The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-04-11
( crba,rafsment ofhis circumftance,,

Donsf Gs. 1t frequently happened, when
lure had been bsfpoke by one of his friends
who advanced fome of the money to induce him
to work, if the purchafer did not ftand by to fee
1t hniihed, & carry 1t away with him, iome other
perion, WHO was lurking within fight for that
purpoie, & knew the fate of Morand's peck
ct, by the temptation of few guneas laid upon
the table, carried off the picture, and left the
intended purchaier to lament his lofts, and feek
his remedy by getting Morland TO paint him a.
mother picture; e. when he was in the hui
mour 20 work for money which he had alrsa-
dy ipent; and in making this fatisfaetion, he GER
! tainiy was not very alert thus all were frrved
IN their turn, and though each exuIted in the
/uceefs Of the trick, when he was 70 lucky as to
get picture in this way, they all Joined in ex-
claiming againIl Morland's want of honelty, in
| not keeping his promies to them.
The consequences ofthis conduct were fire.
quently d'ttrels, the fpungiug-houfe, and the
jail except when lie had the good-fortune to
eicape into retirement unknown to all but
Tome TRULY dealer, who for the time took al his
works, and paid him ftipulated FUN for his
iaPPort. On one location to avoid his credi-
tors, he retired from public Eight, and lived very
obicurely near Hackneys fome of the neigh
bours, from hisextreme privacy and other cir
cumitances, entertained notion that he was Ell
Their 4 conner or fabricator of forged bank
notes; which fufpcion being communicated At
the Bank, the Directors fent fome police off,
GERS to fearch the houfc, and if guilt Hould au-
pear to take the offender into cuitoiv. Upon
their arrival, they were foon obierved by Nor
land, who understanding them to be BalfF &
his followers, come in queft ofhmief, immedi-
ately retreated into the garden, vert cut at
back-door, and ran over the brck-fieds TO-
wards I1oXton, AID then to London Mrs, Nor
land, trembling with furprife, opened the front
door, when the police officers entered, and he
gan to iearch the houie but upon explanation
taking place, and upon her afuring them, with
an unaffected iimplicity 90 very evidently the
natural reiult oftruth) that they were miftaken.
and llkewiie informing them of the caufe of his
Hight, and on their discovering little more in the
houie than Tome very excellent unlimited pic
lures, which even in theie men excited ienti-
ments OF admiration and refpett, they flid they
were convinced ofthc mihake and retired. Up-
en- communicating the refult of their icarch TO
the Directors ofthe Bank, that they had made
no diicovery of bank-notes, but that it was
Morland the painters retreat from his creditors
they had chauced to difcover, and an account
OF his flight to avoid them as bailifs, the Direc.
tors OF the Bank commiferatcd the pecuniary
embarrassment of this unfortunate genius, and
| ALTO on account ofthe trouble they had uninten-
tionally given him, generously fent him, as vo-
| iuntary pretent, two bank-notes OF twenty
| pounds each.
| He was found at another time in lodrine in
Somer's town, in the following mott eXtraor-
binary circumstances: his infant child, that Rad
been dead nearly three weeks, lay in its coffin.
| IN the one corner of the room; an ats and foal
food munching barley-itraw out of the cradle .
fow and pigs were foacing themielves in the
| receis of an old cupboard and himfelf Whit
ing over beautiful picture that he was iniih-
ing at his cafe, with bottle of gin hung IN
on one noe, and live moufe fitting Cor if you
pieate, kicklng) for its portrait on the 9th: r.
Morland'S garnet ferved him for all the mr.
poits of life, and of this he has left moft sd-
mirable picture, as companion to Sir Jol|,ua
ReynoldS's kitchen, in Lecefter-fquare, the
houie that once belonged to his father. A treat
number OF his pictures were LOFT few wears ago.
in chip that foundered on lite rafagc to R,lfiia.
When In confinement, and even fonetimes
when he was at liberty, it was common icr him
to have four guineas per day and his drink ; an
object OF TO fma coniequence, as he began TO
drink before he began to paint, and continued
10 do both alternately, till he had painted as
much As he pleafed, or till the l;ouor comDleat-
ly got the better, when he claimed his money.
and buiinefs was at an end for the dav. This
laid his employer under the necefIity of pafIing
his whole time with him, to keep him in eate
fit for work and to carry off the DAVIS work
when it was done; if he did not, fome eyes
droPPer got the picture, and he was to get what
| redrefs he could.
By this conduct, Readily purified for many
years, he ruined his contribution, diminif,ed his
powers, and funk himief into general contempt.
| He had no fociety, NOR did he with for any o.
Their but the loweft of thofe beings whole only
enjoyment is gin and ribaldry, and from which
he was taken ihort time fnce, by MARTIAL Tea
writ, for final fun of money: when taken
to place Of confinement, he drank large
quantity of fpirits, and was foon afterwards IA.
kenIli. The man in Whole cuitody he was, be-
ing alarmed at his lituation, applied to feve-
raj of his friends for relief; but that relief,
if 1t was afforded, came too late. The pow
ers OF life were exhaulted, and he died before he
had attained the age of forty years. His wife.
Whole life had been like his own, dice day or
two after him.
Thus perihed George Morland whole bef
works will command efeem 70 long as any tafte
for his art remains-whoie ordinary PRODUCT
ons will pleafe, 70 long as any liking for iuR
representation of wha. is natural can be found
and Whole talents would have enfured him
life OF happiness, in the mott brilliant itation he
could defre, if his entrance into life had been
guided by thofe who were able and willing to
caution him againft thofe fnares that are continu
ally preparing, by knaves and fools, for unexpe-
rienced YOUTH
His command over every implement of his
art was 10 great, that the ME of them racncd