72
mind. This judicious reflection of Dr. Smith
was however anticipated by Sir Joshua Reynolds,
who had already made the discovery, and was
carrying it into effect with admirable success.
The Provost, however, was unacquaintedtwith
that circumstance, and induced West to make an
experiment by drawing his portrait in the style
and attitude of the St. Ignatius.
XI]. While he was thus employed on por-
traits, a gentleman of the name of Cox called on
him to agree for a likeness of his daughter; and
the picture of Dr. Smith attracted his attention.
It indeed appeared to him to evince such a capa-
city for historical composition, that, instead of
then determining any thing respecting his daugh-
ter's portrait, he gave an order for an historical
picture, allowing the Artist himself to choose the
subject. This task had peculiar charms; for the
Painter in the course of reading the Bible to
his mother some time before, had been led to
think that the Trial of Susannah was a -fine
subject, and he was thus enabled, by the libe-
rality of Mr. Cox, to embody the conceptions
of his imagination while they were yet in all the