The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-10-06
BlDGRAF EITCAL.
BENJAMIN WEST.


The following is an extract from the life OF
Benjamin West, late president OF the royal
cademy of London, prior to his arrival in
London. West was born in Springfield,
Chester county, Pennsylvania, and was ed
ucated, as is well known, as aquaker. 1t
was necessary to obtain the consent of the
religious society to which he belonged, to
his exercising the profession for which he
had discovered so remarkable prcdilecton.
"The assembly met in the meeting
house near Springfield, and after much de-
bate, approaching to alteration, man OF
the name of John Williamson rose, and de-
livered a speech upon the subject. He was
much respected by all present for the pu-
rity and integrity of his life, and enjoyed
great influence in his sphere, on account
of the superiority of his natural wisdom, and,
as public preacher among the Friends,
possessed all astonishing gift OF convincing
eloquence. He pointed to old Mr. West and
his wife, and cxpatiatcd on the bameless
reputation which they had SO long maintain
ed. and merited so well. "They have had,
said he, s'tcn children, whom they have care
| fully brought up in fear of God, and in the
| Christian religion: and the youth, whose lot
in life we are now convened to consider, is
BENJAMIN, their Youngest child. 1t is known
to YOU all that God is pleased, from time to
time, to bestow upon some men cxtraordina
~ gifts Of mind, and you need not be told
BY how wonderful an inspiration their son
has been led to cultivate the art OF pam ing.
1t is true tnat our tenets deny the utility OF
that art to mankind. But God has bestow-
ed on the youth genius for the art, and can
we believe that Omnssciencc bestows Ills
gifts but for great purposes What God
"
Let us not estimate Almighty wisdom by
our notion; let us not presume to arralgn
His Judgment by our ignorance, but in the
evident propensity of the Young man, be as
sured that we see an impulse OF the Divine
hand operating towards some high and benz
fccnt end"
"rhe effort of this argument, and the
lofty commanding manner i'll which 1t was
delivered, induced the assembly to agrct
that the artist should be allowed to indulge
1.-The predilections of his genius; and private
meeting of the Friends was appointed to b'
holden at his fathers house, at which th'
youth himself was requested to be presen
in order to receive, in form, the assent ant
blessing of the Society. On the day OF th'
meeting, the great room was put III order
and a numerous company of both sexes as
sembled. Benjamin was placed by his ia
ther, and the men and women took thel
respective forms on each side. Alter sit
ting some time in silence, one OF the womel
rose and addressed the meeting on the wis
dom Of God, and the various occasions o
which He selected from among his creature
the agent of his goodness. When she ma
concluded her eXhortaton, John William
SON also rose, and in a speech, than whic
perhaps, the portcos of Athens never re
sounded with more impressive oratory, h
resumed the topic which had been the sub
iect of the former address. He began b
observing, that it was fixed as one OF the
indisputable maxims, that things merely OF
namental were not necessary to the well-bt
ing of man, and that all superfluous thlnE
should be excluded from the usages an
manners of their society. "ln this prs
scrption we have included," said he, "ti
study of iinc arts, for we see them apple
ii only to enbellsh pleasures, ana strength
y en- our inducements to crafty the senses
lg the expense of our immortal claims. Bu
ii because we have seen paintings put to tn
Is derogatory use, and have in consequence
&C prohibited tac cultivation among us, are "
at sure that it is not one OF those gracious gu
IN which God bestowed on the world, not
Oh add to the sensual pleasures OF man, put
OF facilitate his improvement as social al
NC moral beings The fine arts are called Il
81 offspring and emblcms OF peace.
~ "rhc Christian religion itself IS the 40
!. trine Of good will to man. Can those thih
hs which only prosper in peace be contrary
- the Christian religion? But, it is SAID, tn
in, the fine arts soften and emasculate the mn
ed In what ways Isit by wit,drawing tho
sh. who study them, from the robust exercis
en- which enable nations and people to ma
zen war with success ssi Is it by lessenlng the q
ct position Of mankind to destroy one anoth'
,rs, and by tanning the audacity of their anlT
tin- tierceness9 Is it for such reason as IN
on that we who profess to live in unison I,
,ct. friendship, not only among ourselves,
led with all the word-that we should onJ'
leir to the cultivation of the fine arts, OF th'
the arts which dsarm the natural teroclty
it'll man, We may as well be told that
'wn doctrine of peace and life ought TO oe ?
to scribed in the world because it is pernlci,
be to the practice of war and slaughter, as y
,th- the arts which call one man to exercise
pe intellectual powers more than ms Pnysi
era, strength, can be contrary to Christian,
aha and adverse tothe benevolence oil the De
20 20 I sneak not, however, of the fine arts as !,
40 70 means of amusement, nor the study OF Tn
. aJ as pastime to fill up the vacant hours ., y
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