Opie was painting an old beau of fashion. Whenever he thought the painter was touching the mouth, he screwed it up in a most ridiculous manner. Opie, who was a blunt man, said very quietly, “Sir, if you want the mouth left out, I will do it with pleasure.”
WILKIE’S SIMPLICITY.
Never, relates Haydon, was anything more extraordinary than the modesty and simplicity of Wilkie, at the period of his production of “The Village Politicians.” Jackson told me he had the greatest difficulty to persuade him to send this celebrated picture to the Exhibition; and I remember his (Wilkie’s) bewildered astonishment at the prodigious enthusiasm of the people at the Exhibition when it went, May, 1806. On the Sunday after the private day and dinner, the News said:—“A young Scotchman, by name Wilkie, has a wonderful work.” I immediately sallied forth, took up Jackson, and away we rushed to Wilkie. I found him in his parlour, in Norton-street, at breakfast. “Wilkie,” said I, “your name is in the paper.” “Is it, really?” said he, staring with delight. I then read the puff, ore rotundo; and Jackson, I, and he, in an ecstacy, joined hands, and danced round the table.
THE GRAVE OF LAWRENCE.
Sir Thomas Lawrence, when attending the funeral of Mr. Dawe, R.A., in the vault of St. Paul’s Cathedral, was observed to look wistfully about him, as if contemplating the place as that to which he himself would some day be borne; and, when the service was concluded, it was remarked that he stopped to look at the inscription upon the stone which covers the body of his predecessor, West. Within three months from the date of this incident, the vaults were re-opened to receive Lawrence’s remains.
“IT WILL NEVER DO.”
“Oh, how I hate this expression!” said poor Haydon, in his famous Lectures. “When Wellington said he would break the charm of Napoleon’s invincibility, what was the reply? It will never do! When Columbus asserted there was another hemisphere, what was the reply? It will never do! And when Galileo offered to prove the earth went round the sun, the Holy Inquisition said, It shall never do! It will never do has been always the favourite watch-cry of those, in all ages and countries, who ever look on all schemes for the advancement of mankind as indirect reflections on the narrowness of their own petty comprehensions.”