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Gentleman's Magazine 1809 p.1144
and graces of that lady, as models, and his admiration of her rose to enthusiasm. On one occasion he fancied he had lost her esteem. This produced a letter, part of which we shall copy, as highly characteristic of the Writer, who, Mr. Hayley says with just indignation, had been blamed for illiteracy.
--- "In my last letter I think I informed you that I was going to dine with Sir William and his Lady. In the evening of that day there were collected several people of fashion to hear her sing. She performed, both in the serious and comic, to admiration, both in singing and acting: but her Nina surpasses every thing I ever saw: and I believe, as a piece of acting, nothing ever surpassed it. The whole company were in an agony of sorrow. Her acting is grand, terrible, and pathetic. My mind was so much heated, that I was for running down to Eartham to fetch you up to see her. But, alas! soon after I thought I discovered an alteration in her conduct towards me. A coldness and neglext seemed to have taken place of her repeated declarations of regard for me. They left town to make many visits in the country. I expect them again the latter end of this week, when my anxiety (for I have suffered very much) will be either relieved or increased, as I find her conduct. It is highly probable that none of the pictures will be finished unless I find her more friendly than she appeared the last time I saw her. I had it in contemplation to run down for a day or two, before she returned to town, to bring you up with me, and I mentioned it to her. She said, 'Do so;' but in a cold manner; though, a fortnight before, when I said I would do so, she was very desirous that I shoould bring you to town. You will see every thing is in great uncertainty; but it may turn out better than I expect;" - which happened to be the case.
The commencement of the year 1792 was a propitious season to Romney. It improved his health, and enlivened his spirits, by affording him cheerful opportunities of displaying his gratitude towards Madame de Genlis, and other accomplished ladies of Paris, whose kind civilities to him, as a stranger in their country, he was happy to acknowledge and return in his own. He had likewise a very pleasing interview with the celebrated Cowper at Mr. Hayley's house in Sussex, and painted his portrait, which "he himself considered as the nearest approach that he had ever made to a perfect representation of life and character." Mr. Hayley's feelings on the remembrance of this interview between Cowper and Romney are thus tenderly expressed:
"It is with a melancholy gratification that I dwell on the remembrance of social and friendly joys, which the grave has superseded, though I trust not for ever extinguished. The Painter and the Poet, so kindly just to each other, were not only animated in their days of health with similar sensibility, but resemble each other in one most affecting circumstance of their mortal pilgrimage: it was the dstiny of each to lose the use of his enchanting faculties before his departure; or, to cite a most expressive line of Churchill,
'To sit the monument of living Death.'
"They were both such delightful associates, in their happier days, that in the wane of life I cannot but feel their loss as irreparable.
"The result attending this conviction is most effectually soothed by the hope that I may a little contribute 'to keep their memories green on the earth,' by tender and faithful records of those particular talents and virtues in each which excited my constant solicitude for the welfare of both during many years, and rendered them objects for ever of my indellible affection."
The mention of the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds induces our Biographer to offer a few observations on some opposite peculiarities of character in him and in Romney. These, we are certain, will prove gratifying to our Readers, and are a fair specimen of those elegant digressions peculiar to this work, and interesting to the lovers of the Arts.
"We may consider an ardent and powerful imagination, acute and delicate sensibility, and a passion for study, as the three qualities peculiarly essential towards forming a great Artist. Of these three important endowments I believe Nature to have bestowed a larger portion on Romney than on Reynolds; but in her bounty to the latter she added some inestimable qualities, which more than turned the scale in his favour. They rendered him pre-eminent in these three great objects of human pursuit, in fortunr, in felicity, and in fame.
"She gave her favourite what his friend and biographer, Mr. Malone, has described as the mitis sapientia Laeli, that mild and serene wisdom which enables a man to exert whatever talents he possesses with the fullest and happiest effect. She gave him the securest panoply against the arrows of wordly contention, highly-polished good humour, which conciliates universal esteem, and disarms, if it does
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