He hated the harpfichord and the pianoforte. He difliked finging, particularly in parts. He detefted reading; but was fo like Sterne in his Letters, that, if it were not for an originality that could be copied from no one, it might be supposed that he had formed his ftyle upon a close imitation of that author. He had as much pleasure in looking at a violin as in hearing it-I have feen him for many minutes furveying, in filence, the perfections of an inftrument, from the just proportion of the model, and beauty of the workmanship.

His converfation was fprightly, but licentious his favourite fubjects were mufic and painting, which he treated in a manner peculiarly his own. The common topics, or any of a fuperior caft, he thoroughly hated, and always interrupted by fome stroke of wit or humour.

The

The indifcriminate admirers of my late friend will confider this sketch of his character as far beneath his merit; but it must be remembered, that my wish was not to make it perfect, but juft. The fame principle obliges me to add—that as to his common acquaintance he was fprightly and agreeable, fo to his intimate friends he was fincere and honest, and that his heart was always alive to every feeling of honour and generofity.

He died with this expreffion-" We are all going to Heaven, and Vandyke is of the party"-Strongly expreffive of a good heart, a quiet confcience, and a love for his profeffion, which only left him with his life.

Character of Sir Joshua Reynolds,

IN a short time after the lofs of Gainfborough, the world fuftained a greater by the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds. My acquaintance with him and his works enable me to give a sketch of both, which, if short, fhall be faithful,

Sir Joshua had the reputation of being a man of genius and knowledge, in his profeffion and out of it-to deny this would be abfurd, but our affent must not be an implicit faith. I will first enquire into his merits as an artist, and then as a man of general science,

He began his profeffion as a portrait painter, and his works were foon diftinguished by an elegance of defign that had

not

not been seen in England fince the time of Kneller. To balance this excellence, his likenesses were frequently defective, and his colouring cold and weak-but this must be confidered only as the general character of his performances at that time; for even in his earliest days, there were inftances of his producing pictures of confiderable merit.

A very few years had elapfed, before it was observed, that his pictures were changed from their original hue; and the change, in fome, was fo great, as to occafion a belief that the colours were gone off. Perfons, who are ignorant of the mechanical part of painting, reported, that Reynolds knew not how to fix his colours, and that his pictures, in a short time, would ceafe to exift. As this matter has never been understood, I will stop a moment to explain it.

When

The dead-colouring* of his pictures, at this period, was little else than flake, Pruffian blue, and lake. All the layingin confifted of these three tints. the picture was quite dry, he gave it a warm glaze, which fupplied all that was originally wanting, and produced a harmony in the whole, which was very agreeable and feducing to the eye, when fresh done-but after a while, the drying-oil, (fometimes exchanged for varnish) with which the pictures were glazed turned dark; and, by degrees, grew more and more obfcure, until the effect was as bad as if they had been covered with a dirty piece of horn. There are great numbers where the face can scarce be diftinguished, and where the drapery is entirely hidden with this brown crust.

The colours then, are not gone off, but imprisoned—they are obfcured beyond

* It is impoffible to write on Art without using technical terms.