Chapter VII

MENTION OF SOME IMPORTANT PICTURES.--THE CUSTOM HOUSE
AUTHORITIES AND “THE CAPTIVE” PICTURE.--THE “DEAD SOLDIER”
AND HEATH THE ENGRAVER.--“DESTRUCTION OF THE FLOATING
BATTERIES OFF GIBRALTAR.”--“THE ORRERY.”--EARL FERRERS AS
A PATRON.--MORTIMER.--PETER PINDAR.--DR. DARWIN.--ANNA
SEWARD.--WEDGWOOD.--BENTLEY.--“THE ALCHYMIST” PICTURE.--HAYLEY
THE POET.--THOS. A. HAYLEY THE SCULPTOR.

We have seen that Wright’s visit to Italy caused him to turn his attention to landscape, and it is after his return from thence that we find him entering upon the treatment of poetical subjects. “Edwin,” from Beattie’s “Minstrel,” and “Maria,” from Sterne’s sentimental journey, were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1778 and 1781, and were portraits of living persons, who were eminently fitted to represent the ideal of the authors. Before Wright commenced to paint “Edwin the Minstrel,” he wrote to Dr. Beattie to ask his opinion upon the treatment of the subject. The Doctor wrote a very excellent letter in reply, and concluded by saying, “Edwin from your pencil will be all my pen vainly endeavoured to make him.” A Derby gentleman, Thos. Haden, surgeon, who was considered to be one of the handsomest men in the town at that date, sat for this picture. The lady who sat for “Maria” was a Mrs. Bassano, of Derby.

I am indebted to Mr. F. Seymour Haden for kindly allowing me to embellish this volume with his admirable etching of “Edwin the Minstrel.”

We may well attribute these and some other pictures of a sentimental character to the influence of Wright’s visit to Italy. Wright was evidently indebted for the attitude of the figure in the picture of “The Captive” to Michael Angelo’s “Adam” in the Capella Sistina. This picture was painted in Rome, and sent to England. A very good tale is told about it, which is here inserted from “The Universal Magazine” of June, 1795:--

“When this celebrated painter (Wright, of Derby) was at Rome, he painted that very fine figure, “The Captive,” from Sterne, and consigned the picture to a friend in London, who having advice of its being landed, and deposited in the Custom House, presented a petition to the Board, stating that it was a portrait painted by an English artist, and praying it might be delivered duty free. In answer to this he received an order to attend on a given day, and was brought before their honours. The picture was produced, and the first question asked was, “Of whom is it the portrait?” The gentleman replied with truth, it was the portrait of a Roman (for it was copied from a Roman beggar), and the Board seemed inclined to let it pass; but an old gentleman, who had long been a Commissioner, made a shrewd objection, and remarked that this was such a portrait as he had never before seen in his life, and taken in a manner that he did not believe either Roman, Greek, Turk, Jew, or Infidel, would ever consent to ‘sit.’ ‘If,’ he added, ‘any gentleman at this Honourable Board chose to have his picture drawn, would not he put on a clean shirt, and have his wig fresh powdered, and be clean shaved; answer me that? To be sure he would. Now, it is here pretended, that this fellow sat for his portrait, who had hardly a rag to cover his nakedness; gentlemen, if he could have afforded to have paid for painting his picture, he could have afforded to buy himself a pair of breeches!’ He added by moving that the duty might be paid; and the duty was paid accordingly.”

Wright was more fortunate when he returned from Italy, as to payment of Custom House duties, as the following extract from a letter from Bath, dated 4th Dec., 1775, shows:--“Through the interest & application of my friend Mr. Baxter, I have got my pictures, &c., duty free, a thing so unusual the clerks cou’d scarce credit it. I believe it an indulgence none have experienced but myself. Had I been charged with ye common duty, I should have had near £30 to pay, an object this at any time, at the present a very material one.”

From the pictures of this character, we must not omit to mention that of the “Dead Soldier,” from Langhorne’s poems, which has become so familiar through the excellent line engraving by Heath.

It is related that Wright said before he painted the “Dead Soldier,” that he would depict the greatest possible sorrow, yet there should be a smiling face in the picture. The following lines by William Sotheby, F.R.S., bear testimony to the realisation of his intention:--

“I, to yon lonely tent by pity led,
View where the widow mourns her soldier, dead;
Turns from her babe, whose careless smiles impart
Strange woe, that harrows up the mother’s heart,
Hangs o’er the body, bleeding on the ground,
Clasps his cold hand, and faints upon the wound.”

The picture of the “Dead Soldier” was bought from the easel by Heath for £105, who afterwards sold it to J. L. Philips. It was sold in Manchester, when the effects of that Patron of the Fine Arts came to the hammer, by Winstanley and Taylor, in October, 1814, and then realized £315. It is thus described in the Catalogue:--“Lot 33, Wright, of Derby,--‘The Dead Soldier.’ This acknowledged _chef-d’œuvre_ of this admired master, uniting great knowledge of grouping, excellent drawing, & correct colouring, with a fine feeling of sentiment, decidedly proves the assertion of Mr. Fuzeli, in his ‘Biographical Notice of Mr. Wright,’ that ‘he once eminently succeeded in the pathetic.’”

The line engraving by Heath appears, from the following correspondence, to have been a great success.

The following is a copy of the original circular issued by the Engraver:--

London, July 25th, 1795.

PROPOSALS

For Publishing by Subscription

A PRINT,

To be Engraved by

_JAMES HEATH_,

Historical engraver to his Majesty, &c.,

from

The celebrated picture

of

THE DEAD SOLDIER,

Painted by

WRIGHT, OF DERBY.

CONDITIONS:

That the plate shall be the Size of the Plate of the DEATH
OF GENERAL WOLFE. The price of each print will be One
Guinea; Proofs, Two Guineas; Half to be paid at the time of
subscribing, and the remainder on the delivery of the Print.

Subscriptions are received by the Proprietor, _James Heath_,
at 42 Newman Street, where a proof of the plate may be seen.

_Received __________________ 179 of
the sum of ______________ being Half of the Subscription
for ______________ impression of the above-mentioned print,
which I promise to deliver according to the proposals._

The following correspondence relating to the print is also of some interest:--

“Oct. 17th, 1796.

“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“I have sent a proof of the ‘Dead Soldier’ very near finished.
Pray let me have your opinion and remarks upon it as soon
as possible. I have sent one to Wright, and have asked him
to paint a companion to it; if he will not, who would you
recommend for that purpose?

“I have hopes of a great sale from the number of subscribers I
already have, and the approbation the print has met with from
every one who has seen it.

“J. HEATH.”

“1796.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“The prints you mention from Wright’s I dare say I shall be
able to pick up at the sales this winter. I have heard from
Mr. Wright, in which he says: ‘The effect of the picture is so
well preserved, and the parts which compose it so true, that
I have nothing to say but that I am well pleased with it.’ He
says that he began to paint again about a week ago, and that
he will (if his health returns) talk to me about a companion
picture.

“J. HEATH.”

“Feby., 1797.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“I shewed him (Lord Lansdowne) a proof of the ‘Dead Soldier,’
which he liked exceedingly, and subscribed for a couple. I
asked his permission to dedicate it to him, which seemed to
give him great pleasure. I expect him to call to see the
picture, and when he has seen it, I will immediately send it
on to you.

“J. HEATH.”

“TO JOSEPH WRIGHT.

“SIR,

“As I am going to publish the ‘Dead Soldier,’ I wish to
announce the ‘Shipwrecked Sailor’ as a companion. I should
therefore be much obliged to you to inform me whether your
health will permit your painting it. An answer will much
oblige.

“Your most obedt. Servt.,
“JAS. HEATH.
“Mch. 14th, 1797.
“Newman St., London.”

“April, 1797.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“I have sent in a large tin case by to-night’s conveyance,
four Dozen of the very first impressions of the ‘Dead
Soldier,’ and one Dozen proofs. This number is more than you
have at different times ordered for yourself and friends, but
as I have raised the price to

2. 2. 0.
1. 6. 0.

and as they are choice impressions, I should suppose they will
not stick on hand. If they should, you can at any time return
them. A few of them have the same date of publication as the
proofs, and consequently in the earliest state. I have met
with more success than I had hoped for in such times as these.
It is universally talked of, and I have orders for between 2 &
300 from the trade only.

“J. HEATH.”

“Aug 20, 1797.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“A few days ago I sent an India proof of the ‘Dead Soldier.’
I should have sent you one before, but as the India paper was
not good, I did not take above three impressions, the best
of which you have. I have sent by to-day’s coach seven ‘Dead
Soldiers.’ Respecting the two pictures of Wright’s, of ‘Hero’
& ‘Leander,’ I mentioned it to L^{d.} Lansdowne, who has
promised to procure them for me if he can. Have you heard how
Wright is lately. If he is not dead, I shall think there are
hopes he may recover sufficiently to paint a companion for me.”

“1797.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“I received (1797) yours with the bill enclosed. I am very
sorry to hear of Wright’s death, as I do not know now who to
get to paint a companion to the ‘Dead Soldier.’ I wish you
would say who you think would do it best. I mean to get the
pictures of ‘Hero,’ &c., as soon as L^{d.} Lansdowne comes to
Town, and with respect to Sterne’s ‘Old Man and Ass,’ I think
it would be a good thing to engrave. Mr. Corbould would be the
man to put the back ground to it.

“J. HEATH.”

“June 14^{th.} 1798.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“I wish you would get the two pictures of ‘Hero’ & ‘Leander’
for me. I should like to engrave them very much. I have
mentioned them to L^d Lansdowne several times, but he seems to
hint that there is a family coolness which prevents him from
asking for them.

“The ‘Dead Soldier’ continues to sell very well, indeed so
much so, that I am very desirous of going on publishing for
myself.

“J. HEATH.”

“July 28, 1805.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“Mr. Corbould desires me to inform you that he has finished
Wright’s picture. I should think it would be worth while to
engrave it, and if, after you have seen it, you think so too,
and would go halves in the speculation, I should like to do it.

“J. HEATH.
“Russell Place.”

“May 12, 1807.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“My next work will be a companion to the ‘Dead Soldier.’
M^{r.} Smirke has nearly finished the picture. He had painted
one four years ago, but it did not quite please him, and he
has now succeeded more to his wishes.

“J. HEATH.”

“Feby., 1810.
“TO J. L. PHILIPS.

“I have often thought of mentioning to you the circumstance of
M^{r.} Morland’s having bought my Landscape of Wright’s for
16 Guineas, and his never offering to pay for it, although
it is so long ago. I wish for your advice, as you know his
circumstances better than I do.

“J. HEATH.”

It has been the custom to view Wright only as a painter of artificial light, and for picture dealers and some others to attribute all unknown pictures of fire in any form to “Wright of Derby.” We ourselves have seen many so attributed, which would not add fame to any painter’s name. The Exhibition of Wright’s Works in the Derby Corporation Art Gallery, in 1883, tended to dispel this unfounded illusion as to the limits of Wright’s art. Whilst the representation of fire-light in some form or other was undoubtedly a speciality with Wright, this class of subjects, after all, formed but a small proportion of the numerous works then collected together.

On reference being made to the appendix it will be noticed that there were many other important works painted by Wright which were never exhibited; and as he did not always sign his paintings, they may possibly now be attributed to other artists, or to the great _unknown_.

A picture that created considerable attention at the time it was painted, was the “Destruction of the Spanish Floating Batteries off Gibraltar,” on September 13th, 1782,[38] which was bought from the easel by Mr. J. Milnes for £420, being the highest price Wright obtained for a single picture. This was one of the works included in the London Exhibition of Wright’s pictures in the year 1785, and a notice of the Press of that date thus alludes to it:--“We shall, however, at different periods lay before our readers a particular account of these noble productions as they stand in the catalogue: except that grand scene of the ‘Destruction of the Floating Batteries off Gibraltar,’ which we cannot resist the present impulse of mentioning out of its turn. In this picture, Mr. Wright has represented a view of the extensive scenery, combined with the action on the 13th Sept., 1782, in which his design is sublime, and his colouring natural and brilliant beyond description. We never remember to have seen shadows painted so little like substance as those in the foreground, which gain great strength and richness from the prodigious brightness of the grand explosion at a distance; but we feel ourselves inadequate to the task of pointing out the various merits of this phenomenon in the imitative arts, which proves the painter is unique in the extraordinary line of the charming study he has so happily pursued.”

_Original picture in the possession of Mr. George Dean, Derby._]

The following lines were written by Hayley, “On Wright’s Picture of the Siege of Gibraltar”--

CALPE’S ADDRESS TO BRITANNIA.

“With patriotic pride, and national delight,
Ye Britons view me in the tints of Wright!
My rock’s the proof, that British Minds and Hearts
Are honour’s darlings, both in Arms and Arts;
With double triumph here let Britons say
Britons alone could rule this fiery fray;
This miracle of Art a Briton wrought,
Painting as boldly as his country fought.”

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM BUXTON WELLS, JANUARY 3, 1785.

“Governor Elliot’s successful defence of Gibraltar has, among the many essential advantages accruing from it, been productive of some of the noblest works in the Fine Arts, especially among the painters. On stopping at Derby a few days since, I was introduced by a friend to view the productions of that great genius Wright, whose astonishing power of expressing artificial lights on canvas, the world has long been acquainted with. His new picture on the Siege of Gibraltar, for composition, force, brilliancy, and prodigious effect of fire, exceeds, in my opinion, all his former labours. To attempt a description of it would be in vain; whoever sees the picture must have such an idea of the action as no poetry can describe. Mr. Wright has not been in the Exhibition (for reasons I cannot explain) for some time past, but that he will not withhold this sublime piece from general inspection, I most sincerely hope, as the attack on Gibraltar, with some other pieces on interesting subjects, would form an Exhibition in every way worthy of the countenance of the public.”

The “Orrery” picture was exhibited at the Society of Artists’ Rooms, in 1766, so must have been painted when Wright was thirty years old. It was purchased by, and probably painted for, the Earl Ferrers, for the sum of two hundred guineas; fifty pounds of this was paid on account, and the remainder secured by a bond, of which a copy is given on the next page.

The figures in the picture are all portraits, and various persons have been mentioned as the probable originals who were thus honoured. A copy of the print, once belonging to the artist, has certain names written on the margin, with the date 1768, so that the following are identified:--Jos. Wright, with his back towards the spectator, Mr. Burdett taking notes, young Cantrell, Mr. A. Winterman, Mr. G. Snowden, Mrs. Sale, and Mr. Denby as the philosopher.

Mr. Burdett also figures in the “Gladiator” picture. The other boy sitter was a son of Earl Ferrers, as the following extract from the “Stemmata Shirleiana” shows:--“Lawrence Rowland, 2nd Son of Robert 6th Earl of Ferrers, Bap. at St. Alkmund’s Derby, Nov. 3, 1757, d. Feb. 5, 1773. His portrait when very young is preserved in Wright’s celebrated picture of the ‘Orrery,’ well known from the engraving.”

The picture passed from the hands of the Ferrers family, and was sold by Mr. Thos. Rought, of London, to the late Mr. Francis Wright, of Osmaston Manor, by Ashbourne, for the sum of fifty guineas, in 1853. In 1884, at the dispersion of Mr. John Osmaston’s collection, to whom the picture then belonged, it was again in the market, and it is with pleasure that we are able to record that, being purchased by a few of Wright’s admirers, singularly, at the original price of two hundred guineas, it was on September 4th presented to the Derby Corporation Art Gallery as a memorial to the painter, where it will remain as a fitting record of the admirable powers he possessed, and be admired by his fellow-townsmen in years to come.

The bond mentioned above was as follows:--

[Sidenote: STAMP 1/6]

Know all men by these presents That we the Right Honourable
Washington Earl of Ferrers Peter Pery Burdett of Stanton
Harold in the County of Leicester Gentleman are held and
firmly bound to Joseph Wright of the Town of Derby Painter
in the sum of one hundred and sixty pounds of good & lawful
money of Great Britain To be paid to the said Joseph Wright or
his certain attorney Executors administrators or assigns for
which payment to be well & faithfully made We bind ourselves
and each of us by himself our & each of our Heirs Executors
& administrators firmly by these presents Sealed with our
seal Dated this Eleventh day of July in the third year of the
Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the grace of
God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the
Faith & so forth and in the year of our Lord One thousand and
seven hundred and sixty-three The condition of this obligation
is such That of the above Bounden Earl Ferrers & Peter Pery
Burdett or either of them their or either of their Heirs
Executors or Administrators do and shall and do well & truly
pay or cause to be paid unto the above named Joseph Wright
or his certain attorney Exors. Administrators or assigns the
full sums of Eighty Pounds of Good and lawful Money of Great
Britain with lawful interest for the same on the eleventh day
of July which will be in the year of our Lord one Thousand
seven hundred and sixty-four. Then their obligation to be void
or else to remain in full force

Sealed & delivered being first duly stamped
in the presence of

W. WOTY

From the following extract of a letter written by Wright to his brother Richard, dated Rome, 13^{th} Ap., 1774, we learn that Burdett’s behaviour caused Wright some anxiety as to his fulfilment of the bond:--

“I have just received a letter from Mr. Tate of Liverpool,
where he tells me M^{r.} Burdett has sold up his goods and
is off. M^{rs.} Burdett and her dear Miss Fredried are gone
into lodgings, over head and ears in debt. I stand no chance
of being paid at present--well, if ever; wou’d therefore have
you write immediately to Lord Ferrers and tell him how things
stand between me and Burdett, that he has not paid a farthing
of principal or interest of the four score pounds his Lordship
was bound for, w^{ch} I lent him in the year ’60 or ’61, that
he takes no notice of the letters I have wrote him lately
concerning the debt, must therefore look to his Lordship
for it. When you write to his Lordship send the amount of
principal and interest, and desire him to pay it as soon as he
conveniently can. If it is not convenient for him to pay the
whole, perhaps it will be prudent to take the interest only,
as that will secure y^e debt, and prolong the limited time
for payment. M^{r.} Fallows will advise you, give my respects
to that family. Tell his Lordship I would not apply to him
at this time for y^e money was I not much distressed for it,
travelling is very expensive.”

On the back of the bond, in Wright’s handwriting, is the following:--

“August the 23, 1776.

“Memo. This day the Earl Ferrers accepted a bill
drawn by me for Eighty Pounds, which when paid will be in full
for the principal of this Bond.”

EXTRACT FROM “WINE AND WALNUTS.” BY PINE.

“Wright was celebrated for scenes that represented the effects of fire subjects, which he painted with more truth to nature than even Schalken, so far-famed.”

SUPPER AT MORTIMER’S.

“Upon my word, a delicate little hen turkey; what, a Christmas present already! This turkey is from my old fellow-’prentice, Joe Wright,” said Mortimer,[39] “who never forgets us at Christmas. Poor Joe, the valetudinarian! I’d be sworn he procured one of the least in all Derby out of sheer compassion to our evil habits. He knows we always dress his Christmas turkey for supper, and he has generally a hint by way of postscript to his letters, touching the prevalence of apoplexy. Now Master Joe was one of your water-gruel disciples when we were youngsters together at Hudson’s; and I would wager ten pounds to a crown piece, he is just now sitting, Peter Grievous, over that wishy-washy, tasteless, humdrum, drivelling dish, and calling to old Nan Watkins--‘Nanny, have you any nice live coals? Do, pray, let me have my bed warmed.’ Are you a supper eater, Mister Gibbon?”[40] “No, Mister Mortimer; I am a single man, and a bit of a valetudinarian like your friend Mister Wright.” “And a water-gruel eater, I presume?” said Mortimer. “Yes, indeed,” said Gibbon, smiling; “though in truth, I do not know that I am at all the better for these scrupulosities in diet.”

This playfully overdrawn picture of Wright’s habits was probably written before Wright went to Italy. Wright was of very temperate and abstemious habits, which, unfortunately, cannot be said of Mortimer.

Dr. Wolcott, as Peter Pindar, in one of his Poems, called Mr. Wright’s moons silver sixpences; upon being remonstrated with, he said he had not seen any of his moonlights, but supposed the moon must look like a sixpence. Probably this was the passage that Mr. Holland disliked, when he wrote the following lines, had them printed, and pasted them over the passage in his volume of Peter Pindar’s Poems--

“Would’st thou paint _Landscape_, study Derby WRIGHT,
Where freedom, elegance, and truth unite.
_Rich sparkling tints_, grand shapes and masses show
How fine his pencil marks the Sunset’s glow;
Nor does his Master-hand less skillful seem,
When silver Cynthia quivers in the stream;
E’en Envy with approving smiles must own
In all WRIGHT paints, NATURE and WRIGHT are ONE.”

Mr. Holland showed the book to a friend, who exclaimed, “Well done, Peter, I did not think he would have done Wright so much justice.”

The celebrated Dr. Darwin, who was on friendly terms with Wright, was often consulted by him, respecting his “imaginary complaints,” as the Doctor unjustly called them; and on one occasion told him, “he had but one thing more to recommend, and that was what he would not give, but he thought it would be to his advantage to be engaged in a vexatious lawsuit.” The Poet Doctor alludes to Wright in his “Botanic Garden,”