Page:Nollekens and His Times, Volume 2.djvu/452

 440 He dressed well, and at all timed looked like a superior man. His remarks wale generally witty, and sometimes severely cutting: but to the ladies, particularly those who were qualified to give him the retort-courteous, he was cautiously and precisely polite. In early life, he suffered each of his many female admirers to suppose herself the favourite fair. Miss Moser, at one period, drew that conclusion, and for a long time he flirted with Angelica Kauffmann; but be found at last that that lady's glances were directed towards Sir Joshua Reynolds and Mr. Parker. In Fuseli's marriage state, Mrs. Wolstoncroft fell desperately in love with him; and many other ladies were extremely delighted with his conversation, even to the extent of a long life, for his company was much courted.

One evening, when Mr. Nollekens accompanied Fuseli to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Coutts, the lively hostess, who had dressed herself as Morgiana, went round the room, after dinner, presenting a dagger to the breast of every one of her visitors, as if she intended to stab them; and when she came to Nollekens, Fuseli was heard to cry out, "You may strike with safety; Nolly was never known to bleed."