Page:Anecdotes of painters, engravers, sculptors and architects, and curiosities of art (IA anecdotesofpaint01spoo).pdf/143

 "why white sheep eat more than black ones?" "But is it a fact?" enquired the Doctor. "Most assuredly," said the painter, "as every farmer will tell you." The Doctor then went on to give sundry philosophical reasons why white sheep might require more food than black ones. "Your reasons are excellent—but I think I can give you a better one. In my opinion the reason why white sheep eat more than black ones is, because there are more of them!"

JARVIS' HABITS.

Jarvis, in his more prosperous days, was always improvident and recklessly extravagant. Dunlap says, "when he went to New Orleans for the first time, (in 1833) he took Henry Inman with him. To use his own words,—'my purse and my pockets were empty; (when he went to N. O.) I spent $3000 there in six months, and brought $3000 to New York. The next winter I did the same.' He used to receive six sitters a day. A sitting occupied an hour. The picture was then handed to Inman, who painted upon the background and drapery under the master's directions. Thus six portraits were finished each week." His prices at this time were $100 for a head, and $150 for head and hands.

"Mr. Sully once told me," says Dunlap, "that calling on Jarvis, he was shown into a room, and left to wait some minutes before he entered. He saw a book on the table amidst palette, brushes, tumblers, candlesticks, and other heterogeneous af