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after a long illness he died and was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral in February, 1792.

It is said that Dr. Samuel Johnson, who lived at the same time and was intimate with Reynolds, added some polish to the "Discourses "; but Johnson himself said: Sir Joshua Reynolds would as soon get me to paint for him as to write for him."

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One of his great portraits was that of Mrs. Siddons, the great actress, as the "Tragic Muse." Mrs. Siddons was then in the height of her beauty, as of her glory. The king said of her: "She is the only real queen; all others are counterparts." Mrs. Siddons's account of the portrait is that Sir Joshua bade her "ascend her undisputed throne and bestow upon him some idea of the Tragic Muse." The pose she assumed so well satisfied him that it was never altered.

Sir Joshua was anxious to learn how the old masters painted their pictures and how the rich colors were attained. It is said that he even scraped off the paint from some that he owned in his attempt to find out. He was constantly trying new ways of mixing paint, and artists to-day find that many of his works are cracked and injured by the bad mixtures he made.

The character of this artist is one we like to read about. There were many men living in London in that time whom the world has not forgotten-men like David Garrick, the great actor; Oliver Goldsmith, the famous author; Samuel Johnson, maker of a great English dictionary; Burke, who made the great speech on America; Gibbon, the historian; Sheridan, author of "The Rivals"; and these men were such great friends that they

used to meet together very frequently. One of them was Sir Joshua Reynolds, and much of his conversation and numerous incidents of his life are preserved to us

[graphic]

Cherubim or Angels' Heads, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. National Gallery, London. These show different views of the same beautiful face.

in the biographies of the day. Let us remember, too, that at the same time Reynolds lived there lived in America George Washington and Benjamin Franklin and Lafayette; and in Europe lived Goethe, Frederick the

Great, Mendelssohn, Voltaire and Mozart. He was a kind-hearted gentleman, ever eager to serve others, and many are the chronicles of his goodness. He liked to write, and early composed some rules of conduct. One of these was: "The great principle of being happy in this world is not to be affected by small things." Goldsmith wrote of him:

His pencil was striking, resistless, and grand;
His manners were gentle, complying and bland.
Still born to improve as in every part,—

His pencil our faces, his manners our hearts.

A LITTLE GALLERY OF SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS'

Angel Heads....

PAINTINGS

Lady Cockburn and Children.

Dr. Johnson....

The Age of Innocence.

Mrs. Siddons as The Tragic Muse.
Portrait of Himself...

The Strawberry Girl..

Duchess of Devonshire and Child.

National Gallery, London. Owned by A. Bick, London. . Rosebury Collection. National Gallery, London.

.Grosvenor House.

. Uffizi Gallery, Florence. .Hertford House, London. ....Chatsworth, England,

For other pictures of child life in this volume but not included in this chapter, see pages 18, 21, 23, 132, 147, 152, 159, 168.

ANIMAL PICTURES

Next to our own friends and relatives, animals are nearest to our hearts. Nearly every household has its dog, or cat, or bird. The usefulness and beauty of the horse, the faithful friendship of which a dog is capable, are proverbial.

In a corner of one of the finest parks in London is a cemetery where little city pets may be buried, and where many interesting monuments have been erected. In another similar place is an epitaph, "Our Sydney. Born a dog, lived like a gentleman, died beloved."

We cannot wonder that many artists have chosen to paint only animals.

If you will try to make a drawing of your favorite dog or cat, you will find that they do not keep still long at a time. To draw a dog or horse in action is not easy, yet the skilful artist can suggest this action far better than any instantaneous photograph can. Among the great pictures by animal painters we find battle scenes, hunting scenes, and many others in which animals play a part.

Cattle have been a favorite subject with some of the greatest artists. Paul Potter's "Bull," a very big canvas which hangs in the gallery at The Hague, is one of the world's famous paintings.

Then there are the lions and tigers by Delacroix, and the wild and domestic animals by Gérôme and Rosa Bon

heur, to name only three great French painters who have given much of their time to depicting animals.

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SUSPENSE

By Sir Edwin Landseer of the English School
(Born 1802, died 1873)

Almost any picture by Landseer might be called a famous picture," for his popularity has hardly ever been rivaled. His pictures, by means of the engravings made of them and circulated far and wide, are known

[graphic]

Suspense, by Sir Edwin Landseer. So. Kensington Museum,

London.

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