return to England he struck upon a sand bank, where he remained eight days: an adventure which cured his passion for living on the water. W. VANDEVELDE. William Vandevelde the younger, is distinguished as the most eminent painter of sea pieces. Having finished a painting for Charles II. of the junction of the English and French fleets at the Nore, when that monarch went to view them, two commissioners of the Admiralty agreed to beg the picture of the king, then to cut it in two, and each to take a part. The painter, in whose presence they concluded this wise treaty, took away the picture, and concealed it until the king's death, when he offered it to Bullfinch, the printseller, for eighty pounds. Bullfinch took time to consider, and returning to make the purchase, found the picture already sold for one hundred and thirty guineas. ALL FOR LOVE. Quintin Mesius, or Matsis, was a farrier at Antwerp, when in his twentieth year, he became enamoured of a young woman of his own condition in life, who was at the same time sought in marriage by a painter of some repute. The damsel confessed to Quintin, that she had a greater inclination for him than for the painter, but that she had an unconquerable aversion to his trade of a farrier. Quintin, who from his childhood had evinced a strong taste for designing, instantly resolved to be on equal terms with his rival, and to abandon the hammer for the brush. He applied to his new art with so much liking and assiduity, that in a short time he produced pictures which gave a promise of the highest excellence. He gained for his reward the fair hand for which he sighed; and continuing after his marriage to exercise the art, in which he had made so noble an essay, he rose ere long to a high rank in his profession. Among other productions of Quintin's pencil, were the portraits in one piece of the two friends, Erasmus and Egidius, which afterwards formed part of the collection of Charles I. of England. Sir Thomas More, in some lines which he wrote on this painting, apostrophized the artist in terms which show the high estimation in which he was held, both by his countrymen and foreigners. "Quintine, O veteris Novator artis Quintin died in 1529. A hundred years afterwards, a monument was erected to his memory in the cathedral church of Notre Dame, at Antwerp, the inscription on which records in a few expressive words the singular story of his life: "Connubialis amor de mulcibe fecit Apellem." TINTORET. The facility of composition for which this artist was remarkable, was the source of a great inequality among his paintings. He preferred being the author of a great many good conceptions, to devoting his time in giving what is called a high finishing to any one. Hence the remark of Annibal Carracci, in a letter from Venice to his cousin Louis Carracci, that "he had seen Tintoret sometimes equal to Titian, and at others much below Tintoret." Some Flemish painters being at Rome, showed Tintoret two or three heads which they had painted and finished with great care. He asked them how long they had taken to do them? They replied, that they had taken several weeks. Tintoret on this dipped his pencil in some black colour, and with a few strokes drew on a canvass a figure, which he filled in with white. Turning towards the strangers, "See," said he to them, "how we poor Venetian painters are accustomed to make pictures." SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN. A variety of knowledge proclaims the universality, a multiplicity of works the abundance, and St. Paul's Cathedral the greatness of Sir Christopher Wren's genius. The noblest temple, the largest palace, the most sumptuous hospital in Great Britain, are all the works of the same hand. Besides St. Paul's, Hampton Court, and Greenwich Hospital, all of which were erected by him, he built above fifty parish churches, and designed the Monument on which he intended to errect the statue of Charles II. instead of the pot of flames which we now see; but in this, as in many other instances, he was over-ruled by men of inferior judgment. When Sir Christopher had lived to see the completion of St. Paul's, the fabric and the event left such an impression of content on the mind of the good old man, that being carried to see it once a year, it seemed to recall a memory that was almost deadened to every other use. He died at the great age of ninety-one, and was buried under the dome of St. Paul's, where the following incription comprehends his merit and his fame. "Si quæris monumentum, circumspice !" BUSHNELL. He John Bushnell was an admired statuary, but is better known for his capricious character, than his works. He had agreed to complete the set of Kings at the Royal Exchange; but hearing that Cibber had made interest to carve some of them, Bushnell would not proceed, though he had begun six or seven. had previously finished statues of Charles the First and Second, and one of Sir Thomas Gresham. Some of his profession asserting, that though he was skilful in drapery, he could not execute a naked figure, he engaged in an Alexander the Great; which proved that his rivals were right, as to what he could not do. His next whim was to demonstrate the possibility of the Trojan Horse. He undertook to make such a wooden receptacle, and had formed it of timber, intending to cover it with stucco. The head was capable of containing six men sitting round a tables; the eyes served for windows. Before it was half completed a storm of wind overset and demolished it; and though two vintners who had contracted with him to use his horse as a drinking booth, offered to be at the expense of erecting it again, he was too much disappointed to recommence the work. CLOSTERMAN. Closterman painted the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, and all their children, in one picture. The Duke was represented on horseback; a position which formed the subject of so many disputes with the duchess, that the duke said, "It has given me more trouble to reconcile my wife to you, than to fight a battle." PIPER. Francis le Piper, who lived in the reign of William the Third, though born to a good estate, could not resist his impulse for drawing, which made him ramble over great part of Europe. Most of his performances were produced over a bottle, and remained where they were first designed. The Mitre Tavern, Stock's Market, and the Bell at Westminster, were adorned by this artist. At the former, was a room called Amsterdam, from the variety of sects Le Piper had painted in it, particularly a Jesuit and a Quaker. SIR JAMES THORNHILL. Sir James Thornhill, who decorated so many palaces and public buildings, was far from being generously rewarded for some of them, and for others he found it difficult even to obtain the stipulated prices. Though La Fosse received £2000 for his work at Montagu House, (the British Museum) and was allowed £500 for his expenses, yet Sir James Thorn |