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till His Majesty's final superannuation, when,. 
without any intimation whatever, on calling to 
receive it, he was informed that it had been 
stopped, and that the intended design of the 
chapel of Revealed Religion was suspended. 
This was a severe stroke of misfortune to the 
Artist, now far advanced in life, but he submitted 
to it with resignation. He took no measures, 
nor employed any influence, either to procure 
the renewal of the quarterly allowance, or the 
payment of the balance of his account.  But 
being thus cast off from his best anchor in his 
old age, he still possessed firmness of mind to 
think calmly of his situation. He considered 
that a taste for the fine arts had been greatly 
diffused by means of the exhibitions of the 
Royal Academy, and the eclat which the French 
had given to pictures and statues by making them 
Objects of national conquest; and having thus 
lost the patronage of the King, he determined 
to appeal to the public. With this view he 
resolved to paint several large pictures; and 
in the prosecution of this determination, he has 
been amply indemnified for the effects of that 
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