Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 20.djvu/79

 others belonged, was founded in Glasgow College 10 Jan. 1752, and Foulis was admitted the next year. It was the duty of each member in turn to read a paper, and he delivered fifteen discourses, chiefly on philosophical subjects (see list in, op. cit. pp. 134–135). He is said to have anticipated some of Beccaria's views.

In 1755 the Select Society of Edinburgh offered a silver medal for the best printed and most correct book of at least ten sheets (Scots Mag. 1755, pp. 126–30), which was awarded the following year to the Foulises for their sm. folio Callimachus, 1755 (ib. 1756, p. 195). This is one of their masterpieces, and is much sought after; it contains some rather commonplace plates, designed by pupils of the academy. The Horace (3rd edition, 1756) also received a medal. An edition of the ‘Nubes’ of Aristophanes in Greek (1755) and a translation of Hierocles (1756) are prized by collectors. The ‘Anacreon,’ 8vo (1757), and Virgil, 8vo (1758), are commended by Harwood for their beauty and correctness. Medals were bestowed by the Select Society for the ‘Iliad’ (1756) and for the ‘Odyssey’ (1758), the famous Greek Homer in four stately folio volumes, which for accuracy and splendour is the finest monument of the Foulis press. Flaxman's designs were executed for this book. ‘As the eye is the organ of fancy,’ says Gibbon, ‘I read Homer with more pleasure in the Glasgow folio; through that fine medium the poet's sense appears more beautiful and transparent’ (Miscellaneous Works, 1814, v. 583). In Harwood's opinion a Thucydides of 1759 is ‘by far the most correct of all the Greek classics published at Glasgow’ (View, p. 29).

During this time Foulis had struggled with great difficulty in his academy. Proper teachers were scarce, and the public seemed unwilling to patronise native artists. Some promising students were sent abroad to study at the expense of the academy. One of these was William Cochrane, another was Archibald Maclauchlane, who married a daughter of Foulis. It should not be forgotten that David Allan and James Tassie were also pupils. Foulis advertised proposals (Scots Mag. 1759, p. 47) for gentlemen to subscribe to the academy with the right of choosing prints, designs, paintings, models, or casts to the value of their subscriptions. The objects were shown at Edinburgh in the shop of Robert Fleming, as well as at the gallery in Glasgow. An Herodotus (1761, 9 vols. sm. 8vo) ‘is beautifully printed and reflects distinguished honour on the university of Glasgow,’ says Harwood (View, p. 23). On the occasion of the coronation of George III the inner court of the college was decorated with paintings from the academy, shown in a print after a picture by D. Allan (reproduced in ‘Old Glasgow,’ 1880, pp. 134–5). The academy pictures were exhibited on the king's birthday in subsequent years down to about 1775. In January 1763 Foulis states that ‘the academy is now coming into a state of tolerable maturity. … Modelling, engraving, original history-painting, and portrait-painting’ were ‘all in a reputable degree of perfection’ (Letter ap., p. 86). About this time there was printed ‘for the use of subscribers’ a folio priced list showing the great variety of the productions, ‘Catalogue of Pictures, Drawings, Prints, Statues, and Busts in Plaister of Paris, done at the Academy,’ including ‘a Collection of Prints, the plates of which are the property of R. and A. Foulis.’ It is reprinted by Duncan (op. cit. pp. 91–115).

Towards the end of 1767 Foulis obtained permission from Gray, through Dr. Beattie, to publish an edition of his poems, which were then being issued in London by James Dodsley. In a letter to Beattie (1 Feb. 1768) Gray says: ‘I rejoice to be in the hands of Mr. Foulis, who has the laudable ambition of surpassing his predecessors, the Etiennes and the Elzevirs, as well in literature as in the proper art of his profession’ (Works, 1836, iv. 102). The book accordingly appeared in the middle of 1768, a handsome quarto, whose special features are explained by Beattie in a letter to Arbuthnot (Letters, 1820, i. 47–49). Beattie also had a share in the literary direction of the folio ‘Paradise Lost’ (1770), which he calls ‘wonderfully fine’ (Letter to Foulis, 20 June 1770, ap., pp. 35–36).

Archibald Ingram, one of the partners in the academy, died 23 July 1770. The academy was dissolved. Never pecuniarily successful, it was now eclipsed by the new Royal Academy in London. The printing office was continued, but with lessened activity. A series of plates after the cartoons of Raphael, issued in 1773, may be considered to belong rather to the work of the academy than to the press. They printed down to the death of Andrew in 1775. This blow quite crushed Robert, for the two brothers were deeply attached. The increased commercial responsibility was too much for him, and he decided to send the pictures, which had been used as models in the academy, to London, where he arrived in April 1776 with Robert Dewar from the printing office, who married his daughter. The season was late, and the sale proceeded against the advice of Christie, the auctioneer. The collection is described in ‘A Catalogue