This place gave birth to John Opie, whose persevering genius advanced him to the highest rank in his profession. He was born at Harmony Cot, in May 1761. The opening years of his existence indicated that he must plod through life in the dull occupation of a carpenter, as successor to his father and grandfather. He distinguished himself at a very early period, for originality and strength of mind, and at twelve years of age commenced an evening school in St. Agnes, teaching arithmetic and writing, and reckoning amongst his scholars some who had nearly doubled his years. His first humble attempts at portrait painting were with a smutty stick, against the white-washed wall of his paternal cottage, where he exhibited, in _dark colours_, very striking likenesses of the whole family. His next step was to draw with ochre on cartridge paper. He was apprenticed to his father, but from some unascertainable cause was turned over to a sawyer; and it was literally in the bottom of a saw-pit that Dr. Walcot, better known by the appellation of Peter Pindar, (who had previously seen and admired some of Opie's rude drawings,) first beheld this untutored child of genius, under whose patronage he was protected, and his fame promoted. After visiting Exeter, (where he was persuaded to change his surname, which originally was Hoppy, to that of Opie,) finding his success was commensurate with his abilities, it was soon determined they should be brought to act in a wider sphere; and, in 1780, the Doctor and his pupil repaired to London, where not agreeing as to the mode of living together, they separated, and although their attachment had been cemented by long-continued kindness, subsequently to this period, yet they were never after cordially united. The opinion Opie entertained of the services which he had received from the Doctor, may be gathered from the following curious _note of hand_, which was said to be in the possession of the latter: "I promise to paint, for Dr. Walcot, any picture or pictures, he may demand, as long as I live; otherwise, I desire the world will consider me as a ... ungrateful son of a ..., John Opie." It is not certain that he ever deviated from this voluntary obligation, but it is matter of pleasant remark, that he always made his friend pay eighteen-pence for the canvass! Opie was as fortunate in London as he had been at Exeter. To Pindar, however, he was indebted for his introduction to public notice. Through him his pictures were shown to Mrs. Boscawen, by whom Opie was introduced to the late Mrs. Delaney, who procured for him the notice of King George III. An opportunity was contrived for the royal family to see his picture of the _The Old Beggar Man_; soon after which, Opie was honoured with a command to repair to Buckingham House. The artist's account of this interview was given in the following characteristical manner to Walcot, who has often been heard to relate it with great humour. "There was Mr.