to West for his portrait, and to this gentleman the artist spoke of his intended journey, and represented how much he expected a year or two of study in Rome would improve his skill and taste. Kelly paid him for his portrait, gave him a letter to his agents in Philadelphia, shook him by the hand, and wished him a good voyage. Ere he reached his native place, after an absence of eleven months, all the arrangements for his departure had been completed by Smith; and when he presented the letter of Kelly, he found that it contained an order from that generous merchant to his agent to pay him fifty guineas" a present to aid in his equipment for Italy." The plodding citizens of New-York rose in the painter's estimation at least fifty per cent. Two merchants in Leghorn, Messrs. Jackson and Rutherford, received him kindly, and, with introductory letters to some leading men in his pocket, he departed for Rome.

West, like most men of any imagination who visit Rome, was always fond of describing his first impressions. He had walked on while his travelling companion was baiting the horses, and had reached a rising ground which offered him a view far and wide. The sun was newly risen, all was calm and clear, and he saw before him a spacious champaign bounded by green hills, and in the midst a wilderness of noble ruins, over which towered the nobler dome of Saint Peter's. A broken column at his feet, which served as a mile-stone, informed him that he was within eight thousand paces of the ancient mistress of the world, and a sluggish boor, clad in rough goat-skins, driving his flocks to pasture amid the ruins of a temple, told him how far she had fallen. In the midst of a revery in which he was comparing the treacherous peasants of the Campagna with the painted barbarians of North America, he entered Rome. This was on the 10th of July, 1760, and in the twenty-second year of his age.

When it was known that a young American had

come to study Raphael and Michael Angelo, scme curiosity was excited among the Roman virtuosi. The first fortunate exhibiter of this Lion from the western wilderness was Lord Grantham; he invited West to dinner, and afterward carried him to an evening party, where he found almost all those persons to whom he had brought letters of introduction. Among the rest was Cardinal Albani, who, though old and blind, had such delicacy of touch, that he was considered supreme in all matters of judgment regarding medals and intaglios. "I have the honour," said Lord Grantham, "to present a young American, who has a letter for your Eminence, and who has come to Italy for the purpose of studying the Fine Arts." The Cardinal knew so little of the New World, that he conceived a young American must needs be a savage. "Is he black or white?" said the aged virtuoso, holding out both hands, that he might have the satisfaction of touching at least this new wonder. Lord Grantham smiled, and said, "he is fair-very fair." "What! as fair as I am?" exclaimed the prelate. Now the complexion of this churchman was a deep olive-that of West more than commonly fair; and as they stood together the company smiled. "As fair as the Cardinal," became for a while proverbial.

Others, who had the use of their eyes, seemed to consider the young American as at most a better kind of savage; and, accordingly, were curious to watch him. They wished to try what effect the Apollo, the Venus, and the works of Raphael would have upon him, and “thirty of the most magnificent equipages in the capital of Christendom, and filled with some of the most erudite characters in Europe," says Galt," conducted the young Quaker to view the masterpieces of art. It was agreed that the Apollo should be first submitted to his view; the statue was enclosed in a case, and when the keeper threw open the doors, West unconsciously ex

claimed, "My God-a young Mohawk warrior!" The Italians were surprised and mortified with the comparison of their noblest statue to a wild savage; and West, perceiving the unfavourable impression, proceeded to remove it. He described the Mohawks —the natural elegance and admirable symmetry of their persons-the elasticity of their limbs, and their motions free and unconstrained. "I have seen them often," he continued," standing in the very attitude of this Apollo, and pursuing with an intense eye the arrow which they had just discharged from the bow." The Italians cleared their moody brows, and allowed that a better criticism had rarely been pronounced. West was no longer a barbarian.

Of his claim to mix with men of genius, however, he had as yet submitted no proof: he had indeed shown his drawings to Mengs and to Hamilton, but they were, as he confessed, destitute of original merit; nor, indeed, could they be commended for either neatness or accuracy. He waited on Lord Grantham-" I cannot,” said he, "produce a finished sketch, like the other students, because I have never been instructed in drawing; but I can paint a little, and if you will do me the honour to sit for your portrait that I may show it to Mengs, you will do me a great kindness." His Lordship consented; the portrait was painted; and, the name of the artist being kept secret, the picture was placed in the gallery of Crespigni, where amateurs and artists were invited to see it. It was known that Lord Grantham was sitting to Mengs, and to him some ascribed the portrait, though they thought the colouring surpassed his other compositions. Dance, an Englishman of sense and acuteness, looked at it closely; "the colouring surpasses that of Mengs," he observed, "but the drawing is neither so fine nor so good." The company engaged eagerly in the discussion; Crespigni seized the proper moment, and said, "It is not painted by Mengs." "By whom then?" they

exclaimed, "for there is no other painter in Rome capable of doing any thing so good." "By that young gentleman," said the other, turning to West, who sat uneasy and agitated. The English held out their hands; the Italians ran and embraced him.

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Mengs himself soon arrived; he looked at the picture, and spoke with great kindness. Young man, you have no occasion to come to Rome to lear to paint. What I therefore recommend to you is this: Examine every thing here worthy of attention -making drawings of some half-dozen of the best statues. Go to Florence and study in the galleries; go to Bologna and study the works of the Carracci, and then proceed to Venice, and view the productions of Tintoretti, Titian, and Paul Veronese. When all this is accomplished, return to Rome, paint an historical picture, exhibit it publicly, and then the opinion which will be expressed of your talents will determine the line of art which you ought to follow." A dangerous illness interposed, and for a time prevented West from following this common but sensible counsel. The change of scene, the presence of works of first-rate excellence, and the anxiety to distinguish himself, preyed upon him; sleep deserted his pillow, a fever followed, and by the advice of his physicians he returned to Leghorn, where, after a lingering sickness of eleven months, he was completely cured.

Those who befriend genius when it is struggling for distinction, befriend the world; and their names should be held in remembrance. There is good sense and right feeling in the reply of Mahomet to the insinuation of the fair Ayesha, that his first wife Cadijah was old and unlovely, and that he had now a better in her place. No, by Alla!-there never was a better-she believed in me when men despised me; she relieved my wants when I was poor and persecuted by the world." The names of Smith, Hamilton, Kelly, Allen, Jackson, Rutherford, and

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Lord Grantham must be dear to all the admirers of West; they aided him in the infancy of his fame and fortune; they cheered him when he was drooping or desponding, and watched over his person and his purse with the vigilance of true friendship. The story of his success with the portrait of Lord Grantham found its way to Allen at Philadelphia, when he was at dinner with Governor Hamilton. "I regard this young man," said the worthy merchant, as ar honour to his country; and as he is the first that America has sent out to cultivate the Fine Arts, he shall not be frustrated in his studies, for I shall send him whatever money he may require." "I think with you, sir," said Hamilton; "but you must not have all the honour to yourself; allow me to unite with you in the responsibility of the credit." Some time afterward, when West went to take up ten pounds from his agents, the last of the sum with which he had commenced his studies, one of the partners opened a letter, and said, "I am instructed to give you unlimited credit; you will have the goodness to ask for what sum you please." It is not without cause that Mr. Galt says, "the munificence of the Medici was equalled by these American magistrates."

West, with recovered health, and a heavier purse, was now able to follow the counsel of Mengs:-he visited Florence, Bologna, and Venice. The colouring of Titian was a secret into which he strove in vain to penetrate, nor did the examination and dissection of what Italians call the "internal light" fof his productions solve the mystery. Reynolds acquired the profitable secret, and kept it to himself, and many years afterward West imagined that he had obtained it too. It is doubted by some whether either ever mastered it completely. It is certain that they did not succeed in using it with the good fortune of Titian, whose colouring extinguishes all modern works as sunshine overwhelms candle.