Among other persons of consequence who were pleased with his genius and manners, was Sir Andrew Mitchell, the British resident; and, on his recommendation, Fuseli resolved to visit England, provided he could obtain the consent of his parents. Having secured this, and taken the degree of Master of Arts, he, at the age of twenty-one, set out for London. On quitting his friend Lavater, the physiognomist put into his hand a slip of paper, neatly written, and elegantly framed, containing this monition, "Do the third part of what you can do." In presenting this oracular prescript, he said, "There, my dear friend, hang that up in your bedchamber; keep the counsel constantly in mind, and I know what will be the result." The first employment of Fuseli in England was that of a teacher and translator of languages. To improve himself in English composition, he undertook, and executed, a version of “Winkelman's Reflections on the Painting and Sculpture of the Greeks; with Instructions for the Connoisseur; and an Essay on Grace in Works of Art." Winkelman was the intimate friend and correspondent of the elder Fuseli, so that his translator possessed many advantages in giving the best of his works an English dress, by having heard his own explanations of the principles which were laid down in his critical reflections and didactic essays. The book, when finished, was published in 1765 by subscription, and dedicated to lord Scarsdale, who took a lively interest in the concerns of Mr. Fusseli, as he now called himself, though, afterwards, he softened the name again for the sake of euphony. Soon after the appearance of this entertaining volume, the translator was desired to accompany the son of a nobleman on his travels through Europe; but at Paris, on some disagreement, the parties separated, and the tutor returned to London, where he was much employed by Mr. Cadell, the successor of Andrew Millar, and the no less worthy Joseph Johnson, who was then also rising into eminence as a publisher. For them he translated several popular books from the German and French; by which means he acquired a complete mastery of the English language, and a great readiness in composition. But he also evinced his literary powers still further, about the same time, in a pamphlet entitled “Remarks on the Writings and Conduct of Rousseau;" a production which displays a wonderful exuberance of imagination, and great command over a foreign tongue. At the period when this piece made its appearance, Rousseau had excited the public curiosity in an extraordinary degree, by his quarrel with Hume, and his own capricious conduct in England, where he had met with an asylum and a pension, which | he ill deserved. In the midst of these pursuits, Fuseli found time to amuse himself with drawing; though he had no idea of making painting his profession, from which, indeed, he was much dissuaded by his father, who, notwithstanding his own success in the art, and enthusiasm for it, was very reluctant to indulge his children in the same taste. What were his motives, it is not easy to conjecture, but, as far as regards his two eldest sons, he failed to divert the tide of genius; and at the close of life he rejoiced to hear their praises, and to be satisfied that they were well deserved. At the time when Henry Fuseli was earnestly urged by some of his friends to adopt the diplomatic line, for which he was deemed qualified, and, by others, to enter the ecclésiastical state, for which he had been educated, he happened to shew some of his early sketches to Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was so much struck with the accuracy of the drawing, and the originality of conception which they exhibited, that he said, "Were I the author of these designs, and any person offered me ten thousand a year to relinquish the pursuit of the art, I would spurn the proposal with contempt." This flattering judgment of that great master, determined at once the mind of Fuseli; and from that moment be formed the resolution of quitting every other calling, for the one to which he was evidently destined by nature. In 1771, he and Dr. Armstrong, the poet and physician, with whom he had contracted an intimacy in Germany, set out for Italy; the latter to recruit his health, and the other to improve his talent, by inspecting the great works of art in their native and most favoured region. In their voyage to Leghorn, they encountered very tem and when one of the party lamented the neglect of that branch of the art in this country, the alderman observed, that nothing was wanted but a stimu pestuous weather, and put into Genoa, | versation at the dining-table of Mr. where the two travellers parted, Arm- Josiah Boydell, the alderman's nestrong for Florence, and Fuseli for phew, at Hampstead. The company Rome. In the capital of the world he consisted of Mr. George Nicol, bookmade the works of Michael Angelo his seller to the late king, John Hoole the daily study, preferring that powerful translator of Ariosto, Hayley the poet, master to every other, not even except- and West, Romney, and Paul Sandby, ing the divine Raffaelle himself. the painters. After dinner, the subWhile at Rome he became a mem-ject of historical painting was started, ber of the Academy of St. Luke; and, if we are to credit some accounts, he there formed an intimate connexion with the celebrated sculptor Canova. This story, however, has an apocry-lus for the direction of genius, which phal character, for Canova had scarcely entered his twentieth year when Fuseli returned to England; and though his genius had been developed at an early period, his powers were not much known beyond Venice, when our painter was pursuing his studies at Rome. Mr. Fuseli, during his residence in Italy, transmitted to his friends in London, some performances which were exhibited at the Royal Academy, and gained universal approbation. The principal of these pictures was that of "Edipus and his two Daughters;" a subject in which the artist had an opportunity of giving full scope to his powers in the representation of the stormy passions. After an absence of seven years, Mr. Fuseli fixed his residence in London, with a reputation already so far secured, as to place him little, if at all, below West, who was then extremely popular. He became a member of the Royal Academy, as a matter of course, and contributed, by the productions of his pencil, to advance the dignity of that noble establishment. He had, however, a teazing opponent in Barry, the professor of painting, who publicly in his lectures, and privately in discourse, never failed to ridicule his performances, on account of their extravagance; but it was singular and mortifying enough, that the waspish critic should, on being dismissed from the chair, be succeeded by Fuseli, whose conduct in the office was the very reverse of that of his surly predecessor. In 1786, the late alderman John Boydell commenced that great national work, the Shakspeare Gallery, to which Mr. Fuseli contributed his proportion of pictures; but the assertion, that the plan originated with him, is a gross mistake. The idea was purely accidental, and arose in a con he would willingly encourage, if a proper topic could be selected. Mr. Nicol immediately mentioned Shakspeare, and the effect was electrical every one present spontaneously exclaiming, that a happier hint could not have been furnished. The alderman was as good as his word, and the Shakspeare Gallery, in Pall-Mall, soon afterwards attracted general attention. The pictures painted by Mr. Fuseli, for this undertaking, were eight, besides one for the small edition of Shakspeare. The Plays selected for his magic pencil were, the "Tempest," the " Midsummer Night's Dream," "Macbeth," the "Second Part of Henry IV;" 66 There Henry V.;" "King Lear;" and "Hamlet." The last was his masterpiece, and inferior to none in the entire collection. The scene is that of the Ghost, and it is painted with wonderful sublimity of conception. never, perhaps, was a greater testimony given to the effect of any picture, than what was involuntarily paid to this performance by a celebrated metaphysician now living. As a matter of favour, this gentleman was admitted to an inspection of the Gallery some time before it was opened to the public. He began his scrutiny with the pictures on the side of the room, opposite to that where Mr. Fuseli's Hamlet hung; but, on suddenly turning his head in that direction, he caught a sight of the phantom, and exclaimed, in an accent of terror, “Lord have mercy upon me!” The success which attended these efforts to embody and give a form to the idealities of fancy, inflamed the artist with the ambition of illustrating "Paradise Lost" in the same manner. Accordingly, he painted a series of forty-seven pictures, from the principal circumstances and sublime personifi cations of that immortal epic, the whole of which he exhibited to the public, in Pall-Mall, in 1799, Criticism, however, was more than usually severe on this occasion; and even before the opening of the gallery the newspapers were plied with pasquinades tending to create a prejudice against the painter, by denouncing the laboured productions of his fertile genius, as monstrous, ridiculous, and repulsive, under the title of "Fuseli's Devils." Invidious as all this was, it cannot be denied, that the Miltonic gallery, taken together, did not elevate the artist in the judgment of those who had formed an estimate of his powers by what he had previously executed for the elucidation of Shakspeare. There, at least, he was careful to keep the dramatic representations in view, whether historical or visionary, the creatures of life, or of the imagination; but bere he laid the reins on the neck of his genius, and suffered his fancy to wander at pleasure; the consequence of which was, that though always vigorous and original, he frequently became obscure, and, in aiming at sublimity, fell into caricature. Among his most glaring faults, was an habitual desire to embody images in the most repulsive forms and terrifying situations. If, therefore, the axiom of sir Joshua Reynolds be true, that the object and end of the imitative arts is to delight the imagination, it must be admitted by the most enthusiastic admirers of Fuseli, that their favourite had an extraordinary idea of mental pleasure; for, instead of fascinating he appals, and the utmost that can be said of his manner is, that it is made up of negatives and superlatives. His female figures, if not attractive by their charms, excite admiration by the anatomical accuracy with which the action of the muscles and the articulation of the joints are expressed; aud if bis men want grace, they are not deficient in strength and energy; if he called no seraphs down from the celestial spheres, he knew how to bring up the most tremendous and harrowing spectres from the "vasty deep." Of the pictures which constituted the Miltonic Gallery, the best were, Satan summoning his Legions from the Lake; Sin, Death, and Satan at the gate of Hell; and the Vision of | Adam, where he sees the fatal consequences of his lapse, in the miseries which should befall his posterity. Of these pictures there have been some fine prints engraved; besides which, Mr. Fuseli furnished a set of designs for another edition of Shakspeare. He also painted and exhibited some pieces illustrative of Gray's "Bard," and the "Descent of Odin;" but one of the most remarkable of his attempts was displayed in the painting of " Count Ugolino" from Dante, evidently intended to compete with the famous performance of Reynolds. The appearance of this effort naturally gave ample scope to the spirit of criticism, and some there were who had the hardihood to exalt the production of Fuseli over that of his predecessor. But, without wishing to detract from the merits of the later artist, we may be permitted to say, that, in placing himself by the side of Reynolds, he evinced a strange want of judgment. In one instance only did Sir Joshua ever draw upon fancy, to supply what nature could not furnish for an historic composition; and that was in the introduction of the Demon behind the dying cardinal Beaufort in the play of Henry the Sixth. But setting aside this personification of a troubled conscience, we shall never find in the work of Reynolds any other display of inward emotions than what may be met with in real life. His “ Ugolino," for instance, excites commiseration, and an eager desire to know the circumstances that have led to this me lancholy scene, of wo. But the picture painted by Fuseli, of the same subject, on the contrary, repels curiositý, and causes the mind to shrink from the frantic image of infuriated despair. ,. It is not meant, by these remarks, to undervalue the merits of this artist, which were unquestionably of a high character; but, to point out those excrescences, that will ever make the judicious observer regret the waste of powerful talents upon vagaries, which neither polish taste, nor improve the understanding. Had Fuseli been less of a mannerist, and had he made sober nature his constant guide in the delineation of his figures, and the ex pression of the passions, he would have stood on a lofty pre-eminence, and been deservedly recommended as a model worthy of imitation. allusions to modern taste and patronage. ters;" a work which derives all its value from the simple fact, that it was the first compilation of the kind in the English language. As a biography, however, it is both meagre and incor It has already been observed, that in 1798, he succeeded to the chair of instruction in the Royal Academy. In 1805, Mr. Fuseli was employed This office he held till 1804, when, on by the booksellers to revise and enbeing appointed keeper of the aca-large Pilkington's" Dictionary of Pain demy, he was, by the rules of the institution, that the same person shall not retain two situations at the same time, obliged to resign the professorship. A stronger proof, however, could not be given of the personal re-rect; and in regard to criticism it is spect in which he was regarded by his professional brethren, and of the value set upon his prelectorial talents, than his re-appointment to the chair, on the resignation of Mr. Tresham, in 1810; when, notwithstanding the standing law, he was allowed to unite the two offices, and to hold the keepership till his death. In 1801, he published, in one quarto volume, a portion of his lectures, delivered at the Royal Academy; but though very ingenious and uncommonly animated, some objections were raised against them, on account chiefly of the haughty tone in which the author | thought proper to speak of many distinguished English artists. The lectures which he subsequently delivered were of a better description, particularly those of 1815 and 1816, in which he gave an elegant history of painting, from the rise of this noble art in Italy. In one of these discourses, we remember to have been particularly struck with the lecturer's division of "Invention" into three classes; as landscape, or the delineation of animal and vegetable life; historical composition; and a still more elevated style, selecting and combining the most interesting parts of the other two, under the denomination of dramatic and epic painting. The dramatic, Mr. Fuseli said, originated with Raffaelle, and the finest specimen of it is the cartoon of "St. Paul preaching at Athens." The epic, however, he pronounced to be the loftiest species of human invention; and after dwelling upon the transcendent merits of Homer and Phidias in poetry and sculpture, he placed in the same rank with them, Michael Angelo for the class of painting. These lectures, we believe, have not as yet been given to the world; but if they should hereafter appear, we would recommend the pruning knife to be exercised pretty freely, where the ingenious author chose to give way to a vein of sportive humour in his beneath contempt. Mr. Fuseli added some new articles to this edition, chiefly translated from his father's Memoirs of Swiss painters; and he also scattered a few opinions here and there, upon the characters of the leading masters of the great schools of art, particularly those of Italy. After all, however, the dictionary is exceedingly imperfect; and it is little to the credit of the arts and literature of this country, that the book should have been so long suffered to remain in possession of the field without being superseded byone more worthy of the subject. Had Mr. Fuseli, instead of throwing away his time upon this piece of patchwork, digested his valuable materials and collections into a regular history of painting, he would have rendered a great service to the world of letters and science. By his long residence here, this ingenious man had become almost wholly English; and he both spoke and wrote the language with a facility very re markable for one who had completed his education previous to his settling in this country. It must be admitted, however, that his style of literary composition resembled, in some degree, his manner of painting; being so redundant in the coinage of a new phraseology, and so overloaded with incongruous imagery, as to be frequently incomprehensible. It is remarkable, that his early publications were much more chaste than those of his declining years; and, indeed, the same observation will hold good with respect to the productions of his pencil, the eccentricity of which increased, when it might have been expected that the airiness of his fancy had subsided. In domestic life, Mr. Fuseli was distinguished by his activity and temperance. He was a very early riser; and, whether in town or country, generally rose with, and sometimes before, the sun. He took a deal of exercise, by which means he preserved his POETRY. LINES TO AN APOSTATE. "Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?" GALATIANS. "And is there who the blessed Cross wipes off, Having mentioned these circumstances, the reader, it is hoped, will excuse the relation of an anecdote connected with the private history of Fuseli. It has already been stated, Он, Tommy, think of years gone by! that, among his early friends, was the When faith was strong, and hope ran high; late Joseph Johnson, the publisher. Love all thy element and truth At the table of that honest and liberal The golden era of thy youth. How sweet those rosy moments fled, minded tradesman, the painter was a When heaven's candle cheer'd thy head; frequent, and always welcome guest. And in thy tabernacle fair, Here he had an opportunity of meet- The secret of the Lord-was prayer. ing the celebrated Mary Wolstoncroft, Thy root was spread by waters clear; with whose conversation he was so Soft dews of grace the branches cheer; much pleased, that he gave her a ge- Hence winter snow, or summer showers, And pare devotion wing'd the hours, neral invitation to his house. Ac- Alternate pass'd in rapid flight; quaintance ripened into friendship, For prayer by day and song by night till at length this extraordinary woman Made thee forget, (O joy sublime!) made overtures in writing to Fuseli, All change, all seasons, and all time; of such a nature, as shocked his feel- On rose and myrtle built her nest. The turtle peace, within thy breast ings, and his door was closed against Thy soul was like a peaceful lake, her for ever. This story would not Before the morning breezes wake. have found a place here, had it not Then all could please, in field and flood; been for the still more disgusting fact, The swelling fruit, the infant bud; Earth's carpet green, heaven's ceiling blue, that the conduct of Mary found an Woke in thy breast sensations new. apologist in the man whom she after-Thy spirit breathing purest love, wards made her husband, and who A temple for the mystic Dove, published her memoirs for the edifica- In wary grove an altar rais'd, tion of the sex. Where man was lov'd, and God was prais'd: Mr. Fuseli died at the seat of the It hides the cross, contemus the creed, |