Page:Angelo's Pic Nic.djvu/74

 CHARLES MACKLIN morning he called on me, and said he had something to show me which he thought would please me, and upon going to his lodgings he surprised me with a portrait of himself, done in oil, as large as life. I expressed myself much pleased, and promised him a sitter, a Mr. Dansey-who at my recom- mendation sat to him; and this was the first portrait he ever painted in oil. It was so well done, that it was universally admired, and he promised me that he never would paint another picture in crayons, which promise he faithfully per- formed. He then told me he could not draw the human figure, upon which I recommended a master, who afterwards attended twice or thrice a week, till he thought himself quite completed. He then painted a picture of Homer reading his verses to the Greeks, after which he rose to such eninence as to be patronized by the King, and visited almost all parts of Europe, to paint the Pope, and the different monarchs of Europe. JAMES HEATH CHARLES MACKLIN. In the fashion of his day, this Veteran directed his satire against the natives of Scotland; and in two dramatic characters, Sir Archy M'Sycophant and Sir Pertinax, he has attributed to them, with little consistency, a love of sarcasm, and the practice of sycophancy. In whatever proportion the Scottish man of the arorld may possess or practise these qualities, Macklin himself was wholly addicted to sarcasm·- Where he for a moment intended to flatter, some unlucky word or other defeated his design; his nature prevailed against his interest, his praise became ironical, and his very