DA Life of Mortimer, the Painter. 
had to recommend them ; and he fre- 
quently lamented that the courte of life 
which he then purfued was extremely 
injurious to his health. Hethen took a 
houfe in the church-yard of St. Paul's, 
Covent-Garden, belonging to Mr. Lang- 
ford, the autioneer, and refided in ic fe- 
veral years, till he married Mifs jane 
Thirfel, at that church, and afterwards 
refided in Norfolk ficect! where his 
widow now lives. iNever was 4 man 
more happy in fuch a conneétion, or a 
woman more miferable when death de- 
prived her of him. They poffeffed, in 
an uncommon degree, the fame turn of 
mind, brilhancy os fancy, and {marinefs 
of repartee, accompanied with the ut- 
moft cheerfulnefs of temper. Several 
times have I partaken of this feaft of 
reafon, and deeply regret that it is a ban- 
quet of which I am no longer called 
upon to partake. 
In 1774, he exhibited his Progrefs of 
Vice, takining Salvator Rofa for his mo- 
del, and at length greatiy furpaffed him. 
In Bes Progrefs of Virtue, which he drew 
as acompanion, he was not fo fuccefsful. 
It feldom happens that an aiter-thought 
will anfwer, for then is loft the vivid 
fire which gave the glowing feature to 
the whole. Tired of the diffipations to 
which he had been too long accuftomed, 
and induced by Dr. Bates to fettle at a 
large houfe, belonging to that gentleman, 
at Aylefbury, in Bucks, where was a 
very {pacious room, entirely calculated to 
fhow his paintings to advantage, and a 
garden, from which was a very exteniive 
profpeét to be beheld, he cheerfully ac- 
ceded to it-as a aneqoenee for the fummer 
months. While he was recovering his 
health and forming the tone of his mind 
‘anew, he cultivated with greater ar- 
dour than ever his bold defigns; and 
having been introduced by his learned 
patron to five families in the neighbour- 
hood, viz. Mr. Kenyons, &c. at the Vatch 
Chalfant, St. Giles's, where Sir Hugh 
Pallifer now refides; Mr. Drake’s, of 
Chard:loes, Agmondefham; Coulfton 
Scottowe. efq. late colonel of the Bucks 
militia ; the late Mr. Grubb, of Horfen- 
den ; and lord le Defpencer, he painted 
as much in one year as amounted to 
gool. Nor did this retirement prove 
abortive in the higheft fenfe, for having 
once broken the charm, and betaken 
himfelf to pra€tices more becoming a 
rational mind, his difcourfe now became 
decent and guarded, and his attendance 
on the duties of religion very exaét; and, 
indeed, one that well knew him, ob- 
man of that name, 
[ Feb. 
ferved, that religion feemed to have 
taken a very ftrong hold of his mind, 
The larger works of this artift are fo 
well known, that a bare enumeration is 
fuficient (r), viz. 1. King John figning 
Magna Chartas 2. The Battle of Agin- 
court; 3. The Origin of Health; 4. 
‘Iwelve Characters from Shakfpeare, 
and four reprefenting the Tragic and 
Comic Mufe, Poetry, and Painting; s. 
Banditti, from Salvator Rofa; 6. A fet of 
Monfters, which were defiened to con-~ 
traft the horrible and the render; 7. A 
group of Geniufes in caricature,* viz. 
Johnfon, Churchill, Goldfmith, &c. As 
a Portrait Painter, he did not peffefs 
much excellence. Still life had not fuf- 
ficient attractions for his romantic mind; 
he has, however, drawn feveral. Be- 
fides Mr. Drake’s family (¢), there are 
fome- good pertraits of Mr. and Mrs. 
Scottowe; Mrs. Wells, wife of the Rev. 
John Wells, of Great Miffenden, in the 
pofleffion of her fether, Jofeph Burn- 
ham, efq.; Mrs. Mortimer, and Mrs. 
Pigott. 
He alfo affifted others; for the figures 
in Paton’s Sea Views, which were fent 
over to the Emprefs of Ruifia, being 
reprefentations of important vidtories 
goes by her, were drawn by him. 
jervafe frequently employed him, and, 
among other works, the defign of the 
Great Window at Salifbury cathedral is 
done by him. ‘Fhe leifure moments of 
Mr. fo ortimer were empioyed in drawing 
defigns for Bell and others: thofe which 
were prefixed to the firft edition of Eve- 
lina were of his performance. His de~ 
figns are, indeed, preferred to his paint- 
ings, by thofe who have had an oppor- 
tunity to examine both with attention. 
The heat of genius was not cooled by 
. flaying too long cn the anvil of induftry 5 ; 
there are fome fine fKetches ftill in the 
poffeffion cf Dr. Bates; one efpecially, of 
Mr. Kenyon s family, * with the original 
fketch at the bottom of the paper. 
It was aftonifhing to obferve with 

(c) A critical examination of his beauties 
and defeéts, together with a very full ac- 
count of his lite, may one day or other come 
from the pen, of one every way adequate te 
the tatk. 
(2) This pi€ture contains the portraits of 
Mr. Drake, fen —2. Mr. W. D. who died the 
other day, univerfally lamented—3. Dr. Drake, 
rector of Agmondefham——4. Mr. Territ D. 
who fucceeds to tiie eftate of his brother Wit- 
liam—5, Mr. Garnard D.—6. Mifs Drake— 
7. Mrs. Banksy her fifter, the wile ef a clergy- 
what 
