the American gave of Rome, will apply to Plympton — " Quite a 
nice place, but the public buildings very much out of repair," 
The Master's house adjoins the school-room, and here the great 
painter was born. The front appears to be comparatively modern, 
but the bedroom in which he is said to have first seen the light is 
in the back and older part of the house, with a window over- 
looking the school and play-ground as before mentioned. Some 
rough sketches, drawn by Reynolds in his youth, were to be seen 
on the walls of this room when Haydon and Wilkie visited the 
house in 1809, but have since been obliterated by some barbarous 
whitewasher. The engraving represents the cloisters of the 
Grammar School, the subject of almost the first drawing Reynolds 
ever made. 
Sir Joshua Reynolds was born on the IGth July, 1723, and 
was baptized on the 30th of the same month, when by mistake 
his name was entered in the register as Joseph. 
It is unnecessary here to give anything like a sketch of the 
great painter's career, but one or two incidents connected with the 
place of his birth (to which throughout his life he was strongly 
attached) may be mentioned. He regarded with the greatest 
satisfaction and pleasure his visit to Devonshire with Dr. Johnson 
in 1762. It was on this occasion that Northcote first saw his 
great master. It seems that Sir Joshua went to Plymouth Dock, 
in company with the Doctor, on a certain day when there was a 
great commotion in reference to some local matter, probably the 
water question. ** I remember," says Northcote, " when he was 
pointed out to me at a public meeting, where a great crowd was 
assembled, I got as near to him as I could from the pressure of 
the people, to touch the skirt of his coat, which I did with great 
satisfaction to my mind." 
In 1772 Sir Joshua was elected to the Aldermanic gown of 
