CHAP. V. THE FAME OF OUR PAINTER STILL CONTI NUES TO INCREASE-LIBERAL OFFERS FROM MANY GENTLEMEN ANXIOUS TO PATRONISE, AND LIBERATE HIM FROM ALL HIS DIFFICULTIES HIS OWN OBSTINACY DEFEATS THEIR PLAN HIS STRANGE AND WHIMSICAL PROPENSI TIES HIS RELUCTANCE IN RAISING THE THE fame of our great master's talents had, by these and other productions, supposed to be out of his province, been so universally spread, that crouds of patrons sought every opportunity of possessing themselves of his pictures. Some few very striking portraits were produced by him, as a great favour; and the offers he received of constant employment, at his own prices, and to bé exonerated from all the pecuniary difficulties in which his imprudence had involved him, were equally rendered abortive, by the levity and perverseness of his conduct., Domestic jarring was also a considerable obstacle to that steadiness of conduct necessary to a man so deeply involved, yet whose powers were fully adequate to extricate him if duly applied to that end. Riding on horseback, and driving the Hampstead or Highgate stage-coaches, occupied more of his attention at this desperate crisis of his affairs, than painting or drawing; and we are confident that a seat on a coach-box was infinitely more agreeable to him, than a seat at his easel, as he often candidly confessed. Another singular whim took possession of him at this critical juncture, namely, to be made a constable or headborough; and because he was not regularly chosen to fill so very important an office, actually gave one of his neighbours, who was duly appointed, five guineas, and a supper for four. or five friends, for being permitted the honour of serving the office as his substitute. ; But the reason he assigned for this strange. proceeding, to his friends, was the gratification it would afford him, by having it in his power, by virtue of the said office, to plague all the neighbouring publicans, who had occasionally affronted him :-and this whimsical revenge he certainly indulged to. the utmost extent of his power, by billetting as many soldiers as he possibly could upon those who had provoked him. But the number of petty scrapes, and frequent litigation, in which this abuse of power frequently involved him, induced him, though reluctantly, to resign the staff of civic annoyance, into the hands of his principal, who received another treat for taking it back again. Amongst all the expedients that were devised by those who really wished him well, to relieve him from the pressure, none seemed more reasonable, or consistent with , the laws of probity, than the obvious one of raising the price of his admirable productions. This proposal, which originated with the author, was approved of by every person, save those who followed him, to make the best, and hardest bargain they could for his labour. Yet such was his inveterate obstinacy, that all the arguments and persuasions that could be urged were ineffectual for several days, even to make the trial of raising his price with one picture. However, the result of that trial convinced him of the strong hold he had of the public taste; for the demand for his labours increased with the rise of the price, and the speculators paid it, even in the first instance, without any considerable tremor of the nerves. Still, the want of common prudence, which marred every rational scheme that must otherwise have produced: the best effects, rendered abortive the exertions of many that would have stepped. forward to his assistance, but for that fatal weakness that was so visible in all his con duct. Amongst many other instances of this folly, none was more conspicuous than the number of new boots, buckskin and other breeches, for himself and servant; horses also, new bridles and saddles, with every other extravagance of the stable; all these, procured upon credit, at any price the venders pleased, were poured in. The consequence was, a meeting of creditors was called; and a professional gentleman, (Mr.. Wedd,) who, much to his credit, never forsook him till the last, made the best terms he could with some; and, to give him an opportunity of exerting his talents for the benefit of all, free from the apprehension of a prison, of which no man had a more horrible idea than he, procured him the benefit of the rules of the Board of Green Cloth. Within the precincts of this privileged spot, he had very genteel lodgings, in Buckingham Court, Charing Cross, where he was followed, as usual, by nearly all his former customers; the demand for his pictures still increasing. Here he, amongst |