This famous painter was for a long time self-taught, and his genius was first made known by his painting the head of a thief, who was looking over the wall of the garden in which the boy was painting by stealth. The head was so strikingly like, that the man was convicted upon it. JOHN WESLEY, Born 1703.—Died 1791.—Anne.—George I.—George II.—George III. The founder of Methodism, was born at Epworth, Lincolnshire. He was a missionary for three years in North America among the Red Indians. In his day the English Church was characterized by a great want of vigour and discipline, and Wesley and his disciples did a great work in rousing the zeal of the Church, from which he had no intention of separating, and stirring up a spirit of labour and good works. Wesley was a preacher of great eloquence, with an aptness of illustration which was very attractive to the classes to whom he chiefly addressed himself. SIR RICHARD ARKWRIGHT. Born 1732.—Died 1792.—George II—George III. A manufacturer, originally a hairdresser at Bolton, in Lancashire, was the inventor of the spinning jenny: he had large mills at Cromford, near Derby, was knighted in 1786, and died possessed of great wealth. ADMIRAL LORD RODNEY. Born 1718.—Died 1792.—George I.—George II.—George III. This famous admiral was born at Walton-on-Thames. He gained a great victory over the French under Comte de Grasse, which won for the admiral his peerage. He fought a great battle off Cape St. Vincent, and captured four Spanish ships. After winning the battle he went on to relieve Gibraltar. SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. Born 1723.—Died 1792.—George I.—George II.—George III. This great painter was most celebrated for his portraits, especially his exquisite pictures of children. He also painted historical subjects, and published his discoveries on painting, which were the substance of his lectures before the Royal Academy. Sir Joshua was a Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Institutions. He was born at Plympton, in Devonshire. EDWARD GIBBON. Born 1737.—Died 1794.—George II.—George III. A celebrated historian, whose chief work was the _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_, a standard and classical work; the only fault in which is that it contains an attack on the Christian religion. It was written chiefly at Lausanne, in Switzerland, where he often stayed. JOSIAH WEDGWOOD. Born 1730.—Died 1795.—George II.—George III.