FINE ARTS.
SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE.
rge mournful interest belemingie„thia subjects has induced us to talte,,consider- ebles tolilipMfette truth of the various stafenients that hest tieen put• .iiiritW•our contendasT"Welecordingly lay before our readers a summary 'of lirtfianailaii receided of the deceased since our last publication ' • and we have embodied some original and authentic anecdotes with which we have been favoured, which place his private character inn very favourable light.
On Monday, the body was opened by Mr. Grasse the Lecturer on Anatomy at the Royal Academy ; and on investigation it was discovered, that, although in- flammation in the bowels had taken place, the disease which was the immediate cause of death was ossification of the heart. The liver also was affected.
Many reports are in circulation relative to the embsrrassed state in which the pecuniary affairs of the deceased are left ; and among the causes of this circum- stance, a broad assertion has been made of Sir THOMAS'S addiction to gaining. All those.with whom we have conversed on this point, who have the means of knowing any thing of his private habits, are of opinion that the accusation is un- founded. One fact may be mentioned, which goal far to crintradict such state- ments ; Sir THOMAS could not play a good game of whist, and only took a hand occasionally. That a bad whist-player may be addicted to games of hazard, is possible; but it is not very probable that a gambler should be ignorant of the game.
One fruitful source of expenditure is to be found in the number and value of original paintings and drawings which Sir 'remiss has left behind him. His collection of original sketches and drawings of the old masters, is, we are assured, • not surpassed in excellence and value by the celebrated one in the Louvre. His • collection of paintings is choice and valuable, and by no means small in number. The quantity of catalogues of prints, pictures, and books which were sent to him, were a continual source of temptation to the liberal-handed man, who in his en- thusiastic love for lit lost sight of the maxims of worldly prudence. He, of course, always had the first intimation of a fine picture or drawing being in the and where it was a good specimen it generally found its way into his house. The exercise of his generous and benevolent feelings formed a wide channer if or the distribution of that wealth which was so honourably acquired. His bene- factions are more extensively known to the objects of his bounty than either to this friends or the vtorld. One anecdote, which pleasingly illustrates his benevo- lence of heart, will suffice. A steady and faithful man-servant of his fell ill,
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- and it was intimated by the physicians that he was in a decline, and that there was no chance of saving his life if he continued in the course of his duty in London. Sir THOMAS himself went to look for a lodging, and took one Jos him at Kilburn, whither the man was removed, and received every assistance athat medical aid could devise. But this is not all : Sir THOMAS himself was con- stant in his attendance on the poor man every evening after his day's work was ;finished, and suffered none but pressing engagements to prevent him : he would ' it for an hour or two by the bedside of his dying servant, reading the Bible to
f , im. Instances of his generosity to artists, also need not be sought for.
I It is in one sense a pleasing though a painful' task, to have to apologize for the error1 s of men of genius in matters, of worldly prudence. Those who are fore- :1 ost in proclaiming their failings, too often lose sight of the excitements that urround minds of an original cast, employed upon labours of genius, and rarely escending to the ordinary details of custom. The blandishments of pleasure could not but have had almost irresistible charms for amiud from which emanated the most fascinating delineations of beauty. A fine perception of the charms of colour, a: delicately susceptible feeling for the graceful, could hardly exist in the nature of a man who was not peculiarly alive to the witcheries of female loveliness, the attram tions of splendour, and the seductions of polished society. Received by the great as n equal—moving in the highest sphere of life—and when retiring within himself, finding delight in all that is most powerful to intoxicate the sinses and incite the ind,—it is hardly a wonder that the princely income which Sir Thomas derived om the exercise of his transcendent talents should have been insegg,ient to eet his daily exigencies. ........ 1 is satisfactory to know that Sir THOMAS has left behind him one portrait of himself, painted by his own hand. It was only occasionally, and to particular friends' that he could be prevailed upon to show it. The head and bust are highly finished, the rest is merely sketched in. We hope that this valuable picture will be placed in competent hands for the purpose of being engraved. To no one more worthy, or better able to accomplish the task, could it be in- trusted, than to Mr. LANE.
Amongst the nearly finished portraits left by Sir THOMAS, is a very fine one of Sir JEFFERY Wyarrvitax. For this, that eminent architect sat no fewer than six times for the face, and twice for each of the hands. With such unwearied per- severance did this great painter accomplish the difficult task of fixing on his canvass the living character of the original.
We trust that a collection of the unrivalled productions of the late President's pencil will be formed and exhibited at the Royal Academy. There would be a sufficient number to fill the rooms. The splendid series of whole-length per- traits of the reigning Sovereigns of Europe, now at Windsor, would nearly dill the great room at the Academy. One extra exhibition, immediately fellowine upon the annual one, might be formed ; to which his Majesty would, witth his accustomed willingness to promote the interests of art, doubtless contribute the portraits alluded to. The noble owners of other works of Sir THOMAS would be proud to follow the Royal example; and such a collection of portraits might be brought together as no other country could produce from the pencil of any modern master. Such an exhibition would reflect the highest lustre upon the British school of art, and be equally a source of instruction to artists and of pride to the nation.
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