Lavater and Fuseli immediately stepped forward, and boldly avowed what they had written. The magistrate, however, did not choose to await the issue of the inquiry; but thought it prudent to abscond. The result of the investigation was such as did equal credit to the patriotic exertions of the complainers, and to the impartial administration of justice by the council of Zurich. The unjustly-acquired property was restored, and the guilty magistrate condemned to a suitable punishment.

It was not possible, however, that an act of public spirit, such as this, could be performed without the creation of some private enmity. There is reason to believe that young Fuseli felt the annoying effect of this enmity, and that it induced him soon after to quit Zurich; but not until he had taken the degree of Master of Arts. Accompanied by his friend Lavater, he first repaired to Vienna, and then to Berlin; where they both placed themselves under the instructions of the learned Professor Sulzer, the author of a celebrated Lexicon of the Fine Arts. The ready and apprehensive talent which Fuseli discovered, and the intimate acquaintance that he had acquired with the English language, induced Sulzer to select him, as a person admirably qualified for the prosecution of a design which he and other learned men had formed, of opening a channel of communication between the literature of Germany and that of England. Added to this peculiar fitness for the undertaking, young Fuseli, who, constant to his early attachment, derived from his pencil all the amusement of his leisure, had made several drawings,―among the rest, Macbeth, and Lear and Cordelia, for Sir Robert Smith, the English ambassador at the Prussian court; who, pleased with his genius, and flattered by his application of it, treated him with marked kindness; and strongly recommended him to visit England. The concurrence of so many favourable circumstances was irresistible; and the visit to England was determined upon.

On parting with his friend Lavater, the high opinion which the latter entertained of him was shown by his presenting

him with a small piece of paper, beautifully framed and glazed, on which was written, in German, "Do but the tenth part of what you can do."—" Hang that up in your bed-room, my dear friend," said Lavater, "and I know what will be the result."

It was about the year 1762 that Mr. Fuseli arrived in this country. On coming up to London, his first lodging was in Cranbourn-street, then called by the less dignified name of Cranbourn-alley. A perfect stranger,— not being personally known to a single individual in this vast metropolis, the young traveller, notwithstanding the firmness of his character, suddenly became impressed with the apparent forlornness of his situation, and burst into a flood of tears.-An incident which occurred to him at this period, although trifling in itself, also touched his feeling and grateful heart so sensibly, that, in after-life, he frequently related it to his friends. Having, on the day on which he reached London, written a long letter to his mother, communicating to her the events of his journey and voyage, and expressing all the filial affection which absence served only to strengthen, he sallied forth to put his epistle in the post-office; but on inquiring his way of a vulgar fellow whom he saw in the street, his foreign accent provoked a horse-laugh. Fuseli was much annoyed at this insolence; but was relieved from his embarrassment by a gentleman who, happening to witness the occurrence, kindly accosted him, pointed out the error which he had committed in his pronunciation, and directed him to the object of his search.

He did not, however, long remain in this desolate condition. Having brought letters of introduction from Sir Robert Smith to Mr. Coutts, the banker, and to Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Cadell, the booksellers, those gentlemen received him with great cordiality, and by every means in their power forwarded the purpose of his mission. Through their interest he obtained the situation of tutor to a nobleman's son, whom he subsequently accompanied on a visit to Paris. He also engaged with ardour in literary pursuits. In 1765, appeared

his first publication, "Reflections on the Painting and Sculpture of the Greeks, with Instructions for the Connoisseur; and an Essay on Grace, in Works of Art; translated from the German of the Abbé Winckelmann." Soon afterwards, he was tempted to take a part in the dispute between Rousseau and Voltaire, and to write and publish an essay in defence of the former. Almost the whole of the impression, however, was destroyed by fire. His name was not attached to this essay; and he was far from desirous of being considered its author. Some years afterwards, at the table of Dr. Armstrong, the poet, (a great crony of his,) Armstrong challenged him with being so. Fuseli neither denied nor acknowledged the fact, but was angry at the assertion; and stoutly contended that his host had no right to make it.

Among the men of genius and talents to whom Mr. Fuseli was introduced upon his arrival in London, was Sir Joshua Reynolds. On showing several of his drawings to Sir Joshua, that profound judge of the art inquired how long he had been returned from Italy; and expressed great surprise at hearing that he had never before been out of Switzerland. The president would occasionally beg from him some of his little sketches; and was so much struck with the conception and power displayed in these efforts, that at last he could not refrain from saying, "Young man, were I the author of those drawings, and were offered ten thousand a year not to practise as an artist, I would reject the proposal with contempt." This unequivocal opinion, proceeding from such a quarter, at a moment when Fuseli was balancing with respect to his future career, decided it. He had been offered a living if he would take orders; but he now determined to devote his whole life to painting.

The first picture that he produced was "Joseph interpreting the dreams of the Baker and Butcher." It was purchased by Mr. Johnson, and for many years hung in his house; until at length, being much cracked, and otherwise injured by time, Mr. Fuseli had it home, to try if he could restore it; but whether or not the attempt was ever made, we do not know.

The state of the arts in England, at the period to which we are now adverting, was such, that no young historical painter could enjoy the means of beneficial study. Fully aware of the necessity of having recourse to the fountains of excellence in the arduous profession which he had undertaken, Mr. Fuseli resolved to go to Italy. Accordingly, in the year 1770, accompanied by his friend Armstrong, he embarked for Leghorn. The vessel was, however, driven ashore at Genoa; and thence the travellers proceeded to Rome, The eager delight with which the young and enthusiastic artist rifled all the pictorial treasures of "the eternal city,' may easily be imagined. Of course, the works of Raphael excited his warm admiration; but Michael Angelo, — the object of his early fondness, Michael Angelo became the god of his idolatry. The master-pieces of that great man were for years the objects of his unwearied attention. From them he imbibed that grandeur of style which redeemed the productions of his future life from the consequences of an occasional inattention to minor qualities. So firm and broad was his pencil, even at that period, that the celebrated Piranesi, seeing him one day sketching a figure, exclaimed, "this is not designing, but building a man."

Re

Mr. Fuseli did not confine his studies to Rome. By a very curious and interesting journal which he kept, and which is still in existence, it appears that he visited the other principal cities of Italy, and drew from them all abundant nourishment for his genius. Nor did he pursue the vulgar track of students who restrict themselves to a laborious copying of the works of the ancient masters. His ardent imagination, indeed, was little suited to such a task. tiring from the intense contemplation of the productions of those masters to his study; while he endeavoured to exalt his own ideas to the standard of their excellence, he poured out, on canvas, the glowing conceptions of his fancy, regardless of any manner but that which nature dictated to him. For his subjects he most frequently chose passages of Shakspeare and Milton; but he sometimes

sought them in the stores of his own vivid imagination. He sent several of his performances to England, where they were exhibited in the rooms of the Society of English Painters. In 1774, a drawing by him, the subject of which was "The death of Cardinal Beaufort," appeared in the Exhibition of the Royal Academy; and in 1777, a picture of "A scene in Macbeth."

While in Italy, Mr. Fuseli of course became acquainted with all the Englishmen of rank and talent who visited that country; among the rest with Lord Rivers; who was his warm friend through life.

Feeling that his mind had now acquired its full strength, and his hand its perfect cunning, Mr. Fuseli, after a residence abroad of above eight years, again turned his thoughts to England, whither the invitations of men well known for their love of the arts forcibly attracted him. He left Italy in 1778. He first went to Zurich; where he remained for six months with his family; and thence proceeded to England, in the year 1779. On his arrival, he found himself without a rival as a connoisseur in art; and he soon distinguished himself by his own productions. It will be seen by the list of the pictures sent by Mr. Fuseli to the exhibitions of the Royal Academy, inserted in the sequel of this little memoir, that several of his works appeared in the exhibitions of the years 1780 and 1781. But the first picture which brought him into great public notice was "The NightMare," which was exhibited in 1782. The extraordinary and peculiar genius which it evinced was universally felt; and perhaps no single picture ever made a greater impression in this country. A very fine mezzotinto engraving of it was scraped by John Raphael Smith; and so popular did the print become, that although Mr. Fuseli received only twenty guineas for the picture, the publisher made five hundred by his speculation. The original design for this striking composition, and in which the horse is not introduced, is in the possession of John Knowles, Esq. It bears the date of March, 1781.