for a poor pittance of money in return for the sacrifice of art and genius. He says he never will leave to practise the art, because he loves it, and this alone will pay its labour by success, if not of money, yet of true art, which is all. I had the pleasure of a call from Mrs. Chetwynd[1] and her brother, a giant in body, mild and polite in soul, as I have, in general, found great bodies to be; they were much pleased with Romney's designs. Mrs. C[hetwynd] sent to me the two articles for you, and for the safety of which by the coach I had some fear, till Mr. Meyer[2] obligingly undertook to convey them safe. He is now, I suppose, enjoying the delights of the Turret of lovely Felpham; please to give my affectionate compliments to him. I cannot help suggesting an idea which has struck me very forcibly, that the "Tobit and Tobias"[3] in your bedchamber would make a very beautiful engraving, done in the same manner as the "Head of Cowper,"[4] after Lawrence; the heads to be finished, and the figures to be left exactly in imitation of the first strokes of the painter. The expression of those truly pathetic
- ↑ A Mr. Chetwynd was among Romney's sitters.
- ↑ William Meyer, son of the miniaturist, who was Romney's friend.
- ↑ Painted at Eartham in the autumn of 1797; Hayley and his son are the models (see Ward and Roberts's Romney, vol ii. p. 202).
- ↑ See note i, p. 93; a chalk engraving by Blake in the second volume of Hayley's Life of Cowper:—T. Lawrence, R. A.: ad vivum del., 1793. W. Blake, sculp. 1802.
