The Family Library (Harper). (Volume 67) - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868. Excerpt: ... LAWRENCE. Sm Thomas Lawrence, principal painter to Wie king, and president of the Royal Academy, was bcrn on the 4th of May, 1769, in the parish of St. Philip and Jacob, Bristol, within a few doors of the birthplace of Robert Southey, the poet. He was the youngest of sixteen children, most of whom died in infancy. His father,--a Thomas also,--had been educated for the law; but was either so unsteady of purpose, or so unfortunate in choice, that he became successively attorney, poetaster, spouter of odes, actor, revenue officer, farmer, and publican, and prospered in none of these callings. The artist's mother, Lucy Read, was distantly related to the house of Powis, and, therefore, of gentle blood;--an honour which Lysons, the antiquarian, would fain have established for the family of her husband also. The early history of the painter is painfully mingled with the fortunes of his father. One who saw him when young said he was a handsome child, with large bright eyes, and a voice unusually sweet. His father, at that time landlord of the Black Bear Inn, Devizes, turned his good looks and fine voice to advantage, and taught him the art of spouting select passages from the poets, for the entertainment of customers. Before he was five years old the child had stood on a table, held out his right arm, and recited to the wondering guests some of the speeches from Milton, and sundry of the odes of Collins. He had luckily done more; he had learned to write; and moreover to draw portraits, which he did with such skill as to likeness that his father usually introduced him to his visiters with "Gentlemen, here's my son,--will you have him recite from the poets, or take your portraits V The recital of odes, and the sketching of likenesses, were matters unfavourable to h...