The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Esq. Composed from Materials Furnished by Himself by Galt, John, 1779-1839

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* * * * * "gentlemen,

Antideluvian Dispensation. Patriarchal Dispensation. The Mosaical Dispensation.

National Monument. "dear Sir George,

* * * * * "my Dear Sir,

Chief Mourners.

End Of Part Ii.

Chap. V.

Motives which induced him to visit New York.--State of Society in New
York.--Reflections on the sterility of American
talent.--Considerations on the circumstances which tend to produce
Poetical feelings.--The causes which produced the peculiarities in the
state of Society in New York.--The Accident which led the Artist to
discover the method of colouring Candle-light and Fire effects after
Nature.--- He copies Strange's engraving of Belisarius, by Salvator
Rosa.--The occurrence which hastened his Voyage to Italy, with the
Anecdote of his obligations to Mr. Kelly.--Reflections on Plutarch,
occasioned by reference to the effect which his works had on the mind
of West.--The Artist embarks; occurrence at Gibraltar.--He arrives at
Leghorn.--Journey to Rome.

Chap. VI.

State of the stationary Society of Rome.--Causes which rendered the
City a delightful temporary residence.--Defects of the Academical
methods of study.--His introduction to Mr. Robinson.--Anecdote of
Cardinal Albani.--The Cardinal's method of finding Resemblances, and
curious mistake of the Italians.--The Artist's first visit to the
Works of Art.

Chap. VII.

Anecdote of a famous Improvisatore.--West the subject of one of his
finest effusions.--Anecdote of Cardinal Albani.--West introduced to
Mengs.--Satisfactory result of West's first essay in
Rome.--Consequence of the continual excitement which the Artist's
feelings endured.--He goes to Florence for advice.--He accompanies
Mr. Matthews in a tour.--Singular instance of liberality towards the
Artist from several Gentlemen of Philadelphia.

Chap. VIII.

The result of the Artist's experiment to discover the methods by which
Titian produced his splendid colouring.--He returns to Rome.
--Reflections suggested by inspecting the Egyptian Obelisk.
--Considerations of the Author on the same subject; an anecdote of a
Mohawk Indian who became an Actor at New York.--Anecdote of a Scottish
Fanatic who arrived in Rome to convert the Pope.--Sequel of the
Adventure.--The Artist prepares to visit England.--Having completed
his St. Jerome, after Corregio's famous picture, he is elected an
Honorary Member of the Academy of Parma, and invited to Court.--He
proceeds by the way of Genoa towards France.--Reflections on the Stale
of Italy.--Adventure on reaching the French frontiers.--State of
Taste in France.

The Life and Studies of Benjamin West

Chap. I.

The Birth and Paternal Ancestry of Mr. West.--His Maternal
Family.--His Father.--The Origin of the Abolition of Slavery by the
Quakers.--The Progress of the Abolition.--The Education of the
Negroes.--The Preaching of Edmund Peckover.--His Admonitory Prediction
to the Father of West.--The first Indication of Benjamin's
Genius.--State of Society in Pennsylvania.--The Indians give West the
Primary Colours.--The Artist's first Pencils.--The Present of a Box of
Colours and Engravings.--His first Painting.

Benjamin West, the subject of the following Memoirs, was the youngest son of John West and Sarah Pearson, and was born near Springfield, in Chester County, in the State of Pennsylvania, on the 10th of October, 1738.

The branch of the West family, to which he belongs, has been traced in an unbroken series to the Lord Delawarre, who distinguished himself in the great wars of King Edward the Third, and particularly at the battle of Cressy, under the immediate command of the Black Prince. In the reign of Richard the Second, the ancestors of Mr. West settled at Long Crandon in Buckinghamshire. About the year 1667 they embraced the tenets of the Quakers; and Colonel James West, the friend and companion in arms of the celebrated Hampden, is said to have been the first proselyte of the family. In 1699 they emigrated to America.