The Sun.
London, England, 1818-03-20 00:00:00

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

We have extracted the following passage front
this excellent Publication, which corrects a mis—
statement that, as it says, has been often re•
peated. It is not, however, necessary to set the
matter right on account of the late Mr. HOPP•.
NMI, whose talents and varied acquisitions, will, '
we trust, he the subject of a biographical monu-
ment, which one Gentleman is by friendship, as
well as by talents, and all requisite knowledge,
peculiatly well calculated to raise to the memory
of that admirable Artist.

" Haydn revisited LondOn in 1794.
On this occasion,' says the authpr, one of
the English Princes commissioned Sir,-Joshua Rey-
nolds to take his portrait. Haydn went to the
painter's house, and sat to him, hut soon grew
tired, 'Sir 'Sir Joshua, careful of his reputation,
would not paint a man of acknowledged genius
with .2 stupid countenance, and deferred the sit-
ting till another day. The same weariness and
want cif expresiion occurring at the next attempt,
Reynoldi went to his Royal Highness and in-

formed him of the circumstance, tvho contrived a
stratagem. He Fen; to the painter's ho►;se a pretty
German gill, in the service nt the Queen. Iliyda
took his scat for the third titer, and as soon as

the ebnversation. began to flag, a curtain rose.
and the fair German addressed him in his native

language, with a most elegant votnpliment.7—
.1-hydn, delikhted. overwhelmed the enchantress
Kith questions ; his countenance recovered its
animal ion, and Sir Joshua rapidly seized its traits.'
—p. l 9:i.

" This exquisite adventure, which is trul♦
FreUelk in all its parts, has already made the tour
-of half the periodical publications of Europe, and
is even now, perhaps, on the eve of appearing ott
the Parisian stage as a melo-drame of high pathos
and sentiment. It is a thousand pities to blight
so pr'ornitiog a spring of amusement ; but truth
compels its to the inexorable office. The whole
story, in fact, is a ridiculous fabrication. • Sir Jo-
shua Reynolds had been nearly three years in his
grave at this period ; and the 'person to whom
Haydn. sat 'for' his portrait was the late Mr.

Hoppncr ; who, if he had languished for a con-
versation in his native tongue,' was very capa-
ble of gratifying hiM.
" We knew Haydn, and well remember the
'circumstance 'sitting for his picture. He
was a coatse-and hard-featured man; who, among
other amiable weaktrusses, efierisited that of con-
ceiting himself to he somewhat of an Adonis.—
He woold sit • with exemplary patience to he
painted ; but no birth-day beauty was ever more
solicitous to choose the favourable moment.
Many a time, when au hour had been fiNed for
attendance, lie 'Wottlil get t.p from his chair,
gaie.steadlastly and wistfully in the glass, and
say.—' 1 don't 0111;1 look vell.to-day ; I vill not
see Moister Hovner ;' and Salomon was accord-
'inglY dispatched with his excuses. The pietnre
was not quite finished ',Vile() Haydn left England ;'
it was, however, so striking a likeness of this ex-

tt•aor•dinary wan, that the Prince of Walci, for
when it «•as' painted, would not permit Hopp-
ner to touch it alter• his departmre, and the por-
trait is note iu
,his Aoyal Highness's possession."