suits. His last labours consisted of some emendations to the fourth edition of his treatise on "Reversionary Payments," which he always considered as one of the most important of his works. The first volume, however, was not printed before he was attacked by a fatal disorder in 1791. His nephew, the author of this modest and well-written memoir, has given an account both of his death and character: "distinguished from his earliest years," observes he, " for the meekness and equanimity of his temper, no injuries excited him to improper resentment; no pain or affliction to impatience and discontent. Convinced of the great truths which he had so constantly taught, and so well exemplified in every period of his life, he calmly sunk under the last conflict of nature with a well founded hope of rising again to a more glorious existence in a better state." No. V. THE LIFE AND STUDIES of BENJAMIN WEST, Esq. PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF LONDON PRIOR TO BENJAMIN WEST, the son of John West, a Quaker, was born in the state of Pennsylvania, in 1738. He is descended from an English family, which emigrated to America and settled there. His father, who appears to have been in easy circumstances, was a good and virtuous man; the mother, a kind and affectionate parent; and the manner in which this their youngest, and, perhaps, darling son, exhibited a taste for the fine arts, at a time when other children are wholly insensible to such pursuits, is well expressed in the following passage: "The first six years of Benjamin's life passed away in calm uniformity; leaving only the placid remembrance of enjoyment. In the month of June 1745, one of his sisters, who had been married some time before, and who had a daughter, came with her infant to spend a few days at her father's. When the child was asleep in the cradle, Mrs. West invited her daughter to gather flowers in the garden, and committed the infant to the care of Benjamin during their absence; giving him a fan to flap away the flies from molesting his little charge. After some time, the child happened to smile in its sleep, and its beauty attracted his attention. He looked at it with a pleasure which he had never before experienced, and observing some paper on a table, together with pens and red and black ink, he seized them with agitation, and endeavoured to delineate a portrait: although at this pe riod he had never seen an engraving or a picture, and was only in the seventh year of his age. "Hearing the approach of his mother and sister, he endeavoured to conceal what he had been doing; but the old lady observing his confusion, inquired what he was about, and requested him to show her the paper. He obeyed, entreating her not to be angry. Mrs. West, after looking some time at the drawing with evident pleasure, said to her daughter, "I declare he has made a likeness of little Sally," and kissed him with much fondness and satisfaction. This encou raged him to say, that if it would give her any pleasure, he would make pictures of the flowers which she held in her hand: for the instinct of his genius was now awakened, and he felt that he could imitate the forms of those things which pleased his sight. "This curious incident deserves consideration in two points of view. The sketch must have had some merit, since the likeness was so obvious, indicating how early the hand of the young artist possessed the power of representing the observations of his eye. But it is still more remarkable as the birth of the fine arts in the New World, and as one of the few instances in the history of art, in which the first inspiration of genius can be distinctly traced to a particular circumstance. The drawing was shown by Mrs. West to her husband, who, remembering the prediction of Peckover, was delighted with this early indication of talent in his son. But the fact, though in itself very curious, will appear still more remarkable, when the state of the country at that period, and the peculiar manners of the Quakers, are taken into consideration." While at school, all the boys seem to have followed the example of young West, and to have cultivated the imitative art of drawing, by means of chalk and ochre: for camels' hair pencils, and prepared colours, seem, at that period, to have been but little known in Chester county. They, of course, looked up to Benjamin as their master and director: thus he, who was destined by fate, to become President of a Royal Institution, BENJAMIN WEST, ESQ. already furnished an example to, and superintended the labours, of a little provincial academy amidst his native forests. An acquaintance with Dr. Smith of Philadelphia contributed not a little to form the taste, and inspire the genius of our young artist. He began, at length, to rise from flowers to portraits, and from portraits to historical subjects; and, finally, was seized with the noble ambition of seeing Italy, In his visits to Rome and Florence, Mr. West was singularly favoured by a variety of interesting and fortunate circumstances, and the result was satisfactory: for even there he was considered, at this early period of his life, as a youth of rare and extraordinary talents. It is to be hoped, that Mr. Galt will complete this interesting memoir, by a professional life of Mr. West, during his stay in England, which, if written in the same manner, and with the same taste and spirit, cannot fail to prove a most valuable addition to the biography of the present age. The following passages will convey some idea of the manner in which the President profited by the opportunities he enjoyed in Italy, to attain a just notion of his favourite art; as well as of the honours he received, in the course of his professional travels : — “In the mean time, West was carefully furnishing his mind by an attentive study of the costume of antiquity, and the beauties of the great works of modern genius. In doing this, he regarded Rome only as an university, in which he should graduate; and, as a thesis preparatory to taking his degree among the students, he painted a picture of Cimon and Iphigenia, and, subsequently, another of Angelica and Madoro. The applause which they received justified the opinion which Mengs had so early expressed of his talent, and certainly answered every object for which they were composed. He was honoured, in consequence, with the marks of academical approbation usually betowed on fortunate artists. He then pro posed to return to America, with a view to cultivate in his native country that profession in which he had already acquired so much celebrity. At this juncture, he received a letter from his father, advising him, as peace had been concluded between France and England, to go home for a short time before coming to America; for the mother country was at that period still regarded as the home of her American offspring. The advice of his father was in unison with his own wishes, and he mentioned his intention to Mr. Wilcox. That gentleman, conceiving that he spoke of America as his home, expressed himself with grief and surprise at a determination so different from what he had expected; but, upon being informed of the ambiguity in the phrase, he exclaimed that he could hardly have resolved, on quitting Italy, more opportunely, for Dr. Patoune, a Scottish gentleman, of considerable learning, and some taste in painting, was then returning homeward, and waiting at that time in Rome, until he should be able to meet with a companion. It was therefore agreed that West should be introduced to him; and it was soon after arranged that the Doctor should proceed to Florence, while the Artist went to take leave of his friends at Leghorn, to express to them his gratitude for the advantages he had derived from their constant and extraordinary kindness, which he estimated so highly, that he could not think of leaving Italy without performing this pleasing and honourable pilgrimage. It was also agreed between him and his companion, that the Doctor should stop a short time at Parma, until West should have completed a copy of the St. Jerome of Corregio, which he had begun during his visit to that city with Mr. Matthews. "During their stay at Parma, the Academy elected Mr. West a member, an honour which the academies of Florence and Bologna had previously conferred on him; and it was mentioned to the Prince, that a young American had made a copy of the St. Jerome of Corregio, in a style of excellence such as the oldest academicians had not witnessed. The Prince expressed a wish to see this extraordinary Artist, particularly when he heard that he was from Pennsylvania, and a Quaker. Mr. West was, in consequence, informed that a visit from him would be acceptable at court; and it was arranged that he should be introduced to His Highness by the chief mini |