412 THE ORIGINAL PAINTER.
me, and asked if " I had ever seen a percussion-lock.1" I had not, for
that improvement was not yet in vogue. He not only explained the superiority
of the lock in question, but undertook to prove that it was capable
of acting effectually under water. The bell was rung, a flat basin of
water was produced, the gun was charged with powder, and the lock
fairly immersed. The report terrified the birds, causing them to beat
against the gilded walls of their prisons. I remarked this to the artist. He
replied, " The devil take the birds !—more of them in the market; why,
Sir, I wish to shew you that I am a marksman as well as a painter." The
easel was cleared of the large picture, rolled to the further end of the room,
and placed against the wall. The gun was loaded in a trice, and the painter,
counting ten steps from the easel, and taking aim at the supporting-pin
on the left, fired. The bullet struck the head of the wooden pin fairly,
and sent the splinters in all directions. " A bad shot, sir," said this extraordinary
person, " the ball ought to have driven the pin farther into
the hole, but it struck on one side ; I'll try at the hole itself." After reloading
his piece, the artist took aim again, and fired. The bullet this
time had accomplished its object, for it had passed through the aperture,
and hit the wall behind. "Mr , ring the bell and close the windows,"
said the painter, and turning to me, continued, " Sir, I will shew
you the ne plus ultra of shooting." I was quite amazed, and yet so delighted,
that I bowed my assent. A servant having appeared, a lighted
candle was ordered. When it arrived, the artist placed it in a proper
position, and retiring some yards, put out the light with a bullet, in the
manner which I have elsewhere, in this volume, described. When fight
was restored, I observed the uneasiness of the poor little alligator, as it
strove to effect its escape from the artist's waistcoat. I mentioned this to
him. " True, true," he replied, " I had quite forgot the reptile, he shall
have a dram;" and unbuttoning his vest, unclasped a small chain, and
placed the alligator in the basin of water on the table.
Perfectly satisfied with the acquaintance which I had formed with
this renowned artist, I wished to withdraw, fearing I might inconvenience
him by my presence. But my time was not yet come. He bade me sit
down, and paying no more attention to the young pupils in the room than
if they had been a couple of cabbages, said, " If you have leisure and will
stay awhile, I will shew you how I paint, and will relate to you an incident
of my life, which will prove to you how sadly situated an artist is
at times." In full expectation that more eccentricities were to be witness-
TIIE ORIGINAL PAINTER. 413
ed, or that the story would prove a valuable one, even to a naturalist,
who is seldom a painter, I seated myself at his side, and observed witli
interest how adroitly he transferred the colours from his glistening pallet
to the canvas before him. I was about to compliment him on his facility
of touch, when he spoke as follows :
" This is, sir, or, I ought to say rather, this will be the portrait of one
of our best navy officers, a man as brave as CESAK, and as good a sailor
as ever walked the deck of a seventy-four. Do you paint, Sir?" I replied
" Not yet." " Not yet! what do you mean ?" " I mean what I say : I
intend to paint as soon as I can draw better than I do at present."
" Good," said he, " you are quite right, to draw is the first object; but,
sir, if you should ever paint, and paint portraits, you will often meet with
difficulties. For instance, the brave Commodore, of whom this is the
portrait, although an excellent man at every thing else, is the worst sitter
I ever saw ; and the incident I promised to relate to you, as one curious
enough, is connected with his bad mode of sitting. Sir, I forgot
to ask if you would take any refreshment—a glass of wine, or ." I
assured him I needed nothing more than his agreeable company, and he
proceeded. " Well, Sir, the first morning that the Commodore came to
sit, he was in full uniform, and with his sword at his side. After a few
moments of conversation, and when all was ready on my part, I bade
him ascend this throne, place himself in the attitude which I contemplated,
and assume an air becoming an officer of the navy." Pie mounted,
placed himself as I had desired, but merely looked at me as if I had been
a block of stone. I waited a few minutes, when, observing no change
on his placid countenance, I ran the chalk over the canvas, to form a
rough outline. This done, I looked up to his face again, and opened a
conversation which I thought would warm his warlike nature; but in
vain. I waited and waited, talked and talked, until my patience—Sir,
you must know I am not overburdened with phlegm—being almost run
out, I rose, threw my pallet and brushes on the floor, stamped, walking to
and fro about the room, and vociferated such calumnies against our navy,
that I startled the good Commodore. He still looked at me with a placid
countenance, and, as he has told me since, thought I had lost my
senses. But I observed him all the while, and, fully as determined to
carry my point, as he would be to carry off an enemy's ship, I gave my
oaths additional emphasis, addressed him as a representative of the navy,
and, steering somewhat clear of personal insult, played off my batteries