454 Memoirs of the Life and Works of Carstens. 
the proposals which were made to him 
on this subject, gave that celebrated 
paintera disinchnation toward him. As 
Abilgeard had not been present at the. 
exhibition of the designs, and, of course, 
had not-an opportunity of judging of the 
merit of that of Carstens, lie engaged the 
latter to let him see it. After viewing 
it a considerable time with attention, 
he exclaimed: ‘* This piece is not bad, 
and you may even attain a much higher 
rank in the art; but you have a long 
tract to pass over. Hew old are you?” 
Carstens answered that he was in his 
twenty-eighth year. “Phen,” rephed 
Abilyaard, there is httle hope for vou. 
At that age,-one ought to be master of 
the management of colours; it is an ex- 
ereise that must be begun in youth.” 
Carstens informed him of the circumstan- 
ces which had retarded his progress. 
«© ftis lucky,” rephed the other, ‘ that 
you completed your apprenticesinp : the 
wine-trade may prove a useful resource 
for you.” hese words provoked Cars- 
tens; who rejoined with vivacity, that 
vil-painting was far from constituting 
alone the principal merit of an artist, and 
that Michael Angelo disdained to paint 
in oi. He then Jeft the professor ab- 
ruptly; and oo returning home, spread a 
large eanvas, and prepared to execute 
his Eolus in oil-eclours. Ile worked at 
it day and nicht; and in two months the 
picture was fished. Lai 
In one of the public exhibitions of the 
neademy, Curstens had obtained the sil- 
vermedal, and it was universally expected 
that the golden one would be given to a 
young painter whose design-was much su- 
perior to ail the others. It was however 
adjudged to a relation of Abilgaard; and 
this preference was easily accounted for. 
€arstens felt the strongest indiguation 
at this incident, and refused to accept 
the medal which was awarded to him, 
unless the first prize were granted to the 
student who had justly merited it. This 
4yerminated his connection with the aca- 
demy, and the resolution for his expulsion 
was publicly posted up atthe door: but 
the professers kept him in their remem- 
brance; and in the next year gave him 
jiopes of obtaining from the crown 
prince a pension, and permission to go 
to Rome.’ Carstens however rejected 
this idea, replying that he hoped he 
should soon go to Rome without that as- 
sistance ; and in fact from that moment 
ke began to collect a small sum which he 
- destined exclusively for the execution of 
this project. He engaged one of his 
[June fl, 
brothers, who had learnt drawing at 
Sleswick, to accumpany him; and they 
began their journey in 1783. 
When they arrived at Mantua, they 
resolved to spend some time there, i 
order to admire the perforinances of 
Julto Romano. A servant of the count 
of Brisach (who was then governor of that 
city) spoke of them to his master; on 
which the count sent for Carstens,- who 
made known to him the motives of his 
journey, and the resources which he 
hoped to derive at Rome from the exer- 
cise of his art. ‘Fhe count shook his 
head at this. “At Rome,” said he, 
“there are already a sufficient number 
of artists contending for the means of 
subsistence: you must not put any de- 
pendance on the Italians; the artists or 
that nation live on the purses of foreign- 
ers. It would be best for you to’ go to 
Milan ; I will give you a letter of recome 
mendation to one of my old fellow-sel- 
diers, and if you get any money there, 
you can at any time easily proceed to 
Rome.” 
Carstens followed this advice, but the 
letter of recommendation did not produce 
any great effect. It was addressed to 
general Stein, who, after reading it, threw 
iton the table, saying, “ Indeed, I do 
net know what this old fook thinks of, in 
sending such people to me. My friends, 
Tecan:do nothing for you: try te find 
better fortune elsewhere.” ‘These words 
affected Carstens with a lively grief. He 
thus found himself compelled to renounce 
an undertaking from which he anticipa- 
ted the most brilliant suceess. ‘The re- 
flection of being now without money, iv 
a country where he did not understand 
the language spoken, entirely depressed 
his spirits; and he saw no other course 
for him to adopt, than that of returning 
into Germany. After passing some 
days in admiring the magnificent pictures 
of Leonardo da Vinci, he set out with 
his brother, and having crossed mount 
St. Gothard on foot, they reached Zurich, 
Here Carstens made it the first object 
of lis attention to pay a visit to Gessner, 
who has acquired a still higher reputation 
by his idylls than by his landscapes, 
though the latter are not without merit. 
Gessner received him with kindness; 
and, as our traveller was under the ne- 
cesssity of selling several of his designs, 
heinformed hin of some proper persons for 
that purpose, to whom he gave hin let. 
ters of recommendation, One of these 
was Lavater: with him Carstens had a 
long dispute on the subject of the fine 
arts 3 
