occupation. The most distinguished gentlemen and ladies of his day were
proud to sit to him; and of the numerous portraits which he produced, his
admirable likeness of Burns will always be considered as a valuable national
monument of our honoured peasant bard. But still the artist's enthusiasm lay
elsewhere : the countenance of nature possessed more charms for him than even
the "human face divine," and he could not forget the delight he had experienced in sketching the beautiful and picturesque scenery of Italy. And his
own native Scotland too was it not rich in scenes that were worthy of the
highest efforts of his art, although they had hitherto been overlooked? To
this department he therefore turned, and became exclusively a landscape painter,
while his successful efforts quickly obtained for him a still higher distinction
than his portraits had secured. The admiration excited by his numerous productions in this style of art, necessarily occasioned frequent visits to the mansions of the noble and wealthy, by whom he was employed; and while his chief
hours there were devoted to strictly professional employment, his walks of
recreation in the garden or over the grounds, were by no means idle; whatever
object he saw was at once electrotyped upon his brain, on which his busy fancy
was employed in altering, touching, and retouching, until an improved and complete picture was the result. His suggestions, the fruit of such artistic taste,
combined with careful study, were received with pleasure, and their effect was an improvement in the scenic beauty of the gardens and pleasure-grounds, by the alterations he had indicated. This circumstance gave a new direction to his professional labours; he must create scenery as well as paint it. The necessity was laid upon him by his widely-reported fame as an improver, so that numerous applications were made upon his time for such suggestions as might
heighten and harmonize the mansion scenery of our country. He therefore added this to his other occupations, and found in it an ample source of emolument, as well as professional enjoyment. And no one who has witnessed the condition of our old Scottish feudal homes, that doggedly resisted every modern innovation, will deny the necessity of such an office as that which was thrust upon Nasmyth. Many a stately castellated and time-honoured abode of the day, which still looked as if it expected a Highland spreagh or border foray, and cared for nothing but its defences, was converted by Nasmyth's arrangements into the striking central object of a rich scenic fore and background, upon which the tourist could pause with delight, instead of hurrying by, as he had been wont to do, with the disappointed exclamation, "I will take mine ease in mine inn!" Nor was the enthusiasm of Nasmyth confined exclusively
to rural beauty and its improvement. He appreciated the noble site of Edinburgh, that fitting throne for the queen of cities, and was anxious that man's
art should correspond with nature's beneficence in such a favoured locality. He therefore gave suggestions for the improvement of our street architecture, which have been happily followed, while many others have been partially
adopted, connected with the rich scenery of our northern metropolis, by which
the whole aspect of the city from its environs has been improved at every point.
The capabilities, in an artistic point of view, of his native city, was the favourite
theme of his evening conversations to the close of his long-protracted life; and
many can still remember how ancient Athens itself was eclipsed by the pictures
which he drew of what Edinburgh might be made, through the advantages of
her position, and the taste of her citizens.
To these important and engrossing occupations Nasmyth added that of a
