In 1763, his profpect of employment became more promising. Mr. Boydell having undertaken to publish a set of engravings from celebrated pictures by old mafters, engaged Edwards to make drawings, from which engravers were to be employed to work.

In 1764, he obtained a premium from the Society of Arts, &c. for the best historical picture in chiaro ofcuro. He now became an exhibiter with the Incorporated Society of Artists, and was admitted a member of that body; but was foon disgusted with the factious proceedings which prevailed in it, and which caused a confiderable number of the principal artists to withdraw themfelves from it. But as feveral of his moft intimate friends ftill remained in it, he was induced to continue fome time longer a member and an exhibiter.

In 1770, he was employed by the Prefident and Council of the Society of Antiquaries, to make a large drawing* from an old picture in the Castle at Windsor, representing the interview between Henry VIII. and Francis I. at Calais. Upon this he was engaged more than fix months. His work was approved, but he was not rewarded with a fpirit of liberality; indeed, it may be faid he was treated unjustly. He received only one hundred and ten guineas for his time and trouble; a very inadequate recompence.

But whatever might be his disappointment, he was not of a disposition to defpond, and although he had ftill a mother and fifter to fupport, his fortitude under all circumftances of difficulty remained unshaken. It was his happiness to look

* The size of the drawing was 3 feet 11 inches, by 1 foot 11 inches.

forward with hope and with confidence to a period when his exertions would have their reward in fame and fuccefs; and this temper of mind rendered his spirits cheerful, and his application to his profeffional ftudies pleasant. His great object was to be an historical painter; but the neceffities of his fituation obliged him to accept offers of employment of various kinds. He made drawings, painted landscapes and portraits in large or in miniature; and occafionally made defigns, and began pictures on hiftorical or poetical fubjects. Thus proceeding, he obtained a moderate income, which he managed with frugality.

In 1771, he exhibited with the Royal Academy, in which, for the advantage of academical ftudy, he had been fome time a Student. His good character and general ingenuity made a due impreffion on the minds of the Academicians, and in 1773 he was elected an Affociate of the Royal Academy. Soon after he was employed by Lord Befborough, at Roehampton, to repair a ceiling painted by Sir James Thornhill; and by Mr. Beil, the bookfeller, to make designs and drawings for several publications. He had alfo the good fortune to be employed by Robert Udney, efq. in whom he found a warm friend. Mr. Udney being apprifed of his defire to feek improvement abroad, offered him pecuniary affiftance to enable him to accomplish his withes; and in confequence he made arrangements for that purpofe, and in July 1775 he left London, and proceeded to France on his way to Italy.

He was abfent from England till September 1776, when he returned to London. His chief refidence, while he was abroad, was at Rome, but he vifited moft of the other principal cities in Italy; and varied his route on his way back by paffing through

Turin, and over the alps to Lyons. Thus, though his tour was made in little more than thirteen months, he faw what was most remarkable both in nature and art in that celebrated country.

On his arrival in London, he again established himself in his profeffion. He had feen much, and his opinions, which were given with undeviating integrity, were always refpected; but his productions could not excite much approbation. There have been few inftances where an artift, with fo much general capacity and vigour of mind, has not been enabled to make greater proficiency.

After thefe obfervations, it will not be neceffary to relate many particulars of his profeffional practice, which, as before he went to Italy, was various, and did not produce to him more than was fufficient to fupport himself and his aged mother and fifter. His admirable conduct as a fon and a brother caufed him to be regarded with particular esteem, and he was diftinguished in fociety for the uprightness of his proceedings and the rectitude of his heart.

Mr. Udney continued to be the friend of Edwards, and gave him employment; and he had commiffions to execute for Sir Edward Walpole. In 1781, he obtained a premium from the Society of Arts, &c. for a Landscape Painting. The fame year he prefented to the Royal Society his paper on the Storm at Roehampton, accompanied by drawings made by himself of the fingular and extraordinary effects of it.

In June 1782, he went to Bath, where he was employed to paint three arabefque ceilings, in the houfe of the honourable Charles Hamilton. This was one of the greatest commiffions he ever received, and occupied him till March 1783. Here his time paffed very agreeably, owing to the politenefs and liberality of Mr. Hamilton.

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He was foon after engaged by the honourable Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill, and continued to receive commiffions from him till 1784, when their intercourfe ceased. This was OCcafioned by what Mr. Walpole confidered to be an overcharge for a cabinet made by a perfon recommended by Edwards. In expreffing his fentiments on the matter in dispute, Mr. Walpole thewed much petulance, and so far reflected upon Edwards, as to caufe him to reply with much indignation.

In 1786, he painted a picture of a Hunting Party for Mr. Eftcourt, in which the Duke of Beaufort, his two fons, and many other perfons, were introduced. And in the f llowing year, he was employed to paint fcenes at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for a theatre in that town.

In 1788, he was appointed Teacher of Perspective in the Royal Academy, and was continued in that fituation during the remainder of his life. For this office he had qualified himself by long ftudy, the fruits of which were given to the public in a Treatife on Perspective.

In 1792, he finished a collection of etchings of various fubjects. The plates of this work, fifty-two in number, were fold by Leigh and Sotheby in 1799.

He exhibited in 1793, a picture which had occupied much of his time. It reprefented the Commemoration of Handel in Westminster Abbey, in which he introduced a multitude of figures, many of them portraits.

In 1799, his old friend Mr. Boydell, being defirous to include his name with thofe of the artists employed for the Shakespeare work, engaged him to paint a picture for the play of the Two Gentlemen of Verona.

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To enumerate further would be only an account of various fmall commiffions, and the period had now arrived when he could hope for no more than to procure a maintenance. In 1800 he loft his mother, at the advanced age of 93. His fifter continued to refide with him; and his prudence, aided by her economy and good management, enabled him to preferve a refpectable appearance with a very fmall income, which was gradually becoming lefs. Still his fpirits were uniformly cheerful, and in fociety he was to the last lively and agreeable. His conduct had been virtuous and irreproachable, and had left him nothing to reflect upon that could embitter the hours of his declining life. His religious fentiments were pure, and his morality was perfect. He had failed in nothing but in his endeavour to acquire greater power in the art to which he had devoted himself, and in this all that depended upon himfelf had been done. His amufements were innocent and entertaining. He fometimes in a pleasant vein, wrote verfes to his friends; but his hours of leifure were for the most part occupied in practising on the violin, and he made fuch progrefs as to be able to join in a quartetto with skilful performers. He was latterly chiefly employed in fuperintending the printing of this work, for which he had been collecting materials during the greater part of his life: much of it was printed before his death, and the copy for the remainder was completed. The reader will judge from what has been stated, how well he was qualified for fuch an undertaking. He was indefatigable in acquiring information, was accurate in the greatest degree, had affociated with most of the principal artists of his time, and had been in the profession near fifty years.

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