1807 4° 
friendly to the reception of impreiiions fi from 
different caufes, which education cannot 
change, Helvetius could not deny, if he ad- 
mitted that'the intellectual functions depend- 
ed, in any degree, upon the original organt- 
zation. His love of truth, of the rules of mo- 
ral conduct, of religion and, piety, kept 
equal pace with the ardour of his attachment 
to the Arts. It appearing tobe his proper 
deftination, Mr, E. was encouraged to ftudy 
Painting, and to fix himfelf in the purtait of 
its excellencies. Fortunately, about this pe- 
riod the late Duke of Richmond opened his 
gallery of feulpture for the benefit of fludents. 
This tands @ ftriki ing inftance ot the import- 
ance, to aiation, of well-directed patronage 
and encovragement: the eftablifhment of the 
Royal Academy was owing, principally, to 
its confpicuous advantages. Mr. Edwards 
vilited the,Duke's calleétion with diligence : 
‘and delight. He there formed his elemen= 
“tary ideas of proportion end talfte. Prior, 
Ihawever, tu-the Royal Academy, the Society 
of Arts offered premiums for performances li 
the Polite Arts; and Mr. Edwards, at dif- 
ferent times, made fuccefsful ‘appeals to their 
judgement. “Our Artift was among the firft 
pupils of the Academy. Having feized every 
occalion of improvement afforded in London, 
he became inflamed with the defire of view- 
ing the models of perfeétion in italy. Ac- 
cordingly, inthe year 1775 he fet out on a 
journey to Rome, by the route of France. 
{t is obfervable, that, in one of his letters 
from Paris, he remarked, ‘that the corrup- 
tion of all ranks of people there was fuch as 
muft neceflarily foon occafion the deftruc- 
tion of the exifttng order of things invthat 
country.”’ Arid all bis letters tron’ France 
and taiy contained éxpretiions of “thank- 
fulnels to Heaven*for bemg an Englifhman, 
and for not having fuch heavy caufes (appa- 
rent at leaft) to dread the Divine V engeauce 
ou his native land.?’—He was at Rome im 
the year of the grand Jubilee, remarkable 
for profeflional fpiendour. At one of his vi- 
fits te St. ee 3, a circumftance occured, 
which, ferioufly confidered, would hale 
every one exceedingly cautious in determing 
ing upon identity of perfon : He faw a prieft 
officiating in the church whom he firmly be- 
‘hieved to bea relation of lis, a ftaunch pro- 
teftant, and whom he had lett in London, 
engaged in a very different avocation from 
‘that of a prieftly tanétion; and fo very 
ftrong was the iikenefs to his friend, of the 
perion and the veice of this ecclefiatic, that 
Mr. B. was not undeceived till he came clofe 
to his fide. —Dir. FE. in his-travels did not 
confine his obfervations to the works of fculps 
‘tors and painters only; be extended his ob- 
fervations alig to mew and manners; and, 
had he written a jotrnal of them, with the 
addition of his eats -refléGions, it would 
have heen a curtots and ufeful fragment, to 
have added the iketchcs he made’ white 
‘abroad of the dveffes of the pédple of the og 
ferent countries and ‘dittriéts. thn ‘engl which 
‘he pailed, Gur Artit ait sead much, and 
» Account of the Late Edward Edwards, efy. B. A. 
‘rally critically jutt. 
“water in‘ the peri icardium. 
‘truth, talent, aid virtue, 
393 
digefted and.made the truth ofwhat he read 
his own; for he was endowed with an ex- 
traordinary memory. His converfation was 
confequently molt agreeable and edifying z 
no cire could incline attention to him, with- 
out becoming a wifer and better man. in 
the year 1773 Mr. E. was choien an Affoci- 
ate of the Royal Academy ; aud in 1788 he 
was appointed teacher of perfpechive in the 
{chool of that Inftitution His qualification 
for that department may be luppofed, frem 
his work on perfpective, which is allowed to 
do credit to the nation, and from his known 
con{cientioufnefs im all his undertakings. 
But he was really, though not oftenfibly, a 
proficient in a branch of: ‘knowledge but hitle 
cultivated: he well underitood the true 
principles of architecture, His abhorrence 
of the vitiated tafte, fo often publicly dif- 
played in the capital, and his defire to affit 
in correcting it, were fuch as led him, a thort 
time before his death, to exprefs a with to be 
allowed to deliver, in the Royal "Inftitution, 
fome lectures on the fubject of architecture. 
This good man, for a longtime, employed 
much of his attention in cole éting facts, and 
arranging them, for a Continuation of Wale 
pele’s Anecdotes of eminent Painters, and 
his peculiarly difcerning and accurate faculty 
of mind in ahigh degree rendeved him fit 
for the undertaking.’ This work, abounding 
with attracting andl ‘valuable information, is 
far proceeded with in the prefs, and wit! fhort- 
ly be given to the world, as, the author lived 
to revile nearly all the fheets, and has left 
well-arranged materials for. the completion 
of the whole of his defign. Mr-E. had a re- 
fined ear for mutfic; poffefled confiderable 
knowledge of that fclence ; and’ was an’ex- 
cellent performer onthe violin. “ Nor -was he 
‘deficient im poetical compofition, although he 
feldom beiut himfelf to fuch ee nitcites It 
may truly be faid, that’ his judgment in all 
works of ari was o cultivated, as to be genc- 
His Tee conttitution, 
however, demanded conftant attention from 
fome friendly perfon; ahd this he experi- 
enced unremittingly all his days from an only, 
furviving fifter. M’E., Having been indif~ 
pofed about a fortnight, died, rather fudden. 
ly, on the 10th of December, without a figh. 
From the report of the furgeons who made 
the examination nothing extraordinary ap- 
peared, except about three or four ounces of 
Mr. E. lived a 
pe oi integrity, honour and piety; and 
iis memory wil! be refpected by the lovers of 
He was attended 
to his eravey in St. Patcras cl hurch-y ard, by 
B. Weft,'efg. prefident, J. Farrington and J, 
Noliekens: Tas. avademicians, Mr. Baker, 
Mr. Wdridge, Mr. Hearne, Mr, Millbourne, 
jum Mr. setheby; jau. and Sir William Blj- 
gard. Mr. E, leit little or no property. 
This cirenmftance was immediately coniider- 
ed, aud liberally decided upon by the Preff- 
“dent and Council’of the Royal Academy, in 
‘a manner equally honourable to'themielves 
ana to the memory of their teaclrer. 
PROVINCIAL 
