Haydon. His first picture, exhibited in 1822, was bought by Sir George Beaumont, and his still-life pieces were afterwards very popular. Haydon allowed his pupil to follow his bent, but Lance occasionally painted historical pictures, and of his "Velazquez touch" we have already heard (see XV. 197, p. 380 n.)

409. SPANIELS OF KING CHARLES'S BREED.

Sir E. Landseer, R.A. (1802–1873). See under 1226, p. 505.

This picture (exhibited in 1832) "most fortunately illustrates the perfect command of the brush, and the extraordinary facility which long-continued and severe studies gave to the painter. It is sometimes styled 'The Cavalier's Pets.' The dogs were pets of Mr. Vernon's, and the sketch was made in his house as a commission to Landseer, but, after a short sitting, not continued for some time. One day Mr. Vernon met the artist in the street, and reminded him of the commission. Two days later the work, as it now appears, was delivered at Mr. Vernon's house, although it was not begun when the meeting happened.1 It is due to not more than two days' labour, and a triumph of dexterity in brush working, showing as much facility as the ancient fresco painters exhibited when they dealt with and completed an important head of a man in one day. The sweeping touches by which the feather in the felt hat is expressed, have been placed with exquisite precision, and deserve the most careful consideration of all students and amateurs in dexterous art. This kind of execution, of which Landseer's pictures exhibit innumerable illustrations, is magical. . . . Both the dogs in Mr. Vernon's picture came to violent ends. The white Blenheim spaniel fell from a table and was killed; the true King Charles fell through the railings of a staircase in his master's house, and was picked up dead at the bottom" (Stephens, pp. 64, 65).

431.

THE DISGRACE OF LORD CLARENDON.

E. M. Ward, R.A. (1816-1879). Edward Matthew Ward, a nephew, on his mother's side, of Horace and James Smith (the authors of Rejected Addresses), was born in Pimlico, and entered the Academy Schools in 1835. In 1836 he went to Rome, where he remained nearly three years, afterwards studying fresco painting under Cornelius at Munich. This study served him in good stead when, in 1852, he was commissioned to paint eight historical frescoes for the corridor of the House of Commons.

1 A somewhat different version of this story is given in Mr. Frith's Autobiography, i. 319.

His "Dr. Johnson," now in this gallery, was exhibited at the Academy in 1845, and secured him his election as A. R. A. in the following year. In 1855 he was elected R.A. Ward was a friend of Mr. Frith, who says of him that he was "a well-read man, an admirable talker, and a wonderful mimic." For some years, however, before his death he was subject to intense depression of spirits, which culminated in insanity. "He did not lack talent, but unfortunately, from the point of view of technique, his painting exhibits all the defects commonly seen in the pictures of the epoch; it is heavy, without solidity, while its colour is depressingly sombre" (Chesneau: The English School, p. 104 n.)

A sketch for the picture in Lord Northwick's Collection. The scene is the departure of Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, Lord Chancellor under Charles II., after his last interview with the king at Whitehall Palace, 1667. Clarendon was at the time the best hated man in the country. The king hated him for his stubborn opposition to the royal usurpations; the Commons hated him for his equally stubborn opposition to any extension of their prerogatives; whilst the Court hated him for the austerity of his morals. "He missed no opportunity of showing his scorn of the mimics, revellers, and courtesans who crowded the palace, and the admonitions which he addressed to the king himself were very sharp, and, what Charles disliked still more, very long." Hence it was that the king determined to dismiss him, and the Commons to impeach him. He has now been in to plead his cause in vain with the king, and is descending the garden steps, on his way to fly the country. The retiring figure in the middle distance, of which the back only is seen, represents the king. Various courtiers, among whom is conspicuous the king's mistress, Lady Castlemaine, are in the balcony, exulting in the disgrace of the fallen minister. "This day," writes Pepys (Diary, August 27, 1667), "Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, was with me, and tells me how this business of my Lord Chancellor's was certainly designed in my Lady Castlemaine's chamber, and that when he went from the king on Monday morning she was in bed (though about twelve o'clock), and ran out in her smock into her aviary looking into White Hall garden, and thither her woman brought her her nightgown, and stood blessing herself at the old man's going away, and several of the gallants of White Hall (of which there were many staying to see the chancellor's return) did talk to her in her bird-cage, among others, Blancford, telling her she was the bird of passage."

W. Mulready, R.A. (1786-1863). See under 394, P. 497. A truant, the "last in" at school, comes timidly in, while the schoolmaster ironically takes off his hat and makes the defaulter a humble bow.

There, in his noisy mansion, skill'd to rule,
The village master taught his little school.
A man severe he was, and stern to view;
I knew him well, and every truant knew:
Well had the boding tremblers learn'd to trace
The day's disasters in his morning face;
Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he;
Full well the busy whisper, circling round,
Conveyed the dismal tidings when he frown'd.

GOLDSMITH: The Deserted Village.

359. THE LUTE PLAYER.

405.

W. Etty, R.A. (1787-1849). See under 614, p. 502.
When with sweet notes I the sweet lute inspired,

Fond fair ones listen'd, and my skill admired.

THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR (October 21, 1805).
Clarkson Stanfield, R.A. (1793-1867).
See under 407, p. 499.

A sketch for the large picture which the artist was commissioned to paint for the Senior United Service Club. "The picture represents the centre of the combined fleet, at half-past two o'clock, about an hour and a half after Lord Nelson received his death wound. The Victory, the ship which bore his Lordship's flag, after sustaining a heavy fire from four of the enemy's ships, is in the act of disengaging herself from the Redoubtable, a French 74, at that time lashed alongside the Temeraire, a British 98, and at the moment the Fougueux, another French 74, became the prize of the latter. On the left of the spectator is Vice-Admiral Collingwood, in the Royal Sovereign, with her prize, the Santa Anna, totally dismasted, and the other ships of the lee division. On the right of the Victory is the Bucentaur, a French 80, Admiral Villeneuve's, with her main and mizen masts shot away, and the Santissima Trinidad, a Spanish four-decker, both ships unmanageable wrecks" (Royal Academy Catalogue, 1836).

411. HIGHLAND MUSIC (exhibited 1830).

Sir E. Landseer, R.A. (1802–1873). See under 1226, p. 505. "An old Highland piper appears to have mischievously interrupted the frugal meal of a group of five hungry dogs by a sudden blast of his bagpipes.' The variety of effect of the 'Highland music' on the different dogs is very striking. A blind-eyed little terrier to the left seems disposed to put a stop to the interruption, another has set up an accompaniment of his own; the two hounds appear to be disposed to hear the tune out, and the fifth, with his eyes turned up to the old piper, appears to thoroughly appreciate the stirring strains " (Official Catalogue). 344. THE BENIGHTED TRAVELLER.

Sir A. W. Callcott (1779–1844). See under XVIII. 343, p. 464. A small sketch for a picture exhibited at the R.A. in 1832. 426. THE TRUANT.

Thomas Webster, R.A. (1800-1886).

Webster was born in Pimlico and brought up at Windsor, his father holding an appointment in the household of George III. Having shown an early taste for music, he was placed in the choir of the Chapel Royal, St. James's, a few years after Callcott. He determined, however, to become a painter, and in 1825 entered the Academy Schools. He soon made a hit with his village scenes, the style of genre to which he remained faithful throughout his long life. He was elected A. R. A. in 1840, and R. A. in 1846. "Men of my generation," says Mr. J. E. Hodgson, "have long been familiar with the kindly face, the long snow-white hair, of a veteran artist who, from time to time, would emerge from his retreat at Cranbrook in Kent, and make his appearance at the Royal Academy amongst men who might have been his children. . . . There was a beautiful soul in the old man, a spirit of extreme purity and kindliness, of sincere love for the humble virtues and simple joys which he depicted. . . . His art has a neatness and precision, a limpid translucent quality of colour which is in strict keeping with the nature of the conception" (Fifty years of British Art, p. 18).

This picture, exhibited at the Academy in 1836, depicts

the whining school-boy, with his satchel,

And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.

As you Like It, Act ii. Sc. 7.

George Jones, R.A. (1786-1869).

389. THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE.

There are three interesting things about this painter. In the first place the Vernon Collection, which forms so large and valuable a part

of the National Gallery, was formed chiefly on his advice. Secondly, he was the intimate friend, and one of the executors, of Turner. The friendship between the two artists is illustrated by the history of this picture, which was exhibited at the Academy in 1832. Jones had told Turner what he was painting, and the latter replied, "A good subject; I'll do it also." Jones said he was going to do it kit-cat size, upright, on panel. Turner said he would do the same, "but remember that if I come into your room while you are painting the subject, you hide it instantly." The picture which Turner painted by way of aping his old crony is now in the Gallery, but being in bad preservation, is not publicly exhibited (517, p. 658). Thirdly, Jones is one of the few instances of fighting painters. He was the son of an engraver, and was trained as a boy to art; but afterwards threw up art for arms, and served as an officer of militia through the Peninsular war. He was also in Paris in 1815 during the occupation of the Allies. He then turned his warlike experiences to good effect, and a picture of the Battle of Waterloo procured him his election as A.R.A. in 1822. Another battle-piece by him, exhibited in 1829, hangs on the east staircase (391, p. 649). He was elected R. A. in 1824, and from 1840-1850 was Keeper, having previously been Librarian.

Nebuchadnezzar pointing to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walking in the furnace—

"Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (Daniel iii. 24, 25).

403. UNCLE TOBY AND WIDOW WADMAN.

C. R. Leslie, R.A. (1794-1859).

Charles Robert Leslie (father of Mr. G. D. Leslie, R. A.) is one of the best of English artists in that class of genre painting which concerns itself, not like Wilkie's with contemporary life, but with literary illustration. He had much sympathetic imagination, enabling him to enter into the spirit of the authors he illustrated; an unerring refinement, which kept him from offending good taste; and above all, great skill in giving subtleties of expression. "There has perhaps never been a greater master than Leslie," says Mr. Ruskin, "of the phases of such delicate expression on the human face as may be excited by the slight passions and humours of the drawing-room or boudoir. . . . His subtleties of expression are endlessly delightful. . . . The more I learn of art, the more respect I feel for Mr. Leslie's painting, as such; and for the way it brings out the expressional result he requires. Given a certain