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painting. He united to a dignified characteristic resemblance of the head, and an endless variety of spirited and graceful attitudes, picturesque back-grounds, with novel and striking efforts of light and shade, and a voluptuous richness and harmony of colour.

Beautiful and seducing as his style undoubtedly was, it cannot be recommended in so unreserved a manner as his industry both in study and practice. Colouring was evidently his first excellence, to which all others were more or less sacrificed; and though in splendor and brilliancy he was exceeded by Rubens, and Paul Veronese, in force and depth by Titian and Rembrandt, and in freshness and truth by Velasquez and Vandyck, yet, perhaps, he possessed a more exquisite combination of all these qualities, and that pecuJiarly his own, than is to be found in the works of either of those celebrated masters.

It has been judiciously observed, that in his history he does not appear to possess much fertility of invention; as, whenever he has introduced a striking figure it may commonly be traced to some of his predecessors: the merit of skilful adaptation, therefore, is all that can be allowed him: but in portrait, the variety of his attitudes and back grounds is unequalled by any painter ancient or modern.

He himself candidly confesses that drawing was the branch of the art in which he was most defective; and from a desire, perhaps, to conceal this defect, with an over-solicitude to produce a superabundant richness of effect, he was too frequently tempted to fritter his lights, and cut up his composition, particularly, if it happened to be large, into too many parts.

Sir Joshua Reynolds, however, cannot be too much praised and imitated by all who are ambitious to attain similar eniHis industry was incessant, nor was it ever wearied into despondency by miscarriage, or elated into neglect by He was always aiming at advancement in his art; nor did he relax in this principle, till the defect in his sight obliged him to resign his pencil,

nence.

success.

RICHMOND HILL.

In the year 1782, he was afflicted with a paralytic stroke, from which, however, he soon recovered, and suffered no subsequent inconvenience from it.

In 1784, on the death of Ramsay, he was appointed principal painter in ordinary to his Majesty, which office he enjoyed to his death.

In July 1789, while he was painting the portrait of Lady Beauchamp, he found his sight so much affected that it was with difficulty he proceeded in his work, and in a few months he was totally deprived of the sight of his left eye; and fearing that his remaining eye might suffer, he determined to paint no

more.

He afterwards was threatened with symptoms of total blindness, but that calamity did not overtake him. He now suffered from a very serious disorder in his liver, of which he died February 23, 1792. On Saturday, March 3d, his remains were interred in the crypt of the cathedral of St. Paul's, near the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren, with every honour that could be shewn to worth and genius :-a great number of persons of distinction, with the whole of the Royal Academy, attended the funeral ceremony; and the pall was supported by three Dukes, two Marquisses, and five other Noblemen. The body had previously laid in state in the apartments of the Royal Academy in Somerset House.

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Lsderm Mubiehal Un 185g by Verner Rood & charpe Mulery & wok & larence Place Tontonville

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