travelled with his family through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, and returned home, after an absence of five months, through France.

Mr. Ricardo never appeared more cheerful, or in better health, than he did during his last retirement in the country, just previous to his death. This premature event was occasioned by an affection of the ear, which ultimately extended itself to the internal part of the head. Mr. Ricardo had for many years not been entirely free from this complaint, of which he thought but slightly; for it had never before occasioned him any very serious inconvenience. He was attended through his last illness by one of his brothers, who had retired from the medical profession, and who was then on a visit to him. There were no symptoms that could excite the smallest anxiety about his recovery, till a very short time before his decease, when the transition was sudden, from perfect confidence to complete despair. He died on Thursday, the 11th of September, 1823, surrounded by his family, who had the misery of watching him throughout a whole day and night, expecting every moment to be his last. He was buried at Hardenhuish. The church and burying-ground are on the estate of Mr. T. Clutterbuck, Mr. Ricardo's son-in-law. It was always his wish to be buried in the most private manner, as he hated any thing like ostentation, and more particularly on such an occasion; he was therefore followed to the grave only by his three sons, seven brothers, three sons-inlaw, and three brothers-in-law. Mr. Hume, M. P., also attended, at his own particular request.

*

Mr. Ricardo has left behind him a beloved wife and seven children, to bemoan the loss of one of the best of husbands, and most indulgent of fathers.

High as has been the testimony publicly borne to the merits of Mr. R. since his death, it has not exceeded what he deserved. His private worth kept pace with those public qualities which earned him so great an estimation. To intel

* One of his daughters died, shortly after her marriage, a few years ago.

lectual powers of the first order, he joined a candour, a modesty, a diffidence, which never allowed him to assume to himself a merit which he felt he did not deserve ;—a love of justice which never permitted him to be influenced by his feelings, or biassed by any circumstances that might divert him from doing that which he thought strictly right; - a disinterestedness which made him always regardless of his own personal benefit, in the maintenance of general principles. When a Bank proprietor, he argued strenuously and warmly against the inordinate gains of that body; he defended the cause of the fund-holders when he had ceased to be one; he was accused of an attempt to ruin the landed interest after he became a large landed proprietor; and while a member of parliament, he advocated the cause of reform, which, if adopted, would have deprived him of his seat. Superior to the misleading power of self-interest, his aim was the dissipation of erroneous, and the promulgation of true and correct principles, the adoption of which should tend to the amelioration of mankind, and the production of the greatest possible good. Such was Mr.Ricardo :- as a private character unexcelled; pre-eminent as a philosopher; and in his public capacity a model of what a legislator ought to be.

378

No. XIX.

SIR HENRY RAEBURN, R. A.

THE subject of the present memoir may be considered as the founder of the resident school of Scottish painting. Scotland had not failed to produce artists of eminence, both in history and portrait. Among the latter, Jameson, called sometimes the Scottish Vandyke, and Allan Ramsay, son of the poet, hold most respectable places. Their country, however, did not afford patronage adequate to their merits; and they were obliged to seek employment and dictinction in the sister metropolis. During the last half century, however, the progress of wealth and taste led to a sensible improvement in this particular; and during the early life of Mr. Raeburn, David Martin, though an artist of only secondary talent, and not to be compared to his two predecessors in the art, had obtained very considerable employment in Edinburgh.

Henry Raeburn was born on the 4th March, 1756, and was the son of Mr. William Raeburn, a respectable manufacturer at Stockbridge, then a village about a mile distant from Edinburgh, though, in consequence of the great extension of that city, it has now become a closely contiguous suburb. While yet a child, he had the misfortune to lose both his parents; but this want was supplied to him, as much as it could be, by his elder brother, William, who succeeded to the business, and acted to him always the part of a father. We understand that Sir Henry, during his youthful education, did not discover any particular propensity to the art in which he was destined so remarkably to excel. It was only observed, at the class of arithmetic, when the boys were amusing themselves in drawing figures on their slates, that his displayed a very striking superiority to those of the

other boys; but this did not lead any farther. In other respects, he was distinguished by the affection of his companions, and formed at that early period intimacies with some of those distinguished friends whose regard accompanied him through life. Amongst this number was the Lord Chief Commissioner, Adam.

The circumstances of young Raeburn rendering it urgent that he should, as early as possible, be enabled to provide for his own support, he was accordingly, at the age of fifteen, apprenticed to an eminent goldsmith in Edinburgh. It was soon after this that he began to paint miniatures. In what manner this taste first showed itself is not exactly known; but it certainly was altogether spontaneous, without lesson or example, and without even having ever seen a picture. His miniatures were executed, however, in such a manner as drew immediate attention among his acquaintances. His master then took him to see Martin's' pictures, the view of which altogether astonished and delighted him, and made an impression which was never effaced. He continued to paint miniatures; they were much admired, and were soon in general demand. His time was fully occupied; and he generally painted two in the week. As this employment of course withdrew his time from the trade, an arrangement was made, by which his master received part of his earnings, and dispensed with his attendance.

In the course of his apprenticeship, young Raeburn began to paint in oil, and on a large scale. To aid him in this task, he obtained from Martin the loan of several pictures to copy; but that painter did not contribute advice or assistance in any other shape; and having once unjustly accused the young student of selling one of the copies, Raeburn indignantly refused any farther accommodation of this nature. Having begun, however, to paint large oil pictures, he soon adopted them in preference to miniatures, a style which he gradually gave up; nor did his after manner retain any trace of that mode of painting.

At the expiration of his apprenticeship, Mr. Raeburn be

came professionally a portrait-painter. At the age of twentytwo, he married a daughter of Peter Edgar, Esq. of Bridgelands, with whom he received some fortune: Ambitious still farther to improve in his art, he repaired to London, where he introduced himself and his works to the notice of Sir Joshua Reynolds. That great man instantly saw all that the young Scotsman was capable of, gave him the kindest reception, and earnestly advised him to enlarge his ideas by a visit to Italy. He even offered, had it been necessary, to supply hm with money. Mr. Raeburn accordingly set out for Rome, well furnished with introductions from Sir Joshua to the most eminent artists and men of science in that capital. He spent two years in Italy, assiduously employed in studying those great works of art with which that country abounds. He travelled with all practicable expedition to and from Italy, without stopping at Paris or at any other place.

His powers now fully matured, Mr. Raeburn returned in 1787 to his native country, and immediately established himself at Edinburgh. Having taken apartments in George Street, he came at once into full employment as a portrait-painter. Martin, who was still on the field, soon found himself eclipsed, and retired. Raeburn became the only portrait-painter of eminence; and he continued always decidedly the first, notwithstanding the able artists who have since risen in Edinburgh to adorn both that and other branches of the art.

A life spent in one place, and in uniform application to professional pursuits, affords few materials for narrative. In 1795, finding his apartments not sufficiently spacious for the operations to be there carried on, he built a large house in York Place, the upper part of which was lighted from the roof, and fitted up as a gallery for exhibition, while the lower was divided into convenient painting rooms. Mr. Raeburn had always his domestic residence at St. Bernard's, near Stockbridge, in a house beautifully situated on the Water of Leith, whose banks are here agreeably diversified and finely wooded. In addition to a paternal inheritance there, he became proprietor of some fields on its north side, a great