"What! a painter burlesque a soldier? He deserves to be picketed for his insolence," replied the king.
The picture was returned to the mortified artist, who dedicated it to "the king of Prussia, an encourager of the arts."
So many fine paintings were presented to the hospital,—one of Raphael's cartoons, a picture by Benjamin West, and others,—and such a crowd of people came daily to see them in splendid carriages and gilt sedan chairs, that the institution "became the most fashionable morning lounge in the reign of George II."
This exhibition of pictures of the united artists was the precursor of the Royal Academy, founded in 1768. Before this time the artists had their annual reunion and dinner together at the Foundling Hospital, the children entertaining them with music.
Hogarth, notwithstanding his busy life, requested that several of the infants should be sent to Chiswick, where he resided; and he and Mrs. Hogarth looked carefully after their welfare. It was the custom to send the babies into the country to be nursed by some mother, as soon as they were received at the hospital.
Handel, as well as Hogarth, was interested in the foundlings. The chapel had been erected by subscription in 1847. George II subscribed £2,000 towards its erection, and £1,000 towards supplying a preacher. Handel offered a performance in vocal and instrumental music to raise money in building the chapel. The most distinguished persons in the realm came to hear the music. Over a thousand were present, the tickets being half a guinea each.
Each year, as long as Handel was able to do so, he superintended the performance of his great Oratorio of the Messiah in the chapel, which netted the treasury £7,000. When he died he made the following bequest: "I give a fair copy of the Score, and all the parts of my Oratorio called the Messiah, to the Foundling Hospital."
A singular gift to the hospital was from Omychund, a black merchant of Calcutta, who bequeathed to that and the Magdalen Hospital 37,500 current rupees, to be equally divided between them.
Captain Coram lived ten years after his good work was begun. He loved to visit the hospital, and looked upon the children as if they were his own. He rejoiced in every gift, although he had no money of his own to give. He had buried his wife, Eunice, after whom the first girl at the hospital was named. The first boy was called Thomas Coram, after the founder.
During the last two years of Captain Coram's life, when it was known by his friends that he was without funds, Dr. Brocklesby called to ask him if a subscription in his behalf would offend him. He replied, "I have not wasted the little wealth of which I was formerly possessed in self-indulgence and vain expenses, and am not ashamed to confess that, in this my old age, I am poor."