Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-05
BENJAMIN WEST.
FROM THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

BENJAMIN WEST.
FROM PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Observing lately some notice in our papers of the
early genius and efforts of WEST the great Amer-
can painter, the subloined extracts from the first
volume of Rush's z Residence az the Court Of Lon
don, published twenty years ago, may not be unac-
ceptable to some Of our readers, especially as Mr.
WEST was Pennsylvania, and the citizens of this
State may well feel u just pride in his fame
'lslS, MARCH 26.--Vsited Mr.. WEST, President Of
the Royal Academy found him with his pencil in his
hand Inc most curious piece In HE veiis0tvr,
painted when he was eight years old Ii small and
very imperfect he said; hut added that the primary
coors blue, red and yellow, Justly blended that
he could improve that part of the work On asking if
he had any previous instruction which enabled him go
right in 50 important particular, he replied no; he
could say how his judgment had been formed to
it than how he learned his mother tongue
The piece to which he pointed with most interest in
his collection was the Confluence Of Scpio 1t had
been instrumental in bringing him into notice forty years
before George Ill sent for it, kept time at his
palace, and at his Majesys request, he had painted
series of historical pieces from the New Testament They
we're at Windsor to be put up in chapel the King
emplated building The piece from Lear in the Acade
my of Arts ut Philadelphia, was he said among those
with the execution Of which he had been best satisfied
spoke of his Christ Healing the Sick in the Hospital Mt
Philadelphia, remarkng how highly il priced all
the town had aocked IT, He spoke Of criticism
upon it in Philadelphia, in the pamphlet FORM which had
come unuer his notice; said 10 was written IN scholar
like manner and with perfect knowledge the subject
lie knew not the author, could inform him.
" This eminent and venerable artist then nearly
eighty native Of America, born not far from Philadel
pha, be adverted to Of his early life. Philadel
pha being my birth place, enabled to understand
of his local illusions His patrarcha aspect gave
something of the lia feeling Conversation going
as vas surveying his large collection what am to do,
asked, to be able to judge correctly Of paintings
Wherever go in England them in the palaces, in
the hospitals in private houses everywhere the walls
glow with them. the rather ask, continued, there
Is growing taste for the arts in the United States Re-
pu6lics have been celebrated for them; cherish the
nope that this may be lot lie replied that he beey
ed that he could not do better than TO the dis
of Sir Joshua Reynolds. Those productions
said only increased my despair; We knew Of them in
Philadelphia had read them; but what universe they
opened like the poets in Rasselas, 1t boundless
all kind OF knowledge necessary to the painter and
could after ALL without adding the practice Of the eye
hope to become good judges of painting! lie agreed that
the art boundess said that he every day
thing to learn in it, told the anccdote Of the clergyman
who preached of Sir Joshuas dscourses from the pull
pitt emitting technical words as proof Of its foundation
in mans general nature and admitted that it could on,
be successfully studied in conjunction with practice
other words that the eye could gain quick
perception of beauties and defects in pictures by
miarity with the best models This il was said whc
give 70 the English their facilities; foreign
common with them that they the best models abroad
and then kept the eye in practice by gazing the
less numbers Of them at home. He replied that
was true; Englishmen travelled great deal All d
not bring back useful information in the arts but
went abroad that the number still considerable
who did; hence there good Judges Of paintD.
in England than good painters Ii TO meet will
person of leisure and fortune in England literally edu
Gated who had not visited Italy France the Netherlands
if not other countries where the ourished England
also contained, he believed more paintings than any
other country; not in public dcpositariesfor of these
there were none of any accounbut in private houses
The rich among the English bought up the best pictures
upon the continent, wherever to be had. He would be
glad to point out the private collections in London
Those of the Marquis of Stafford now Duke of Suther-
and and Earl Grosvenor NOW Marquis Of Westminster)
stood at the head but there others scattered about
the town, and in far greater numbers throughout the
country, in the mansions Of the opuent their estates
at was thus that he received and talked to Once
observed tear which the early recoectons Of his
tive land inspired by my presence seemed to have
cd felt in his fame the interest Of counryman and
in his whole manner there kindness and simplicity
first Interview As often as saw him afterwards and
my visits repeated, il with renewed pleasure
and advantage but he did not long survive"
His death took place two years afterwards and in the
second volume Of the work have the following
sketch Of the funeral:
1920, March 80 Yesterday attended the funeral
Of Mr.. West. 1t proceeded from Somerset House TO ST.
Paul's where the internen took place 1t was public
funeral by desire of the Royal Society," of which he
President and it understood that the King also de-
siredit Between forty and fifty mourning coaches, the
horses of each having Of black velvet them
made part Of the train There the ceremonies
in other respects Of funeral of this nature in London
such marshal men and cloakmcn horseback, mues
and pages all habited in black The hcarsc drawn
by six horses covered with black velvet and the
Dg coaches being black the horses the harness. and the
pumes gave solemn air to this outward pomp for the
dead. The effect of the whole heightened the
corpse slowly borne through the iron gates Of St
Pau amid the silence of the throng in the streets and
from the windows encrcing that immense cathedral
the largest and most reared by Protestant
hands in Europe.
I" Mr.. West being n native Of my country, l was in
vited by the council and officers OF the Royal Academy
the funeral pall-bearer, aud attended in that capa
city The other pal-bearers the Earl of Aberdeen
Lord Stowel Sir George Beaumont General Phipps the
Honorable Augustus Phpps, Sir Thomas Barring and Sir
Robert Wilson. When the body reached the choir the
bier set down and anthem sung 1t then con-
veye TO the vault door, attended by the pail bearers and
mourners and inferred next that OF Sir Joshua Rey
nod the funeral service being performed ut the pcrfo-
rated brass plate under the of the dome The chief
officiating clergyman the Rev. Gerald yaerian Wei.
lesley, brother of the Duke OF Wellington Altogether
the Of much soemnity and atested the honors
paid departed genius Not only were statesmen Of rank
and in the train but artists scholars phoso
piers and private gentlemen The carriages Of the no
bity and others moving in the procession exceeded
number the mourning coaches"
MEXICAN ITENs.-The telegraph between Mexico and
Guauajuao commenced operations the first Of 0cto
Der. Its first efforts witnessed by Nn immense
course OF peoples among them the Cabinet officers and
many other functonares Of Church and State.
The re-estabishment Of the Jesus in Mexico every
where hailed with lively i0y In Pue