A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833Smith, John Thomas
History
A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833
Smith, John Thomas
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
[331] A deed of separation was obtained from Pope Pius VI. After
the “Count’s” death, Angelica Kauffmann married in London, July
14, 1781, Antonio Pietro Zucchi, a Venetian painter who had long
lived in England, and had been employed by Adam, the architect. He
decorated Garrick’s house in the Adelphi. He died in 1795.
[332] Thomas Pitt, first Baron Camelford, was a prominent
politician and an opponent of Lord North. At Twickenham, where he
settled in 1762, he and Horace Walpole exchanged ideas on Gothic
architecture.
[333] Probably the well-known Dr. Bates, M.D., of Missenden, Bucks.
[334] Willey Reveley, architect, and editor of vol. iii. of
Stuart’s _Antiquities of Athens_.
[335] Smith’s task had been protracted by his tiresome quarrel
with his collaborator, John Sidney Hawkins. They pamphletted and
“vindicated” to their hearts’ content, but the dispute is not worth
unravelling.
[336] Henry White, then Sacrist of Lichfield Cathedral.
[337] George Dance, who died in 1825, was the architect of the
recently demolished Newgate Prison, also of St. Luke’s Hospital
and the Guildhall entrance façade. He was the last survivor of the
foundation members of the Royal Academy, and was buried in St.
Paul’s Cathedral. William Daniell, R.A., was well known for his
Indian and Oriental illustrations. He painted a panorama of Madras,
and another of “The City of Lucknow and the mode of Taming Wild
Elephants.” His painting, “A View of the Long Walk, Windsor,” is in
the royal collection.
[338] Fuseli’s quaint violences of speech were many, and gained
in effect from his Swiss accent. He swore roundly, a habit which
Haydon says he caught from his friend Dr. Armstrong, the poet. He
said a subject should interest, astonish, or move; if it did none
of these, it was worth “noding by Gode.” A visitor to his imposing,
but unsuccessful, Milton Gallery of forty paintings, said to him,
“Pray, sir, what is that picture?” “It is the bridging of Chaos;
the subject from Milton.” “No wonder,” said the inquirer, “I did
not know it, for I never read Milton, but I will.” “I advise you
not, sir, for you will find it a d----d tough job.” He said, on
looking at Northcote’s painting of the angel meeting Balaam and
his ass: “Northcote, you are an angel at an ass, but an ass at an
angel.” Once, at the table of Mr. Coutts, the banker, Mrs. Coutts,
dressed like Morgiana, came dancing in, presenting her dagger at
every breast. As she confronted Nollekens, Fuseli called out,
“Strike--strike--there’s no fear; Nolly was never known to bleed.”
He recommended a sculptor to find some newer emblem of eternity
than a serpent with a tail in its mouth. The _something newer_
(says Cunningham) startled a man whose imagination was none of the
brightest, and he said, “How shall I find something new?” “Oh,
nothing so easy,” said Fuseli; “I’ll help you to it. When I went
away to Rome I left two fat men cutting fat bacon in St. Martin’s
Lane; in ten years’ time I returned, and found the two fat men
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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