that his first preceptor 
Society of Friends. 
W35 
member 
of 
the 
Markham 
in 
1765 
introduced 
West 
to 
Newton, 
of Bristol, 
Bishop 
Dr. Johnson, 
Bishop 
of 
Worcester, 
and 
Dru mmond, 
Archbishop of York. Dr. Newton engaged 
him to paint the Parting of Hector and _And1'o- 
mache, 
and 
afte'rWards 
sat 
to 
him 
for 
His 
trait, 
in the 
back 
which 
ground of 
3 
sketch of 
this picture was introduced: and for the Bishop of 
W0rceste1' he painted the Return of the Prodigal 
Son. The encouragement which he thus re- 
ceived fi'om these eminent divines was highly 
creditable to their taste and liberality, and is in 
honourable 
contrast 
to 
the 
negligence 
with 
which 
all 
that 
concerned 
the 
fine 
arts 
VVGIC 
treated 
by 
the 
nobility 
and 
opulent 
It 
however, 
necessary 
to 
mention 
one 
illustrious 
exception. 
Lord. Rockingham 
offer- 
ed Mr. West 
regular, 
permanent engagement 
of 
sE7OO 
Per 
to 
paint 
historical 
sub- 
jects 
f0i' 
his 
mansion 
in 
Yorkshire : 
but 
the 
Artist on consulting his friends found them una. 
nimousl y 
of opinion, 
that 
although 
the 
Pmspect