and even the pictures which he finished seemed incomplete to those who did not understand them. Noteworthy among these are _Ophelia_, _The Infant Shakespeare_, and _The Shipwreck_, from "The Tempest." His portraits, however, form the greater class of his productions. In the National Gallery are _Study of Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante_, and _The Parson's Daughter_. "We may sum up all that is to be said of Romney in this: that whatever he did Reynolds had done much better; that his art did not advance the taste of the age, or the reputation of the school, and that it is quite clear, however fashion or faction may have upheld him in his own day, the succeeding race of painters owed little or nothing to his teaching." (_Redgrave._) A harsh and unsympathizing judgment. Truer is it that he never offended the finest taste in art, that he was a very fair draughtsman, a sound and accomplished painter, who delineated ladies with the taste of a Greek, and children with exemplary sweetness. JOSEPH WRIGHT (1734--1797) is, from his birth-place, commonly known as WRIGHT OF DERBY. Quitting his native town, where his father was an attorney, he reached London in 1751 and became a pupil of Hudson, the portrait painter. Wright aimed at historical painting, but his works are chiefly single portraits, and conversation pieces. After revisiting Derby, he returned to Hudson's studio for a while, and then settled in his native town, where he practised his art with success. He often represented candle-light and fire-light effects, as may be seen in _The Orrery_, _The Iron Forge_, and _The Experiment with the Air-Pump_ (National Gallery). Marrying in 1773, Wright went with his wife to Italy and remained there two years. He witnessed an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and painted that event with success, as well as the display of fire-works at the Castle of St. Angelo, at Rome, which is known as the _Girandola_. Returning to England, Wright painted at first at Bath; but being unsuccessful, he returned to Derby, where he died in 1797. He contributed a few works to the Royal Academy after quitting Italy; _Vesuvius_, and the _Girandola_ were exhibited there in 1778. Wright was elected an Associate in 1782, but removed his name from the Academy books two years later. This step was taken either because Edmund Garvey, a landscape painter, was elected a R.A. before him, or because Wright had refused to comply with one of the Academy rules, and present works to the society before receiving his diploma. He was said to be a shy, irritable man, always ill, or fancying himself so, and ready to take offence easily. Such are the unconfirmed statements of the advocates of the Academy. He painted landscapes in his latter days, _The Head of Ulleswater_ was his last picture. Best known among his works are _The dead Soldier_, _Belshazzar's Feast_, _Hero and Leander_, _The Storm_ (from "Winter's Tale"), and _Cicero's Villa_. Wright's most remarkable