subjects, and in departing from the absurd custom of representing the warriors of all nations clad like ancient Romans. In his _Death of Wolfe_, West insisted, contrary to the advice of Reynolds, in painting his soldiers in their proper dress. JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY, R.A. (1737--1815), was born at Boston, America, then one of our colonies, his father being English and his mother Irish. Boston in those days could offer no facilities for art-education, but Copley went to Nature--the best of teachers. He commenced with portraits and domestic life, and between 1760 and 1767 sent pictures to London, where they excited considerable interest. In 1774, he visited the Old World, first England, then Italy, and finally settled in London in 1775. In the following year he exhibited a "conversation" piece at the Royal Academy, and was elected an Associate in 1777. In 1778, William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, whilst speaking in the House of Lords against the practice of taxing our colonists without their consent, was seized with a fatal illness. This incident, specially interesting to an American, suggested _The Death of the Earl of Chatham_ (National Gallery), which at once raised the painter to a high place in the ranks of British artists. The popularity of Copley was greatly owing to his choice of subjects. Instead of dealing with ancient history or classic fables, with which the general public was but imperfectly acquainted, he selected events of the day, or of modern times, and contrived to combine portraiture, ever popular in England, with the dramatic incidents of his pictures. Copley was made a full member of the Royal Academy in 1779, and maintained his popularity by _The Death of Major Peirson_ (National Gallery)--which represents an attack of the French on St. Helier's, Jersey, in 1781, and the fall of young Major Peirson in the moment of his victory. Following the path thus wisely selected, Copley produced _Charles I. ordering the Arrest of the Five Members_, _The Repulse of the Spanish Floating Batteries at Gibraltar by Lord Heathfield_ (painted for the City of London, now in the Guildhall), _The Assassination of Buckingham_, _The Battle of the Boyne_, &c. He exhibited only forty-two works in the Royal Academy, all of which were portraits except _The Offer of the Crown to Lady Jane Grey_, and _The Resurrection_. In sacred subjects, Copley was far less successful than in the particular style of art to which he mainly adhered. His son became famous as Lord Chancellor Lyndhurst. [Illustration: DEATH OF MAJOR PEIRSON. _By_ COPLEY. A.D. 1783. _In the National Gallery._] [Illustration: MERCURY INVENTING THE LYRE. _By_ BARRY.]