Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-03-29
HERALD OF THE TIMES.

an article in your paper of Dec. I'd, entitled
I"ANEcporEs or GiLBERr STUART, fron
Herbert's Irish Yarieiies and that because it
relates to very particular friend, OF whom
no man now living knows so much, and may
add SD thoroughly; for born in the same year
and dwelling m the same town, and educated
together in Newport, Rhode Island, and both
OF Us when school boys painting mad; Tor we
painted before we learnt TO draw, and one oi
US drew the human subject before ho learnt
its anatomy, even its osteology.
Stuart has often said he should never have
gone to London had not gone there first
and halt believe il. When he went he car
ried but one letter Of introduction. lie EN-
barked in the last ship that escaped detention
IN the harbor of Boston and when he arry-
ed in England, was in Scotland, and when
| went to Leyden he went to Ireland, yet
were we in London together long enough to
become acquainted with some Of tho most
eminent artists, and oil the most celebrated
| pictures-and even when a student at the
H famous medical school Of Batavia, had not
divested myself entirely Of my painting
| idolatry-so tenacious are habits, whose food
is the Imagination ofyoung people.
H While was pursuing the study OF physlc
in DR.. Fothergilrs family-Stuart and | set
apart Saturdays for visiting pictures wherever
we could get admission, and this was practi-
cable in the highest families in the summer
season, when people Of high rank were in
the country.
II It says in your paper Of the Cd instant, that
ri when Stuart first visited Mr.. West, that grea,
painter asked him if he had chosen his profes
sion and that it was only when he saw
West painting day after day that he deter
mincd on being n painter. Now protest
tins to be an idle story without foundation
bottom or sides to it,-a mere idle fgment
Every man Of extensive reading knows that
our modern bographcrs are too often marked
and disgraced by lies.
\ When first mentioned the name Of Gil.
bert Stuart to Mr.. West the ne,cs Of the
Lexington battle, 18Th Of April, l775, hac
not arrived in London. Stuart had painted
many portraits Of gentlemen and ladies, ant
one Of myself, now in my entry at Cambridge
the onecdote of st. GATHERINGS orsanist j,
more than half poeticdL.
/ was introduced 10 Mr.. Vests family, ,
year, perhaps, before Stuart went to London
was introduced to it by his venerable ia
| thcr, whose patriarchal countenance he ha'
introduced into several Of his best pictures
and particularly that of the West family, il
which my old and venerable friend Thomas
: West, with his gray hair, ana drao colorct
vcstmcnts strongly designate the Quaker
gentleman. | had to apply TO Mr. West
when it was very low water indeed with m,
: old play mate and school fellow. On whicl
painful occasion Mr.. West sent his scrvan
to me with message that relieved his i'm
l mediate wants. Then it was that Mr.. Yves
employcd him in copying certain pictures
going ds was informed to the East Indies
What other introduction Stuart had to Yves
know not. This was all that ever came I,
E my knowledge. Col. Trunbull, who is We
living, may know more, and West had I
great partiality for Mr.. Trnmbull, who hat
more talents for historical painting thar
fStuart, who had none. Gilbert Stuart was
a great head painter. but Trumbull, as wei
as .4llstOn, excelled him in the hands. Hi.
forte was the mate-hunan countcnance, il
which neither Rubens, Rembrandt nor Van
dyke cxcelled him. B. w.