909 
of 
The last illness 
slow 
Mr. West himself was 
and languishing. It was rather a general decay 
of nature, than any specific malady; and he 
.cOn1;inued to enjoy his mental faculties in perfect 
distinctness upon all subjects as long as the 
powers of articulation could be exercised. To 
his merits as an artist and a man 1 may be 
deemed Qpartial, nor do I wish to be thought 
otherwise; I have enjoyed his frankest con- 
fidence for many years, and received from his 
conversation the advantages of a more valuable 
species of inst: uction, relative to the arts, than 
books a10'ne can supply to one who is not an 
artist. 
I therefore 
VVl1ile 
admit 
that 
the 
Par- 
tiality of friendship may tincture my opinion of 
his character, I am yet confident that the 
general truth of the estimate will be admitted 
by -all who knew the man, or are capable to 
.apprecia.te the merits of his works. 
In his department, Mr. West was mild and 
con'side1-"ate: his eye was keen, and his mind apt; 
but he was slow and methodical in his reflections, 
his remarks must often 
and the sedateness of 
in 
his 
younger 
years 
have 
seemed 
to 
strangers