26
shall paint it for me and, ringing the bell in
the same moment, ordered the attendant who
answered to bring the volume of Livy in which
the event is related, observing to the Queen, in
a sprightly manner, that the Archbishop had
made one of his sons read to Mr. West; but
" I will read to him myself the subject of my
picture which, on the return of the servant
with the book, he did accordingly. And the
Artist was commanded to come with the sketch
as soon as possible.
The Archbishop was highly delighted at the
successful result of his scheme, and augured
from the event the happiest influence to the
progress of the arts; nor has his patriotic antici-
pations been unrewarded; for, without question,
so great and soeminent a taste for the fine arts
as that which has been diffused throughout the
nation, during the reign of George the Third,
was never before produced in the life-time of
one monarch, in any age or country.
Buj: in relating the diff'erent
contributed to bring Mr. West
incidents which
into favourable