Page:Nollekens and His Times, Volume 2.djvu/463

 At no period of Mr. Flaxman's life did he ever receive a present from any one beneath himself; and whenever he accepted any thing from persons, even in the highest station, he always selected something to give them in return, of at least double the value of that received: nor did he at any time, under any consideration whatever, when making a purchase, give less than what he conscientiously considered to be the full value. On the contrary, he has frequently been heard most vehemently to reprobate that detestable custom, so often practised by sordid and speculative money-getting men, of monopolizing articles, with a view of their increasing enormously in value at some future period.

Lavater, who has thought proper to judge of the qualities of a man's mind, by many slight peculiarities in the person's face or hand-writing, would have been perfectly safe, had he estimated the eminence of Flaxman's talents from the simplicity of his dress. His hair was simply combed, he never at any time wore powder, nor did he ever attempt to to exhibit ornaments of finery; he never kept a servant in livery, though sometimes his polisher of marble, John Burge, stood behind his chair, at the Royal Academy dinners, in his Sunday clothes.