"Sir Thomas Lawrence is confessedly at the head of the English school of portrait-painters. He is about forty-seven years of age. The Kembles and Mrs Siddons have been his favourite associates. At one time he was a particular friend of the late Queen Caroline. His portraits of George IV. are excellent. In 1818 he was commissioned to visit the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle for the purpose of painting the monarchs, warriors, and statesmen of Europe. During that visit the doors of his _atelier_ were open to his friends, and it is impossible to fancy a more interesting sight than his morning levée. The Emperors of Russia and Austria, the King of Prussia, Wellington, Richelieu, Blücher, Bernstoff, and a long train of distinguished personages, were almost always to be met there." During the opera season of 1826 two strange events took place which Señor Garcia would recall in after-years. At the time the one filled the inhabitants of New York with the wildest excitement, the second with the deepest gloom. On April 8--three weeks, that is to say, after the future centenarian had celebrated his twenty-first birthday--the extraordinary duel took place between John Randolph, United States Senator from Virginia, and Henry Clay, Secretary of State. The meeting was on the right bank of the Potomac within the state of Virginia, above the Little Falls Bridge--pistols, at ten paces. Each of the principals was attended by two seconds and a surgeon, while Senator Benton was present as a mutual friend. Needless to say, it ended in the way which was to become so fashionable among French duellists in later years. The daring combatants escaped scatheless and shook hands,--the gentlemanly Anglo-Saxon alternative for each rushing into the other's arms with a wild cry of "Mon ami! mon ami!" and saluting his late adversary with an affectionate kiss on either cheek. As to the second event, one cannot do better than let the story be told by the notice which appeared in one of the New York newspapers:-- "JUBILEE OF DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. "FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS. "SUDDEN DEATH OF TWO EX-PRESIDENTS. "The death of John Adams, late President of the United States, took place on July 4. He was the second President of the United States and the first Minister sent by this country to Great Britain after the acknowledgment of the Independence.