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RICHARD   COSWAY,    R.A. 


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RICHARD  COSWAY 

R.A. 


BY 


GEORGE  C.   WILLIAMSON  LITT.D. 


LONDON 
GEORGE  BELL  AND  SONS 

1905 


9590 


PREFACE 

THIS  volume  is  founded  upon  a  work  on  the  same 
artist  issued  in  1896.  That  book  was  in  sumptuous 
form,  richly  illustrated  with  collotypes,  and  it  contained 
an  appendix  which  has  been  a  recognised  source  of 
information  respecting  miniatures  by  Cosway.  The 
volume  went  out  of  print  almost  at  once,  and  has  for 
many  years  been  impossible  to  acquire.  For  the 
purposes  of  the  present  volume,  very  much  of  the 
letterpress  has  been  rewritten,  and  the  whole  book 
has  been  corrected  and  compared  with  recently  dis- 
covered sources  of  information.  It  has  also  been 
submitted  to  the  only  surviving  member  of  the  family, 
and  to  Miss  Cosway  for  her  kindly  criticism  the  author 
returns  his  hearty  thanks. 

The  list  of  works  exhibited  at  the  Royal  Academy 
has  been  extracted  by  special  permission  from  the 
monumental  book  now  in  course  of  issue  by  Mr. 
Algernon  Graves,  and  it  contains  his  latest  notes  with 
regard  to  pictures,  and  his  transcript  of  the  comments 
made  upon  some  of  them  by  Horace  Walpole,  and 
recorded  in  his  annotated  catalogues  now  preserved  in 
the  library  of  the  Earl  of  Rosebery. 

The  author  would  not  fail  to  express  his  gratitude 
to  Mr.  Algernon  Graves  for  this  assistance  ;  to  the 
Mother  Superior  and  Sister  Joseph  at  Lodi ;  to  the 
officials  of  Lodi,  Brescia,  and  Pavia  ;  to  the  Director 


PREFACE 

of  the  Archives  at  Brescia,  and  to  the  Keeper  of 
the  Museum  at  Lodi,  for  assistance,  and  to  Messrs. 
Snell,  Humphrey,  Knipe,  and  Waller  for  the  loan  of 
letters  from  the  Cosway  family. 

He  is  also  very  grateful  to  Lord  Currie  and  Mr. 
F.  B.  Daniell  for  permission  to  make  extracts  from 
their  excellent  book,  to  all  the  various  owners  of  minia- 
tures who  have  permitted  him  to  reproduce  them  in 
his  pages,  and  to  Mr.  G.  R.  Dennis  and  Dr.  Laing  for 
the  assistance  they  have  kindly  rendered  him. 

He  has  endeavoured  to  make  this  small  volume  as 
authoritative  as  possible,  and  to  avail  himself  of  every 
possible  source  of  information,  in  order  that  so  much 
of  the  lives  of  Richard  Cosway  and  his  wife  as  is 
known  may  be  clearly  and  definitely  set  forth. 


VI 


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PAGE 

V 

ix 

i 

ii 
25 
37 
68 

7i 

77 
100 
109 


D  AND  MARIA 
AND    VARIOUS 

-  129 

WAY   PAINTED, 
FOUND  -    134 

LlCHARD      AND 

-  135 

-  143 


VI 1 


of  the   Archives 
the  Museum  at  I 
Snell,  Hump 
letters  from  t 

He  is  alsc 
F.  B.  Danie 
their  excellent 
tures  who  ha 
his  pages,  anc 
the  assistance 

He  has  enc 
authoritative 
possible  souri 
of  the  lives 
known  may  b 


PREFACE 

at   Brescia,  and   to  the    Keeper  of 
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PAGE 

V 

ix 

i 
ii 

25 
37 
68 

7i 

77 

100 

109 


RD  AND  MARIA 
AND    VARIOUS 

-  129 
)SWAY   PAINTED, 

E   FOUND  -    134 

RICHARD    AND 

-  135 

-  H3 


vi  l 


of  the   Archives   at 


the  Museum 
Snell,  Hump 
letters  from  t 

He  is  alsc 
F.  B.  Danie 
their  excellen 
tures  who  ha 
his  pages,  anc 
the  assistance 

He  has  enc 
authoritative 
possible  sour< 
of  the  lives 
known  may  b 


PREFACE 

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VI 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

PREFACE  -      v 

LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  -      ix 

I.  EARLY  LIFE  AND  STUDENT  DAYS  -  i 

II.  MARIA  COSWAY  -  n 

III.  BERKELEY  STREET  AND  PALL  MALL     -  -  25 

IV.  MAGNIFICENCE — DEJECTION — DEATH     -  -  37 
V.  MRS.  COSWAY  AND  HER  EDUCATIONAL  SCHEMES  -  68 

VI.  THE  BARONESS  COSWAY  IN  ITALY  -  71 

VII.  THE  BARONESS,  HER  COLLEGE  AND  HER  FRIENDS       -  77 

VIII.  COSWAY'S  MINIATURES  -  100 

IX.  COLLECTORS  AND  COLLECTIONS  -  109 

APPENDIX 

I.  LIST  OF  PICTURES  EXHIBITED  BY  RICHARD  AND  MARIA 
COSWAY  AT  THE  ROYAL  ACADEMY  AND  VARIOUS 
OTHER  EXHIBITIONS,  1760-1806  -  -  129 

II.  LIST  OF  PERSONS  WHOSE  PORTRAITS  COSWAY  PAINTED, 

THE  ORIGINALS  OF  WHICH  CANNOT  BE  FOUND          -  134 
III.  HAND  -  LIST    OF    ENGRAVINGS    AFTER    RICHARD    AND 

MARIA  COSWAY  -  135 

INDEX   -  -  -  -  .  -  I 


VI 1 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


NOTE. —  When  two  or  more  illustrations  occur  on  one  plate,  their 
titles  in  this  List  are  connected  by  braces. 

N.B. — The  copyright  and  privilege  of  reproduction  for  all  the 
illustrations  in  this  volume  are  strictly  retained  by  the  author  on 
behalf  of  the  various  owners  of  the  miniatures. 

PORTRAIT  OF  RICHARD  COSWAY,  R.A.     In  photogravure,  from 

a  drawing  sold  at  Christie's,  June  i,  1896  Frontispiece 

To  face  p. 

MR.  FULLER.         \     ^  *f.    ^ 

LADY  HAMPDEN.    )     Owner :  Mtss  Cosway 

MRS.  SIDDONS.     Owner :  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins      -  4 

ANNE,  MARCHIONESS  TOWNSHEND.  "j 

ANNE,  DUCHESS  OF  CUMBERLAND  (nee  LUTTRELL).    Owner  A         8 
Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins.  } 

MARIA  COSWAY.    From  a  stipple  engraving  by  Bartolozzi,  1785       10 

MRS.  COSWAY,  BY  HERSELF.     From  the  mezzotint  after  a  lost 

original  -  -  •        -       14 

MRS.    SWINNERTON   OF  BuTTERTON.  Set  in  a  fine  box."| 

Owner:  Earl Beauchamp. 

HENRIETTA,  DUCHESS  OF  PORTLAND,  AS  A  GIRL.    Owner :  \ 

The  Duke  of  Portland.  } 

A  LADY  (NAME  UNKNOWN).  \ 

HUGH  SEYMOUR.     Owner :  Mrs.  Hugh  Seymour.  J 

HENRY  BANKES,  of  Kingston  Lacy.  1 

THOMAS   TOWNELEY.     Signed  and  dated  1789.     Owner:   \      20 
Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins.  ] 

COSWAY'S  MARRIAGE  REGISTER.     In  the  Letterpress       -        -      21 

ix 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

To  face  p. 

WILLIAM  CRAWFORD,  ESQ.     Owner  :  Mr.  J.  H.  Cochrane. 
JANE  CRAWFORD. 

LOUISA   PAOLINA   ANGELICA    COSWAY    AS    A    BABY.      Oil 
sketch  at  Lodi. 

H.R.H.  THE  PRINCE  REGENT,  1772.  \ 

PRINCESS  LUBOMIRSKI.  I       24 

LOUISA  ANGELICA  COSWAY.     Sold  at  Christie's,  June  i,  1896.) 

GEORGIANA,  DUCHESS  OF  DEVONSHIRE.     Owner  :  The  Duke 

of  Devonshire  -  26 

PRISCILLA,  BARONESS  WILLOUGHBY  DE  ERESBY,  WITH  HER 
SON,  AFTERWARDS  LORD  GWYDYR.  Collection  of  Mr.  J. 
Pierpont  Morgan  -  28 

RICHARD  COSWAY,  R.A.    From  a  drawing  by  Dance.    Owner  : 

The  Royal  Academy.     By  permission  of  Virtue  and  Co.      -       30 

THE  ROYAL  ACADEMICIANS  AT  SOMERSET  HOUSE.    By  Zoffany. 

Owner  :  The  Crown.     By  permission  of  Virtue  and  Co.    -       32 

MASTER  HORACE  BECKFORD.  \From    stipple    engravings    by 
HON.  MRS.  E.  BOUVERIE.     /     J.  Conde,  1797  and  1793. 


'  \ 
J 


LADY  MELBOURNE. 

WILLIAM,  FIFTH  DUKE  OF  DEVONSHIRE/ 

WILLIAM    SPENCER,    SIXTH    DUKE    Of  \Owner:  The  Duke 

DEVONSHIRE.  |     of  Sutherland. 

GEORGIANA,  DUCHESS  OF  DEVONSHIRE. 
No.   i,  STRATFORD  PLACE.     By  permission  of  Messrs.  Virtue 

and  Co.     In  the  Letterpress     -  -38 

COND£  THE  ENGRAVER.     Owner:  Sir  H.  Hoivorth,  K.C.I. E.      40 

MRS.  MOFFATT.  \ 

SUSAN  AND  FRANCES  COUTTS,  AFTERWARDS  COUNTESS  OF  I       42 

GUILFORD   AND    MARCHIONESS   OF    BUTE.  J 

A  DRAWING  OF  A  MONOGRAM  BY  RICHARD  COSWAY  IN  THE 
POSSESSION  OF  THE  AUTHOR.  From  the  Cosway  Collec- 
tion. Sold  at  Christie's,  June  i,  1896  -  -  44 

THE  FIVE  DAUGHTERS  OF  MATTHEW  PIERSON,  ESQ.    Owner : 

Mrs.  Newbury  -  -  46 

LORD  DE  MAULEY  AND  SIR  F.  C.  PONSONBY,"! 

CHILDREN  OF  THE  EARL  OF  BESSBOROUGH.  \  Owner :  Lord        g 
THE  COUNTESS  OF  SHAFTESBURY  AND    LADY  f  De  Mauley 

BARBARA  ASHLEY. 

x 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

To  face  p. 

THE  EARL  OF  BESSBOROUGH  AND  LADY  CAROLINE  LAMB,  TWO 
OF  THE  CHILDREN  OF  FREDERICK,  EARL  OF  BESSBOROUGH. 
Owner :  Lord  De  Mauley  -  50 

GEORGE  IV.  WHEN  AN  INFANT.  \ 

LORD  RIVERS. 

ELIZA,  COUNTESS  OF  DERBY  (nee  FARREN)| 
MRS.  SHERIDAN.  J 

ENSIGN  TOLLEMACHE.     Owner:  The  Earl  of  Dys  art  54 

MRS.  PELHAM.  j 

AN  ELDERLY  GENTLEMAN  (NAME  UNKNOWN).    !•  -  -56 

GEORGIANA,  DUCHESS  OF  DEVONSHIRE.  J 

MRS.  STURM.     Signed  and  dated  1795.     Owner :  Mr.  E.  M. 

Hodgkins     -  58 

LADY  PAGET.  1 

MINIATURE    BELONGING    TO    LORD    BARNARD    AT    RABY!       , 
CASTLE,  AND  BELIEVED  TO  REPRESENT  THE  DUCHESS 


OF  BOLTON. 

THE   HOLY    FAMILY   AND    ST.   JOHN.     Sold    at    Christie's, 

June  i,  1896  -  -      62 

MONUMENT  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  RICHARD  COSWAY,  R.A.    By 

permission  of  Virtue  and  Co.     In  the  Letterpress       -        -       63 

R.  B.  SHERIDAN.     Owner :  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins  -  -      64 

RICHARD  COSWAY,  R.A.,  AS   AN  OLD  MAN.     Owner:  Mr. 

E.  M.  Hodgkins      -  -  -       66 

THE   VIRGIN    AND   THE    HOLY   CHILD.     Drawing.     Sold  at 

Christie's,  June  i,  1896  -  -       68 

THE  REST  IN  EGYPT.     Pencil  drawing.     Sold  at  Christie's, 

June  i,  1896  -  70 

MARIA   COSWAY    AND    HER    BABY.      Owner:    Mr.   E.    M. 

Hodgkins  .  -         -       72 

BUST  OF  MARIA,  BARONESS  COSWAY    -  -      74 

THE  COLLEGE,  DAME  INGLESI,  LODI   -  76 

THE    DINING-ROOM    AT   LODI,    SHOWING   THE   REPLICA  OF 

COSWAY'S  TOMB      -  78 

THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  PUPILS  AT  LODI   -  80 

PEN-AND-INK   DRAWINGS  OF  RICHARD  COSWAY,  R.A.,  AND 

MARIA  COSWAY,  HIS  WIFE,  AT  LODI     -  82 

xi 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

To  face  p. 

Miss  JOCELYN.     Pencil  drawing.  \  g 

A  MAN  (NAME  UNKNOWN).     Pencil  drawing./ 

LADY  ELIZABETH  FOSTER,  AFTERWARDS  SECOND  WIFE 
WILLIAM,  FIFTH  DUKE  OF  DEVONSHIRE. 

MRS.    FlTZHERBERT. 

A  LADY  (NAME  UNKNOWN). 

ANNE,  COUNTESS  OF  DYSART. 
A  LADY  (NAME  UNKNOWN). 

MARY,  DUCHESS  OF  RICHMOND.    Owne,r; 

mond  and  Gordon,  K.G.  J        92 

GENERAL  P.  DE  PAOLI.     Oil  portrait  at  Florence.  } 

ISABELLA,  COUNTESS  OF  BEVERLEY.     Owner :  The  Duke  of\       94 
Northumberland,  K.G. 

JANE,  DUCHESS  OF  GORDON.  ^1 

MRS.  BUTLER.  -      96 

MRS.  JAMES  STUART  WORTLEY  MACKENZIE.] 

GEORGIANA,  DUCHESS  OF  DEVONSHIRE  (unfinished).     Owner  : 

H.M.  the  King       -  -     100 

PRINCE  MICHAL  AND  PRINCESS  IZABELLA  OGINSCY.     Froml 

the  engraving  by  Schiavonetti,  1793,  after  the  pencils     102 
drawing  in  Lithuania.  J 

H.R.H.  PRINCESS  AMELIA.     Owner  :  H.M.  the  King.     \ 
LADY  ANNE  LINDSAY.     Owner :  Mrs.  Dawson  Rowley.  ] 

EMMA,    WIFE    OF    SIR    WILLIAM    HAMILTON.     On  vellum, 

signed.     Owner:  The  Earl  of  Wharndiffe      -  -     108 

MRS.  PARSONS  (nee  HUFF).     Owner  ;  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan     no 

ONE  OF  THE  SONS  OF  GEORGE  III.  1    Owner  :     H.M.     the 
H.R.H.  THE  PRINCESS  SOPHIA.         )  King. 

MRS.    FlTZHERBERT,    MRS.    HARCOURT,    MRS.    WHITTINGTON. 

Owner :  Mr.  Henry  Drake     -  -112 

INSCRIPTION  ON  THE  BACK  OF  MRS.  WHITTINGTON'S  PORTRAIT. 

(Seep.  112.)     In  the  Letterpress      -  -     113 

A   LADY   (NAME   UNKNOWN).     Signed  and  dated.     Owner  : 

Mr.  Michael  Tomkinson  -  -     114 

THE  LADIES  PRISCILLA  AND  GEORGIANA  BERTIE.     Owner: 

The  Earl  of  Ancaster      -  -     116 

LADY  CARTERET  AND  LADY  CAROLINE  MORLAND.     Owner: 

Mr.  W.  C.Morland       -  -     118 

xii 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

To  face  p. 

MINERVA   DIRECTING   THE   ARROWS    OF   CUPID.      Drawing. 

Sold  at  Christie's,  June  i,  1896        -  -     120 

PENCIL  DRAWING  OF  THE  DESCENT  FROM  THE  CROSS.  Owner: 

Dr.  Williamson       -  -        -     122 

COSWAY'S     USUAL     SIGNATURES     ON     MINIATURES.       Two 

examples.     In  the  Letterpress  -  -     125 

KITTY  CLIVE  THE  ACTRESS  AS   AN  OLD   LADY.     Owner  ;\ 

Countess  Tolstoy.  I     126 

DR.  MAINANDUC.     Owner :  Sir  H.  Howorth,  K.  C.I.E.         ] 

MARQUIS  OF  DOWNSHIRE  AND  LORD  ARTHUR  HILL.     From 

the  engraving  after  the  lost  miniature       -  -     134 

THE  SON  AND   DAUGHTER  OF  SIMON  COUNT  WORONZOW.! 

From  the  engraving  by  Watson,  1786,  after   the   lostr     138 
miniature.  J 


Xlll 


RICHARD    COSWAY 

CHAPTER  I 

EARLY   LIFE   AND    STUDENT   DAYS 

RICHARD  COSWAY,  the  most  brilliant  miniature  painter 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  was  probably  born  in  1742, 
as  in  that  year  he  was  baptized.  His  baptism  took 
place  in  the  parish  of  Okeford,  near  Bampton,  Devon, 
and  the  entry  in  the  register  is  as  follows  (Book 
No.  3,  1742)  :  "  Richard,  son  of  Richard  and  Mary 
Cosway,  baptized  November  5." 

His  father  was  a  schoolmaster,  and  at  the  time 
of  Richard's  birth  was  master  of  Blundell's  School, 
Tiverton.  It  was  at  Tiverton  that  Cosway  was 
educated,  and,  having  been  brought  to  the  town  at  a 
very  tender  age,  he  always  regarded  it  as  his  native 
place.  Until  a  few  years  ago  a  member  of  the 
family  resided  there,  a  Mr.  William  Cosway,  of  Canal 
Villa.  This  gentleman  was  the  original  lessee  of  the 
limestone  quarries  at  Westleigh,  near  Wellington, 
whence  stone  was  conveyed  in  barges  along  the  Grand 
Western  Canal  to  Tiverton,  and  his  father  was  a  cousin 
to  the  painter,  and  had  often  slept  with  him  as  a  boy 
at  Bolham,  a  small  hamlet  near  Tiverton. 

Richard  Cosway  appears  to  have  been  an  only  son, 

I  B 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

and  to  have  had  but  one  near  relation,  a  certain 
William  R.  Cosway,  who  was,  however,  no  closer  in 
relationship  than  a  second  cousin. 

This  person  was  private  secretary  to  Vice- Admiral 
Collingwood  (afterwards  Lord  Collingwood),  was  pre- 
sent at  the  Battle  of  Trafalgar,  and  received  the  honour 
of  knighthood. 

His  daughter,  Miss  Cosway,  is  still  living,  but  his 
son,  who  assumed  in  1872,  by  royal  license,  the  name 
of  Halliday,  under  directions  of  the  will  of  the  late 
Simon  Halliday,  his  grandfather,  and  was  therefore 
known  as  William  Halliday  Halliday,  died  in  1898. 

None  of  the  papers  of  the  late  artist  and  his  wife 
are  now  in  the  possession  of  the  family.  The  reason 
for  this  circumstance  will  appear  later  on ;  but  Miss 
Cosway  possesses  many  of  Cos  way's  miniatures,  one 
of  which  is  particularly  charming — a  portrait  of  Lady 
Rich. 

She  is  also  the  owner  of  five  oil-paintings  from  the 
artist's  hand  :  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Cosway  ;  "  Cupid  and 
Psyche,"  a  large  circular  picture  ;  "  Endymion"  (men- 
tioned in  Sir  William's  letter  to  Sir  Andrew  Halliday) ; 
George  IV.  as  Prince  of  Wales,  on  a  white  horse ; 
and  a  picture  called  "  St.  George"  (also  mentioned  by 
Sir  William),  which  is  believed  to  represent  the  vision 
of  Constantine.  There  is  no  dragon  to  be  seen  in  it, 
but  there  is  a  cross  depicted  in  the  sky,  and  it  is  clearly 
not  a  representation  of  St.  George. 

Two  residents  in  Tiverton  claim  distant  connection 
with  the  artist — Mr.  R.  P.  Cosway,  of  Vine  Cottage, 
and  Mr.  W.  Cosway,  of  Angel  Hill. 

The  artist  in  later  years  desired  to  give  expression 
to  the  feelings  of  gratitude  he  entertained  toward  his 
native  place,  and  in  1784  wrote  the  following  letter, 
addressed  to  the  clergy,  gentry,  and  inhabitants  of 
Tiverton  : 


MR.    FULLER. 

Collection  of  Miss  Cos-way. 


LADY    HAMPDEN. 

Collection  of  Miss  Cosway. 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  STUDENT  DAYS 

"  GENTLEMEN, 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  request  that  you  will  accept 
at  my  hands  the  picture  representing  the  Angel  delivering 
St.  Peter  from  Prison  (intended  for  the  Altar  of  St.  Peter's 
Church)  as  a  small  token  of  the  respect  I  have  for  you,  and 
of  the  affection  I  shall  ever  retain  for  my  native  town ;  to 
the  prosperity  and  splendour  of  which  it  will  always  be  my 
ambition  by  every  means  in  my  power  to  contribute,  and 
"  I  am,  Gentlemen,  with  the  highest  esteem, 
"  Your  obedient  and  devoted  Servant, 

"  RICHARD  COSWAY." 


To  this  polite  letter  Mr.  Martin  Dunsford,  who  was 
churchwarden  at  the  time,  sent  a  fitting  acknow- 
ledgment on  November  4,  1784,  and  the  picture  was 
placed  over  the  altar,  the  parish  incurring  expenses 
for  framing  and  for  fitting  it  up  amounting  to  £20. 

The  picture  has  since  been  removed  from  its 
original  position,  and  is  hung  near  the  north  door,  but 
owing  to  the  church  being  very  dark  from  stained 
glass,  it  is  not  easy  to  see  it  well,  and  practically 
impossible  to  photograph  it. 

Twenty-two  years  later,  in  1806,  Cosway  presented 
an  altar-piece  to  Bampton  Church,  situated  close  to 
his  birthplace.  The  subject  of  that  picture  is  Christ 
bearing  the  Cross,  but  unfortunately  it  is  in  very 
bad  condition,  the  canvas  broken,  and  the  picture  dis- 
coloured and  faded,  although  the  picture  at  Tiverton 
is  excellently  preserved.  The  local  tradition  as  to  the 
altar-piece  at  Tiverton  is  that  Cosway  had  desired  to 
paint  an  imposing  masterpiece  for  the  church,  and  in 
order  to  fix  the  dimensions,  wrote  to  the  church- 
wardens asking  what  space  would  be  available.  They 
replied  giving  particulars,  but  on  a  later  visit  to  the 
town,  the  artist  discovered  that  far  more  room  might 
have  been  placed  at  his  disposal,  and  gave  way  to  an 
ebullition  of  anger  which  was  very  far  from  edifying. 

3  B  2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

As  regards  his  early  years,  Cosway  himself,  in 
letters  to  his  cousin  Sir  William,  disposes  of  the  idle 
chatter  retailed  by  J.  T.  Smith  in  his  "  Nollekens  and 
His  Times"  (1828),  in  which  he  speaks  of  young 
Cosway  as  a  waiter  or  page-boy  at  Shipley's  drawing- 
school,  given  gratuitous  instruction  by  the  pupils  upon 
whom  he  waited. 

Smith's  father  and  Nollekens  were  both  pupils  at 
this  school,  and  Smith  implies  that  his  story  came 
from  them.  Cosway 's  own  statements  are  opposed  to 
the  story,  and  all  the  information  possessed  by  his 
family  refutes  it.  Allan  Cunningham,  who  wrote  in 
1838,  and  knew  Sir  William  Cosway  well,  rejects 
the  idle  tale,  and  had  all  authority  to  contradict  it 
from  those  who  were  convinced  either  that  Smith's 
memory  had  misled  him,  or  else  that,  with  his  eager 
desire  to  make  romance  where  plain  fact  existed,  he 
had  garbled  the  narrative.  According  to  Cosway 's 
story,  taken  from  his  own  letters,  this  part  of  his 
history  is  clear.  His  family  was  originally  Flemish, 
and  members  of  it  owned  considerable  property  in 
the  town  of  Tiverton.  One  of  his  ancestors  was,  he 
said,  a  person  of  substance,  skilful  in  the  manufacture 
of  woollen  cloth,  who  emigrated  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth  from  Flanders,  to  escape  the  persecution  of 
the  Duke  of  Alva,  and,  establishing  the  woollen 
manufacture  at  Tiverton,  grew  rich  and  prosperous, 
and  purchased  the  estate  of  Coombe- Willis,  about  five 
miles  from  that  place.  Cosway  adds  that  the  family 
were  great  lovers  of  pictures,  and  possessed  not  a  few, 
including  a  fine  picture  by  Rubens,  and  that  he  as  a 
boy  used  to  give  up  all  his  spare  time  to  making  copies 
of  these  with  black  and  white  chalks  and  with  pencil. 
His  uncle  was  Mayor  of  Tiverton,  and  a  man  of  good 
means,  and  he,  in  conjunction  with  a  friend  named 
Oliver  Peard,  a  trader  in  Tiverton,  and  the  boy's 

4 


MRS.    SIDDONS. 
Collection  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins. 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  STUDENT  DAYS 

godfather,  persuaded  the  father  to  allow  Richard  tq 
proceed  to  London  and  take  lessons,  and  undertook  to 
sustain  him  there.  He  was  under  twelve  years  old 
when  he  left  Tiverton,  and  ever  after  entertained  the 
deepest  feelings  of  gratitude  towards  Oliver  Peard, 
whose  generosity,  he  said,  was  "  passing  great,"  and 
promised  himself  that  if  ever  he  had  a  son,  his  god- 
father's name  should  be  given  to  the  lad. 

Some  of  this  information  appears  in  Cunningham's 
"  Lives  of  the  Painters,"  and  opportunity  has  lately 
been  obtained  of  comparing  Cunningham's  story  with 
the  original  letters  from  which  he  took  it,  by  which  it 
is  shown  that  Cunningham  was  most  accurate  in  all  he 
stated,  although  in  many  instances  he  refrained,  by 
reason  of  exigencies  of  space,  from  using  all  the  notes 
placed  at  his  disposal  by  Cosway's  relatives  and  friends. 

In  1754  the  Society  of  Arts  was  founded,  and 
premiums  were  offered  by  the  youthful  society  for 
drawings.  The  offer  for  the  first  class  was  :  "  For  the 
best  drawings  of  any  kind  by  boys  and  girls  under  the 
age  of  fourteen,  on  proof  of  their  abilities,  on  or  before 
January  15  next  (1755),  to  be  determined  that  day 
fortnight — 15  guineas";  and  the  entry  in  the  books 
of  the  society  regarding  the  award  reads  thus  : 

"  Richard  Cosway,  then  not  twelve  years  old,  gave 
in  a  Head  of  one  of  the  virtues,  expressing  Com- 
passion, done  in  chalk,  and  obtained  the  first  share  of 
the  Premium — ^5  5^." 

It  is  interesting,  therefore,  to  notice  that  the  very 
first  prize  given  by  the  society  fell  to  the  youthful 
artist.  He  was  afterwards  successful  again  and  again. 
In  1757  he  had  a  second  share  (^4  4^.)  in  a  premium 
offered  for  "  Designs  or  Composition  of  Ornament"  ; 
in  1 758  a  similar  prize  for  a  drawing  from  the  "  Dancing 
Faun  " ;  and  in  the  next  year,  1 759,  for  a  drawing  from 
the  "  Fighting  Gladiator." 

5 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

In  t/6o  a  prize  of  thirty  guineas  was  offered  to 
young  men  under  twenty- four  years  old  for  "  drawings 
of  human  figures  from  living  models  at  the  Academy 
of  Artists  in  St.  Martin's  Lane,  the  work  to  be  done 
in  chalks,"  and  this  prize  was  also  secured  by  Cosway, 
as  is  recorded,  "in  a  .most  triumphant  manner,  and 
with  a  drawing  of  the  highest  possible  merit."  There- 
after his  name  does  not  appear  in  the  records  of  the 
Society  of  Arts,  but  there  still  hang  in  its  rooms  in 
London  two  oil  portraits  by  the  artist,  which  he  is 
believed  to  have  presented  to  the  society  to  whose 
encouragement  he  owed  so  much,  and  whose  proud 
boast  it  is  to  have  helped  the  lad  and  spurred  him  on 
to  success.  The  two  portraits  represent,  the  one 
Peter  Templeman,  M.D.,  librarian  in  1753  to  the 
British  Museum,  and  the  other  Shipley,  the  drawing- 
master. 

It  was  to  Thomas  Hudson,  tutor  to  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds,  that  Cosway  was  first  sent  for  instruction, 
and  this  selection  of  a  master  was  made  because 
Hudson  was  a  Devonshire  man,  and  considered  at 
the  head  of  the  profession  by  the  people  of  that 
county. 

Cosway  remained  with  him  but  a  few  months,  and 
says  he  obtained  but  little  instruction  from  him,  and 
was  employed  at  menial  offices.  Probably  this  ex- 
pression, "  menial  offices,"  accounts  for  the  story  re- 
tailed by  J.  T.  Smith.  On  leaving  Hudson,  Cosway 
went  into  lodgings,  and  attended  the  drawing-school 
of  Shipley,  whose  brother  was  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph, 
this  school  being  at  the  time  the  favoured  resort  of 
very  many  young  artists. 

Here  he  made  rapid  progress  and  worked  exceed- 
ingly hard,  denying  himself  every  comfort,  and  both 
sleep  and  food,  being  determined,  as  he  says,  "to  be 
some  day  the  greatest  artist  in  London." 

6 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  STUDENT  DAYS 

Very  early  he  commenced  to  take  engagements,  and 
Sir  William  Cosway  states  that  "  he  was  employed  to 
make  drawings  of  heads  for  the  shops,  as  well  as  fancy 
miniatures  and  free  subjects  for  snuff-boxes  for  the 
jewellers,  mostly  from  ladies  whom  he  knew,  and  from 
the  money  he  gained,  and  the  gaiety  of  the  company 
he  kept,  he  rose  from  one  of  the  dingiest  of  boys  to  be 
one  of  the  smartest  of  men.'* 

In  1760  he  commenced  to  exhibit  his  pictures, 
sending  in  to  the  Society  of  Artists  the  portrait  of  his 
master  Shipley,  now  belonging  to  the  Society  of  Arts. 
In  the  following  year  he  commenced  miniature  work, 
and  transferred  his  interest  from  the  Society  of  Artists 
to  the  Free  Society,  exhibiting  four  miniatures  and  one 
portrait  in  oil.  At  that  time  he  was  lodging  in  the 
Strand  at  Mr.  Clarke's  in  Beaufort  Buildings,  close 
to  where,  in  1786,  lived  Fielding,  the  novelist.  He 
continued  to  exhibit  in  1762-1764  and  in  1766  at  the 
Free  Society,  and  then  in  1768  and  1769  his  name 
once  more  appears  in  the  catalogues  of  the  Society 
of  Artists.  His  first  work  at  the  Royal  Academy 
Exhibition  is  recorded  in  1770,  and  year  by  year  down 
to  1787  he  exhibited  pictures  and  miniatures,  and  also 
in  the  years  1798,  1799,  1800,  1803,  and  1806.  Very 
few  of  the  pictures  exhibited  during  this  prolonged 
period  can,  however,  be  identified  with  certainty  at  the 
present  moment. 

The  picture  of  the  Countess  of  Carrick  and  her 
daughters,  exhibited  in  1771,  is  still  in  existence,  as 
is  also  the  miniature,  exhibited  in  1780,  of  Lady 
Duncannon  and  her  daughter.  The  oil-painting  of 
"  Wisdom,  Prudence,  and  Valour  arming  St.  George," 
shown  in  1783,  is  very  probably  the  one  at  Grims- 
thorpe,  belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Ancaster;  the  "Angel 
delivering  St.  Peter "  is  almost  certainly  the  altar- 
piece  at  Tiverton  already  mentioned ;  the  "  General 

7 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Paoli "  of  1 798  is  probably  the  one  in  Florence ;  the 
"Madonna  and  Child,"  sent  in  1776,  may  be  the  one 
owned  by  Lord  Harrowby ;  the  miniature  of  the 
Duchess  of  Cumberland  (1781)  is  very  probably  the 
delightful  portrait  lately  belonging  to  Mr.  Stephen 
Lawley ;  and  the  "  View  from  the  Breakfast  Room  in 
Pall  Mall "  is  certainly  the  painting  lately  belonging  to 
Lord  Tweedmouth. 

This  picture  was  mainly  the  work  of  W.  Hodges, 
R.A.,  Cosway  being  responsible  only  for  the  figure  of 
his  wife,  who  is  depicted  seated  at  the  window  of  her 
breakfast-room,  wearing  a  white  dress  and  with  pow- 
dered hair.  She  is  looking  out  upon  the  Mall  and 
Westminster  Abbey,  and  the  King's  Procession  to 
open  Parliament  is  passing  along  the  Mall  at  the 
moment.  An  engraving  was  made  of  this  picture  by 
W.  Birch  in  1789,  and  the  original  (on  panel,  32  by  46) 
was  sold  at  Christies,  in  the  Tweedmouth  sale  of 
June  3,  1905,  for  510  guineas  to  Mr.  Charles  Davis. 

There  is  a  series  of  miniatures  still  in  existence,  the 
work  of  Cosway  in  his  earliest  years,  which  should  be 
referred  to  here,  as  it  is,  perhaps,  in  some  ways,  the 
most  interesting  group  of  his  works  now  remaining. 
It  consists  of  the  portraits  of  Mary,  wife  of  Jonathan 
Rashleigh,  and  daughter  of  Sir  William  Clayton,  ot 
Marden,  and  her  eleven  children,  Jonathan,  Martha, 
Philip,  Mary,  Jane,  Robert,  Rachel,  John,  Charles, 
Peter,  and  Thomas. 

The  series  has  never  been  out  of  the  possession  of 
the  family,  and  has  never  been  exhibited.  Cosway's 
name  has  always  been  known  in  connection  with  it, 
and  marked  upon  it,  and  even  were  this  not  the  case, 
the  miniatures  have  every  sign  of  his  work,  and  even 
contain  special  features  in  the  way  of  unusual  dark 
background,  particular  method  of  treating  the  eye,  ex- 
ceptional colour  and  free  brushwork,  all  characteristic 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  STUDENT  DAYS 

of  the  artist.  Cosway  was  but  twenty-three  years  old 
when  Jonathan  Rashleigh  died  (born  1690,  married 
1728,  and  died  1765),  and  the  ages  of  the  children 
testify  to  the  work  having  been  executed  when  the 
younger  ones  were  of  tender  years. 

The  series  was  probably  the  work  of  some  prolonged 
time,  but  it  represents  the  earliest  work  that  can  be 
definitely  dated.  The  twelve  portraits  belong  to  Mr. 
Rashleigh,  of  Menabilly,  Cornwall,  and  all  are  in  good 
condition. 

After  leaving  Beaufort  Buildings,  Cosway  removed 
to  Orchard  Street,  Portman  Square.  In  1770  he 
became  Associate  of  the  Royal  Academy  (having 
become  a  student  in  1769),  and  then  he  resided  at 
4,  Berkeley  Street,  Berkeley  Square,  where  he  had 
moved  in  1768.  To  this  house  he  first  brought  his 
wife.  In  1784  they  moved  to  Pall  Mall,  where  they 
remained  till  1791,  thereafter  going  into  Stratford 
Place,  into  two  houses,  Nos.  i  and  20,  successively. 
In  1821  he  left  Stratford  Place  and  went  to  31,  Edg- 
ware  Road,  where  he  died.  Just  before  his  wedding 
he  left  4,  Berkeley  Street,  in  order  to  have  the 
house  decorated  and  prepared  for  his  bride.  In  the 
interval  he  stayed  with  his  great  friend  Cipriani  at 
his  house  in  Hedge  Lane,  Charing  Cross.  Barto- 
lozzi,  the  engraver,  was  staying  at  the  same  time 
with  Cipriani,  but  Cosway  did  not  like  him.  Both 
men  were  of  hot  temper  and  determined  disposition, 
and  neither  would  give  way.  Cosway  was  always  very 
fastidious  as  to  his  dress,  and  Bartolozzi  cared  nothing 
for  it.  The  two  men  therefore  quarrelled,  and  Cosway 
went  off  to  stay  in  Grosvenor  Place  with  another  friend, 
one  Paul  Benfield,  M.P.,  at  whose  wedding  on  Sep- 
tember 7th,  1793,  he  was  afterwards  present,  and 
whose  marriage  register  he  signed  at  St.  George's, 
Hanover  Square.  Benfield,  whose  estate  was  at 

9 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Woodhall  Park,  Herts,  married  the  only  daughter  of 
Henry  Swinburne,  the  celebrated  traveller,  the  author 
of  "  Travels  through  Spain,"  "  Travels  in  the  Two 
Sicilies,"  and  "  The  Courts  of  Europe."  Cosway 
painted  the  portraits  both  of  Henry  Swinburne  and 
his  wife,  and  they  were  engraved. 

It  may  be  supposed  that  Bartolozzi  left  Hedge  Lane 
later  on,  for  Cosway  appears  to  have  returned  to  stay 
with  Cipriani,  and  from  his  house  he  was  married  at 
St.  George's,  Hanover  Square,  in  1781,  as  will  be 
hereafter  related. 

When  living  in  Orchard  Street,  Cosway  was  not 
above  giving  lessons  of  an  evening  at  Parr's  drawing- 
school,  and  he  also  attended  at  the  Duke  of  Richmond's 
gallery  of  casts  from  the  antique  in  Spring  Gardens, 
over  which  his  friend  Cipriani  was  a  director.  Here 
he  worked  and  studied,  and  also  gave  instruction  and 
advice  to  younger  students,  who  were  gladly  taking 
advantage  of  the  Duke's  generous  permission  to  study 
in  his  gallery.  With  his  removal  into  Berkeley  Street, 
in  1768,  however,  commences  Cosway's  fuller  career, 
the  life  of  popularity,  gaiety,  luxury,  and  success  by 
which  he  is  better  known,  and  during  which  he 
executed  the  greater  number  of  his  works. 

At  this  point  in  the  narrative  it  may  be  well  to  refer 
to  Cosway's  future  wife,  and  describe  as  far  as  possible 
her  life  before  her  marriage. 


10 


MARIA    COSWAY. 

From  a  stipple  engraving  by  Bartolozzi,  1785. 


CHAPTER   II 

MARIA   COSWAY 

IN  1830,  when  Cunningham  had  in  preparation  his 
little  volumes  entitled  "  The  Lives  of  the  Most  Eminent 
British  Painters,  Sculptors,  and  Architects,"  he  applied 
to  Sir  William  R.  Cosway  for  information  respecting 
the  artist  and  his  wife.  Sir  William,  who  was  then 
living  at  13,  Lower  Berkeley  Street,  wrote  to  Maria 
Cosway,  whom  he  had  met  when  on  his  honeymoon 
in  Italy,  and  she  sent  him  a  very  important  autobio- 
graphical letter  in  reply. 

This  original  letter  is  now  in  my  possession,  and  is 
given  in  extenso.  It  remained  in  the  Cunningham 
collection  for  many  years,  and  was  only  sold  by 
Messrs.  Sotheran  in  1895.  Allan  Cunningham's  ap- 
plication was  not  made  direct  to  Sir  William  Cosway. 
The  aid  of  an  intermediary  was  sought,  and  Sir  Andrew 
Halliday,  who  was  cousin  of  Sir  William  Cosway 's 
father-in-law,  undertook  the  correspondence.  On  re- 
ceipt of  the  letter  from  Lodi,  Sir  William  sent  it  on  to 
Sir  Andrew  Halliday,  and  accompanied  it  by  a  letter 
of  his  own  writing,  dated  March  3Oth,  1830.  This 
letter  was  also  sold  by  Sotheran,  and  passed  into  the 
collection  of  Mr.  Humphreys,  of  187,  Piccadilly,  by 
whose  kind  permission  I  am  enabled  to  give  a  copy  of 
it.  From  these  two  letters  very  considerable  informa- 
tion can  be  obtained  as  to  Cosway  and  his  wife. 

ii 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

The  letters  are  as  follows  : 

"  LODI,  May  24,  1830. 


DEAR  SIR 

"  I  received  your  kind  letter  of  25  April  from  Brighton, 
while  I  was  for  a  few  days  at  my  Cousin's  on  the  Lake  of 
Como,  which  did  much  good  to  my  health,  &  wished  much 
for  you  &  Lady  Cosway.  As  I  see  you  repeat  your  wishes 
of  some  memoirs  of  myself,  I  shall  just  send  you  what  you 
may  think  most  necessary,  at  my  Death  you  may  have  a 
minute  account  from  my  journals,  travels,  &  letters  —  My 
Father  Charles  Hadfield,  was  from  Manchester  of  very  rich 
Merchants  &  Manufacturers.  I  took  particular  informations 
&  was  told  no  one  existed  but  an  old  rich  Lady  who  lived  in 
the  Country,  the  last  of  the  name  died  very  rich  but  had  no 
family,  &  no  one  could  say  who  had  been  his  eirs.  My 
father  travelling  thro  Italy  found  very  bad  accommodations 
for  travellers  particularly  the  English,  this  induced  him  to 
take  a  large  house  &  fitted  it  up  quite  in  the  English  manner, 
this  brought  all  the  English,  &  was  induced  to  take  two 
more  houses  for  the  same  purpose,  in  the  one  on  the  Arno  I 
was  born.  —  I  may  relate  a  circumstance  at  my  birth  as 
extraordinary  as  unheard  of.  —  four  or  five  children  were  born 
before  me  ;  put  to  nurse  out  of  town,  my  Mother  used  to  go 
frequently  found  the  Child  well  &  to  her  great  surprise  the 
next  day  the  Nurse  came  £  the  Child  had  died  in  the  night. 
Changed  Nurse,  Changed  place,  the  same  happened  thro  four 
children.  At  my  birth  my  father  resolved  to  take  a  Nurse  in 
the  house  &  had  a  governess  to  keep  always  a  watch  on  the 
Nurse  &  the  child.  One  day  one,  a  Maid  servant  went  in 
the  Nursery,  took  me  in  her  Arms,  &  said  pretty  little 
Creature,  I  have  sent  four  to  heaven  I  hope  to  send  you  also  : 
the  governess  struck  at  this  extraordinary  speech  ran  to  my 
father,  proper  enquiries  were  made,  the  Woman  said  she 
thought  it  doing  a  good  Act  &  was  confined  for  Life  from 
that  instant  My  father  said  I  should  be  brought  up  a 
Catholic  and  all  his  children,  were  also.  When  four  years 
old  I  was  put  into  a  Convent,  under  the  protection  of  the 
Grand  Duke  &  Grand  Duchess  of  Tuscany.  —  Being  received, 
I  had  natural  dispositions  I  was  immediately  put  to  learn 
Music  &  at  Six  &  more  at  Ten  years  of  age  did  what  I  since 
have  thought  extraordinary.  At  eight  years  I  began  drawing 

12 


MARIA  COSWAY 

having  seen  a  young  Lady  draw  I  took  a  passion  for  it  more 
than  I  had  for  Music.  I  was  taken  home  &  put  under  the 
care  of  an  old  Celebrated  Lady  who's  portrait  is  in  the 
Gallery.  I  had  a  number  of  Masters  but  painting  had  my 
preference.  This  Lady  soon  found  I  could  go  farther  than 
she  could  instruct  me  &  Mr  Zofani  being  at  Florence  my 
father  aske'd  him  to  give  me  some  instructions.  I  went  to 
study  in  the  Gallery  &  the  Palazzo  Pitti  &  copied  many  of 
the  finest  pictures.  Wright  of  Darby  passed  only  few  days 
at  Florence  &  noticing  my  assiduity  &  turn  for  the  Art  sprung 
me  to  the  higher  branch  of  it.  My  father  had  a  great  taste 
&  knowledge  of  the  Arts  &  Sciences,  therefore  in  every  way 
contrived  to  furnish  my  mind. 

"He  meant  to  go  to  England  with  all  his  family  as  he 
wished  I  should  see  Rome,  Mrs  Gore  the  mother  of  Lady 
Cowper  took  me  with  her  There  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
knowing  all  the  first  living  Artists  intimately;  Battoni, 
Mengs,  Maron,  and  many  English  Artists,  Fusely  with  his 
extraordinary  Visions  struck  my  fancy.  I  made  no  regular 
study,  but  for  one  Year  &  half  only  went  to  see  all  that  was 
high  in  painting  &  sculpture,  made  sketches  Etc. — I  lost  my 
father  in  this  time  &  my  Mother  recalled  me  to  Florence  to 
go  with  her  to  England,  My  inclination  from  a  child  had 
been  to  be  a  Nun,  I  wished  therefore  to  return  to  my  Convent 
but  my  Mother  was  miserable  about  it  &  I  was  persuaded  to 
accompany  her — I  had  letters  from  Lady  Rivers  for  all  the 
first  people  of  fashion.  Sir  J.  Reynolds,  Capriani,  Bartolozzi, 
Angelica  Kowffman. — I  became  acquainted  with  Mr  Cosway 
his  offer  was  accepted,  my  Mothers  wishes  gratified  &  I 
married  tho'  under  age. — I  kept  very  retired  for  a  twelve- 
month until  I  became  acquainted  with  the  society  I  should 
form,  the  effect  of  the  exhibition  the  taste  &  character  of  the 
Nation. 

"  Mr  Cosways  wish  was  I  should  occupy  myself  as  hitherto 
done  in  the  Arts  &  so  I  did  The  first  pictures  I  exhibited 
made  my  reputation  The  novelty  &  my  Age  Contributed 
more  than  the  real  Merit— The  portrait  of  the  Duchess  of 
Devonshire  then  the  Reigning  beauty  &  fashion — in  the 
Caracter.of  Cynthia  from  Spencer  seemed  to  strike  &  other 
historical  subjects  from  Shakspeare  Virgil  &  Homer — en- 
couraged but  never  proud  I  followed  entirely  the  impulse  of 
my  imagination— had  Mr  C.  permitted  me  to  rank  profession- 

13 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

ally  I  should  have  made  a  better  painter  but  left  to  myself 
by  degrees  instead  of  improving  I  lost  what  I  had  brought 
from  Italy  of  my.  early  studies  My  exercise  in  Music  made 
my  Evenings  very  agreeable  Lady  Lyttelton  the  Honble 
Mrs  Darner  Countess  of  Ailesbury,  Lady  Cecilia  Johnston 
The  Marchioness  of  Townsend  were  my  most  intimate 
friends  &  with  whom  I  went — Lady  M.  Duncan,  Miss  Wilks 
&  General  Paoli,  the  Foreign  Ministers,  the  distinguished 
foreigners  Lord  Sands,  Mr  Erskine,  the  most  distinguished 
talents  &  many  such  formed  the  agreeable  evening  society 
Until  they  became  great  Concerts  and  these  Concerts  have 
been  mentioned  in  a  work  on  Music  published  in  Germany — 
of  the  first  professors.  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales  honor'd 
constantly  The  climate  did  not  agree  with  me — in  the 
midst  of  so  much  happiness  never  enjoyed  health — M.  C. 
was  so  good  as  to  take  me  to  flanders  &  Paris — the  voyage 
to  Italy  every  year  was  proposed  £  postponed,  I  had  only 
one  child  a  little  girl  I  had  bad  time  &  a  worse  confinement 
so  that  my  life  was  in  danger  the  Physicians  agreed  change 
of  Air.  Lady  Wright  was  going  to  Italy  for  the  health  of 
her  Son,  my  brother  George  Hadfield  had  gained  the  Gold 
Medal  &  sent  by  the  Academy  to  Rome — Mr  Cosway  bought 
me  a  Carriage — with  my  Maid  &  my  brother  we  travelled 
with  Lady  Wright  but  my  health  so  bad  I  could  not  go  to 
Rome — as  soon  as  recoverd  I  wrote  to  Mr  C.  I  was  ready  to 
return  to  he  kept  me  from  Spring  to  Autumn  for  almost  three 
years  as  he  meant  to  come  himself,  But  being  suddenly  taken 
ill  I  travelled  night  &  day  in  the  midst  of  War  &  dangers  in 
the  Month  of  November  got  home  safe  &  had  the  happiness 
of  finding  Mr  C.  recovered,  and  a  fine  little  girl  to  engage  all 
my  cares  &  occupations,  All  my  friends  saw  me  again  with 
infinite  pleasure — for  two  years  I  had  the  happiness  of  seeing 
my  child  grow  &  profit  of  my  education — she  was  seized  by 
a  sore  throat  &  in  the  sixth  year  of  her  age  we  lost  her — our 
grief  was  great.  I  returned  to  painting  &  painted  several 
large  pictures  for  Chappels.  The  Gallery  of  the  Louvre 
made  a  great  noise  at  this  time  Mr  C.  could  not  go  as  the 
two  nations  were  at  War — so  sent  me.  I  began  my  great 
work  of  all  the  pictures,  and  had  then  an  opportunity  of 
knowing  intimately  all  the  then  reigning  family.  My  work 
was  stop'd  but  could  not  get  a  passport  to  go  home.  The 
Cardinal  Archbishop  of  Lyons  Fisch,  proposed  to  me  to 

14 


MRS.    COSWAY,    BY    HERSELF. 
From  the  rare  mezzotint  by  Valentine  Green. 


MARIA  COSWAY 

found  a  college  for  young  Ladies — with  Mr  C.'s  approbation 
I  undertook  it  the  Change  of  Government  suspended  this,  I 
came  to  my  Sister  married  near  Milan.  An  old  friend  of 
mine  Melzi  Duke  of  Lodi  anxious  to  have  in  Italy  an  estab- 
lishment on  the  same  of  that  formed  at  Lyons,  bought  a 
Convent  at  Lodi,  I  began  with  as  much  success.  Peace 
declared  I  returned  home  until  I  lost  Mr  C.  &  now  am  settled 
here — Consolidating  the  establishment  which  has  the  repu- 
tation of  being  the  first  in  Italy  following  a  vocation  I  always 
had,  occupied  in  a  good  work  to  the  benefit  of  Young  Ladies. 
"  Short  as  Mr  C/s  Memoirs  may  be,  mine  would  be  perhaps 
too  long,  but  very  full  of  interesting  matters,  I  know  not 
on  what  point  I  might  extend  myself  at  present,  you  will  let 
me  know  if  this  is  all  you  require.  My  elevated  &  happy 
situation  could  but  produce  envy,  malice  &  enimies,  these  I 
pass  over  unworthy  of  a  thought,  proofs  will  be  one  day  in 
the  hands  of  my  friends  to  make  me  worthy  of  their  friend- 
ship in  which  number  I  hope  you  will  be  &  remember  me  as 
your  Affecly  &  obliged 

(Signed)     "  MARIA  COSWAY. 

"  I  beg  to  be  kindly  remembered  to  Lady  Cosway  &  Miss 
Gardner  be  so  kind  as  to  observe  that  what  I  proposed  in  my 
last  was  not  in  the  least  to  intrude  on  you  at  present  but  to 
offer  you  my  intention  in  future  for  your  choice  in  things  I 
know  not  if  acceptable — other  things  I  am  sure  of  Pray 
send  me  knews  of  the  King." 

"  BRIGHTON, 

"  March  30,  1830. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR  ANDREW 

"  I  am  afraid  Mr  Cunningham's  patience  is  tried  but  I 
have  only  just  received  from  Mrs  Cosway  at  Lodi  the 
enclosed  letter  which  thr'o  you  I  beg  to  place  in  his  posses- 
sion satisfied  that  part  of  it  relating  to  her  wish  of  it  not 
being  known  the  information  came  from  her  will  be  safe  in 
his  hands : — and  if  Mr  C.  wishes  a  memoir  of  herself  I  shall 
be  happy  on  hearing  from  him,  to  beg  her  to  send  it. 

'The  following  is  the  information  I  have  been  able  to 
collect  of  Mr  Cosway  His  family  were  settled  at  Tiverton  in 
Devonshire  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  their  patrimonial 
estate  of  Coombe  Willis  being  about  5  miles  from  that  town 

15 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

and  they  are  supposed  to  have  emigrated  from  the  Low 
Countries  during  the  time  of  the  Duke  of  Alva's  persecution 
bringing  to  Tiverton  the  woollen  manufactory,  which  his 
family  were  engaged  in  until  the  French  Revolutionary  War. 

"  As  this  family  connection  with  the  woollen  trade  kept  up 
a  communication  with  Holland,  some  of  his  family  preserved 
pictures  of  the  Flemish  School  and  of  Rubens,  the  admira- 
tion of  which  had  probably  an  influence  on  the  taste  of  our 
young  Author.  His  father  was  master  of  the  school  at 
Tiverton  and  at  7  years  of  age  he  was  punished  for  neglecting 
his  lessons  and  being  always  '  idly  engaged  in  drawing '  his 
passion  so  entirely  absorbed  him  that  in  a  few  years  after  his 
Uncle  who  was  the  Mayor  of  Tiverton  and  Mr  Oliver  Peard 
the  leading  Merchant  of  the  then  principal  woollen  manu- 
facturing Town  in  England,  determined  to  give  him  a  fair 
chance  of  cultivating  his  talent,  and  sent  him  to  London 
where  he  studied  under  Hudson  with  great  success  and  was 
much  sought  after  in  Society  where  his  wit  and  conver- 
sational talents  placed  him  high.  The  enclosures  supply  the 
remaining  facts  of  his  life.  Among  the  best  of  the  late 
Mr  Cosway's  works  in  England  are  the  Liberation  of  S1  Peter 
— an  Altar  piece  in  the  Parish  Church  of  Tiverton,  His 
celebrated  work  of  Love  and  Innocence  which  shows  him  a 
worthy  disciple  of  the  Parma  School.  George  the  IV  on 
horseback  as  Sl  George — and  the  Endymion  now  in  posses- 
sion of  Sir  William  Cosway.  His  collection  of  drawings  are 
with  Maria  Cosway  at  Lodi  and  have  caused  in  Italy  great 
admiration  of  English  talents,  for  their  great  Justness — 
a  beautiful  set  of  engravings  from  some  of  them  have  been 
executed  at  Florence  and  are  now  at  the  elder  Colnaghi's. 

"  If  there  be  any  further  information   Mr   Cunningham 
wishes  it  will  give  me  pleasure  to  assist  in  obtaining  it. 
"  Always  My  Dear  Sir  Andrew 

"  Most  Faithfully  Yours 
(Signed)        "  W.  R.  COSWAY." 

Some  of  the  information  contained  in  the  letters  was 
used  by  Cunningham,  but  the  letters  are  so  characteristic 
that  nothing  short  of  exact  copies  seemed  desirable. 
It  is,  moreover,  important  that  the  story  that  Maria 
Cosway  gives  of  her  early  youth  should  be  presented 

16 


MRS.  SWINNERTON,  OF  BUTTERTON  HALL 

(SET  IN  A  FINE  BOX). 
Collection  of  the  Earl  Beanchamp. 


HENRIETTA,    DAUGHTER    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT,    AFTERWARDS 

WIFE    OF    WILLIAM    HENRY,    FOURTH 

DUKE    OF    PORTLAND. 

Collection  of  the  Duke  of  Portland. 


MARIA  COSWAY 

in  her  own  words,  and  with  all  the  weight  of  her 
authority.  Successive  writers  have  laughed  at  the 
story,  and  pronounced  it  an  invention,  and  a  foolish 
one.  Even  Miss  Clayton,  in  her  "  Lives  of  Female 
Artists,"  throws  much  doubt  upon  its  accuracy,  and  it 
is  therefore  desirable  to  note  that  its  authority  rests 
upon  the  artist  herself. 

Certain  supplementary  information  can  now  be  added 
to  that  contained  in  the  letters.  Mrs.  Cosway's  full 
name  was  Maria  Louisa  Catherine  Cecilia.  She  was 
born  at  Florence  in  1759.  She  was  when  young  con- 
sidered a  pretty  girl,  with  fine,  large,  soft  blue  eyes, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  blonde  hair,  and  she  always 
retained  a  sweet,  benignant,  and  kindly  expression. 
She  died  at  Lodi,  near  Milan,  on  January  5th,  1838, 
aged  seventy-nine  years.  She  gained  an  important 
silver  medal  in  Florence  for  proficiency  in  drawing 
when  she  returned  home  after  her  first  visit  to  Rome, 
ere  she  was  twenty  years  of  age.  In  1778  she  was 
nominated  and  elected  a  member  of  the  Academy  of 
Fine  Arts  in  Florence,  and  was  one  of  the  youngest 
members  ever  elected  to  that  very  select  society.  It 
was  then  she  made  the  acquaintance  of  Pompeo 
Battoni,  whose  work  she  always  admired  ;  of  Battoni's 
great  enemy,  Raphael  Mengs  ;  of  his  sister  Teresa,  the 
miniaturist ;  of  Wright  of  Derby,  Fuseli,  and  many 
other  artists.  Not  only  was  she  skilled  in  the  use  of 
the  pencil,  but  her  talent  for  music  was  noticeable,  and 
her  services  were  in  great  demand  in  the  church  of  the 
Monastery  of  the  Visitation,  where  she  had  been 
educated,  and  where  for  some  years  she  played  the 
organ.  Her  father  died  in  1778  or  1779,  and,  as  her 
letter  states,  it  was  in  the  same  year  as  he  died  that 
she  came  ,to  London. 

In  a  manuscript  written  by  James  Northcote,  R.A., 
now  in   the   possession   of   Mr.    E.    W.    Hennell,   of 

17  c 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Southampton  Street,  Bloomsbury,  occurs  the  following 
reference  to  Mrs.  Cos  way  : 

"  Maria,  or  Mary  Hadfield,  was  born  at  Florence, 
of  English  parents,  who  kept  a  lodging  and  board- 
ing house  on  a  very  large  establishment,  which  was 
the  resort  of  all  the  nobility  and  gentry  who  at 
times  visited  Italy.  When  she  first  came  to  Rome, 
about  the  year  1778,  she  was  just  eighteen  years 
of  age,  not  unhandsome,  endowed  with  considerable 
talents,  and  with  a  form  extremely  delicate,  and  a 
pleasing  manner  of  the  utmost  simplicity.  But  was 
withal  active,  ambitious,  proud,  and  restless.  She  had 
been  the  object  of  adoration  of  an  indulgent  father, 
who,  unfortunately  for  her,  had  never  checked  the 
growth  of  her  imperfections.  She  had  some  small 
knowledge  of  painting,  the  same  of  music,  and  about 
the  same  of  five  or  six  languages,  but  at  last  very 
imperfect  in  all  these.  She  came  over  to  England 
after  the  death  of  her  father,  in  company  with  her 
mother,  two  brothers,  and  two  sisters,  filled  with  the 
highest  expectations  of  being  the  wonder  of  the  nation, 
like  another  Angelica  Kauffmann.  But  alas !  these 
expectations  failed,  and  the  money  which  the  father 
had  gained  in  Florence  was  quickly  spent  in  England, 
and  the  family  was  soon  in  some  degree  of  distress. 
This  change,  to  her  so  very  great,  she  bore  with 
admirable  fortitude  and  magnanimity  most  highly  to 
her  credit,  but  in  the  end,  after  having  refused  better 
offers  in  her  better  days,  she  from  necessity  married 
Cosway,  the  miniature  painter,  who  at  that  time  adored 
her,  though  she  always  despised  him.  When,  after 
living  with  him  for  some  time,  the  disgust  on  each  part 
became  so  powerful  that  they  parted  by  mutual  consent, 
and  she  went  to  Lyons,  in  France,  and  became  the 
superior  of  a  seminary  for  young  ladies." 

Northcote,  however,  is  not  quite  accurate  in  his 

18 


MARIA  COSWAY 

statement.  Maria  had  but  one  brother  and  but  one 
sister,  although  she  possessed  a  half-sister  who  came 
over  with  her.  Charlotte,  her  only  sister,  will  be 
mentioned  later  on.  Her  brother  became  an  artist,  but 
did  not  attain  to  any  special  notoriety.  The  injustice 
of  the  concluding  sentence  of  Northcote's  statement 
will  be  made  manifest  in  later  pages  of  this  book. 

The  journey  to  England  was  undertaken  at  the 
earnest  request  of  Angelica  Kauffmann,  who  had 
frequently  heard  of  Maria  and  of  her  ability.  Angelica 
had  arrived  in  England  in  1765,  and  had  quickly 
become  popular.  She  was  a  devout  Catholic,  and 
there  was  much  sympathy  between  her  and  Mrs. 
Hadfield.  It  was  the  influence  and  the  letters  of 
Angelica,  in  union  with  the  strong  persuasion  of  her 
mother,  that  prevented  the  young  girl  from  entering  a 
convent,  and  enabled  her  to  decide  to  come  to  England. 
Angelica  met  the  little  party,  when  first  they  arrived,  in 
a  post-chaise  in  London,  and  took  them  to  her  own 
home,  where  they  stayed  for  some  time.  Mrs.  Hadfield 
eventually  took  some  rooms  in  Berkeley  Square  for 
herself  and  her  family,  and  from  thence  migrated 
within  a  few  months  to  a  house  in  Hanover  Square, 
afterwards  occupied  by  Thomas  Phillips,  R.  A.,  Professor 
of  Painting  to  the  Royal  Academy.  Within  a  very  few 
days  of  their  arrival  in  London  Angelica  introduced 
her  young  protegee  to  society,  and  took  her  with  her  to 
Mr.  Towneley's  house,  7,  Park  Street,  Queen  Square, 
now  Queen  Anne's  Gate.  Here  she  met  many  of  the 
illustrious  men  of  the  day — Reynolds,  Baretti,  Parsons 
the  composer,  Erskine  the  orator,  Jeffreson,  from  the 
United  States,  and  Cosway,  and  to  this  house  she 
frequently  returned.  Towneley  from  the  very  first  took 
a  particular  interest  in  the  clever  girl ;  but  his  interest 
partook  of  a  fatherly  nature,  and  Parsons  was  very 
soon  her  avowed  suitor. 

19  c  2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Angelica  and  Maria's  mother  both  stoutly  dissuaded 
the  girl  from  accepting  Parsons,  for  whom,  as  her 
letters  show,  she  had  only  an  admiration,  and  no 
affection.  Cosway,  however,  was  strongly  in  love  with 
Maria,  captivated  both  by  her  beauty  and  talent.  He 
had  already  attained  to  a  position,  and  was  rapidly 
making  a  great  name.  Maria  records  in  her  own 
letters  that  at  first  she  "  feared  him,  then  she  worshipped 
him  ;  later  on  admired  him,  gradually  grewT  to  like  to 
be  in  his  company  and  to  obtain  his  advice,  and  finally 
loved  him  with  her  whole  heart." 

This  affection,  so  charmingly  recorded,  refutes  North- 
cote's  unjust  sneer,  and  the  story  of  later  events  will 
show  that,  whatever  were  the  faults  both  on  his  and  on 
her  side  in  their  married  life,  she  ever  entertained  a 
strong  affection  for  her  husband,  and  kept  his  memory 
— to  use  her  own  words — "  living  and  green  in  her 
heart." 

The  wedding  was  celebrated  in  St.  George's,  Han- 
over Square,  January  i8th,  1781,*  by  the  Rev.  Richard 
Pitt,  curate,  and  Mr.  Charles  Towneley  gave  away  the 
bride.  Cosway  settled  upon  his  wife  ,£2,800,  and  the 
deeds  relating  to  the  marriage  settlement  are  still  in 
existence,  at  the  convent  in  Italy. 

Angelica  Kauffmann  was  present,  and  also  Maria's 
mother,  Isabella  Hadfield,  her  only  sister,  Charlotte, 
and  Thomas  Banks,  R.A.,  their  great  friend.  For 
awhile,  as  will  be  seen  in  her  letter,  Mrs.  Cosway 
remained  in  seclusion,  but  in  the  very  year  of  her 
marriage  she  exhibited  a  picture  at  the  Academy, 
entitled  "Rinaldo,"  and  two  others. 

In  the  next  year  she  sent  four  other  pictures,  viz.  : 

i.  "  Darthula,  in  defending  the  body  of  her  van- 
quished father,  discovers  herself  to  Cairbar,  her  lover. 
A  scene  from  'Ossian.' ' 

*  Not  in  1772  nor  in  1780,  as  many  writers  have  recorded. 

2O 


HENRY    BANKES,    ESQ.,    OF    KINGSTON    LACY,    DORSET. 
Collection  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkms. 


THOMAS    TOWNELEY,    ESQ.    (SIGNED    AND 

DATED    1789). 
Collection  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins. 


^S|* 


* 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

2.  "A  Magdalen/' 

3.  "  Cynthia.     A  portrait  of  the  Duchess  of  Devon- 
shire, from  Spenser." 

4.  "  ^olus  raising  a  Storm." 

Year  by  year  she  continued  to  exhibit,  sending  four 
pictures  in  1783,  four  in  1784,  six  in  1785,  one  in  1786, 
five  in  1787,  two  in  1788,  two  in  1789,  one  in  1796, 
seven  in  1800,  and  three  in  1801. 

In  1789  her  only  child  was  born,  and  was  named 
Louisa  Paolina  Angelica,  and  usually  known  as 
Angelica  in  honour  of  the  friend  whose  assistance  had 
been  so  generous  and  so  free. 

General  Pasquale  de  Paoli  stood  as  godfather  to 
the  child,  and  the  Princess  D'Albany  was  godmother. 

It  was  to  this  child  that  reference  was  made  in  the 
letter,  and  she  was  left  at  a  very  tender  age  to  the  care 
of  her  father  and  friends.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
poor  little  girl's  education  was  forced  to  a  most  terrible 
extent,  for  at  six  years  old  she  was  at  Cosway 's  desire 
taught  Hebrew,  that  she  might  read  the  Hebrew 
scriptures  even  before  she  could  read  them  well  in 
English.  Mrs.  Cosway  describes  the  reason  of  her 
journey  abroad  soon  after  her  confinement,  and  it  is 
evident  from  other  correspondence  that  her  health  had 
suffered  so  seriously  that  a  prolonged  change  was 
absolutely  necessary. 

As  her  letter  shows,  Mrs.  Cosway  first  of  all  went 
to  Paris  and  to  Flanders,  and  for  awhile  gained  some 
strength  ;  but  eventually  the  long-projected  journey  to 
Italy  took  place,  and  in  Italy  she  remained  for  some 
years. 

She  returned  home  suddenly  on  learning  that  her 
husband  was  seriously  ill,  and  found  her  girl  a 
fine  healthy  child.  The  war  then  prevailing  on  the 
Continent  was  a  great  and  serious  obstacle  to  Mrs. 

22 


WILLIAM    CRAWFORD,    OF    LAKE- 
LANDS,   CO.    CORK. 


JANE    CRAWFORD,    AGED    1 6. 


LOUISA    PAOLINA    ANGELICA    COSWAY    AS    A    BABY. 
Oil  sketch  at  Lodi. 


MARIA  COSWAY 

Cosway's  returning  home  to  her  husband  as  easily  as 
she  desired.  Her  own  letter  describes  the  difficulty, 
but  also  states  how  in  the  time  of  Cosway's  illness  she 
was  able  to  overcome  it  and  arrive  in  London.  Soon 
after  her  arrival,  however,  the  little  Angelica  was 
taken  suddenly  ill,  and  in  a  few  days  passed  away,  to 
the  great  grief  of  her  parents,  who  had  centred  their 
hopes  upon  this  precocious  and  delightful  little  one. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  Angelica  Cosway  died 
while  her  mother  was  away  from  England,  as  some 
writers,  notably  Miss  Clayton,  have  stated.  On  the 
contrary,  Walpole,  writing  from  Strawberry  Hill  on 
August  1 6th,  1796,  to  Miss  Berry  at  Bognor,  says  : 
"  Cosway,  who  had  been  for  some  days  at  Mr. 
Udney's,  is  with  his  wife.  She  is  so  afflicted  that 
she  shut  herself  up  in  her  chamber  and  would  not  be 
seen.  The  man  Cosway  does  not  seem  to  think  that 
much  of  the  loss  belonged  to  him  ;  he  romanced  with 
his  usual  vivacity."  Cynical  Walpole  evidently  refused 
to  believe  that  Cosway's  grief  was  genuine,  and  speaks 
of  it  in  a  very  contemptuous  manner.  Other  contem- 
porary writers,  however,  describe  him  as  overcome  with 
grief  and  despair.  He  had  the  child's  body  embalmed. 
He  placed  it  in  a  marble  sarcophagus  and  kept  it  in 
his  gorgeous  drawing-room  ;  but  later  on  we  are  in- 
formed Mrs.  Cosway  sent  away  the  body  to  Bunhill 
Fields  for  interment,  and  requested  Nollekens  the 
sculptor  to  take  care  of  the  sarcophagus  at  his  house 
for  her. 

After  the  death  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Cosway  was 
again  in  Paris.  Her  attachment  to  the  French  people 
had  prompted  her,  when  in  London,  to  throw  open 
her  house  to  French  refugees,  and  now  she  migrated 
to  Paris,  looked  up  many  of  her  old  acquaintances, 
and  started  a  work  that  for  some  time  she  had 
projected,  "  A  Description  of  the  Louvre,"  illustrated 

23 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

with  engravings.  In  Paris  she  was  presented  to 
Napoleon,  and  had  an  interesting  conversation  on 
art  with  the  great  conqueror. 

She  also  made  the  acquaintance  of  David,  of  G6rard, 
and  of  Gue>in,  and  became  particularly  friendly  with 
several  members  of  the  French  reigning  house,  and 
especially  with  Madame  Letitia. 


24 


H.R.H.    THE    PRINCE    REGENT,    1772. 


PRINCESS    LUBOMIRSKI. 


LOUISA    PAOLINA    ANGELICA 
COSWAY    AS    A    BABY. 


CHAPTER  III 

BERKELEY   STREET   AND    PALL   MALL 

IN  the  previous  chapter  we  have  seen  that  Cosway 
brought  his  bride  to  the  house  he  had  taken  in 
Berkeley  Street,  where  he  had  already  become  known 
as  the  leading  miniature  painter  of  the  day. 

It  is  not  certain  when  he  first  embraced  this  branch 
of  art,  but  it  has  always  been  stated  that  the  fortunate 
circumstance  of  his  painting  a  miniature  of  Mrs.  Fitz- 
herbert,  which  gave  the  Prince  of  Wales  extreme 
satisfaction,  started  Cosway  in  his  brilliant  career,  or 
at  least  made  him  decide  to  adopt  miniature  painting 
as  his  chief  pursuit. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  Rashleigh 
series  of  miniatures,  and  there  must  have  been  others 
besides  these,  produced  by  the  artist,  before  he  lighted 
upon  the  special  technique  which  rendered  him  famous. 
Many  of  them  are  no  doubt  attributed  to  other  artists, 
but  from  the  time  that  Cosway  painted  Mrs.  Fitz- 
herbert,  and  received  the  honour  of  a  visit  from  the 
Prince  Regent  with  his  brothers  at  Berkeley  Street, 
we  can  identify  a  certain  definite  line  of  work  which 
ever  after  marked  Cosway's  finest  productions. 

He  became  a  Royal  Academician  in  1771,  and  in 
that  same  year  exhibited  a  miniature.  In  1769,  when 
the  Academy  had  been  founded,  there  were  but  two 
enamel  and  miniature  painters  on  the  list  of  original 

25 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

painters,  Jeremiah  Meyer  and  Nathaniel  Hone,  and 
only  five  miniatures  were  exhibited  in  the  opening 
exhibition,  the  Academicians  contributing  three,  and 
the  other  two  being  sent  in  by  Samuel  Cotes  and 
John  Scouler. 

The  art  previous  to  the  advent  of  Cosway  had  fallen 
in  disrepute.  There  were  but  few  exhibitors  either  at 
the  Society  of  Artists  or  the  Free  Society,  and  Hone, 
during  fifteen  years,  exhibited  only  two  miniatures, 
and  Meyer  in  twenty  years  only  eighteen.  With 
Cosway's  appearance,  however,  the  art  revived,  and 
under  his  hands  attained  to  the  full  zenith  of  its 
importance  during  the  eighteenth  century,  continuing 
after  his  death  to  flourish  in  the  hands  of  the  numerous 
artists  who  were  his  contemporaries,  pupils,  or  suc- 
cessors. 

It  does  not  appear  that  Cosway  resided  in  Berkeley 
Street,  or  Berkeley  Row,  as  it  was  then  called,  for 
very  long  after  his  wedding.  He  had  suddenly 
become  one  of  the  most  popular  artists  of  the  day, 
and  he  decided  to  remove  to  a  larger  dwelling- 
house.  He  querulously  complained,  in  a  letter  to  a 
friend  in  Italy,  of  the  narrowness  of  the  street  wherein 
he  dwelt,  of  the  blank  wall  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire's 
house,  which  was  opposite  to  his  windows,  and  of  his 
inability  to  receive  the  Prince  Regent  and  his  many 
august  patrons  in  suitable  manner  in  a  house  that  had 
no  entrance-hall  and  such  very  small  sitting-rooms. 

He  left,  therefore,  for  Pall  Mall,  removing  to 
Schomberg  House,  a  great  building  erected  for  the 
Duke  of  Schomberg,  occupied  later  on  by  the  Earl  of 
Holderness,  and  altered  in  1850  for  the  War  Office, 
which  is  still  located  within  its  walls.  Here  Cosway 
and  his  wife  lived  in  great  splendour,  and  here  it  was 
that  Mrs.  Cosway  started  her  evening  concerts,  which, 
especially  on  Sunday  evenings,  were  the  most  popular 

26 


GEORGIANA,    DUCHESS    OF    DEVONSHIRE. 

Collection  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire. 


LIFE  IN  PALL  MALL 

reunions  of  the  day.  Mrs.  Cos  way  is  described  at 
that  time  as  a  "  golden-haired,  languishing  Anglo- 
Italian,  graceful  to  affectation,  and  highly  accomplished, 
especially  in  music."  She  was  generally  the  chief  per- 
former at  the  concerts,  while  her  odd  little  husband, 
dressed  up  in  the  very  extreme  of  fashion,  flitted  about 
through  his  gaily-decorated  rooms,  ogling,  flirting,  and 
bowing,  receiving  his  patrons  with  the  airs  of  a  Prince, 
flattering  them  to  the  top  of  his  bent,  and  entertaining 
those  who  made  up  the  grand  monde  of  the  day,  and 
who,  while  accepting  his  hospitality,  and  admiring  his 
beautiful  miniatures,  did  not  omit  to  criticise  and  sneer 
at  the  trickery  and  conceit  of  the  artist  when  they  left 
his  house.  Pall  Mall  was  blocked  on  these  occasions 
with  carnages,  sedan-chairs,  link  boys,  and  lacqueys,  and 
everyone  who  was  well  known  in  society  found  their 
way  to  Mrs.  Cos  way's  receptions.  Horace  Walpole 
was  often  in  the  rooms,  as  were  the  beautiful  Duchess 
of  Devonshire,  the  talented  sculptor  Mrs.  Dawson 
Darner,  the  Countess  of  Aylesbury,  the  Marchioness 
Townshend,  Lady  Cecilia  Johnstone,  Lord  Sandys, 
Earl  Cowper,  Lord  Erskine,  Mrs.  Cowley,  and  others 
too  numerous  to  mention.  Walpole  himself  speaks  of 
"bushels  of  little  Italian  notes  of  invitation"  being 
sent  out,  and  numerous  letters  of  the  period  testify  to 
the  brilliance  of  these  assemblies. 

Smith  records  in  his  entertaining  volume  one  or  two 
letters  relating  to  Mrs.  Cosway's  parties. 

"DEAR  MRS.  COSWAY"  (writes  the  Duchess  of  Devonshire), 
"  I  am  extremely  sorry  that  my  Mother's  illness 
prevents  my  going  out  and  coming  to  you  to-night.  If  you 
have  the  harp-woman  (I  forget  her  hard  name)  I  wish  you 
would  tell  her  that  I  hope  to  see  her  as  soon  as  my  Mother 
is  better. 

"  Believe  me  yours  ever, 

"  G.  DEVONSHIRE." 
27 


RICHARD  COSWAY 


And  again  : 


"  DEAR  MRS.  COSWAY, 

"  Pray  send  to  Mademoiselle  Caroline  and  tell  her  I 
was  sent  for  out  of  town  on  Election  business  which  will 
prevent  my  seeing  her  at  five  to-day. 
"  I  am, 

"  Dear  Mrs.  Cosway, 
"  Yours, 

"  G.  DEVONSHIRE." 

Mrs.  Cowley,  the  well-known  litterateur,  also 
wrote : 

"  MY  DEAR  MRS.  COSWAY, 

"  This  morning  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Mathew,  who 
received  it  from  Mr.  Hutton,  that  you  had  been  extremely  ill. 
I  am — how  foolish  to  say  '  I  am  very  sorry!' — that  phrase  is 
in  the  mouth  of  all  the  children  of  indifference.  I  am  myself 
very  ill,  or  instead  of  my  daughter  you  would  have  seen  me. 
But  how  can  you  whom  I  saw  last  Tuesday  at  Somerset 
House  so  well — how  can  you  have  been  a  long  time  ill  ?  Yes, 
I  saw  you,  yourself.  If  you  can  draw  everybody  as  justly  as 
the  fair  Maria,  you  will  be  the  first  portrait  painter  in  the 
kingdom.  It  is  identically  you  without  subtraction  or  addi- 
tion. Your  Ossian  is  charming!  the  Maid  of  Arragon  is 
placed  too  high,  but  'tis  a  sweet  elegant  picture.  I  could 
not  find  the  Lovesick  damsel  of  the  Sun* — but  I  must  go 
again.  Pray  let  me  know  how  you  are — and  tell  me  that 
some  morning  of  the  coming  week  I  shall  be  a  welcome 
visitant. 

"  Your  ever  affectionate, 

"  H.  COWLEY. 
"  Powis  PLACE, 

"  Sunday  evening" 

Schomberg  House  became  a  well-known  aristocratic 
rendezvous,  and  the  concerts  and  assemblies  in  it  were 
attended  by  all  the  fashion  of  the  day.  There  was 
said  to  exist  a  private  passage  between  it  and  Carlton 

*  A  picture  by  Maria  Cosway,  now  in  the  Soane  Museum. 

28 


PRISC1LLA,    BARONESS    WILLOUGHBY    DE    ERESBY    IN    HER    OWN 
RIGHT,    WITH    HER    SON,    AFTERWARDS    SECOND 

LORD    GWYDYR. 
Collection  of  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan. 


SCHOMBERG  HOUSE 

House.  There  are  frequent  references  to  these 
concerts  in  Horace  Walpole's  letters,  and  very  cynical 
are  many  of  the  comments  made  by  the  lord  of  Straw- 
berry Hill. 

Writing  from  Berkeley  Square  on  January  27th,  1 786, 
he  says  :  "  I  received  a  little  Italian  note  from  Mrs. 
Cosway  this  morning  to  tell  me  that  as  I  had  last 
week  met  at  her  house  an  old  acquaintance,  I  might 
meet  her  again  this  evening." 

On  May  29  in  the  same  year  he  wrote  :  "  Curiosity 
carried  me  again  to  a  great  concert  at  Mrs.  Cosway 's 
tother  night,  not  to  hear  Rubinelli,  who  sung  one  song 
at  the  extravagant  price  of  ten  guineas,  and  whom  for 
as  many  shillings  I  have  heard  sing  half  a  dozen  at 
the  Opera  House — no,  but  I  was  curious  to  see  an 
English  Earl  who  had  passed  thirty  years  at  Florence, 
and  is  more  proud  of  a  pinchbeck  Principality  and  a 
paltry  order  from  Wurtemburg  than  he  was  of  being  a 
Peer  of  Great  Britain  when  Great  Britain  was  some- 
thing. Had  I  stayed  till  it  is  not  I  should  have 
remained  where  I  was.  I  merely  meant  to  amuse  my 
eyes,  but  Mr.  Dutens  brought  the  personage  to  me, 
and  presented  us  to  each  other.  He  answered  very 
well  to  my  idea,  for  I  should  have  taken  his  Highness 
for  a  Doge  of  Venice.  He  has  the  awkward  dignity 
of  a  temporary  representative  of  nominal  power. 
Peace  be  with  him  and  his  leaf  gold." 

In  1787  a  phrase  appears  in  a  letter  of  Walpole's, 
dated  October  28th,  showing  the  position  that  Mrs. 
Cosway's  assemblies  were  attempting  to  take  :  "  By 
the  representatives,"  says  Horace,  "  of  all  the  Princes 
of  Europe  at  Mrs.  Cosway's  Diet."  By  1791  Mrs. 
Cosway  had  left  England,  and  on  June  8th 
Walpole .  writes  to  the  Miss  Berrys  in  Florence : 
"You  know  I  used  to  call  Mrs.  Cosway's  concerts 
Charon's  boat;  now  methinks  London  is  so.  I  am 

29 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

glad  Mrs.  Cosway  is  with  you ;  she  is  pleasing,  but 
surely  it  is  odd  to  drop  a  child  and  her  husband 
and  country  all  in  a  breath." 

The  cause  of  this  relinquishment  of  home  duties  has 
already  been  seen  in  Mrs.  Cosway's  own  letter, 
and  although  later  absences  may  possibly  be  attributed 
to  other  causes,  the  absence  from  England  soon  after 
the  birth  of  the  baby  girl  was  quite  evidently  caused 
by  ill-health. 

The  house  in  Pall  Mall  where  these  great  assem- 
blies were  held  had  an  interesting  history  before  and 
after  Cosway  occupied  it.  Jarvis,  the  painter  immor- 
talized by  Pope,  whose  portrait  he  painted,  had  lived 
in  the  central  part  of  the  house;  he  had  been  followed 
by  Astley,  the  painter  who  married  Lady  Duckenfield; 
after  him  came  Nathaniel  Hone,  R.A.,  who  kept  a 
famous  black  woman  in  it  as  his  model,  and  then  it 
was  taken  by  the  so-called  "Celestial  Doctor,"  Graham 
the  lecturer,  and  it  is  said  to  have  been  in  the  same 
house  that  the  doctor  exhibited  Emma  Lyon,  after- 
wards Lady  Hamilton,  as  the  Goddess  of  Health. 
Cosway  followed  the  doctor,  but  before  he  entered  the 
house  his  old  friend  Angelica  Kauffmann  decorated 
two  of  the  ceilings  in  her  accustomed  charming  style. 
After  Cosway  left  the  house  was  occupied  as  a  gallery 
by  the  Polygraphic  Society  ;  then  by  Peter  Coxe  the 
auctioneer,  author  of  a  poem  called  "  The  Social  Day," 
and  then  by  Messrs.  Payne  and  Foss  as  an  important 
book-shop,  which  in  1845  rejoiced  in  the  title  of 
"  Honest  Tom  Payne's."  Gainsborough  also  made 
the  house  famous  by  occupying  the  west  wing  from 
1777  to  1788.  It  had  in  its  rear  a  large  garden,  with 
a  handsome  raised  terrace  commanding  a  view  of  the 
royal  gardens  and  the  Park  beyond,  and  a  reference 
has  already  been  made  to  the  picture  painted  by 
William  Hodges,  R.A.,  showing  a  window  in  Cosway's 

30 


RICHARD    COSWAY,    R.A. 

From  a  drawing  by  George  Dance,  R.A. 
Owner,  The  Royal  Academy. 


SCHOMBERG  HOUSE 

breakfast-room,  with  Mrs.  Cos  way  seated  in  the  em- 
brasure, gazing  upon  the  beautiful  view  beyond. 

By  this  time  Cosway  seems  to  have  been  able  to 
give  full  play  to  his  passion  for  fine  dress  and  admira- 
tion. He  became  known  as  one  of  the  most  foppish 
men  of  the  day,  and  by  his  style  of  costume  provoked 
a  good  deal  of  ridicule.  Even  upon  ordinary  occasions 
he  adopted  a  most  elaborate  style  of  costume.  "  I 
have  seen  him,"  says  J.  T.  Smith,  "at  the  elder 
Christie's  picture  sales,  full  dressed  in  his  sword  and 
bag,  with  a  small  three-cornered  hat  on  the  top  of  his 
powdered  toupee,  and  a  mulberry  silk  coat,  profusely 
embroidered  with  scarlet  strawberries." 

Cunningham,  in  his  Life  of  the  artist,  thus  refers  to 
Cosway's  style  of  costume  :  "  To  rise  from  indigence 
to  affluence,"  says  he,  "  and  to  step  out  of  the 
company  of  indifferent  daubers  into  that  of  lords  and 
ladies  of  high  degree,  could  not  be  accomplished, 
Cosway  imagined,  without  putting  on  airs  of  supe- 
riority and  a  dress  rivalling  that  of  an  Eastern 
ambassador."  Then  it  was  that  he  was  caricatured  by 
several  artists.  Mat  Darley,  the  famous  caricature 
print  -  seller,  introduced  an  etching  of  him  in  his 
window  in  the  Strand,  calling  it  "  The  Macaroni 
Miniature  Painter,"  and  the  title  stuck  to  Cosway  all 
his  life.  Dighton  also  satirized  the  artist,  and  the 
drawing  was  engraved  in  mezzotint  by  Earlom  when  a 
beginner,  though  without  the  names  of  the  artists,  and 
entitled,  "  The  Macaroni  Painter ;  or,  Billy  Dimple 
sitting  for  his  Picture."  Prints  of  this  work  are  now 
extremely  rare,  as  Cosway  purchased  and  destroyed 
every  copy  that  he  could  lay  his  hands  upon. 

Another  caricature  of  the  artist  took  the  form  of 
some  clever  alterations  made  to  a  portrait  of  himself 
which  Cosway  had  published,  and  which  sold  very 
successfully.  In  the  caricature  the  hat  and  feathered 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

mantle  worn  by  the  artist  were  replaced  by  a  ragged 
cloak  and  a  tattered  wide-awake  hat  with  a  pipe 
stuck  in  it,  while,  instead  of  Cosway's  pompous 
Latin  signature,  which  appeared  on  the  engraving, 
the  caricature  was  inscribed,  "  Dickey  Causeway  in 
Plain  English." 

It  was  at  this  time  that  he  first  started  a  black 
servant,  who,  by  the  way,  is  said  to  have  published 
an  octavo  work  upon  slavery,  and  this  man,  whom 
Cosway  attired  in  crimson  silk  with  elaborate  lace 
and  gold  buttons,  and,  later  on,  in  crimson  Genoa 
velvet,  in  imitation  of  the  footmen  at  the  Vatican, 
provoked  considerable  ridicule,  and  became  the  object 
of  scorn. 

The  other  artists  of  the  day  were  already  jealous  of 
Cosway's  success,  and  were  only  too  glad  to  laugh  at 
him  for  what  they  called  his  "  monkey  face,  apish 
figure,  and  his  inane  finicking  dandyism."  He  was 
teased  and  annoyed  by  many  vexatious  slights  and 
sneers,  and  wherever  he  went  he  was  subjected  to 
sneering  remarks,  partly  occasioned  by  his  triumphant 
success,  and  partly  the  result  of  his  own  folly  in 
adopting  so  conspicuous  a  style  of  costume. 

One  or  two  artists  were  specially  spiteful  towards 
him.  Wilson,  a  rough,  violent  man,  and  Hayman, 
who,  like  his  companion,  was  coarse  and  slovenly, 
were  always  ready  to  attack  Cosway.  One  evening, 
it  is  said,  as  he  minced  into  the  Artists'  Club  from  a 
levee,  dressed  in  gorgeous  array — red  heels,  bag  wig, 
and  sword — he  found  the  room  so  crowded  that  he 
could  not  obtain  a  seat.  "  What !"  sneered  Hayman, 
' '  canst  thou  find  no  room?  Come  hither,  my  little 
Jack-a-Dang,  and  sit  upon  my  knee,  thou  little 
monkey."  Cosway  turned  on  his  foe  in  a  flash.  "  It 
would  not  be  the  first  time,"  said  he,  "that  the 
monkey  rode  the  bear." 


TINY  COSMETIC 

An  amusing  anecdote  illustrative  of  the  painter's 
vanity  is  told  by  Angelo  in  his  "  Reminiscences."^ 

After  becoming  an  R.A.,  Cos  way  was  careful  to  be 
present  whenever  any  of  the  Royal  Family  visited  the 
exhibition.  On  one  occasion  it  appears  that,  the 
King  being  ill,  the  Prince  of  Wales  paid  the  Royal 
Academicians  a  visit  on  the  day  of  the  private  view, 
as  the  representative  of  his  father.  The  President 
was  ill  with  the  gout,  and  Cos  way,  to  his  great  joy, 
was  appointed  to  act  for  him.  Cosway  received  the 
Prince  attired  in  a  dove-coloured  suit,  silver  embroi- 
dered Court  dress,  with  sword,  bag-wig,  and  chapeau 
bas.  He  followed  the  royal  party  through  all  the 
apartments,  uttering  a  hundred  high-flown  compli- 
ments. When  the  Prince  retired,  the  grand  little  man 
attended  him  to  the  carriage,  and  in  the  presence  of 
the  crowd  retreated  backwards,  with  measured  steps, 
making  at  each  step  a  profound  obeisance,  when,  sad 
to  relate,  his  sword  got  between  his  legs,  and  he  was 
suddenly  prostrate  in  the  mud.  "  Just  as  I  anticipated. 
Oh !  ye  gods !"  exclaimed  the  Prince,  as  he  drove 
away. 

Poor  Tiny  Cosmetic,  as  the  satirist  dubbed  him ! 
The  giant  porter  carried  him  into  the  Royal  Academy 
in  his  arms,  the  great  doors  were  closed  upon  the 
laughing  people,  and  the  motherly  housekeeper  tenderly 
wiped  away  the  traces  of  his  misfortune  with  a  scented 
napkin. 

The  sword  was  evidently  a  favourite  item  in  the 
artist's  full-dress  costume.  In  Zoffany's  picture  of  the 
Academicians,  Cosway  stands  in  the  right-hand  corner, 
grandly  dressed,  and  with  lace  ruffles  and  cane.  He 
is  wearing  a  sword,  and  is  the  only  person  in  the 
picture,  save  Sir  Joshua,  the  President,  who  is 

*  Vol.  i.,  p.  3581/0?. 

33  D 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

adorned  in  that  fashion.  Even  in  the  street  he  wore 
it,  and  a  story  is  told  of  a  duel  in  St.  James's  Street, 
at  the  Whig  Club,  when  a  member,  rushing  into  the 
street  in  search  of  a  weapon,  spied  Cosway  strutting 
past,  drew  out  his  sword  without  leave  or  permission, 
and,  returning  to  the  club,  fought  his  opponent  in  the 
hall. 

It  was  during  his  residence  in  Pall  Mall  that 
Cosway  commenced  to  paint  the  best  of  his  works  in 
oil,  the  series  he  executed  for  the  Earl  of  Radnor, 
representing  himself  and  his  children.  Lord  Radnor's 
own  picture  was  painted  in  1786,  and  he  is  in  peer's 
robes,  holding  in  his  hand  the  plan  of  Longford  Castle. 
The  portrait  group  of  Viscount  Folkestone  and  his 
sister  was  painted  in  1785,  and  the  one  of  Admiral 
Pleydell-Bouverie  when  a  boy  in  the  same  year.  In 
1789  he  painted  another  son,  Laurence,  and  in  1709, 
when  in  Stratford  Place,  two  more  lads  of  the  family, 
Frederick  and  Philip,  aged  fourteen  and  eleven,  and 
Barbara,  their  sister.  He  also  produced  a  pencil 
drawing  of  the  Countess  of  Radnor,  another  of 
Mrs.  Bouverie,  Lord  Radnor's  half-sister,  and  two 
exquisite  miniatures  of  the  Earl,  painted  in  1786  and 
1812,  with  a  copy  in  miniature  of  a  portrait  by 
Gainsborough  of  William,  the  first  Earl,  Lord  Radnor's 
father.  With  the  Earl  of  Radnor  Cosway  appears  to 
have  been  on  excellent  terms.  He  placed  in  the 
artist's  hands  this  important  series  of  commissions, 
and  there  are  frequent  mentions  of  transactions 
between  the  painter  and  his  patron,  both  as  to  work 
executed  and  as  to  the  sale  of  pictures  and  treasures. 
From  the  family  account-books  the  Dowager  Countess 
of  Radnor  has  kindly  extracted  the  following  memo- 
randa respecting  some  of  these  transactions,  and  added 
notes  to  them  with  reference  to  signatures  and  en- 
gravings : 

34 


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\ 


ii 


RICHARD  COSWAY 


The  folloiving  volumes  are  now  ready: 

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invented  by  the  Monks.  Translated  from  the  Latin  by 
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HOOPER,  M.A. 

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Bibliography  by  KARL  BREUL,  Litt.D.,  Ph.D. 

JAMESON'S  SHAKESPEARE'S  HEROINES.  Char- 
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LAMB'S  ESSAYS.  Including  the  Essays  of  Elia,  Last  Essays 
of  Elia,  and  Eliana. 

MARCUS     AURELIUS     ANTONINUS,     THE 

THOUGHTS  OF.  Translated  by  GEORGE  LONG,  M.A. 

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after  God. 

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3  vols.       . 

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RICHARD  COSWAY 


PASCAL'S  THOUGHTS.  Translated  from  the  Text  of 
M.  AUGUSTE  MOLINIER  by  C.  KEGAN  PAUL.  Third 
edition. 

SWIFT'S  GULLIVER'S  TRAVELS.  Edited,  with  In- 
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ARTHUR  YOUNG'S  TRAVELS  IN  FRANCE,  during 
the  years  1787,  1788,  and  1789.    Edited,  with  Introduc- 
tion and  Notes,  by  M.  BETHAM  EDWARDS. 
"  We  are  glad  to  think  that  Arthur  Young  could  not  have  found  a 
more  capable  or  sympathetic  editor.  .  .  .  Miss  Edwards  has  very  wisely 
prefaced  the  book  with  an  exceedingly  interesting  biographical  notice." 
—  Times. 

11  In  its  present  form  it  makes  as  good  a  book  of  travels  as  it  would 
be  easy  to  name." — Spectator. 

The  following  Volumes  are  in  Preparation. 
FIELDING'S  TOM  JONES.    2  vols. 

MONTAIGNE'S  ESSAYS.  Cotton's  translation.  Revised 
by  W.  C.  HAZLITT.  3  vols. 

MORE'S  UTOPIA.  With  the  Life  of  Sir  Thomas  More, 
by  William  Roper,  and  his  Letters  to  Margaret  Roper 
and.  others.  Edited,  with  Introduction  and  Notes,  by 
GEORGE  SAMPSON. 

PLUTARCH'S  LIVES.  Translated,  with  Notes  and  a  Life 
by  AUBREY  STEWART,  M.A.,  and  GEORGE  LONG,  M.A. 
4  vols. 

LONDON:  GEORGE  BELL  AND  SONS, 
PORTUGAL  STREET,  LINCOLN'S  INN. 


THE  RADNOR  PICTURES 

"  '  1 780,  May  30.  Cosway,  for  stained  drawing  of 
Lady  Radnor,  £26  55.' 

"*  1785,  Oct.  24.  Cosway,  for  the  two  pictures  of 
my  3  eldest  children,  ^115  ios.' 

"N.B— .Signed  CR.  William,  Viscount  Folkestone, 
and  Lady  Mary  Anne  Pleydell-Bouverie,  engraved  as 
'  Infancy '  (?)  by  Mrs.  White  (?).  Hon.  Buncombe 
Pleydell-Bouverie,  engraved  by  H.  R.  Cook. 

"'1786,  Feb.  ii.  Mrs.  White,  for  24  proof 
engravings  of  the  print  from  Cosway's  picture  of  the 
children,  ^14  8^.' 

"  '  1786,  Feb.  1 1.  Bovi,  Engraver  of  Lady  Radnor's 
Drawing  by  Cosway,  ^52  ios.' 

"  '  1786,  July  8.     Cosway,  for  my  miniature  picture, 
2$: 

"'July  ii.  Gray,  for  setting  of  my  picture  by 
Cosway,  ^5  15^.  6d.' 

"  '  1789,  Feb.  17.  Cosway,  for  picture  of  Laurence, 
£50.' 

"  N.B. — Not  engraved.  Signed,  right-hand  top 
corner :  '  R.  Cosway,  R.A.,  Pinxit  Primarius  Pictor 
Principi,  1788.' 

"  '  1799,  Ap.  17.  Mr.  Conde,  engraver,  for  altering 
the  Plate  of  Lady  Radnor  by  Cosway,  £6  6s.' 

"'May  14.  Mr.  Cosway,  for  pictures  of  my 
children,  Barbara,  Frederick,  and  Philip,  ^178  ios.' 

"  N.B.— Not  engraved.  One  of  Barbara,  full-length, 
reduced  to  the  head  only,  is  in  the  possession  of 
Mrs.  Hay,  Clyffe  Hall,  Devizes ;  the  one  in  the 
possession  of  Lord  Radnor  being  a  copy,  with  altered 
figure,  by  Mrs.  Carpenter.  In  the  picture  of  Frederick 
and 'Philip,  the  two  boys  are  depicted  together  placing 
flowers  on  the  tomb  of  their  sister  Harriet,  who  did 
not  live  to  be  painted. 

35  D  2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

"'1812,  Jan.   24.     Mr.  Cosway,  for  2  portraits  of 
myself,  ^150.' 

«  N  B.— Not  engraved.  One  portrait,  full-length  in 
oils,  is  at  Longford.  I  do  not  know  where  the 
other  is." 


GEORGE    IV. 


QUEEN    CAROLINE. 
Collection  of  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan, 


LADY    MELBOURNE. 


CHAPTER  IV 

MAGNIFICENCE — DEJECTION — DEATH 

IT  is  not  very  clear  why  Cos  way  left  Pall  Mall  to  go 
into  a  house  in  Stratford  Place.  He  complained  of 
having  to  move  again,  and  to  go  nearer  "the  City," 
of  which  he  professed  to  have  a  holy  horror,  but  in 
1791  the  removal  actually  took  place. 

He  first  of  all  went  to  No.  i,  Stratford  Place, 
Oxford  Street,  situated  at  the  south-west  corner  of  the 
Place.  Stratford  Place  has  been  but  little  altered,  but 
the  first  house  taken  by  Cos  way  is  now  numbered  21, 
part  of  it  being  called  356,  Oxford  Street.  It  is  a 
fine  old-fashioned  residence,  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Montagu  T.  Burgoyne,  and  by  his  kindness  I  have  been 
through  its  rooms.  The  drawing-room  is  a  splendid 
apartment,  long  and  narrow,  and  very  suitable  for  a 
reception.  Some  of  the  ceilings  are  slightly  decorated, 
and  the  doors  are  ornamented  and  well  made.  The 
special  features  of  the  house  are,  however,  its  mantel- 
pieces and  fire-places.  Smith  records  that  "  no  sooner 
were  his  stoves  fixed  "  than  the  occurrence  took  place 
which  caused  him  to  leave  the  house.  It  is  clear, 
therefore,  that  these  "stoves"  were  Cosway's  own 
selection,  and  one  or  two  of  the  mantelpieces  I 
attribute  -to  the  hand  of  his  constant  friend,  Thomas 
Banks,  R.A.  Later  on  Smith  speaks  of  a  mantel- 
piece by  Banks  at  No.  20,  but  three  of  the  mantel- 

37 


RICHARD  COSWAY 


pieces  at  the  corner  house  are  equally  charming 
specimens  of  well-carved  marble,  most  graceful  and 
pleasing  in  design,  very  like  the  work  of  this  sculptor. 
The  house  then  had,  and  still  has,  a  stone  lion 
carved  on  its  exterior  pediment,  and  this  object  at 
once  attracted  the  notice  of  Peter  Pindar,  who  wrote 


the  oft-quoted  lines  which  some  reckless  person  affixed 
to  the  door  of  the  house  : 

"  When  a  man  to  a  fair  for  a  show  brings  a  lion, 
'Tis  usual  a  monkey  the  sign-pole  to  tie  on ! 
But  here  the  old  custom  reversed  is  seen, 
For  the  lion's  without  and  the  monkey's  within." 

Poor  susceptible  Cos  way,  who,  Smith  tells  us,  "  was, 
although  a  well-made  little  man,  certainly  very  like  a 

3* 


WILLIAM    SPENCER,    SIXTH    DUKE    OF  WILLIAM,    FIFTH    DUKE    OF    DEVON- 

DEVONSHIRE,    AS    A    CHILD.  SHIRE. 

Collection  of  the  Duke  of  Sutherland. 


GEORGIANA,    DUCHESS    OF    DEVONSHIRE. 


MAGNIFICENCE 

monkey  in  the  face,"  was  horrified  at  this  lampoon, 
and  immediately  sacrificed  his  lease  and  prepared  to 
move.  From  the  parish  rate-books  he  does  not  appear 
to  have  held  this  house  for  much  more  than  three 
months,  and  he  then  moved  two  doors  further  up  the 
street  into  the  house  in  which  practically  the  remainder 
of  his  life  was  passed. 

No.  20,  Stratford  Place,  is  the  property  of  Dr. 
William  Laidlaw  Purves,  and  he  has  been  good  enough 
to  permit  me  to  see  the  portion  of  it  under  his  control, 
and  also  the  rooms  now  occupied  by  a  friend  of  his. 
Cosway's  studio  was  evidently  at  the  back  of  the 
house,  a  room  which  has  been  altered  into  two  smaller 
ones. 

The  large  windows  which  Cosway  had  inserted  are 
still  in  situ,  and  extend  from  floor  to  ceiling,  lighting 
the  room  magnificently,  and  rendering  it  eminently 
suitable  for  the  work  of  a  miniaturist.  This  house 
Smith  describes  in  glowing  language.  "  His  new 
house,"  he  says,  "  Cosway  fitted  up  in  so  picturesque, 
and  indeed  so  princely,  a  style  that  I  regret  drawings 
were  not  made  of  each  apartment,  for  many  of  the 
rooms  were  more  like  scenes  of  enchantment  pencilled 
by  a  poet's  fancy  than  anything  perhaps  before  dis- 
played in  a  domestic  habitation.  His  furniture  con- 
sisted of  ancient  chairs,  couches,  and  conversation- 
stools  elaborately  carved  and  gilt,  and  covered  with 
the  most  costly  Genoa  velvets  ;  escritoires  of  ebony 
inlaid  with  mother-of-pearl,  and  rich  caskets  for  antique 
gems  exquisitely  enamelled  and  adorned  with  onyxes, 
opals,  rubies,  and  emeralds.  There  were  also  cabinets 
of  ivory  curiously  wrought ;  mosaic  tables  set  with 
jaspar,  bloodstone,  and  lapis  lazuli,  having  their  feet 
carved  Into  the  claws  of  lions  and  eagles ;  screens  of 
old  raised  Oriental  Japan ;  massive  musical  clocks 
richly  chased  with  ormolu  and  tortoise-shell ;  ottomans 

39 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

superbly  damasked ;  Persian  and  other  carpets  with 
corresponding  hearthrugs  bordered  with  ancient  family 
crests  and  armorial  ensigns  in  the  centre ;  and  rich 
hangings  of  English  tapestry.  The  chimney-pieces 
were  carved  by  Banks,  and  were  further  adorned  with 
the  choicest  bronzes,  models  in  wax  and  terra  cotta  ; 
the  tables  covered  with  old  Sevres,  blue,  Mandarin, 
Nankin,  and  Dresden  china ;  and  the  cabinets  were 
surmounted  with  crystal  cups  adorned  with  the  York 
and  Lancaster  roses,  which  might  probably  have 
graced  the  splendid  banquets  of  the  proud  Wolsey. 
His  specimens  of  armour  also  were  very  rich,  although 
not  to  be  compared  with  Doctor  Meyrick's;  and  I  there 
recollect,"  concludes  Smith,  "seeing  him  stand  by  the 
fire-place  upon  one  of  Madame  Pompadour's  rugs, 
leaning  against  a  chimney-piece  dedicated  to  the  Sun, 
the  ornaments  of  which  were  sculptured  by  Banks, 
giving  instructions  to  a  Picture-dealer  to  bid  for  some 
of  the  Merly  drawings  at  the  memorable  sale  of  Ralph 
Willett,  Esq." 

The  mantelpiece  that  Smith  names  in  this  gorgeous 
description  was  still  in  the  house  when  Dr.  Purves 
purchased  it,  but  was  removed  by  the  freeholder  with- 
out permission,  set  into  the  wall  of  a  church,  and,  by 
the  addition  of  certain  other  sculptured  work,  turned 
into  a  monument.  A  lawsuit  regarding  this  mantel- 
piece was  instituted  by  the  ground  landlord  of  the  estate, 
and  has  lately  been  terminated  in  his  favour.  As  a 
consequence,  the  mantelpiece  has  been  removed  from 
the  church,  and  is  now  back  in  its  original  place,  where 
it  was  in  Cosway's  time. 

When  residing  in  Pall  Mall,  Cosway  had  not 
scrupled  to  increase  his  income  by  the  purchase  and 
sale  both  of  pictures  and  bric-a-brac. 

He  first  purchased  old  pictures,  repaired,  varnished, 
and  touched  up  their  defects,  and  employed  others  to 

40 


CONDE    THE    ENGRAVER. 

Collection  of  Sir  H.  Howorth,  K.C.I.E. 


MAGNIFICENCE 

do  so  for  him,  and  then  disposed  of  them  to  his  own 
patrons  who  had  galleries  to  fill  or  rooms  to  decorate. 
Finding  that  by  this  means  he  could  not  only  gratify 
his  own  taste  and  adorn  his  own  rooms,  but  also 
derive  considerable  financial  advantage,  he  extended 
his  purchases  to  furniture  and  to  objects  wrought  in 
ivory,  crystal,  amber,  glass,  and  precious  stones,  and 
was  not  at  all  averse  to  making  a  handsome  profit  by 
the  sale  of  one  of  his  rare  pieces  of  furniture  or  por- 
celain to  some  patron  from  whom  he  had  just  perchance 
received  a  commission. 

Before  leaving  Pall  Mall,  however,  he  weeded  out 
his  collection  of  pictures,  and  the  catalogue  of  the 
two  days'  sale  at  Christie's  that  ensued  is  still  pre- 
served at  the  British  Museum.  It  was  announced 
as  follows  : 

CATALOGUE 
OF  ALL  THE  RESERVED  AND  VALUABLE  PART  OF  THE  CAPITAL 

COLLECTION  OF  PICTURES 

THE  PROPERTY  OF 

RICHARD  COSWAY,  ESQ.,  R.A., 

REMOVED   FROM  HIS  LATE  RESIDENCE  IN  PALL  MALL  BY 

MR.   CHRISTIE, 
IN  PALL  MALL,    FRIDAY,   MARCH  2,    1792,  AND    FOLLOWING  DAY 

One  picture  realized  as  much  as  ^94  10^.,  but  the 
general  average  realized  was  a  small  one,  only  extend- 
ing to  some  £z  or  ^4. 

Although  he  fled  to  his  new  house  to  escape  from 
the  witty  lampoons  of  his  enemies,  he  was  by  no  means 
freed  from  such  bitter  satire.  Peter  Pindar  with  his 
wit  followed  the  artist,  and  attacked  also  Mrs.  Cosway, 
holding  up  to  bitter  scorn  both  artists,  their  luxurious 
habits,  and  their  pictures. 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

One  of  Mrs.  Cosway's  productions,  entitled  "  The 
Hours,"  was  thus  described : 

"  A  sublime  picture  this ;  the  expression  is  truly  Homerical. 
The  fair  artist  hath  in  the  most  surprising  manner  communicated 
to  canvas  the  old  Bard's  idea  of  the  Brandy-faced  Hours. 

"  No,  no  !  with  all  my  lyric  powers 

I'm  not  like  Mrs.  Cosway's  Hours, 
Red  as  cock-turkies,  plump  as  barn-door  chicken. 
Merit  and  I  are  miserably  off ; 
We  both  have  got  a  most  consumptive  cough, 
Hunger  hath  long  our  harmless  bones  been  picking." 

Ode  I.,  1783. 

Again,  of  Cosway's  picture  of  "The  Virtues  arming 
St.  George,"  Peter  Pindar  wrote : 

"  Oh,  Richard,  thy  St.  George  so  brave, 

Wisdom  and  Prudence  could  not  save 
From  being  foully  murdered,  my  good  friend. 

Some  weep  to  see  the  woeful  figure, 

WThilst  others  laugh,  and  many  snigger 
As  if  their  mirth  would  never  have  an  end. 

"  Prithee  accept  the  advice  I  give  with  sorrow, 
Of  poor  St.  George  the  useless  armour  borrow 

To  guard  thine  own  poor  corpse — don't  be  a  mule, 
Take  it,  ev'n  now  thou'rt  like  a  hedgehog  quilled 
(Richard,  I  hope  in  God  thou  art  not  killed) 

By  the  dire  shafts  of  merc'less  ridicule. 

"  Pity  it  is,  'tis  true,  'tis  pity, 

As  Shakespeare  lamentably  says, 
That  thou  in  this  observing  city 

Thus  run'st  a  wh — r — ng  after  Praise. 

With  strong  desires  I  really  think  thee  fraught, 
But  Dick,  the  nymph  so  coy,  will  not  be  caught. 

"  Yet  for  thy  consolation  mind, 
In  this,  thy  wounded  pride  may  refuge  find, 

Think  of  the  sage  who  wanted  a  fine  piece, 

Who  went  in  vain  five  hundred  miles  at  least 
On  Lais,  a  sweet  y?/&  dejoie,  to  feast, 

The  Mrs.  Robinson  of  Greece. 

42 


MAGNIFICENCE 

"  Prithee  give  up,  and  save  the  paints  and  oil, 
And  don't  whole  acres  of  good  canvas  spoil. 

Thou'lt  say,  'Lord,  many  hundreds  do  like  me.' 
Lord  !  so  have  fellows  robbed,  nay,  further, 
Hundreds  of  villains  have  committed  murther, 
But,  Richard,  are  these  precedents  for  thee  ?" 

Ode  VII.,  1783. 

Again,  in  reference  to  a  picture  of  "  Samson,"  by 
Mrs.  Cosway,  Peter  Pindar  wrote  in  1785  that  satire 
urges  him 

"  Of  cuts  on  Samson  don't  be  sparing, 
Between  two  garden  rollers  staring, 
Shorn  by  the  lovely  Dalilah  fool  play." 

Finally,  in  his  eighth  ode,  Peter  Pindar  unmercifully 
lashed  both  husband  and  wife  : 

"  Fie,  Cosway !  I'm  ashamed  to  say 

Thou  own'st  the  title  of  R.A. 
I  fear  to  damn  thee  'twas  the  devil's  sending. 

Some  honest  calling  quickly  find, 

And  bid  thy  wife  her  kitchen  mind, 
Or  shirts  and  shifts  be  making  or  be  mending. 

"  If  Madam  cannot  make  a  shirt, 

Or  mend  or  from  it  wash  the  dirt, 
Better  than  paint,  the  Poet  for  thee  feels, 

Or  take  a  stitch  up  in  thy  stocking 

(Which  for  a  wife  is  very  shocking), 
I  pity  the  condition  of  thy  heels. 

"  What  vanity  was  in  your  skulls 

To  make  you  act  so  like  two  fools, 
To  expose  your  daubs  tho'  made  with  wondrous  pains  out  ? 

Could  Raphael's  angry  ghost  arise, 

And  on  the  figures  cast  his  eyes, 
He'd  catch  a  pistol  up  and  blow  your  brains  out." 

Adding  at  the  close  in  more  generous  mood  : 

.  "  Muse,  in  this  criticism  I  fear, 
Thou  really  hast  been  too  severe ; 
Cosway  paints  miniatures  with  truth  and  spirit, 
And  Mrs.  Cosway  boasts  a  fund  of  merit." 

43 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

It  was  during  the  residence  in  Stratford  Place  that 
the  health  of  Mrs.  Cosway  began  to  fail.  She  had 
been  her  husband's  companion  in  all  his  gaiety  and 
extravagant  life,  but  not  having  been  permitted  to  in- 
dulge her  passion  for  painting,  she  had  not  the  working 
energy  which  had  been  his  safeguard  for  many  years. 

Her  health  also  suffered  as  the  position  they  had 
occupied  in  the  fashionable  world  began  to  change, 
and  she  longed  for  more  life  and  more  excitement. 
The  pasquinades  already  quoted  had  been  taken  by 
her  very  much  to  heart,  and  on  an  opportunity 
occurring  she  left  London  for  awhile,  this  time  with 
her  husband. 

They  travelled,  so  contemporary  letters  state,  in 
grand  style,  taking  with  them  both  servants  and 
carriages.  In  Paris  Cosway  declined  at  first  to  paint 
any  miniatures,  giving  as  his  reason  that  he  had  come 
for  recreation  and  for  the  benefit  of  his  wife's  health, 
and  that  he  did  not  wish  to  be  disturbed  by  work. 
He  met,  however,  several  old  friends  in  the  city,  and 
was  eventually  persuaded  by  the  Duchess  of  Devon- 
shire to  paint  portraits  of  the  Duchesse  d'Orleans  and 
her  family  and  the  Duchesse  de  Polignac. 

It  was  during  this  visit  that  Cosway,  remarking  one 
day  upon  the  bareness  of  the  walls  in  the  Louvre, 
proposed  to  present  to  the  French  Government  a 
magnificent  series  of  cartoons,  the  works  of  Giulio 
Romano,  that  he  possessed.  He  prized  them  very 
highly,  and  had  refused  a  liberal  offer  for  them  made 
by  the  Tsar  of  Russia,  stating  that  he  "declined  to 
sell  works  of  elegance  to  barbarians." 

He,  however,  offered  them  to  the  Louvre,  and  they 
were  gladly  accepted.  In  return,  four  rich  pieces  of 
Gobelins  tapestry  were  sent  to  him,  but  these  he 
disdained  to  receive,  even  although  they  were  marks 
of  royal  gratitude.  He  would  not  have  it  thought 

44 


A    DRAWING    OF   A    MONOGRAM. 

From  the  collection  of  Baroness  Cosway. 


[Collection  of  the  Author. 


MAGNIFICENCE 

that  he  had  taken  payment  for  his  gift,  and  presented 
the  tapestry  to  the  Prince  of  Wales.  The  pieces  are 
believed  to  be  those  that  to  this  day  hang  in  Bucking- 
ham Palace. 

It  was  while  in  Paris  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosway 
became  more  friendly  with  David  the  painter,  and 
met  with  Kosciusko  the  patriot.  The  interesting 
portrait  of  Kosciusko,  painted  for  the  members  of 
Brooks's  Club,  was,  says  Lord  Currie,  sketched  by 
Cosway  while  his  wife  sat  by  the  couch  of  the  wounded 
hero  entertaining  him  with  her  conversation.  It  was 
in  Paris  also  that  Cosway  painted  the  lovely  miniature 
of  Madame  His,  lately  bequeathed  to  the  Louvre  by 
her  descendant.  Upon  one  occasion  David  addressed 
to  Mrs.  Cosway  the  following  interesting  and  flattering 
letter  : 

"  MADAME, 

"  II  faut  que  je  sois  mechant,  car  la  bonte  me  surprend. 
J'ai  regu  une  lettre  de  vous  par  les  mains  de  M.  Trumbult,  et 
je  ne  vous  ai  point  fait  de  reponse,  mais  je  1'allai  voir  hier  au 
soir,  il  me  dit  qu'il  avait  re£u  une  lettre  de  vous  dans  laquelle 
vous  le  chargiez  de  bien  de  choses.  Alors  la  honte  a  sur- 
monte  ma  paresse  et  je  me  suis  mis  a  vous  ecrire.  Mais 
aussi  croyez-moi  si  je  ne  vous  donnois  pas  souvent  de  mes 
nouvelles,  je  me  disais  a  moi-meme  bien  des  sottises,  il  n'y 
avait  point  de  jours  que  je  ne  disois  a  ma  femme :  demain 
j'^crirai  a  Mme  Cosway,  et  jamais  demain  ne  venait  enfin 
n'en  parlons  plus,  je  fais  voeu  de  n'y  plus  retomber. 

"  Conde*  m'a  fait  voir  la  m^daille  que  1'Angleterre  lui  a 
de*cernee;  cette  justice  me  donne  une  bonne  idee  de  1' Academic 
de  Londres ;  chez  nous  un  homme  comme  Conde  qui  serait 
tombe  des  nues,  n'aurait  pas  seulement  e"te  admis  au  concours. 
Je  vais  encore  vous  faire  un  autre  avis  de  ma  paresse ;  il  y  a 
plus  d'un  mois  que  le  Torse  de  1' Hymen  est  encaisse,  et  je  ne 
1'ai  pas  encore  fait  porter  chez  Mr  Perregaud,  rue  du  Sentier ; 
je  vous  prie  de  remercier  Mr  Cosway  de  1'estampe  du  Portrait 
du  Prince  de  Galles  que  Conde  m'a  apporte  de  sa  part ;  je 
Pai  fait  encadrer,  elle  est  dans  mon  salon  et  fait  plaisir  a  tous 

45 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

ceux  qui  la  voient ;  je  compte  toujours  aller  m'acquitter  d'une 
dette,  lorsque  j'irai  en  Angleterre  qui  est  de  vous  prier 
d'accepter  un  petit  dessin  de  moy  en  souvenir  du  plaisir  que 
j'ai  eu  a  faire  votre  connaissance.  A  propos  je  me  souviens 
que  vous  me  dites  alors  que  vous  m'ecririez  quand  vous 
auriez  besoin  de  couleurs  ou  autres  choses ;  comptez  plus  sur 
mon  empressement  a  vous  servir  que  sur  mon  exactitude  a 
vous  ecrire.  C'est  parce  que  je  me  connais  paresseux  que  je 
pardonne  a  Mr  Saint  Andr£  de  ce  qu'il  ne  m'e*crit  pas ; 
j'espere  qu'un  jour  il  lui  prendra  le  meme  remords  qu'a  moi. 
Dites-lui  bien  des  choses  de  ma  part,  et  combien  je  regrette 
de  ne  plus  le  voir.  La  maison  de  Mr  Trueraine  est  triste 
pour  moi  depuis  qu'il  n'y  est  plus.  Je  vais  actuellement  vous 
entretenir  d'autres  choses. 

"  Celui  qui  aura  1'honneur  de  vous  donner  cette  lettre  de 
ma  part  est  d'abord  le  plus  digne  homme  que  je  connaisse  et 
bien  digne  qu'on  s'interesse  a  lui,  c'est  pour  cela  que  je  vous 
1'adresse ;  il  est  celebre  musicien  italien,  ayant  joue  chez 
nous  au  concert  spirituel  avec  tous  les  applaudissements 
possibles.  Son  nom  est  tres  fameux  dans  la  musique  il  se 
nomme  Caravoglio,  il  joue  du  hautbois,  et  comme  vous  aimez 
et  faites  souvent  de  la  musique  j'ai  cru  bien  faire  que  de  vous 
1'adresser.  La  seule  priere  que  je  vous  fais,  c'est  quand  vous 
donnerez  concert  chez  vous,  de  le  faire  venir  et  de  le  faire 
connaitre  en  Angleterre,  et  j'ose*  dire  que  quand  on  1'aura 
entendu,  il  le  sera  bientot. 

"  Adieu  ma  bonne  Madame  Cosway  embrassez  bien  pour 
moi  votre  cher  mari  et  croyez  que  vous  avez  un  bon  ami  in 
France.  Je  vous  assure  qu'en  e"crivant  cette  derniere  phrase 
j'ay  les  larmes  aux  yeux.  Ma  femme  vous  embrasse  de  tout 
son  coeur  et  nous  parlons  souvent  de  vous. 

"  Adieu,  digne  dame,  pour  la  vie,  votre  serviteur  et  ami 

"  DAVID." 

Mrs.  Cosway  at  this  time  was  doing  more  painting. 
For  some  years  her  husband  had  forbidden  her  to 
indulge  in  the  art,  and  even  now  he  forbade  her  to  do 
it  for  money,  allowing  her  to  exhibit  certainly,  but  to 
put  no  price  upon  her  pictures,  and  increasing  the 
demand  for  them  by  assuring  his  friends  that  they  could 
not  be  sold. 

46 


\ 


THE    FIVE   DAUGHTERS   OF   MATHEW  PIERSON,  ESQ.,  AND    SISTERS 
OF    THE    MAJOR    PIERSON    WHO    FELL     IN     THE    DEFENCE    OF    JERSEY, 

1781 VIZ.,    MRS.    TINLING,    MRS.    FRANCILLON, 

MRS.  WEBBER,  MRS.  ANSTEY  CALVERT,  AND  MRS.  METCALFE  MAURROCH. 


MAGNIFICENCE 

Mrs.  Cos  way  did,  however,  execute  some  designs 
for  Boydell's  "  Shakespeare "  and  for  Macklin's 
"  Poets."  She  also  produced  some  clever  miniatures, 
some  of  which  are  in  Italy  and  others  in  the  Holbourne 
Museum  at  Bath.  Several  artists  vied  with  one 
another  in  painting  Mrs.  Cos  way's  own  portrait,  and 
it  was  often  exhibited.  Her  husband  painted  her 
many  times,  and  a  charming  drawing  of  her  was 
made  by  Paul  Sandby,  R.A.,  which  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  the  Sandby  family.  Thomas  Banks, 
R.A.,  produced  her  bust  in  marble.  It  was  exhibited 
at  the  Royal  Academy  in  1783  ("  No.  427,  Bust 
of  Mrs.  Cosway,  marble,  by  T.  Banks").  Angelica 
Kauffmann  also  represented  her  as  Poetry  in  the  well- 
known  picture  in  which  she  herself  as  Design  is  depicted 
listening  to  the  sweet  song  of  Poetry. 

Cosway  himself,  whether  in  Pall  Mall  or  Stratford 
Place,  was  always  in  a  state  of  great  prosperity. 
Cipriani  records  that,  however  early  he  called  at  his 
house  in  the  morning,  he  never  found  him  in  bed. 
Although  night  after  night  he  was  up  for  long  hours  at 
his  parties  and  at  the  houses  of  friends,  although  he 
lived  so  gay  a  life,  gambled  and  drank,  yet  he  always 
secured  a  few  hours'  rest,  and  was  up  at  a  very  early 
hour  working  away  assiduously  and  earnestly  at  his 
profession,  and  producing  drawings  and  miniatures 
with  great  celerity. 

He  seems  to  have  been  a  constant  attendant  at  the 
Academy  dinners  and  meetings,  and  to  have  been  on 
good  terms  with  almost  all  his  fellow-Academicians, 
who  often  ridiculed  him  behind  his  back.  His  position 
was,  however,  assured,  and  he  was  too  important  a 
man  to  quarrel  with  or  to  offend,  having  the  ear  of  the 
Prince  and  being  in  touch  with  all  society.  His  name 
and  that  of  Mrs.  Cosway  appear  in  a  list  of  persons  to 
whom  Nollekens  proposed  to  leave  each  a  thousand 

47 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

pounds,  and  eventually,  in  the  extraordinary  will  left 
by  the  great  sculptor,  which  contained  fourteen  codicils, 
Cosway  received  a  hundred  pounds — a  mark  of  esteem 
from  his  old  friend.  When  in  1798  John  Thomas 
Smith,  of  whose  references  to  Cosway  mention  has 
often  been  made,  applied  for  the  post  of  drawing- 
master  at  Christ's  Hospital,  Cosway  was  one  of  those 
who  signed  his  testimonial,  and  of  the  fact  Smith  was 
not  a  little  proud,  as  the  artist  was  evidently  at  that 
time  one  of  the  best-known  men  in  Society. 

In  his  position  as  a  favourite  with  the  Prince,  Cosway 
was  the  recipient  of  some  strange  confidences.  He 
painted  the  portraits  of  both  Mrs.  Robinson  and  Mrs. 
Abington,  and  was  consulted  by  both  ladies  upon 
private  matters  which  concerned  them. 

Two  letters   preserved   by   Smith,  written   by  the 

¥-eat   actress  who  played  so  well   the  part  of   Lady 
eazle   in   the    "  School   for  Scandal,"  may  here   be 
reproduced. 

"To  Richard  Cosway,  Esq.,  R.A. 

"  I  have  found  another  letter  which  you  will  see  is 
part  of  the  history  I  took  the  liberty  of  troubling  you  with. 
I  cannot  express  how  much  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  your 
goodness  and  friendly  confidence  in  telling  me  what  you  had 
heard  of  this  trumpery  matter,  as  it  has  given  me  an  oppor- 
tunity of  convincing  you  in  some  little  degree  that  my  conduct 
stands  in  no  need  of  protection,  nor  can  at  any  time  subject 
me  to  fears  from  threatful  insinuations  of  necessitous  ad- 
venturers. 

"  I  am,  Sir,  your  very  much  obliged  and  humble  servant, 

"  F.  ABINGTON." 

"  To  the  Same. 

"  Mrs.  Abington  will  feel  herself  most  extremely 
mortified  indeed  if  she  has  not  some  hope  given  her  that 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosway  will  do  her  the  very  great  honour  of 
coming  to  her  benefit  this  evening.  She  has  been  able  to 


i 

r 


y  1 


LORD    DE    MAULEY    AND    SIR    F.    C.    PONSONBY,    SONS 
OF    FREDERICK,    EARL    OF    BESSBOROUGH. 

Collection  of  Lord  De  Mauley. 


THE   COUNTESS    OF    SHAFTESBURY   AND    LADY 
BARBARA    ASHLEY. 

Collection  of  Lord  De  Mauley. 


DEJECTION 

secure  a  small  balcony  in  the  very  midst  of  persons  of  the 
first  rank  in  this  country,  which  she  set  down  in  the  name  of 
Mrs.  Cosway  till  she  hears  further :  it  holds  two  in  front, 
and  has  three  rows  holding  two  upon  each,  so  that  Mr. 
Cosway  may  accommodate  four  other  persons  after  being 
comfortably  seated  with  Mrs.  Cosway. 

"Feb.  10,  nine  o'clock." 

It  was,  of  course,  certain  that  the  lives  of  an  artist 
and  his  wife  so  constantly  in  the  company  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales  should  be  subject  to  scandal  and  evil 
rumour.  His  Royal  Highness  was  said  to  have  paid 
compromising  attentions  to  Mrs.  Cosway,  and  her 
name  was  also  connected  with  those  of  Marchesi,  the 
singer,  who  certainly  once  accompanied  her  abroad ; 
Vincent  Lunardi,  the  secretary  to  the  Neapolitan 
ambassador  ;  and  J.  L.  Dussek,  the  pianist.  There  is, 
however,  nothing  to  account  for  these  statements  but 
the  breath  of  scandal  which  attacked  every  notorious 
person ;  and  after  examining  many  letters  and  much 
correspondence,  I  am  distinctly  of  opinion  that  Mrs. 
Cosway,  in  the  midst  of  her  very  difficult  life,  lived 
honourably  to  her  husband  and  was  always  a  person 
of  very  strong  religious  opinions.  Her  position  must 
have  been  one  of  extraordinary  difficulty,  and  small 
wonder  would  it  have  been  had  she  in  such  a  career 
accepted  the  habits  and  morality  of  those  around  her. 
It  is  possible  she  may  have  done  so,  but  I  can  find 
nothing  whatever  to  warrant  such  an  assumption,  while 
very  much  indeed  leads  me  to  hold  an  exactly  opposite 
opinion  of  her  life. 

After  sojourning  in  Paris,  the  artist  and  his  wife 
returned  home,  and  resumed  their  life  in  London. 
Mrs.  Cosway  for  a  while  was  much  better  in  health, 
but  at  length  the  old  depression,  dulness  of  spirits,  and 
nervous  agitation  from  which  she  suffered  increased, 

49  E 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

and,  in  company  with  her  brother,  who  as  a  student  in 
painting  had  gained  the  Academy's  gold  medal,  she 
departed  for  Rome.  A  succeeding  chapter  gives  fuller 
information  as  to  this  journey  and  its  results. 

From  her  departure  commenced  the  less  satisfactory 
side  of  Cos  way's  career.  Mrs.  Cos  way  was  away  for 
three  years,  and  Cosway  during  part  of  that  time  was 
travelling  in  England,  accompanied  by  the  well-known 
lady  Academician,  Mary  Moser.  The  spirit  of  the 
times  was  one  of  lax  morality,  and  there  was  less 
delicacy  of  eye  and  purity  of  speech  than  is  now  con- 
sidered right  in  society.  At  an  early  part  of  his  career 
the  artist  had  often  been  employed  in  miniature  work 
for  secret  snuff-boxes,  and  specimens  of  such  work 
still  exist.  They  were  in  accordance  with  the  habits 
of  the  day,  and  used  by  men  whose  imaginations,  as 
Cunningham  says,  "  were  perhaps  the  least  delicate 
part  about  them." 

Now  at  this  time,  freed  from  Mrs.  Cosway's  restraint, 
the  artist  gave  scope  to  his  lower  propensities,  and  a 
record  still  exists  relating  his  wanderings  in  England 
in  company  with  the  lady  whose  character  was  at  one 
time  supposed  to  be  above  reproach.  It  is  a  curious 
commentary  upon  the  opinion  of  others  to  find  that 
the  lady  who  was  favoured  with  the  special  friendship 
of  rigid  and  severe  Queen  Charlotte  and  of  Princess 
Elizabeth,  and  who  was  pronounced  choice,  scrupulous, 
and  squeamish  by  contemporary  writers,  should  have, 
in  1797,  wandered  off  with  Cosway  and  lived  with  him. 

The  two  artists,  each  of  them  over  fifty  years  of  age, 
were  nominally  travelling  on  a  sketching  tour,  but 
Cosway,  in  a  rough,  disjointed  manner  records  in  a 
sort  of  diary  the  incidents  of  their  journey,  alternating 
the  entries  with  sketches  of  the  places  they  visited. 
The  drawings  are  delightful,  but  the  journal  will  not 
bear  repetition,  as  it  is  confined  almost  exclusively 

50 


JOHN    WILLIAM,    FOURTH    EARL    OF    BESSBOROUGH,    AND    HIS 

SISTER,    LADY    CAROLINE    LAMB  :    CHILDREN    OF 

FREDERICK,    EARL    OF    BESSBOROUGH. 

Collection  of  Lord  De  Mauley. 


DEJECTION 

to  lascivious  statements  about  Miss  Moser,  and  in- 
vidious comparisons  between  her  and  Mrs.  Cosway. 

The  two  friends  visited  together  Burleigh  House, 
Stamford,  Boughton,  Northampton,  Ely,  Norwich, 
and  St.  Albans,  and  then  returned  to  London.  The 
unfortunate  journey  lasted  about  six  months,  but 
during  the  time  Mary  Moser  met  Captain  Hugh  Lloyd, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  year  married  him.  She  survived 
her  husband  many  years,  and  eventually  died  in  1819 
at  No.  21,  Upper  Thornhaugh  Street,  Tottenham 
Court  Road,  and  was  buried  at  Kensington  in  the 
same  grave  as  her  late  husband.  She,  with  Angelica 
Kauffmann,  were  the  only  two  women  ever  elected  to 
the  Royal  Academy,  and  in  the  picture  of  Academicians 
in  the  drawing-school  at  night,  by  Zoffany,  already 
mentioned,  their  portraits  appear  in  frames  on  the  wall. 
It  is  evident  that  either  Mrs.  Cosway  never  really 
knew  of  this  escapade  on  the  part  of  her  husband,  or 
else  that  she  forgave  both  parties  for  it,  and  received 
them  back  to  her  affection  and  esteem,  as  Mary  Moser 
(Mrs.  Lloyd)  left  to  Mrs.  Cosway  by  her  will  in  1819 
twenty  guineas  to  buy  a  ring,  and  Mary  Moser's 
Academy  diploma  is  still  amongst  the  papers  left  by 
Mrs.  Cosway.  The  first  presumption  can  hardly  be 
sustained,  as  these  very  same  papers  afford  clear  proof 
of  the  husband's  infidelity,  and  it  must  therefore  be 
placed  to  the  credit  of  the  wife's  deep  affection  for  her 
husband  and  love  to  him  that,  despite  all  his  failings, 
she  overlooked  and  forgave  this  painful  part  of  his 
story. 

Later  on  in  his  life  Cosway  developed  other  odd 
habits  and  ideas  that  were  a  source  of  trouble  and 
anxiety  to  his  friends.  Cunningham,  quoting  from 
Sir  William  Cosway's  letters,  states  "  that  he  was  one 
of  those  sanguine  men  who  perceived  in  the  French 
Revolution  the  dawn  of  an  empire  of  reason  and 

51  E  2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

taste,   in    which    genius   and    virtue   alone   would   be 
worshipped." 

This  partial  sympathy  with  the  Revolutionists 
instantly  estranged  the  Royal  Family  from  him.  The 
King,  who  employed  Engleheart  for  his  work,  had 
never  any  special  affection  for  Cosway,  and  once, 
when  speaking  of  the  painters  employed  by  himself 
and  his  son,  remarked  with  reference  to  Cosway : 
"  Among  my  painters  there  are  no  fops."  It  was 
hardly  to  be  expected  that  the  Prince  of  Wales  would 
join  in  the  sentiments  that  Cosway  in  his  later  days 
espoused,  especially  when  added  to  them  came  curious 
hallucinations  and  strange  fancies.  Little  by  little 
the  Court  influence  dropped  off,  but  Cosway  retained 
many  of  his  old  patrons,  was  industrious  as  ever,  and 
produced  miniatures  that  showed  even  greater  delicacy 
of  handling,  more  skill,  more  accuracy,  and  far  more 
care  and  precision.  Even  down  to  1817  and  1818, 
when  the  artist  was  advanced  in  years,  he  painted  as 
well  as  ever,  and  although  his  later  miniatures  are 
distinguished  by  an  alteration  of  method,  they  are 
unimpaired  in  merit. 

From  1790  down  to  1810  or  1815  his  work  was  at 
its  very  best,  and  the  miniatures  produced  in  that 
period — those  of  Lord  Gwydyr,  Lady  Burdett,  Lord 
Newark,  the  Countesses  of  Mornington  and  Clarendon, 
and  the  wonderful  portraits  on  the  Ancaster  Box — may 
be  taken  as  examples.  To  this  period  belong  most  of 
the  pencil  drawings,  such  as  those  illustrated  in  these 
pages,  and  also  many  of  the  finest  of  the  "  stained 
drawings." 

In  1804  Cosway  did  a  graceful  action  in  writing  to 
the  son  of  his  old  friend,  Paul  Sandby,  R.A.,  and 
sending  him  a  charming  sketch  of  his  father.  The 
letter  which  accompanied  it  was  as  follows : 

"  Mr.    Cosway   presents    his   compliments   to    Mr. 

52 


GEORGE    IV.    WHEN    AN    INFANT. 


LORD    RIVERS. 


ELIZA,    COUNTESS    OF    DERBY 

,  (nee  FARREN). 


MRS.    SHERIDAN. 


DEJECTION 

Sandby,  junior ;  shall  feel  himself  highly  gratified  if 
he  finds  this  drawing  a  tolerable  resemblance  of  that 
good  man  and  accomplished  artist — his  father." 

This  portrait  is  given  in  Seeley's  "  Life  of  Thomas 
and  Paul  Sandby." 

By  1811  the  Prince  of  Wales  had  become  Prince 
Regent,  and  from  that  time  Cosway  saw  him  no  more. 
The  Prince  had  begun  to  be  more  select  and  particular 
in  his  company,  and  many  of  his  old  acquaintances 
were  dropped.  Cosway  had  not  really  the  manners  of 
a  true  courtier  ;  his  adulation  and  conceit  were  too  self- 
evident,  his  tongue  too  free,  and  his  familiarity  too 
great. 

He,  however,  mourned  over  the  loss  of  his  princely 
patron,  and,  in  the  words  of  an  intimate  friend  who 
wrote  to  Cunningham,  "  he  thought  himself  overlooked 
and  neglected ;  conscious  of  his  abilities,  he  disdained 
to  stoop  or  entreat  or  flatter,  and,  imagining  that  his 
enemies  had  got  the  better  of  him,  he  neglected  the 
profession  by  which  he  had  risen,  and  looked  with 
suspicion  even  on  his  firmest  friends.  As  his  own 
character  was  open  and  generous,  his  disappointment 
was  the  bitterer ;  he  made  no  attempt  to  retrieve  his 
influence  with  the  Prince,  which  had  been  personal, 
familiar,  and  confidential,  and  he  never  did  retrieve  it. 
He  had  full  occasion  to  say  with  Scripture,  '  Put  not 
your  trust  in  Princes.' ' 

Mrs.  Cosway  had  long  before  this  returned  to  her 
husband,  whom  she  attended  with  most  faithful  devo- 
tion. His  later  years  were  passed  in  pain,  bodily  and 
mental.  His  hallucinations  increased.  Great  men  of 
a  former  age  were,  he  declared,  constantly  appearing 
to  him  and  making  all  sorts  of  civil  and  complimentary 
remarks  about  his  genius.  For  fifteen  years  at  least 
these  ideas  had  existed,  but  now  they  grew  in  vigour. 
Dante,  he  would  whisper,  came  last  night  and  talked 

53 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

with  him  in  a  most  friendly  manner  about  his  incompar- 
able works  of  art.  Praxiteles  and  Apelles  would  appear 
to  him,  declaring  their  opinion  that  the  English  ought 
to  follow  his  example  in  learning  to  draw  carefully  and 
colour  soberly,  or  Pitt  would  come  penitently  to  confess 
— so  he  assured  a  brother  Academician  at  a  dinner — 
his  error  in  having  discouraged  Cosway's  genius.  He 
was  the  one,  he  said,  who  performed  Lambert's  leap, 
and  he  it  was  who  had  measured  the  knee-pan  of 
James  L,  and  had  predicted  the  return  of  Buonaparte 
from  Elba.  He  also  reported  long  conversations  with 
Charles  I.  on  art.  Walpole  had  long  ere  this  declared, 
when  Cosway  was  in  Pall  Mall,  that  "  he  romanced 
with  his  usual  veracity,"  but  now  the  trouble  grew 
more  serious. 

He  gloated  over  his  relics,  real  and  imaginary — "  the 
crucifix  of  Abelard,  the  dagger  of  Felton,  the  manu- 
script of  '  The  Rape  of  the  Lock,'  the  first  finished 
sketch  of  the  Jocunda,  Titian's  large  portrait  of  Peter 
Aretine,  a  fragment  of  Noah's  ark,  the  feather  of  a 
phcenix,"  and  so  on.  He  even  assured  persons  that 
Our  Lady  herself  had  sat  to  him  several  times  for  a 
half-length  figure,  and  with  a  curious  presentiment  as 
to  later  discoveries,  reported  his  ability  to  converse 
with  his  wife  in  Italy  "  through  a  fine  vehicle  of  sense," 
as  he  expressed  it,  "as  we  speak  to  a  servant  down- 
stairs through  an  ear-pipe."  An  intimate  friend  thus 
spoke  of  him  at  this  time  : 

"His  muse  is  not  of  that  chaste  and  sober  sort  that 
can  gratify  the  senses  long  after  the  first  effects  of 
captivation  are  weakened  by  the  judgment.  He  is 
gentlemanly  in  demeanour,  kind  in  principle,  but 
superstitious  as  an  old  woman." 

William  Hazlitt,  however,  describes  him  as  bright 
and  joyous.  "His  soul,"  says  he,  "appeared  to 
possess  the  life  of  a  bird,  and  such  was  the  jauntiness 

54 


ENSIGN    TOLLEMACHE. 

Collection  of  the  Earl  of  Dysart. 


DEJECTION 

of  his  air  and  manner  that  to  see  him  sit  to  have  his 
half-boots  laced  on  you  would  fancy  (by  the  aid  of 
figure)  that,  instead  of  a  little  withered  old  gentleman, 
it  was  Venus  attired  by  the  Graces.  His  wife,  the 
most  lady-like  of  Englishwomen,  being  asked  in  Paris 
what  sort  of  a  man  her  husband  was,  answered  :  *  Tou- 
jours  riant,  toujours  gai.'  What  a  fairy  palace  was  his 
— of  specimens  of  art,  antiquarianism,  and  vertu  jumbled 
altogether  in  the  richest  disorder,  dusty,  shadowy, 
obscure,  with  much  left  to  the  imagination  !  His 
miniatures  were  not  fashionable — they  were  fashion 
itself.  When  more  than  ninety5*  he  retired  from  his 
profession,  and  used  to  hold  up  the  palsied  right  hand 
that  had  painted  lords  and  ladies  for  upwards  of  sixty 
years,  and  smiled  with  unabated  good-humour  at  the 
vanity  of  human  wishes.  Take  him  with  all  his  faults 
or  follies,  '  we  scarce  shall  look  upon  his  like  again.' " 

His  kindness  and  brightness  had  always  been  features 
of  his  life.  To  friends  in  trouble  he  was  always 
generous,  and  his  well-filled  purse  heartily  at  their 
disposal.  Many  a  man  in  difficulty  blessed  him  for 
timely  help,  while  to  youthful  artists  he  was  particularly 
gracious  and  encouraging. 

Andrew  Robertson,  the  miniature  painter  to  the 
Duke  of  Sussex,  in  his  letters  in  1802,  makes  frequent 
mention  of  Cosway.  He  writes  on  one  occasion  : 

"  I  introduced  myself  to  Cosway,  the  miniature 
painter  (who  is  at  the  top  of  the  profession  and  a  most 
pompous  man),  merely  as  a  student  at  the  Academy. 
He,  like  Mr.  West,  received  me  at  first  distantly,  but 
when  I  showed  my  great  head  he  was  gratified,  and 
asked  how  it  was  done,  and  how  I  contrived  to  make 
a  copy  of  such  a  picture.  I  said  it  was  water-colours. 
1  Indeed,  upon  vellum  ?'  '  No,  upon  ivory  ;  a  plain 
common  miniature.'  He  could  scarcely  believe ; 
*  This  is  an  error. 
55 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

although  he  has  painted  in  miniature  for  thirty  years, 
he  did  not  know  it.  I  was  not  surprised  at  Mr.  West's 
mistaking  it,  but  that  Cosway  himself  should  be  deceived 
is  unaccountable.  He  asked  why  I  did  not  exhibit  it  ; 
I  said  Mr.  West  told  me  that  copies  would  not  be 
admitted.  He  said  that  was  not  so,  for  Mr.  Bone's 
enamel  pictures  were  nothing  but  copies,  and  it  was  all 
a  farce  their  being  admitted  on  account  of  the  difficulty 
of  enamelling ;  he  had  enamelled  himself,  he  said. 
*  But  could  you  not  say  it  was  painted  in  a  new  style, 
and  did  not  choose  to  say  how  ?  I  did  not  know  it ; 
had  you  come  to  me,  I  would  have  taken  it  myself  and 
insisted  on  it.'  This  was  a  great  compliment  to  me, 
and  from  a  man  who  has  long  been  above  exhibiting 
his  pictures.  He  is  the  vainest  creature  in  the  world, 
but  to  me  he  behaved  in  a  most  liberal  manner. 
He  was  at  such  pains  to  show  me  everything  ex- 
cellent that  I  could  not  get  away  without  insisting 
upon  it." 

Upon  another  occasion  Robertson  again  writes  of 
Cosway:  "Cosway  was  most  liberal,  insomuch  that  I 
could  not  intrude  longer  upon  his  time,  although  I 
could  scarcely  get  away.  He  asked  to  see  my  small 
miniatures,  which  he  liked,  and  pointed  out  some 
things.  *  But  how  do  you  get  such  a  black  Indian 
ink  ?'  I  promised  to  give  him  some."  The  en- 
couragement the  master  gave  to  young  Robertson 
was  very  great,  and  was  recognised  as  generous  and 
full. 

It  did  not  stand  alone.  By  his  pupils  Cosway  was 
always  spoken  of  in  terms  of  endearment.  Andrew 
Plimer  calls  him  "  my  beloved  master  "  ;  Ozias  Hum- 
phrey, "  the  kindliest  of  friends  "  ;  and  it  is  therefore 
clear  that,  pompous  as  he  was,  stilted  and  formal,  he 
was  very  kind  and  affectionate,  and  toward  the  latter 
part  of  his  life  his  thought  for  others  and  generosity  of 

56 


MRS.    PELHAM. 


AN    ELDERLY    GENTLEMAN    (NAME  GEORGIANA,    DUCHESS    OF    DEVON- 

UNKNOWN).  SHIRE. 


DEJECTION 

intention  increased  rather  than  diminished.  Up  to 
this  period  of  his  life  he  had  expressed  a  wish  to  be 
buried  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  or  with  Rubens  at 
Antwerp,  or  Titian  in  Venice.  Later  on  he  talked  of 
Devonshire,  and  his  thoughts  reverted  to  his  earliest 
life  and  childhood's  memories,  and  he  talked  of  a 
country  churchyard  beneath  a  high  tower  approached 
through  a  long  and  winding  green  lane. 

One  day  he  heard  Wesley  preach  on  death.  He 
was  startled,  and  somewhat  altered  his  ideas.  A  little 
while  afterwards  he  followed  a  funeral  into  Marylebone 
Church,  and,  impressed  by  the  simplicity  of  the  building 
and  the  vault,  said  quietly  to  his  wife,  who  was  with 
him  :  "  I  prefer  this  to  Antwerp  or  St.  Paul's ;  bury 
me  here."  In  religious  opinions  he  had  been  strangely 
attracted  by  the  mysticism  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg, 
and  embraced  very  much  of  his  faith.  He  also  studied 
animal  magnetism,  tried  to  discover  the  power  of  pro- 
jection, and  thought  he  could  raise  the  dead.  His 
friend  Philip  de  Loutherbourg,  R.A.,  encouraged  him 
in  these  fancies,  and  Cosway  often  went  to  his  house  in 
Hammersmith,  whither  many  people  went  to  be  cured 
by  this  remarkable  fanatic.  Cosway  is  said  to  have  been 
in  De  Loutherbourg's  house  with  him  when,  owing  to 
many  failures  to  cure  disease,  the  populace  threatened 
to  pull  the  house  down,  and  the  soldiers  had  to  be 
summoned  to  protect  it  from  their  rage. 

He  was  a  good  talker  and  a  cheerful  companion, 
and  his  wife's  devotion  to  him  was,  according  to  Hazlitt, 
"beautiful  to  behold."  She  watched  over  him  day 
and  night,  managed  his  business,  amused  him,  read  to 
him,  played  and  sang  to  him,  took  him  out,  and  gave 
up  her  entire  time  to  his  interest. 

In  Pasquin's  "  Memoirs,"  Cosway 's  mental  condition 
is  alluded  to  at  some  length.  It  is  said  that  "  there 
was  a  period  when  he  was  mentally  convulsed  with  the 

57 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

horrors  of  a  second  sight ;  then  he  delivered  sermons 
weekly  on  ckiromantical  aphorisms,  and  delineated, 
with  the  accuracy  of  magic,  the  good  and  evil  lines  of 
humanity,  and  became  an  adept  in  the  Orphean  art. 
He  was  a  bigot  in  the  faith  of  Geoffrey  Faustus  and 
Margery  Shipton ;  when  he  wanted  a  lodging  he 
calmly  ascended  to  the  third  house,  and  sojourned  and 
feasted  among  the  stars.  The  Orphean  science  enabled 
the  philosopher  to  subject  to  his  will  the  action  of  every 
animated  organized  being,  as  well  as  stones,  minerals, 
etc.,  contributing  to  produce  the  most  surprising  phe- 
nomena :  to  lull  to  sleep  the  external  senses ;  the 
patients  acquire  sentiments  of  prescience,  discover  the 
thoughts  of  those  in  contact  with  them,  see  transactions 
at  a  distance,  and,  in  fact,  become  endowed  with  uni- 
versal knowledge." 

The  following  absurd  anecdote  is  related  by  John 
Bacon,  R.A.,  in  one  of  his  letters,  with  the  remark 
that  it  was  told  to  him  by  Sir  William  Beechey.  He 
said  Mr.  Tresham,  R.A.,  who  was  always  in  ill-health, 
felt  himself  so  incapable  of  studying  one  morning  that 
he  went  out  for  a  walk,  and,  strolling  near  Stratford 
Place,  thought  he  would  call  on  his  brother  Royal 
Academician,  Richard  Cosway.  Cosway  was  a  fine 
artist,  but  a  very  superstitious  man,  and  very  intimate 
with  another  man  equally  superstitious,  namely,  Sharp 
the  engraver.  When  Tresham  entered  Cos  way's  study, 
he  found  Sharp  there  also.  On  stating  how  distress- 
ingly ill  he  was,  Cosway  said :  "  Well,  it  is  your  own 
fault  if  you  are  so  much  longer  ;  if  you  will  but  have 
faith  in  what  Sharp  and  I  will  do,  we  will  soon  cure 
you.  You  have  only  to  place  yourself  at  the  further 
end  of  the  room  and  look  us  in  the  face,  while  we  will 
work  upon  you  with  a  magic  influence  that  will  send 
you  home  quite  another  man  ;  but  you  must  have 
faith."  Tresham  said  he  was  afraid  he  should  fall 

53 


MRS.    STURM,    Ob.     1837    (SIGNED    AND    DATED    1795). 
Collection  of  MY.  E.  M.  Hodgkins. 


DEJECTION 

short  on  the  subject  of  faith,  but  under  a  chance  of 
being  cured,  he  would  muster  up  all  he  could.  Accord- 
ingly they  worked  upon  him  for  a  long  time,  but  all 
without  either  cure  or  amendment.  Tresham  of  course 
laughed  at  them  for  their  folly,  when  Cosway  said  : 
"  Yours  is  an  obstinate  case  ;  we  have  failed,  but  we 
can  tell  you  what  your  complaint  is — you  have  got  a 
hole  in  your  liver."  I  think  it  was  at  least  two  years 
after  this  that  Tresham  felt  himself  greatly  aggrieved  by 
certain  proceedings  in  the  Royal  Academy,  in  exclud- 
ing him,  I  believe,  from  some  office  to  which  he  laid 
claim,  on  which  he  fulfilled  his  threat  that  he  would 
appeal  to  the  King  as  patron  of  the  Academy.  On  his 
name  being  announced  at  Buckingham  House,  the 
King  said  :  "  Tresham,  Tresham  !  I  know  something 
about  him.  Oh  !  he  has  got  a  hole  in  his  liver.  Let 
him  come  in." 

Another  story  related  by  Bacon  runs  as  follows  : 
"  I  have  already  referred,"  he  says,  "  to  Cos  way's 
superstitious  peculiarities.  Some  think  that  supersti- 
tion and  religion  are  nearly  allied  ;  but  all,  I  submit, 
that  can  be  said  in  favour  of  superstition  is  that  it 
is  better  than  infidelity,  excepting  that  the  supersti- 
tious character  will  frequently  be  satisfied  that  he  is 
religious,  whether  he  be  so  in  reality  or  not.  Cosway 
probably  regarded  himself  as  such,  and  I  take  it  for 
granted,  as  he  put  peculiar  honour  upon  the  sacred 
Scriptures  by  placing  a  handsomely-bound  Bible  upon 
a  bracket  supported  by  gilded  cherubim  and  other 
sacred  appendages,  and  placed  conspicuously  against 
the  walls  of  his  drawing-room.  How  far  he  put 
honour  upon  that  volume  by  deferring  to  its  precepts 
and  commands  is  best  known  to  those  who  were  more 
intimate  with  him.  That  he  was  a  droll  fellow  in  his 
superstition  would  appear  from  what  Lady  Heathcote 
related  of  him.  She  was  sitting  to  him  for  her  portrait, 

59 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

but  on  one  occasion  was  prevented  by  indisposition 
from  keeping  her  appointment  with  him.  On  the  next 
day  she  called,  saying  how  ashamed  she  was  that  she 
had,  as  she  presumed,  inconvenienced  him  by  not 
attending  and  by  not  letting  him  know  of  her  indis- 
position ;  to  which  she  said  he  replied  that  had  she 
informed  him  of  it,  it  would  have  been  taking  unneces- 
sary trouble,  for  that  he  had  the  surest  intimation  in  the 
morning  of  the  day  that  she  was  ill  and  would  not 
come !" 

"A  French  artist/'  he  adds,  "  called  on  me  after 
seeing  Cosway  on  his  way  to  my  home,  and  said  : 
*  Mr.  Cosway  is  a  very  strange  man  ;  while  I  was  with 
him  there  was  a  noise  in  the  wall  of  the  room,  when  he 
said  :  "  Did  you  hear  that  noise  ?"  I  said  yes.  "  Ah  !" 
he  said,  "that  is  not  a  common  noise;  that  is  super- 
natural— invisible  spirits  are  there  I" 

A  little  later  on  Cosway  had  two  strokes  of  paralysis, 
which  affected  his  right  hand  and  destroyed  all  his 
power  of  drawing,  and  at  length,  in  1821,  he  prepared, 
in  feeble  health  and  with  impaired  fortune,  but  bright 
and  cheerful  to  the  last,  to  leave  his  great  house 
in  Stratford  Place  and  move  into  a  smaller,  quieter 
dwelling.  Mr.  Stanley,  of  21,  Old  Bond  Street, 
had  instructions  to  sell  all  his  dearly-loved  treasures 
of  pictures  and  other  works  of  art.  The  catalogues 
still  remain  in  the  British  Museum  to  tell  their  inter- 
esting but  sad  tale  of  the  dispersal  of  the  treasured 
collection. 

At  this  sale,  Jacob,  second  Earl  of  Radnor,  Cos  way's 
great  patron,  made  many  purchases,  and,  amongst 
other  pictures,  he  bought  two  pictures  by  Rubens,  now 
at  Longford.  One  of  them  is  called  "  Cupids  Reap- 
ing "  ;  the  other,  "  The  Escorial,"  painted  at  the  time 
when  Rubens  made  his  memorable  visit  to  Velazquez, 
was  quaintly  described  in  the  sale  catalogue  as  "  a  great 

60 


LADY    PAGET, 


PROBABLY   THE    DUCHESS    OF    BOLTON. 
Collection  of  Lord  Barnard. 


THE  END 

favourite  in  the  cabinet  of  the  late  Lady  Betty  Ger- 
maine."  This  Lady  Betty  resided  in  St.  James's 
Square. 

The  sale  was  thus  announced  : 

A  CATALOGUE 
of  the 

PICTURES 

of 
RICHARD  COSWAY,  ESQ.,  R.A, 

Being  the  choice  part  of  the  very  numerous  Collection  made  by 

him  during  the  last  Fifty  years,  and  which  exhibit  in 

their  selection  from  the  Works  of  the  Great  Masters 

the  Taste  and  Skill  of  an  Artist  and  the 

Judgment  of  a  true  Connoisseur. 

TO  BE  SOLD  BY  AUCTION 

BY 

MR.   STANLEY 

A  t  Mr.  Cosway's  late  Residence,  No.  20,  Stratford  Place, 
Oxford  Street, 

On  THURSDAY,  the  i;th  of  May,  1821, 

AND  TWO  FOLLOWING  DAYS 
at  TWELVE  O'clock. 


CATALOGUES  ONE  SHILLING  EACH. 


Immediately  following  this  sale,  on  May  22nd,  23rd, 
and  24th,  the  same  auctioneer  sold  the  miscellaneous 
articles,  comprising  arms,  cabinets,  old  china,  clocks 
by  Quare  and  Williamson,  bronzes,  buhl  furniture, 
armour,  an  Egyptian  mummy,  an  ibis,  etc. 

Thomas  Emmerson,  a  great  collector  of  pictures, 
bought  very  many  things  at  his  sale,  and  took  his 
house  in  Stratford  Place.  He  retained  it  for  many 

61 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

years,    and  there  he   died,    when   some  of  Cosway's 
treasures  again  came  to  the  hammer. 

In  April,  1821,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosway  moved  to 
31,  Edgware  Road — not  into  lodgings,  as  some  authors 
have  stated,  but  into  what  Mrs.  Cosway  terms  "a  very 
tiny  but  cosy  house." 

One  of  his  closest  friends  had  been  Mr.  Robert 
Udney,  a  celebrated  art  collector  and  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society,  who  resided  at  Teddington.  Cosway 
had  painted  his  portrait  and  also  one  of  his  wife,  Mrs. 
Udney,  when  she  was  standing  in  her  own  garden  at 
Teddington. 

In  1802  Mr.  Udney  had  died,  and  Cosway  had 
designed  for  him  a  very  elaborate  monument,  the 
drawing  for  which  Conde  engraved  and  published. 
His  daughter,  Miss  Udney,  now  proved  one  of  his 
kindest  companions.  Day  by  day  she  came  for  him 
in  her  carriage  to  take  him  with  Mrs.  Cosway  for  a 
drive  in  the  park.  Sometimes  Mrs.  Cosway  stayed 
at  home,  and  he  went  alone  with  his  friend.  On 
July  4th  he  made  his  last  journey.  He  was  better 
that  morning  than  usual,  and  unusually  gay,  saying 
kindly  words  to  his  servants  as  they  supported  him 
to  the  carriage. 

In  some  twenty  minutes  or  so  his  wife  heard  the 
sound  of  the  returning  wheels  ;  she  hastened  down- 
stairs, and  found  her  husband  lifeless.  His  third  and 
last  attack  of  paralysis  had  come  upon  him  on  the  way 
to  Edgware  ;  he  had  fallen  back  in  the  carriage  and 
died  without  a  groan,  having  attained  to  the  age  of 
eighty  years. 

According  to  his  wish,  he  was  buried  in  Marylebone 
New  Church,  and  a  monument  by  Westmacott  on  the 
north  wall  bears  the  following  inscription,  drawn  up 
for  Mrs.  Cosway  by  her  brother-in-law,  William 
Combe  : 

62 


DRAWING    REPRESENTING    "THE    HOLY    FAMILY    AND    ST.    JOHN." 


THE  END 

TO   THE   MEMORY   OF 

RICHARD  COSWAY,  ESQUIRE, 

Royal  Academician, 

PRINCIPAL  PAINTER 

TO 
HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS,  GEORGE,  PRINCE  OF  WALES, 

HE  DIED  JULY  4,  1821,  AGED  80  YEARS. 
HIS  WIDOW,  MARIA  COSWAY,  ERECTS  THIS  MEMORIAL. 

Art  weeps,  Taste  mourns,  and  Genius  drops  the  tear 
O'er  him  so  long  they  loved  who  slumbers  here. 
While  colours  last  and  time  allows  to  give 
The  all-resembling  grace  his  name  shall  live. 

Above  the  inscription  was  a  medallion  containing  a 


RICHARD   COSV/AY.ESQ..R-A' 

IIOMIISIW  MTMHMTMtMM 

•JUISIN  nilSNUTMI-r/NDIIMOIBVIJlVW 

-VJWWAfti-  lhNV/\fJjiU* 


profile  bust  of  the  painter,  and  around  it  three  amorini 
representing  Art,  Taste,  and  Genius. 

63 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

A  replica  of  this  monument  is  to  be  found  in  Italy, 
at  the  convent  where  his  widow  died  and  was  buried. 

On  the  very  day,  July  4th,  1821,  and  at  the  very 
hour  the  sarcophagus  of  his  beloved  child  had  been 
removed  from  Mr.  Nollekens'  house,  so  J.  T.  Smith 
records  in  his  life  of  the  eccentric  and  miserly 
sculptor. 

There  was  another  sale  of  Cos  way's  things  after  his 
decease.  Very  many  of  his  chief  treasures  had  been 
kept  back  for  the  house  in  Edgware  Road,  including  a 
wonderful  collection  of  drawings  by  the  old  masters. 

These  were,  most  of  them,  stamped  with  his  initials, 
and  some  were  of  surpassing  merit,  and  by  old  Italian 
masters  whose  works  are  extremely  rare. 

In  the  Times  of  February  12th  and  I4th,  1822, 
appeared  the  following  most  ungrammatical  advertise- 
ment : 

11  Mr.  Cosway.  The  high  reputation  which  this 
gentleman  acquired  in  the  various  branches  of  the  art 
which  he  practised  with  such  success  Mrs.  Cosway 
deems  it  her  duty  to  afford  the  public  an  opportunity 
to  view  those  works  as  advised  by  the  best  judges 
previous  to  her  departure  for  Italy  at  Stanley's  Rooms, 
21,  Old  Bond  Street,  of  which  due  notice  will  be 
given." 

The  drawings  and  engravings  were  accordingly  sold 
by  Stanley  on  February  14,  1822,  and  on  the  seven 
following  days,  and  then  on  Friday,  March  8th,  1822, 
the  remaining  portion  was  brought  to  the  hammer. 

This  latter  sale"""  comprised  ninety-seven  lots  of 
pictures  and  ninety-four  lots  of  other  treasures.  It 
comprised,  as  the  title  of  the  catalogue  states : 
"  Pictures,  being  those  for  which  he  had  the  greatest 
partiality  and  which  were  removed  from  Stratford 

*  Brit.  Mus.  S.  C,  A  428. 
64 


RICHARD    BRINSLEY    SHERIDAN 

(IN  AN  IVORY  £RAME). 
Collection  of  My.  E.  M.  Hodgkins. 


THE  END 

Place  to  his  late  residence  in  Edgware  Road  ;  also 
miniatures  by  Hilliard,  Cooper,  and  other  early 
masters,  articles  de  vertu,  etc." 

There  were  two  important  old  miniatures  in  the 
sale  :  one  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  which  fetched  ^32,  and 
one  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  selling  for  ^17.  The 
Milliards  fetched  ^14,  £12,  £6,  £\,  and  prices  even 
smaller.  The  Olivers  did  not  realize  more  than  £4  a- 
piece,  and  many  sold  for  much  less.  The  entire  result 
of  the  nine  days'  sale  is  said,  however,  to  have  been 
many  thousands  of  pounds ;  and  having  realized  the 
whole  of  the  complicated  estate,  disposed  of  the 
home  and  erected  the  monument,  Mrs.  Cos  way  left 
for  Italy  and  resumed  her  life  in  that  country,  taking 
with  her  a  very  tender  memory  of  the  husband  whom 
she  had  lost  and  whom  she  had  steadily  loved  ever 
since  she  first  met  him  at  Mr.  Towneley's  house. 

By  his  will  Cosway  left  his  estate  to  his  widow,  the 
instrument  being  as  follows  : 


IN  THE  PREROGATIVE  COURT  OF  CANTERBURY. 

This  is  the  last  Will  and  Testament  of  me  Richard  Cosway 
of  Stratford  Place  in  the  County  of  Middlesex  Esquire  R.A. 
Whereas  by  two  several  Indentures  of  Assignment  bearing 
date  respectively  the  fifteenth  day  of  April  One  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  twenty  and  respectively  made  between  me 
the  said  Richard  Cosway  and  Maria  my  Wife  of  the  one 
part  and  Sir  John  Carr  of  New  Norfolk  Street  in  the  Parish 
of  Saint  George  Hanover  Square  in  the  County  of  Middlesex 
Knight  and  Francis  Douce  of  Charlotte  Street  Portland 
Road  in  the  same  County  Esquire  of  the  other  part  I  have 
for  the  considerations  therein  respectively  expressed  assigned 
unto  the  said  Sir  John  Carr  and  Francis  Douce  their  executors 
administrators  and  assigns  my  leasehold  messuage  and 
premises  in  Stratford  Place  aforesaid  wherein  I  now  dwell 
with  the  appurtenances  thereto  belonging  And  also  all 
and  singular  my  household  goods  and  furniture  Books  Maps 

65  F 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Pictures  Prints  Linen  China  Plate  and  Plated  articles  debts 
sum  and  sums  of  money  Mortgages  Bonds  Bills  Notes 
Debentures  and  other  securities  for  money  in  the  public 
stocks  or  funds  and  all  other  the  personal  estate  and  effects 
whatsoever  of  or  to  which  I  the  said  Richard  Cosway  and 
any  person  or  persons  in  trust  for  me  was  or  were  possessed 
or  entitled  by  way  of  present  or  future  or  contingent  interest 
or  otherwise  howsoever  (subject  to  the  debts  charges  and 
incumbrances  and  to  such  rights  and  equity  of  redemption 
(if  any)  as  the  same  were  then  subject  to  upon  certain  trusts 
therein  respectively  expressed  for  my  benefit  during  the  joint 
lives  of  me  and  the  said  Maria  my  Wife  and  subject  thereto 
for  the  benefit  of  the  survivor  of  me  the  said  Richard  Cosway 
and  Maria  my  Wife)  Now  I  do  hereby  ratify  and  confirm 
the  said  several  indentures  and  each  of  them  and  the  respec- 
tive assignments  thereby  made  as  to  all  such  benefit  and 
advantage  as  my  said  Wife  Maria  Cosway  will  become 
entitled  and  under  and  by  virtue  of  such  Indentures  and  each 
or  either  of  them  in  case  she  survives  me  Item  I  do  hereby 
direct  all  my  just  debts  funeral  expenses  and  testamentary 
charges  to  be  fully  paid  and  discharged  and  subject  thereto 
I  give  and  bequeath  all  my  personal  estate  and  effects  what- 
soever and  wheresoever  and  of  what  nature  or  kind  soever 
not  comprised  in  the  said  several  Indentures  of  Assignment 
or  either  of  them  and  not  subject  to  the  trusts  of  such 
Indentures  unto  my  said  Wife  Maria  Cosway  to  and  for  her 
own  absolute  use  and  benefit  And  I  do  hereby  constitute 
and  appoint  the  said  Maria  Cosway  sole  Executrix  of  this 
my  Last  Will  and  testament  And  I  hereby  revoke  and 
make  void  all  former  and  other  Wills  by  me  at  any  time 
heretofore  made  and  declare  this  only  to  be  my  last  Will  and 
testament  In  witness  whereof  I  the  said  Richard  Cosway 
the  Testator  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  this  twenty- 
fourth  day  of  August  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  One  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  twenty  .  .  .  Rd  Cosway  .  .  .  signed 

sealed  f  )  published  and  declared  by  the  above-named 

Richard  Cosway  the  testator  as  and  for  his  last  Will  and 
Testament  in  the  presence  of  us  who  at  his  request  in  his 

66 


RICHARD    COS  WAY    IN    OLD    AGE. 
Collection  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins. 


DEATH 

presence  and  in  the  presence  of  each  other  have  subscribed 
our  names  as  Witnesses  thereto.  .  .  .  Jno.  Carr  No.  7  New 
Norfolk  St.  Grosvenor  Square.  Mariana  Carr  of  do.  do. 

Doctors  Commons,  before  Sir  John  Nicoll. 

Proved  24th  July  1821. 

Folios  8.— E.  W. 

Gross  Value  of  Personal  Estate  under  £100. 

C.  E.  FENTON,  Proctor. 
JOHN  DAUBEY,  Surrogate. 


67  F  2 


CHAPTER  V 

MRS.    COSWAY   AND    HER    EDUCATIONAL   SCHEMES 

IT  will  now  be  needful  for  us  to  retrace  our  steps 
in  order  to  relate  what  Mrs.  Cosway  was  doing  during 
her  three  years'  absence  abroad  and  during  the 
repeated  and  constant  visits  to  France  that  followed. 
As  she  mentions  in  her  own  letter,  she  was  in  Paris  in 
1802,  when  the  Peace  of  Amiens  was  signed,  and  had 
been  there  for  some  time,  but  was  not  able  to  obtain 
a  passport  in  order  to  return  home,  and  therefore 
extended  her  stay  on  the  Continent. 

It  was  in  Paris  that  she  had  first  met  the  Cardinal 
Archbishop  of  Lyons,  Cardinal  Fesch,  who  steadfastly 
remained  her  constant  friend.  His  conversation  had 
revived  in  her  mind  an  old  ambition,  which  was  to 
found  a  college  for  young  ladies  in  some  part  of 
Europe,  preferably  in  the  country  that  she  had  always 
regarded  as  her  home. 

As  a  girl  she  had  taught  in  Florence  ;  she  enjoyed 
the  work,  and  was  full  of  ideas  and  schemes  for  a 
different  system  of  education  from  what  she  had  herself 
received.  It  was  not  possible  for  her,  on  account 
of  war,  to  return  to  England,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  at  that  time  a  coolness  had  arisen  between  her 
and  her  husband. 

Thoughtless  and  frivolous  Mrs.  Cosway  appears  to 
have  been  in  the  days  of  her  glory,  but  the  further 

68 


EDUCATIONAL  SCHEMES 

accusations  made  by  many  writers  against  her  moral 
character  are  in  no  way  warranted  by  any  traditions  or 
evidence  that  remain.  She  appears  to  have  been 
a  devout  Catholic,  possessed  of  high  religious  instincts, 
and  retaining  a  lingering  affection,  never  wholly 
eradicated,  for  the  life  of  the  cloister  and  for  the 
education  of  the  young. 

Cardinal  Fesch  persuaded  her  to  commence  her 
educational  scheme  in  the  city  of  Lyons.  In  1803  she 
went  there  with  him,  and  stayed  in  his  palace.  When 
in  France  again,  a  year  or  two  later,  she  started 
her  college  in  a  building  placed  at  her  disposal  by  the 
municipality,  and  for  a  while  it  was  a  great  success, 
and  carried  on  under  the  patronage  of  Cardinal  Fesch. 

The  times,  however,  were  very  troublous ;  war  was 
constantly  in  progress,  and  greatly  impeded  the  work 
of  the  college.  Twice  Mrs.  Cosway  had  herself  to 
flee  home  from  Lyons,  and  remain  in  hiding  for 
some  months,  and  on  another  occasion  she  travelled 
to  England  in  a  fishing-boat,  a  long  and  tedious 
journey,  in  order  to  see  her  clever  but  foolish 
husband.  Her  interest  was  all  the  time  more  in 
Italy  than  in  France,  and  in  1811  her  college  in  Lyons 
was  finally  closed. 

The  remaining  part  of  that  year  she  spent  in  Milan, 
teaching  and  working  both  at  painting  and  music. 
Meantime  Napoleon  had  raised  Lodi  to  the  dignity  of 
a  duchy,  and  in  1812  Maria's  old  friend,  the  new  Duke 
of  Lodi,  Francesco  Melzi  d'Eril,  who  was  Chancellor 
of  the  Republic  of  Italy,  and  who  had  many  times 
visited  her  in  London,  purchased  the  Convent  of  the 
Minoresses  at  Lodi,  and  handed  it  over  to  her  for  her 
college.  She  had  brought  with  her  from  Lyons 
two  clever  French  girls  who  had  aided  her  in  that 
city,  and  these  she  now  established  as  teachers  in 
her  college.  Cosway  was  perfectly  agreeable  to 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

her  desire,  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  sent 
her  money  to  help  in  her  project,  once  forwarding  an 
order  on  Messrs.  Hammersley  of  Pall  Mall  for 
^300.  She  entered  upon  the  work  full  of  ardour 
and  strength,  and  was  speedily  surrounded  by 
a  crowd  of  pupils  from  the  families  of  the  nobility 
and  influential  people  near  Milan  and  Lodi.  She  was, 
however,  but  a  year  or  two  in  Lodi  when  her  husband 
fell  ill ;  she  at  once  returned  home,  and  for  the  last  few 
years  of  his  life  was  in  devoted  attendance  upon  him. 
His  means  by  this  time  were  considerably  reduced, 
and  Mrs.  Cos  way's  own  fortune  had  been  sunk  in  the 
establishment  of  her  college  at  Lodi. 

Many  friends,  notably  the  Udneys,  as  already 
mentioned,  gathered  around  the  paralysed  painter  and 
cheered  him  in  his  latest  days,  and  his  wife's  presence 
and  a  complete  reconciliation  between  them  enabled 
him  to  spend  his  old  age  in  contentment  and  joy. 
After  his  death  Mrs.  Cosway  generously  pensioned 
three  relations  of  her  husband,  Elizabeth  and  Jane 
Cosway  and  Mrs.  Maddison,  and  eventually  remem- 
bered them  also  in  her  will,  and  then,  having  arranged 
the  deeds  relative  to  these  pensions,  left  again  for 
Italy  in  order  to  take  up  her  old  position.  During 
her  absence  the  nuns  of  a  religious  Order  had  given 
an  oversight  to  her  college.  In  1829  she  returned  for 
the  last  time  to  London,  in  consequence  of  some 
difficulty  attending  the  realization  of  Cosway's  property, 
which  he  had  left  entirely  to  her.  This  was  her  final 
visit  to  England,  and  from  henceforth  her  life  was 
spent  abroad,  mainly  at  Lodi,  but  occasionally  she 
went  to  Como,  and  on  into  Austria  and  Vienna,  but 
never  returned  to  England. 


70 


DRAWING    OF    "  THE    REST    IN    EGYPT.' 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    BARONESS    COSWAY    IN    ITALY 

IN  1830  Mrs.  Cosway  determined  to  make  her  college 
into  a  religious  house.  She  purchased  the  buildings 
outright  from  the  heirs  of  the  Duke  of  Lodi,  and  with 
permission  from  the  municipality  and  government  she 
endowed  the  establishment.  With  the  authority  of 
the  Bishop  of  the  diocese,  she  attached  her  buildings 
to  the  Church  of  Santa  Maria  delle  Grazie,  making 
doorways  from  the  college  into  the  church,  and 
providing  a  large  grille  and  proper  accommodation  both 
for  nuns  and  pupils,  that  they  might  be  present  at 
Mass  without  being  overlooked  or  disturbed. 

In  1830  Francis  I.,  hereditary  Emperor  of  Austria, 
desired  to  establish  in  Milan  a  branch  of  the  religious 
Order  called  the  "  English  Ladies  "  ("  Dame  Inglesi  "), 
an  institution  devoted  to  the  cause  of  female  education 
already  having  successful  establishments  in  Austria 
and  Germany. 

Mrs.  Cosway  most  readily  fell  in  with  this  idea,  and 
consented  to  merge  the  small  Order  she  had  originated 
into  the  much  larger  organization  of  the  "  Dame 
Inglesi." 

The  mother-house  of  S.  Ippolita  in  Austria  sent  two 
nuns  to  instruct  the  religious  at  Lodi,  and  the  new 
community  accepted  the  rule  of  the  larger  one,  and 
became  a  distinct  branch  of  the  Order. 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

This  Order,  which  should  more  accurately  be  termed 
the  Institute  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  was  originally 
a  congregation  formed  in  the  seventeenth  century 
by  Mother  Mary  Ward,*  but  for  a  time  suppressed 
by  the  Holy  See.t  It  was  reconstructed  after  her 
death,  and  approved  by  Clement  XI.  in  1703,  and 
finally  by  Pius  IX.  in  1877.  In  Germany,  Austria, 
and  Italy  it  is  generally  known  by  the  name  of 
the  "  English  Virgins"  or  "English  Ladies."  The 
English  houses  of  York  and  Hammersmith  were 
founded  toward  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century 
by  Frances  Bedingfield,  a  daughter  of  Francis  Bed- 
ingfield,  Esq.,  of  Bedingfield,  Suffolk,  and  were  for  a 
hundred  years  the  only  convents  in  England  for  the 
education  of  the  daughters  of  the  Catholic  nobility 
and  gentry. 

The  Convent  of  St.  Mary,  Micklegate  Bar,  York, 
still  remaining,  is  the  oldest  existing  convent  in 
England.  The  Irish  branch  sprang  from  York,  the 
foundress  of  its  mother-house,  Loreto  Abbey,  at 
Rathfarnham,  Mother  Mary  Teresa  Ball,!  having  made 
her  novitiate  in  York. 

In  Ireland  the  Order  is  usually  known  as  that  of  the 
11  Loreto  Nuns,"  and  the  convent  at  Rathfarnham, 
founded  in  1822,  has  houses  depending  upon  it  in 
America,  India,  and  many  of  the  British  colonies 
and  dependencies.  There  is  a  house  of  the  same 
Order  in  Ascot ;  a  large  one  at  Haverstock  Hill, 
known  as  Gifford  Lodge,  England  Lane,  founded 
from  Nymphenburg ;  a  convent  in  Upper  Moss 
Lane,  Manchester ;  another  at  Leek,  and  about 
eighteen  or  twenty  houses  in  Ireland.  There  are 

*  Coleridge,  "  Life  of  Mary  Ward  "  (Burns  and  Gates). 
f  "  Religious    Houses   of   the   United   Kingdom "   (Burns   and 
Gates). 

I  Coleridge,  "  Life  of  Mother  Teresa  Ball  "  (Burns  and  Gates). 

72 


MRS.    COSWAY    AND    HER    BABY    DAUGHTER,    ANGELICA 
Collection  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins. 


THE  BARONESS  COSWAY  IN   ITALY 

two  distinct  congregations  of  the  Order,  each  governed 
by  the  Generaless,  one  with  its  headquarters  in 
Austria,  and  the  other  in  Bavaria.  It  was  this 
Order  which  Mrs.  Cos  way  established  in  Lodi,  and 
there  it  still  continues  its  excellent  work  in  the 
same  buildings. 

In  1834  the  Emperor  Francis  I.  visited  the 
convent,  inspected  it  very  minutely,  expressed  his 
entire  satisfaction  with  its  work,  and  in  token  of  his 
respect  for  Mrs.  Cosway,  and  in  recognition  of  her 
self-denying  labours  and  munificent  generosity,  created 
her  a  Baroness  of  his  empire  and  gave  her  a  grant  of 
arms.  The  original  patent  is  carefully  preserved 
at  the  convent,  and  is  a  very  fine  piece  of  emblazon- 
ment on  vellum,  richly  bound  in  morocco  in  book 
form. 

In  1835  a  further  honour  was  paid  to  the  Baroness 
Cosway,  as  she  must  now  be  styled.  Her  Imperial 
Majesty  the  Empress  Maria  Carolina  visited  the 
convent,  and  bestowed  upon  all  the  details  and  work 
of  the  house  an  even  more  minute  scrutiny  than  had 
been  given  in  the  previous  year  by  her  august  consort, 
going  so  far  as  to  examine  the  books  and  accounts. 
The  scrutiny  was  perfectly  satisfactory,  and  a  sub- 
stantial mark  of  Her  Majesty's  approval  was  bestowed 
on  the  house.  Francis  I.  died  in  March,  1835,  and  in 
the  same  year  the  Archduke  and  Archduchess,  who 
were  Viceroys  in  Lombardy,  accompanied  by  Count 
Hartig,  the  Governor  of  Lombardy,  visited  the 
convent,  paid  great  compliments  to  its  foundress,  and 
ratified  the  favours  granted  to  it. 

In  1830  the  Baroness  made  over  the  sum  of 
,£4,000  toward  a  further  endowment  of  the 
religious  Order.  In  1833  sne  added  other  houses 
and  more  money,  and  undertook  to  bequeath  to  it 
all  her  remaining  estate.  In  that  year  the  convent 

73 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

first  fully  answered  to  its  purpose  as  a  conventual 
house  by  taking  novices  and  having  nuns  fully 
professed,  and  the  Bishops  of  Lodi,  Mantua,  and  Pavia 
officiated  at  the  profession  of  the  candidates.  In  1836 
there  were  sixteen  religious  within  its  walls,  exclusive 
of  the  two  from  S.  Ippolita,  and  there  were  over  sixty 
pupils.  In  the  spring  .of  1835  the  Baroness  left  Lodi 
for  a  time,  journeying  to  Rome  and  Vienna,  and  visited 
other  houses  of  the  same  Order.  At  Vienna  she 
was  presented  to  the  new  Emperor,  Ferdinand  I.,  who 
treated  the  old  lady  with  every  mark  of  esteem 
and  benevolence,  and  bestowed  very  much  favour 
upon  her. 

She  then  returned  to  her  beloved  Lodi,  continued 
her  labours,  managed  the  house  and  all  its  varied  cares 
and  duties,  and  taught  in  the  school  up  to  the  very 
day  before  her  illness.  She  was  suddenly  seized  with 
apoplexy  about  Christmas  time,  but  was  conscious  up 
to  the  very  last  moment  of  her  life,  and  able  to  give 
full  instructions  as  to  her  funeral,  her  property,  and 
her  beloved  college.  She  died  in  the  evening  of  the 
5th  January,  1838,  having  received  the  last  sacra- 
ments, fortified  by  the  rites  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  surrounded  by  all  the  religious  of  the  Order.  Her 
death  was  regarded  as  a  public  calamity  in  Lodi  and 
in  Milan,  and  her  funeral  was  a  most  imposing  one. 
It  was  attended  by  representatives  from  the  imperial 
family,  the  reigning  Dukes,  all  the  neighbouring 
municipalities,  and  many  of  the  religious  Orders  and 
congregations. 

The  remains  were  buried  in  the  Church  of  Santa 
Maria  delle  Grazie,  in  a  vault  under  the  chapel  which 
appertains  to  the  use  of  the  nuns,  and  a  monument 
was  erected  there  to  her  memory.  The  inscription  on 
it  may  be  thus  translated  : 

74 


BUST    OF    THE    BARONESS    COSWAY    AT    LODI. 


THE  BARONESS  COSWAY  IN  ITALY 

"  Pious  religious 

and  devout  young  ladies, 

gather  here  to  pray  for  the  soul 

of  the  Baroness 
MARIA  HADFIELD  COSWAY,  WIDOW, 

who 

in  the  year  1812  erected 

this  COLLEGE  DELLE  GRAZIE, 

who  for  many  years 

governed  it  wisely, 

and  with  wise  counsel 

entrusted  it  to  the  Dame  Inglesi 

in  the  year  1831, 

and  has  gone  into  the  hands  of  God 
the  5th  of  January,  1838. 

Deposited  in  the  vault  of  this  sacred  edifice, 
where  in  the  communion  of  your  grateful  and 
fervent  prayers  she  is  awaiting  the  day  of  the 
blessed  resurrection." 

The  municipality  of  Lodi  erected  a  fine  bust  in 
marble  of  the  deceased  Baroness  at  the  end  of  the  large 
reception-room  (salone)  in  the  college,  and  placed 
upon  it  an  inscription  which  may  thus  be  freely 
translated  : 

"  To  the  memory  of  a  celebrated  woman,  Baroness  Maria 
Cosway,  foundress  of  this  flourishing  college,  established  in 
1812,  provided  with  a  perpetual  endowment  in  1829,  and 
entrusted  with  royal  assent  to  the  Institute  of  Dame  Inglesi 
in  1830,  and  extended  in  1838,  the  commune  of  Lodi,  pro- 
tectors of  so  much  benefit,  erected  this  monument  in  affec- 
tionate gratitude,  1839." 

It    should   be   mentioned    also    that    the    Gazetta 

75 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Privilegiata  di  Milano  of  February  nth,  1838,  issued 
a  special  edition  and  a  lengthened  memoir  of  the 
deceased  lady,  written  in  a  spirit  of  sincere  gratitude 
for  all  that  the  Baroness  had  generously  done  for 
her  adopted  country,  and  for  the  town  of  Lodi  in 
particular. 


A    VIEW    OF    THE    COLLEGE    OF    "  DAME    INGLESI        AT    LODI. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE   BARONESS,    HER   COLLEGE   AND    HER   FRIENDS 

NOTHING  can  well  be  more  interesting  than  a  visit  to 
the  college  founded  by  the  Baroness.  The  small  town 
of  Lodi  is  quite  easily  accessible  by  rail  from  Milan, 
and  the  college  is  within  a  short  drive  of  the  railway- 
station.  The  buildings  are  grouped  around  a  central 
quadrangle  with  colonnade,  and  are  arranged  in 
picturesque  confusion.  It  is  not  easy,  however,  to 
obtain  admission,  and  to  the  ordinary  tourist  the  gates 
are  straitly  closed,  as  the  work  of  the  religious  would 
be  seriously  injured  by  the  presence  of  constant 
visitors. 

It  may  be  well  here  to  mention  that  whatever  the 
college  possesses  in  the  form  of  papers,  letters,  art 
treasures,  and  relics  of  its  foundress  and  her  husband 
are  not  shown  to  visitors,  and  as  they  form  an  integral 
part  of  the  endowment  of  the  house,  providing  no 
income  nor  financial  advantage,  they  can  only  be 
treated  as  unalienable  heirlooms,  and  the  college  has 
no  power  whatever,  even  if  it  had  the  slightest  desire 
to  do  so,  to  part  with  a  single  item. 

It  is  desirable  that  these  facts  should  be  made 
perfectly  clear,  because  the  present  demand  for  en- 
gravings and  drawings  of  Cosway's  period  might  cause 
some  enterprising  person  to  journey  to  Italy  and  try 
to  induce  the  good  nuns  to  sell  the  few  treasures  that 

77 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

they  possess,  and  the  Government  of  Italy,  thinking 
it  possible  that  under  some  circumstances  sale  would 
be  carried  out,  might  take  steps  to  prohibit  it,  or  tax 
the  nuns  for  the  possession  of  the  things.  Let  it 
therefore  be  carefully  noted  that  sale  is  absolutely 
impossible,  and  that  admission  to  this  house  of  nuns  is 
equally  impossible  unless  the  visitor  be  provided  with 
proper  letters  of  introduction  to  the  reverend  mother,  or 
is  intending  to  place  a  daughter  at  the  very  excellent 
girls'  school  carried  on  by  the  Order. 

The  accepted  visitor,  on  entering  the  house,  and 
especially  the  parlour,  is  at  once  struck  by  the  curious 
English  appearance  of  the  rooms,  so  unexpected  in 
Italy. 

The  furniture  brought  by  the  Baroness  from  England 
still  adorns  the  rooms,  and  much  of  it  is  covered  either 
in  English  woollen  material  or  in  woolwork,  or  other 
needlework,  made  by  the  Baroness  herself. 

The  most  interesting  room  in  the  house  is  the 
original  dining-room.  It  is  decorated  on  all  four  walls 
and  on  the  ceiling  with  painted  scenes  transforming  it 
into  an  arbour.  There  is  trellis- work  having  vines  in 
full  fruit  climbing  upon  it ;  there  are  distant  views  of 
mountains,  vineyards,  and  orchards ;  there  are  trees 
in  the  foreground,  rocks,  caverns,  and  stones.  The 
whole  effect  is  very  Italian  and  remarkable.  It  has 
never  been  disturbed,  and  is  as  vivid  and  bright  in  its 
colouring  as  it  was  eighty  years  ago.  The  Baroness, 
sitting  at  the  head  of  her  table,  had  her  back  towards 
the  large  window,  and  on  her  right  hand,  on  the  wall 
against  the  painted  trellis-work,  is  depicted  a  copy  of 
the  tombstone  she  erected  to  her  husband's  memory. 
The  medallion  is  in  relief,  an  exact  replica  of  Westma- 
cott's  work,  the  lower  part,  however,  being  painted. 
Near  by  is  an  imitation  cavern,  in  which  was  the  fire- 
place, while  on  the  opposite  wall,  immediately  facing 

78 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

the  tombstone,  was  a  fountain,  hollowed  out  in  the 
wall  and  decorated  with  imitation  stonework,  intended, 
in  the  words  of  the  Baroness,  "  by  its  bright  and  living 
movement  to  remind  her  that  the  tomb  opposite  to 
it  only  commemorated  one  who  yet  lived  while  he 
slept." 

Sir  Dominic  Colnaghi,  late  Consul  -  General  in 
Florence,  to  whom  I  am  warmly  grateful  for  help  and 
encouragement  in  my  work,  was  good  enough  to  send 
me  two  extracts  from  some  family  journals  which  have 
reference  to  this  very  curious  room.  The  first  is  taken 
from  a  journal  written  by  Sir  Dominic's  grandmother, 
Mrs.  Paul  Colnaghi,  during  a  visit  to  Italy  in  1826. 
Mrs.  Colnaghi  was  a  particularly  observant  old  lady, 
unfortunately  very  deaf.  She  sent  this  diary  to  her 
family  in  England.  Her  husband  was  the  well-known 
print-seller,  founder  of  the  business  of  P.  and  D.  Col- 
naghi. The  second  extract  is  from  a  letter  written  by 
Francesca,  the  daughter  of  Mrs.  Paul  Colnaghi,  to  her 
family  in  1845,  nearly  twenty  years  after  the  visit  to 
Lodi,  at  which  she  had  also  been  present. 

She  was,  in  1845,  travelling  with  her  sister  and  her 
sister's  husband. 

These  extracts,  which  were  found  by  the  present  Miss 
Colnaghi  amongst  some  old  family  papers,  describe  in 
the  most  charming  manner  the  life  at  Lodi. 

EXTRACT  FROM  MRS.  PAUL  COLNAGHI'S  JOURNAL. 

"  Sunday,  July  2gth,  1826.  Father  has  received  an  invita- 
tion from  Mrs.  Cosway  to  go  to  Lodi.  Carriage  at  the  door 
at  seven ;  took  a  cup  of  chocolate,  and  were  off  at  half-past. 
Arrived  at  Lodi  at  half-past  ten,  after  travelling  through  fine 
roads:  different  grain  growing  most  luxuriantly;  the  weather, 
if  ever  so  dry,  makes  no  difference,  they  have  wide  channels 
each  side  between  the  pathway  and  fields.  We  were  five  in 
our  calecha.  .  .  .  Mr.  Ferdinand  Artaria  and  his  friends  went 
on  before.  All  were  received  politely,  but  dear  Mr.  Colnaghi 

79 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

was  the  idol.  All  the  cabinet  pictures  were  unlocked  one 
after  the  other,  and  Mrs.  Cosway  and  Father  were  insepar- 
able. Two  ladies  took  the  rest  of  the  company  round, 
showing  what  was  beautiful.  Then  the  company  went  to 
Mass,  save  Fanny  and  I,  who  remained  with  Mrs.  Cosway, 
who  took  us  into  several  rooms  full  of  prints,  drawings,  and 
curiosities  :  then  to  her  balcony  filled  with  flowers,  all 
beautiful,  some  curious.  .  .  .  Then  Father  took  me  out  to  see 
the  bridge  of  Lodi,  where  a  famous  battle  was  fought ;  some 
places  standing  that  have  received  shells  and  balls ;  the  gate 
and  many  places  rebuilt.  Returned,  took  lemonade,  shewn 
over  the  house,  Father  and  Hostess  side  by  side,  the  rest 
following.  The  house  like  a  town  (it  being  the  College  of 
Lodi,  left  to  Mrs.  Cosway  by  the  Duke  on  condition  of 
keeping  it  up) ;  ball-room,  eating-room,  bed-rooms,  painted 
with  fine  views,  the  walls  of  the  ball-room  representing  the 
four  quarters  of  the  globe.  She  has  sixty  young  ladies  to 
educate.  Where  we  dined  was  painted  as  a  large  garden, 
with  fine  romantic  views,  trees,  vines,  etc.,  and  so  relieved 
that  you  might  fancy  the  leaves  gently  moving.  The  fire- 

Elace  a  cavern  as  if  cut  out  of  the  rock ;  nearly  opposite  a 
)untain  continually  playing.  Dinner  ordered  to  accommo- 
date our  return.  Mrs.  Cosway  led  Father,  seated  him  on 
her  right  hand,  Mama  on  her  left.  Macaroni  soup,frittata 
of  liver,  brains,  and  other  delicious  fare ;  boiled  beef,  sausage. 
That  course  removed,  a  fine  bouquet  of  flowers  in  a  china 
vase  was  placed  on  the  table.  A  dish  of  veal  with  truffles, 
merenda  of  peaches,  roast  turkey,  custard  pudding,  roast  veal 
and  rice  patty,  wines  and  fruit  of  different  sorts,  cheese  ditto  ; 
a  fine  dish  of  ice  as  hard  as  that  on  Mont  Cenis.  Father  and 
Mrs.  Cosway  in  conversation  all  dinner-time.  Afterwards 
we  withdrew  to  a  neat  room,  where  coffee  was  served  ;  then 
to  walk  in  the  garden,  which  was  delightful.  We  ascended, 
I  believe,  to  the  height  of  the  house  by  an  easy  winding  path, 
where  we  saw  from  different  points,  towns,  roads,  and  fields 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  ;  then  returned  to  the  house 
through  alcoves  of  vines,  and  were  ushered  into  the  music- 
room,  where  eleven  chosen  young  ladies  played  on  pianos  in 
concert.  In  the  garden  again,  where  the  gentlemen  amused 
themselves  in  working  the  engine  and  sparkling  water  over 
each  other  till  the  conveyances  were  ready,  and  off  we  set, 
and  arrived  at  Milan  at  eleven  o'clock." 

80 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

EXTRACT  FROM  A  LETTER  WRITTEN  BY  Miss  FRANCESCA 
COLNAGHI  IN  MAY,  1845. 

"  We  stopped  a  short  time  at  Lodi.  .  .  .  We  lunched  at  a 
very  fine  inn,  the  master  of  which  was  extremely  polite,  giving 
us  all  the  information  we  required,  more  especially  about  Mrs. 
Cosway,  who  some  time  after  we  dined  with  her  (now  twenty 
years  ago)  had  the  title  of  Baroness  conferred  upon  her.  She 
has  been  dead  only  a  few  years,  and  the  school  she  presided 
over  has  not  retained  the  reputation  it  had  under  her  care. 
Shall  I  ever  see  Lodi  again?  The  last  time  I  was  here  our 
dear  father  was  with  me  .  .  .  and  there  was  a  merry  company 
assembled  round  the  old  lady's  table,  and  she  was  lively  and 
intellectual  in  spite  of  old  age,  whose  touches,  though  seen 
and  felt,  were  resisted  successfully  by  activity  of  mind  and 
body,  keeping  even  death  at  bay.  She  must  have  been  past 
ninety  when,  as  the  Scripture  says,  '  she  fell  asleep.'  Her 
husband  died  in  England,  but  his  wife  kept  his  *  memory 
green  in  her  soul'  in  Italy  by  erecting  a  monument  in  her 
dining-room,  consisting  of  his  bust,  beneath  which  was  a 
funereal  urn  embellished  with  attributes  of  painting,  and  by 
its  side  a  small  fountain  whose  waters  welled  with  a  gentle 
and  perpetual  murmur.  Inscribed  on  a  tablet  were  these 
words :  '  Non  Patria  sed  Uxor.'  " 

The  upstair  room  at  the  college,  to  which  the  letter 
makes  reference,  is  the  drawing-room  known  as  the 
"Sala  Rosa."  This  room,  which  contains  a  fine  English 
clock,  is  full  of  English  furniture  of  a  period  and 
style  which  can  only  be  termed  interesting,  and  not 
artistic,  but  on  its  wall  hangs  an  important  picture  re- 
produced in  these  pages.  This  is  the  work  of  an  able 
Genoese  artist,  who  depicts  the  old  Baroness  seated, 
surrounded  by  her  pupils,  and  having  with  her  certain 
of  the  nuns  who  assisted  her. 

There  are  many  other  pictures  in  the  room,  notably 
a  very  fine  painting  by  Cosway  of  himself,  not,  how- 
ever, in  very  good  condition,  but  so  characteristic  that 
it  is  here  reproduced.  The  remaining  pictures  are 

81  G 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

either  by  Cosway  or  by  the  Baroness,  mostly  by  the 
latter,  and  are  copies  of  well-known  pictures  by  old 
masters,  and  not  original  compositions.  There  is, 
however,  a  charming  exception  in  the  form  of  a  most 
interesting  portrait  by  the  Baroness  of  the  much-loved 
child  whom  she  lost.  It  represents  the  little  one  as  a 
baby  in  a  natural  and  childlike  attitude.  It  is  very 
sketchy  in  its  treatment,  and  was  evidently  hurriedly 
drawn  from  life,  but  is  admirable  in  verve  and  ex- 
pression, and  a  charming  piece  of  rapid  work. 

A  small  room  downstairs  is  called  the  "  Studiolo," 
and  amongst  other  things  it  contains  two  drawings  by 
Cosway  in  pen  and  sepia,  representing  himself  and  his 
wife  in  fancy  costume.  One  of  them  is  reproduced, 
as  also  a  "  Magdalen  "  by  Cosway,  a  fine  piece  of 
powerful  drawing.  There  is  an  autograph  inscription 
under  the  portrait  of  the  artist  in  curious  polyglot 
language :  "  R.  Cosway  fecit  lui  meme  a  1'age  de  30 
ans."  An  interesting  pastel  portrait,  labelled  "  Lady 
Cooper,"  hangs  in  another  room.  It  is  a  clever  pro- 
duction, and  probably  the  work  of  the  Baroness. 

It  was  in  the  library,  however,  that  I  found  the 
greatest  interest  when  I  visited  the  college,  and  it  may 
be  well  for  me  here  to  express  my  gratitude  for  the 
assistance  given  me  at  Lodi  in  the  compilation  of  this 
record.  I  cannot  be  too  warmly  grateful  to  the 
Reverend  Mother  for  her  most  considerate  hospitality 
and  the  generous  manner  in  which  everything  that  the 
convent  possessed  was  displayed  for  my  information. 
Papers  and  letters  that,  after  the  death  of  the  Baroness 
in  1838,  had  been  sealed  and  put  away,  and  some  of 
which  the  Superior  herself  had  never  inspected,  as  they 
concerned  in  no  way  her  religious  and  educational 
work,  were  opened  for  me  and  carefully  examined. 
From  them  I  made  what  extracts  I  pleased,  and  they 
are  now  again  consigned  to  the  safe  custody  of  the 

82 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

officials  of  the  house,  while  the  opportunity  given  to 
me  will  probably  never  again  occur.  The  Reverend 
Mother  was  most  ably  seconded  in  her  good  works  by 
an  Irish  nun,  Sister  Joseph  Fitzpatrick,  and  it  is  to 
the  kindliness  of  these  two  most  estimable  and  generous- 
hearted  ladies  that  I  am  able  to  open  this  hitherto 
sealed  page  of  history. 

The   library   is    surrounded  on  all   sides  by  book- 
cases.    Many  of  their  contents  are  educational  books, 
ordinary  Italian  literature,  or  classical  works.     There 
are  no  volumes  of  special  value,  but  very  many  of  the 
books  are  intensely  interesting,  in  that  they  belonged 
to  Cosway  and  were  used  by  him  and  cherished  by 
his   widow.     There    are    some    of  his    sketch-books, 
full  of  wonderful  work ;    there  are  drawings    by  his 
hand ;    a    few   of    his    miniatures,    not   of    the    first 
order;  and  some  of  his  beautiful    stained  drawings. 
Amongst  other  items  there  are  four  pencil  portraits 
with  tinted  faces,  one  of  which  only  is  named,  and 
which  represents  Mrs.   Dawson  Damer,  of  the  same 
series,   evidently,  as   those   lately  belonging  to  Lord 
Tweedmouth.     There  are  some  portfolios  of  drawings 
by  Old  Masters,  including  many  remarkable  composi- 
tions, and  there  are  also  specimens  of  engravings  from 
Cosway 's  works,  and  an  interesting  collection  of  old 
prints.     Amongst   other   treasures  it  was  pleasant  to 
find  the  original  copper  plates  for  two  collections  of 
drawings  by  Cosway  that  the  Baroness  issued  in  [826 
in  memory  of  her  husband,  but  which  in  Italy  met  with 
but  little  support.     The  collections  were  issued  under 
the   following    title  :    "  Disegni   scelti   portafogli   (or 
'piccolo  libri,'  in  the  other  set)  del  celebre  R.  Cosway 
possoduti  dalla  di  lui  vedova  Maria  Cosway,  Firenze, 
presso  1'incisore  Via  della  Scala  4355,  1826." 

Of  even  greater  interest,  however,  was  the  original 
diploma  of  Richard  Cosway  as  a  Member  of  the  Royal 

83  G  2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Academy,  signed  by  the  King  and  dated  July  2oth, 
1771.  Rolled  up  inside  it  was  the  similar  diploma  be- 
longing to  Mary  Moser,  dated  December  I5th,  1768. 

Leaving  the  library  with  all  its  delightful  relics,  I 
visited  the  salone,  and  inspected  the  marble  bust  of 
the  Baroness,  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made.  I  saw  the  dormitories  for  the  pupils,  and  was 
impressed  by  the  dignity  of  the  high  old-fashioned 
rooms,  the  spotless  cleanliness  of  the  place,  and  the 
punctilious  attention  paid  to  details  of  health — fresh 
air,  cleanliness,  and  comfort — for  which  one  often 
vainly  looks  in  Italian  schools  or  houses.  Washing- 
rooms,  kitchen,  offices,  studies,  one  of  them  decorated 
by  a  splendid  picture,  given  by  Cardinal  Fesch,  music- 
rooms,  and  in  fact  almost  every  portion  of  the  house, 
usually  severely  closed,  was  opened  for  the  inspection 
of  my  wife  and  myself,  and  everywhere  we  were 
distinctly  impressed  by  the  quaintly  English  aspect 
and  regulation  of  this  Italian  house.  The  garden  was 
beautiful,  rising  on  to  an  eminence  and  commanding 
splendid  views ;  it  was  well  arranged  and  charmingly 
kept.  The  playground,  the  abode  of  a  happy  group 
of  girls,  fitted  up  with  swings  and  other  amusements, 
and  decorated  with  rows  of  fine  orange-trees,  presented 
a  bright  and  cheerful  appearance.  In  the  science- 
room  was  a  collection  of  geological  specimens,  another 
of  coins,  and  many  an  important  object  in  natural 
history,  and  a  very  fine  telescope,  as  the  Reverend 
Mother  is  herself  no  mean  proficient  in  the  science  of 
astronomy.  I  was  taken  into  the  very  room  in  which 
the  foundress  died,  now  considered  sacred,  and  only 
occupied  by  the  Reverend  Mother,  and  then,  after 
having  had  the  honour  of  seeing  the  Bishop  of  the 
diocese,  who  had  already  from  his  archives  supplied 
me  with  a  copy  of  the  will  of  the  Baroness  and  shown 
me  the  original,  I  visited  the  church.  There  are 


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O   •« 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

actually  two  churches  in  the  college  :  one  the  large 
Church  of  Santa  Maria  delle  Grazie  attached  to  the 
buildings  having  its  separate  chapel  for  the  nuns,  its 
entrance  and  the  grille  for  the  use  of  the  religious ; 
and  the  other  a  smaller  chapel  belonging  to  the  house 
itself.  Under  the  high  altar  of  the  convent  chapel  is 
preserved  the  entire  body  of  an  eminent  female  saint, 
and  in  order  to  confer  the  greatest  honour  upon  us,  we 
were  permitted  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  view 
this  sacred  relic  and  have  it  specially  exposed  for  us 
by  the  nuns. 

Not  least  amongst  the  pleasures  of  this  visit  was  the 
introduction  to  a  very  aged  nun,  who  was  able  to 
boast  proudly  that  she  was  the  godchild  of  the  foundress 
of  the  house. 

My  readers  will  pardon  a  final  reference  to  a  purely 
modern  and  every-day  question.  It  was  the  accademia 
of  the  school  the  week  of  our  visit,  and  the  exhibition 
of  talent  in  elocution  both  in  Italian,  French,  German, 
and  English  was  remarkable.  The  music  was  of  the 
highest  possible  order,  but  the  needlework  was  simply 
astonishing,  and  never  before  nor  since  have  we 
seen  needlework,  lace,  and  embroidery  of  such 
exquisite  beauty.  The  girls  in  their  neat  uniform, 
meeting  their  parents,  guardians,  and  the  trustees 
and  officials  of  the  town  on  this  great  day,  looked 
pictures  of  health  and  joy ;  while  to  glance  at  their 
names  and  to  read  Sforza  and  Strozzi,  Colonna  and 
Medici,  was  like  turning  over  a  page  of  Italian  history. 

Little  as  to  the  Baroness  remains  to  be  said.  The 
college  did  not  succeed  to  the  whole  of  her  property, 
as  she  had  intended  it  should,  but  was  defrauded  out 
of  very  much  by  an  evil-principled  lawyer,  who  fled  to 
America  with  his  spoils. 

The  house  was  also  involved  in  a  lawsuit  in  order 
to  recover  the  property  actually  bequeathed  to  it, 

85 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

and  in  case  any  reader  of  this  book  may  be  more 
fortunate  than  I  have  been  in  obtaining  details  of  this 
suit,  and  particulars  bearing  upon  matters  of  public 
interest  as  to  it,  I  append  its  name  and  that  of  its 
solicitors.  The  suit  was  Giudici  versus  Kenton,  and 
the  solicitors  Messrs.  Thomas  and  S.  H.  Gill,  of  43, 
Lincoln's  Inn  Fields,  and  Charles  Shaw,  of  Princes 
Street,  and  the  date  from  1838  onwards.  The  money 
that  the  Baroness  left  with  Messrs.  Hammersley,  the 
bankers,  of  Pall  Mall,  seems  also  to  have  been  lost  to 
the  college,  owing  probably  to  the  serious  condition  of 
Messrs.  Hammersley 's  affairs  in  1840.  I  have  striven 
unsuccessfully  to  obtain  more  information  as  to  the 
account  of  the  Baroness  with  the  bank,  and  the  fate  of 
her  somewhat  large  balance.  Mr.  H.  Dudley  Ryder, 
of  Messrs.  Coutts  and  Co.,  who  took  over  the  current 
accounts,  has  been  most  considerate  and  assiduous  in 
his  ready  help  to  me.  Mr.  W.  J.  Fladgate,  of  Flad- 
gates,  of  Craigs  Court,  the  solicitors  to  Hammersley's 
Bank,  has  also  most  cordially  aided  me,  but  the  books 
of  the  bank  have  been  destroyed  under  successive 
orders  of  the  Court  of  Chancery,  and  the  certificates 
and  transcripts  in  Johnson  versus  Hammersley  that 
remain,  all  of  which  I  have  inspected,  yield  no  in- 
formation of  public  importance. 

By  the  kindness  of  the  Reverend  Mother,  I  am 
enabled  to  give  in  full  two  inventories,  dated  January 
1 5th,  1838,  of  all  the  effects  of  the  foundress  of  the 
house  catalogued  after  her  decease,  and  to  it  are 
appended  certain  contemporary  notes  relative  to  the 
existence  of  the  things  therein  named.  Most  of 
the  items  cannot  now  be  traced,  and  it  is  not  even 
known  to  whom  they  were  sent  in  Milan,  nor  for  what 
purpose  they  were  so  sent.  With  this  is  given  a  copy 
of  the  will  of  the  Baroness,  which  was  placed  in 
my  hands  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Lodi,  Monsignor 

86 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

Giovanni  Battista  Rota,  in  whose  custody  the  original 
remains.     The  will  reads  as  follows  : 

27  July ',  1829. 

This  is  my  last  will  and  testament.  Maria  Louisa 
Catherine  Cecilia  Cosway  widow,  now  resident  at  Lodi  near 
Milan  in  Italy. 

I  nominate  and  appoint  John  Soane  gentleman  member  of 
the  Royal  Academy  living  at  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields  and  Prince 
Hoare  gentleman,  living  in  Norfolk  Street  Park  Lane,  testa- 
mentary executors  of  this  my  will. 

I  give  and  bequeath  to  them  the  said  John  Soane  gent, 
and  Prince  Hoare  gent,  all  and  every  share  of  mine  (capital) 
and  shares  of  stocks  in  the  bank  (bank  stock)  public  funds 
(capital)  of  whatsoever  description,  moneys,  securities,  or 
cautions  for  money  either  in  the  hands  of  my  bankers  or  of 
my  solicitor  or  elsewhere  in  Great  Britain  and  whatsoever 
may  be  due  to  me  at  the  time  of  my  death  whether  in  your 
hands  or  in  those  of  others  or  in  reversion,  residue  or  estate 
and  I  request  and  command  the  said  John  Soane  and  Prince 
Hoare  to  retain  the  said  shares  of  bank  stock  moneys  and 
other  property  in  trust  for  and  to  dispose  of  them  to  the 
persons  named  below  and  mentioned,  so  soon  as  they  may  be 
conveniently  to  do  after  my  death  ;  that  is  : 

£500  I  give  and  bequeath  to  Maria  wife  of  Henry 

(deceased)  Whiting  gent.  £500  for  her  sole  and  separate 
use  for  which  her  receipt  alone  without  the 
addition  of  that  of  her  present  or  future  husband 
will  be  sufficient  satisfaction  to  my  testamentary 
executors  as  a  receipt  for  the  total  sum.  I  give 
and  bequeath  (leave  as  a  legacy)  to  Henry 

£ 500  Whiting  gent,  husband  of  the  said  Maria  £500. 

I   give   and   bequeath  to   Elizabeth   Cosway 
marriageable  cousin  of  my  late  husband  Richard 

£  100  Cosway,  gentleman,  the  sum  of  £100  sterling. 

I  give  and  bequeath  legacy  to  Jane  Cosway 
marriageable  sister  of  the  said  Elizabeth  similar 

£100    ,         sum  of  £100. 

I    give   and   bequeath   to   my   beloved  sister 
Charlotte  Hadfield  widow  of  William  Coombe, 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

£1,000  gentleman,  now  in  Ireland,  the  sum  of  £1,000  for 
her  sole  and  separate  use  and  I  declare  that  the 
receipt  of  my  said  sister  alone  will  be  sufficient 
guarantee  (satisfaction)  for  my  said  testamentary7 
executors. 

I  give  and  bequeath  legacy  to  Mdlle.  Annette 
Prodon  of  Lyons  now  French  Mistress  in  my 

£1,000  Establishment  at  Lodi  the  sum  of  £1,000  and 

this  as  a  mark  of  my  friendship  for  her  having 
been  attached  to  me  for  many  years.  My  testa- 
mentary executors  should  send  the  sum  to  the 
said  Annette  Prodon  as  soon  as  convenient. 

I  give  and  bequeath  to  Miss  Charlotte  Jones 
of  Upper  Berkley  St.  Portman  Square  the  sum 

£200  of  £200  and  whatsoever  she  may  have  of  my 

account  or  belonging  to  me,  I  order  my  executors 
John  Soane  gent,  and  Prince  Hoare  gent,  to  pay 
the  sum  which  may  remain  in  their  hands  after 
having  paid  the  said  legacies,  all  the  residue  and 
the  remainder  of  my  goods,  furniture,  money, 
and  securities — sureties  or  for  money  and  other 
effects  of  whatsoever  nature  and  kind  in  what- 
ever place  in  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  they  may  be,  I  order  my 
executors  to  transmit  this  my  residuary  property 
to  Cavaliere  Giudici  Consigliere  di  Governo 
Contrada  degli  Amenonini  at  Milan  in  Italy  and 
to  pay  the  amount  of  this  according  to  his 
instructions  or  as  he  may  order  or  direct  within 
six  months  after  my  decease. 

I  have  invested  a  sum  of  money  in  the  public 
funds  of  Great  Britain  and  by  means  of  a  deed  I 
have  provided  that  the  interest  from  this  be  paid 
to  Elizabeth  Cosway,  Jane  Cosway  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Maddison  as  particularly  mentioned 
in  the  same  deed  and  for  and  during  the  term  of 
their  respective  natural  lives,  in  the  proportions 
specially  noted  in  the  deed  but  with  this  pro- 
vision that  the  entire  sum  or  such  portion  of  the 
same  sum  invested  by  me  in  trust  in  the  said 
deed  which  might  remain  in  the  name  of  the 
said  trustees  at  the  time  of  my  death  should  on 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

the  death  of  the  said  Elizabeth  Cosway,  Jane 
Cosway  or  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Maddison  or  of  any 
one  of  them  be  received  by  the  executors  of  this 
my  will  and  should  be  paid  to  the  said  Cav. 
Giudici  Consigliere  etc.  who  by  means  of  my 
Codicil  will  be  instructed  as  to  the  use  to  put  it 
to  and  since  I  am  interested  in  the  College  at 
Lodi  instituted  by  me  for  the  education  of 
women  which  is  superintended  by  me  I  have 
made  a  disposition  of  my  property  at  Lodi  and 
elsewhere  in  Italy  by  means  of  a  will  according 
to  form. 

Now  I  hereby  declare  that  I  certify  my  said  will  as  regards 
the  disposition  of  my  property  in  Italy  therein  named  in 
every  particular  and  I  declare  it  to  be  my  last  will  and 
testament  respecting  the  disposition  of  my  property  in  Italy 
as  I  do  also  with  the  present  and  respecting  rny  property  of 
every  description  within  the  borders  of  the  United  Kingdom 
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

I  order  my  executors  to  retain  the  total  sum  of  expenses 
and  costs  which  may  be  incurred  in  proving  this  my  will  and 
in  executing  its  contents  and  I  declare  them  responsible  each 
one  singly  for  his  own  acts  and  not  one  for  those  of  the 
other.  For  the  belief  of  which  I  have  written  this  will 
entirely  with  my  own  hand  and  signed  my  name  to  it  this 
27th  day  of  July  1829  =  27  July  1829. 

(Signed)  MARIA  LOUISA  CATHERINE  CECILIA  COSWAY. 


The  will  is  wrapped  in  paper,  in  which  was  written 
in  the  handwriting  of  the  testatrix  as  follows  : 

"  Copy  of  my  last  will  and  testament  is  in  the  hands  of 
H.  Hammersley,  Esq.,  my  banker,  Pall  Mall,  London." 


RICHARD  COSWAY 
The  inventories  are  as  follows  : 

NOTE  OF  THE  PICTURES,  ENGRAVINGS,  AND  OTHER  WORKS 
OF  ART  BY  RICHARD  COSWAY. 

1.  Portrait  of  Richard  Cosway  by  himself,  in  a  carved  and 
gilded  frame.     (Collegio.) 

2.  Two  small  pictures  by  R.  Cosway,  one  representing 
Religion,  the  other  a  standing  figure  embracing  a  cross  and 
four  angels.     (Sent  to  Milan.) 

3.  Drawing  executed  with  two  pencils,  representing  the 
Saviour  with  the  sphere,  by  R.  Cosway.     (Retained.) 

4.  Two  oil  paintings  by  R.  Cosway.     (Bequeathed.) 

5.  Picture  representing  Aurora  in  chiaroscuro  by  R.  Cos- 
way.     (Bequeathed.) 

6.  Small  picture  in  a  gilded  metal  frame,  containing   a 
drawing  of  a  female  figure  under  glass.     According  to  an 
inscription,   it  is  a  portrait  of  the  Countess  of  Guildford 
executed  by  R.  Cosway.     (Bequeathed.) 

7.  Picture  in  gilded  metal  frame,  containing   a   portrait 
drawing  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  done  by  R.  Cosway,  as  we 
gather  from  an  inscription  on  the  back  under  glass. 

8.  Portfolio  in  blue  morocco,  lined  with  the  same,  contain- 
ing forty-one  drawings  by  R.  Cosway. 

9.  Small  picture  of  the  Madonna  and  Child  by  R.  Cosway, 
in  an  old  gilded  frame.     (Sent  to  Milan.) 

10.  Oil  painting  of  the  Nativity  painted  by  R.  Cosway,  in 
gilded  frame. 

11.  Two  little  oil  paintings  in  chiaroscuro,  copies  from 
Rubens  by  R.  Cosway.     They  are  portraits  of  Rubens  and 
his  wife,  framed  in  black.     (Vice  Regina.) 

12.  Oil  painting  of  the  Madonna  and  Child  by  R.  Cosway, 
in  gilded  frame.     (Collegio.) 

13.  Oil  painting  of  the  Madonna  and  Child,  with  a  small 
basket  of  cherries ;  original  painting  by  R.  Cosway,  in  gold 
frame.     (Bequeathed  to  the  Superior  of  San  Polten.) 

14.  Oil   painting  of  the  Madonna  and  Child.     Copy  by 
R.   Cosway  from    Parmegianino ;    gold  frame.      (Sent  to 
Milan.) 

15.  Oil  painting  representing  a  "  Rest  on  the  Flight  to 
Egypt " ;  original   painting  by  R.  Cosway,  in   gold  frame. 
(Sent  to  Milan.) 

90 


LADY    ELIZABETH    FOSTER,    AFTERWARDS    SECOND    WIFE    OF    WILLIAM, 
FIFTH    DUKE    OF    DEVONSHIRE. 


MRS.    FI7ZHERBERT. 


A  LADY  (NAME  UNKNOWN). 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

16.  Oil  painting  representing  General  de  Paoli,  the  work 
of  R.  Cosway,  in  gold  frame.     (G.  D.  Toscano.) 

17.  Oil  painting  of  a  youthful  woman  teaching  a  child  to 
read  ;  original  work  by  R.  Cosway  in  gold  frame.     (Kept  in 
the  College.) 

18.  Oil  painting  representing  the  "  Agony  in  the  Garden  "  ; 
copy  from  Correggio  by  R.  Cosway;  gold  frame.     (In  the 
College.) 

RICHARD  OR  MARIA  COSWAY. 

1.  Another  portfolio  in  the  form  of  a  book,  red  morocco, 
containing  sixty-three  drawings,  executed  partly  in  pencil, 
partly  with  the  pen ;  some  of  the  sheets  are  loose.    (At  Milan.) 

2.  Another  portfolio  in  the  form  of  a  book,  red  morocco, 
containing  ninety-six  drawings,  pen   and   pencil,  as  above. 
(At  Milan.)     [This  was  sold  at  Christie's  in  June,  1896.] 

3.  Another  leather  portfolio,  light  blue,  with  lining  of  the 
same,  containing  forty  different  drawings.     (At  Milan.) 

4.  Another  portfolio  bound  like  a  book,  of  marbled  leather, 
lined  partly  with  red  paper  and  partly  with  cinnamon-coloured 
Stuff,    containing   various   drawings,   the   first   of  which   is 
numbered  i,  the  last  81.     (At  Milan.) 

5.  Portfolio  of  red  cardboard  with  green  morocco  outside, 
containing  thirty-two  drawings.     (At  Milan.) 

6.  Portfolio   of  ash-coloured   cardboard,  leather   outside, 
bound  like  a  book,  containing  many  drawings  fastened  to 
the   pages   of   the   above-mentioned  book,    with    engraved 
borders.     The  number  of  the  drawings  is  marked  in  pencil 
on  every  page  ;  at  the  end  we  have  No.  114.     (At  Milan.) 

7.  A   similar    portfolio    in    pasteboard,   with    the    pages 
adorned  like  the  preceding,  to  which  minor  drawings  are 
affixed  ;  the  number  goes  up  to  117.     (At  Milan.) 

8.  Another  similar  one;   at  the  end  the  number  of  the 
drawings  is  marked  108.     (At  Milan.) 

9.  Case  of  worn  leather  stamped  in  gold,  the  flap  fastened 
on  like  the  lid  of  a  box,  opening  with  a  spring,  containing  a 
book  of  stamped  red  morocco  ornamented  with  gold,  with 
white  pages  ;  among  which  are  a  number  of  little  portrait 
drawings.  ,  The  said  book  is  bound  round  with  a  strap  of 
red  morocco,  fastened  with  a  steel  buckle.     (At  Milan.) 

10.  Book  bound  in  leather  in  a  marbled  paper  cover,  con- 

91 


RICHARD  COSVVAY 

taining  sheets,  ten  of  which  have  crayon  (pencil)  drawings  ; 
the  remainder  are  in  white.     (At  Milan.) 

11.  Book  bound  in  rough  leather  with  a  brass  clasp,  con- 
taining sheets,  on  some  of  which  are  drawings.     (At  Milan.) 

12.  Portfolio  bound  in  white  parchment,  with  a  coat  of 
arms  in  gold  stamped  on  both  sides,  lined  with  green  cloth, 
containing  various  small  engravings  of  portraits.    (At  Milan.) 

Charlotte  Hadfield,  the  only  sister  of  the  Baroness, 
married  William  Combe,  the  comic  poet,  who  was  the 
author  of  the  "  Tour  of  Dr.  Syntax  in  Search  of 
the  Picturesque,"  published  in  1812.  The  marriage 
did  not  take  place  until  Combe  was  a  man  of  seventy- 
six  years  of  age  and  a  prisoner  in  the  Fleet,  the  bride 
having  passed  her  fortieth  year.  In  every  way  the 
union  was  a  distressing  failure,  and  Charlotte  Combe 
very  speedily  left  her  husband.  He  died  on  June  i8th, 
1823;  but  shortly  before  his  decease  a  curiously- 
spelled  but  interesting  letter  was  addressed  to  him  by 
the  Baroness,  which,  by  the  kind  permission  of  Lord 
Currie,  I  am  enabled  to  give  in  extenso.  It  is  as  follows : 

"  LODI,  January  24^  1823. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  It  was  not  my  intention  to  trouble  you  as  I  thought 
I  should  hear  of  you  from  Charlotte,  and  that  also  she  would 
communicate  to  you  what  I  was  anxious  about  before  my 
departure  from  England,  but  I  find  from  her  last  that  there 
must  be  a  very  great  misunderstanding  between  us,  which 
has  much  distressed  me.  When  we  taulkd  of  having  some 
Memoires  written  on  Mr  Cosway  and  agreed  no  one  more 
able  than  yourself  I  was  happy  to  see  you  undertook  it.  At 
the  same  time  we  taulkd  of  publishing  a  Correspondence 
Etc,  and  Travelles  Etc,  of  myself,  of  which  I  felt  somewhat 
awkward  about  and  taulking  of  it  with  some  persons,  what 
they  observed  on  it  discouraged  me  and  made  me  think  not 
to  press  that  part  tho'  it  might  have  been  announced  for  a 
future  opportunity ;  my  delicasey  was  also  on  account  of 
some  of  those  persons  being  living.  With  this  determination 
I  told  Charlotte  to  return  me  my  letters  and  those  which 

92 


ANNE,    DAUGHTER    OF    THE    THIRD    EARL 

OF    DYSART,    WIFE    OF    JOHN    MANNERS, 

ESQ.,    AND    IN    l82I     COUNTESS    OF 

DYSART    IN    HER    OWN    RIGHT. 


A  LADY  (NAME  UNKNOWN). 


MARY,    WIFE    OF    THE    THIRD    DUKE    OF    RICHMOND    (SIGNED    IN    FULL 
AND    DATED    1789). 

Collection  of  the  Duke  of  Richmond  arid  Gordon,  K.G. 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

regarded  only  myself  and  were  not  of  use  to  you,  as  I  had  a 
particular  objection  to  her  taking  them  to  Ireland,  had  she 
remained  in  London  (since  she  seem'd  determined  not  to 
come  with  me)  who  could  I  put  my  trust  to  better  hands  ! 
However,  whether  she  was  offended,  or  hurt  on  the  sake  of 
her  friends — She  returned  a  box  which  I  never  opend  for 
want  of  time — I  am  positively  sure  she  said  she  had  taken  to 
translate  those  you  had  chosen  and  were  necessary  Etc  I 
thought  this  settled,  and  told  her  I  had  several  journals  and 
letters  here  that  I  should  send  by  the  first  opportunity  I  was 
anxious  to  know  if  you  went  on ;  in  her  first  letter  (for  I 
have  had  but  two)  she  told  me  a  long  history  about  Mrs 
Udny's  letters,  and  of  a  visit  she  had  from  a  gent :  on  the 
subject,  which  I  thought  as  obsurd  as  extraordinary,  for 
Charlotte  might  have  said  she  had  destroid  them.  Now,  Sir, 
after  all  this  detail  whether  I  have  or  not  well  explained  I 
hope  you  will  judge  that  I  must  feel  uncertain  on  the 
subject,  which  induces  me  to  address  myself  to  you.  I  have 
been  looking  for  an  engraver  to  give  those  portraits  and 
sketches  which  I  thought  would  illustrate  the  work — I  left 
to  Charlotte's  care  the  only  small  plates  etched  by  Mr  Cos, 
himself,  which  I  thought  would  be  interesting.  In  short 
what  could  I  do  more  ?  I  wished  much  to  see  you  before  I 
set  out,  I  told  her  so,  but  the  uncertainty  of  your  being  able 
to  come — not  knowing  how  to  contrive  it  and  the  many 
things  I  had  to  do  in  those  last  days,  made  me  lose  this 
satisfaction.  I  may  be  mistaken — but  I  always  thought  that 
her  friends  have  engrossed  so  much  on  her  good  nature  and 
they  have  used  such  means  to  keep  her  to  themselves  as  she 
is  very  usefull  to  them  that  the  feelings  of  blood  and  friend- 
ship in  me  go  for  nothing.  I  said  and  did  all  I  could  to 
induce  her  to  come  with  me,  but  could  go  no  farther  when  I 
found  more  attraction  on  the  other  side — May  it  be  for  the 
best.  But  I  beg,  Sir,  that  this  may  rest  entre  nous  and  that 
you  will  never  mention  to  her  what  I  have  said — was  it  not 
natural  that  two  sisters  should  end  their  life  together  ?  That 
I  should  look  on  her  as  my  only  relative  ?  But  this  is  what 
her  friends  feard,  and  made  me  promise  not  to  take  her 
away. 

"  All  these  things  prayed  on  my  mind,  which  induced  to 
do  what  I  have  said  above — but  still  I  repeat  this  has  nothing 
to  do  with  what  was  agreed  to  be  done  about  Mr  Cos  way — 

93 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

If  you  will  favor  me  with  a  few  lines  you  will  much  oblige 
me,  or  intrust  any  message  to  Mr  Taylor  or  Prince  Hoare,  to 
both  I  gave  a  message  for  you — 

"  Believe  me,  Dear  Sir, 

Yours  sincerely, 

"  MARIA  COSWAY. 

"  My  address  is  Madame  Cosway,  a  Lodi,  Via  Milan." 

After  leaving  her  husband,   Mrs.    Combe  went  to 
Ireland  and  lived  with  a  Mrs.  Curtis. 

John  Thomas  Smith,  in  his  "  Nollekens  and  His 
Times  "(1828),  speaks  of  Mrs.  Curtis,  of  King's  County, 
Ireland,  as  "  the  steady  friend  of  Mrs.  Combe,  a  lady 
remarkable  for  her  benevolence,  literary  attainments, 
and  most  elegant  manners."  He  states  that  in  his 
time  "  she  still  resided"  with  this  lady,  "who  treated 
her  with  all  the  kindness  of  a  sister."  An  anonymous 
writer  of  1838  also  mentions  Mrs.  Curtis,  and  speaks 
of  her  as  an  "  Irish  lady  of  great  literary  attainments 
and  most  elegant  manners."  Unfortunately,  my  most 
careful  efforts  to  discover  further  particulars  respect- 
ing this  lady,  although  prolonged  and  numerous,  have 
proved  wholly  abortive.  Information  in  other  family 
letters  leads  me  strongly  to  believe  that  papers  and 
letters  relating  to  Cosway  and  his  wife  still  exist,  and 
are  probably  in  Ireland,  but,  like  others  who  have 
searched  before  me,  I  also  have  to  lament  my  inability 
to  find  the  missing  treasures. 

One  great  friend  of  the  family  yet  remains  to  be 
named — General  Pasquale  de  Paoli,  a  notable  Corsican 
patriot.  He  was  born  in  1726,  and  died  in  London  in 
1807.  He  waged  war  with  the  French  in  1755-1768, 
was  defeated  May,  1769,  and  came  to  England 
for  refuge.  He  was  made  Lieutenant  of  Corsica  by 
Louis  XVI.  in  1789,  and  handed  over  the  island 
to  George  III.  on  June  17,  1794.  The  following  year 
Sir  Gilbert  Eliott  was  made  Viceroy,  and  a  Parliament 

94 


>r  w 

a  °* 


I 
^T  | 

E  1 


o  *  ~ 


(/! 

in 
W 
t_i 

^  w 

^    H 

O    ffi 

U    C 


fa     AH 

O     , 


S   Q 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

was  opened.  British  rule,  however,  was  very  short, 
as  there  was  a  revolt  in  1796,  and  the  island  was 
relinquished  in  October  of  that  year,  and  handed  over 
to  France,  Paoli  having  already  left  the  country  and 
retired  to  England,  where  he  ended  his  days.  Cosway 
painted  the  portrait  of  this  patriotic  man,  and  the 
portrait  was  given  by  the  Baroness  to  the  Uffizi  Gallery 
in  Florence,  where  it  still  hangs.  With  it  was  also 
given,  so  the  late  lamented  Dr.  Rossi,  of  the  Bargello, 
kindly  informed  me,  a  casket  of  precious  stones 
bearing  the  following  inscription: 

"  The  Elector  of  Saxony,  Frederick  Augustus  III.,  sent 
this  casket  as  a  mark  of  friendship  to  General  Pasquale  de 
Paoli  in  the  year  1774,  and  by  him  it  was  presented  to 
Maria  Cosway  in  London  in  1789,  and  by  her  given  to  the 
Museum." 

The  portrait  is  in  oil,  and  a  very  fine  piece  of  work, 
perhaps  the  best  portrait  Cosway  ever  painted  in  that 
unfamiliar  medium.  It  is  reproduced  in  reduced  pro- 
portions in  this  work. 

Paoli  himself  thus  refers  to  it  in  a  letter  addressed 
to  Dr.  Raimondo  Cocchi,  of  Florence  : 

"  ISOLA  ROSSA  CORSICA, 

"December  7,  1768. 

"  You  do  not  find  the  portrait  by  the  Englishman  like, 
but  you  must  know  that  I  was  then,  and  am  still  much 
changed."* 

With  Paoli  the  Baroness  Cosway  kept  up  a  constant 
correspondence.  They  were  on  the  most  friendly  of 
terms,  greatly  admiring  one  another,  and  constantly 
seeking  advice  one  from  the  other. 

Three  letters,  which  have  been  hitherto  unpublished, 

*  Lettere  di  Pasquale  de  Paoli,  "  Archivio  Storico,"  Tomo  v.,  vi., 
1890,  p.  82. 

95 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

I  have  selected  from  my  own  collection,  as  they  have  a 
certain  curious  interest  and  are  illustrative  of  the  close 
friendship  which  existed  between  these  two  persons. 
As  they  are  in  Italian,  it  has  seemed  better  to  supply 
literal  translations  rather  than  exact  verbatim  copies. 

There  are  150  letters  from  and  to  the  Baroness  at 
the  Museum  of  Lodi,  beside  many  others  at  the  college 
and  elsewhere,  but  they  refer  mainly  either  to  her 
travels  or  to  the  college,  and  are  not  of  general  interest. 
One  letter  in  my  own  possession,  however,  addressed 
to  Mr.  Paul  Colnaghi  (already  referred  to),  and  having 
reference  to  the  visit  already  named,  is  of  sufficient 
interest  to  repay  translation  and  perusal,  and  also  one 
kindly  lent  me  by  Mr.  Knipe,  of  Brighton,  addressed 
to  John  Landseer  the  engraver. 

General  Paoli  to  Mrs.  Cosway. 

"  HONOURED  SIGNORA  GOSSIP, 

"  A  Lady,  clever  as  she  is  beautiful,  who  is  here  just 
now,  has  lent  me  the  poems  of  Dr.  Darwing.  In  them  I 
have  found  a  note  upon  your  picture  of  little  Lubomirski. 
My  leisure  permits  me  to  copy  it,  and  to  send  it  to  you  with 
as  many  good  wishes  as  you  deserve.  If  you  have  not  already 
got  them  (the  poems),  this  poet-physician,  of  no  mean  talent, 
is  worthy  to  be  in  your  possession  for  the  justice  which  he 
does  you  in  a  poem  which  is  now  read  by  almost  everyone, 
for  it  more  particularly  treats  of  a  subject  with  such  figures, 
allegories,  and  also  expression,  as  are  capable  of  giving  life 
even  to  the  driest  bones,  and  it  will  therefore  always  be  read 
in  spite  of  the  scathing  literary  criticism  of  Dr.  Mathius.  It 
is  past  half-past  one,  and  I  have  been  out  expecting  the 
paper  to  have  come  to  confirm  the  news,  given  out  for  certain 
yesterday  evening,  that  the  fleet  of  Tolou  had  had  an 
encounter  and  been  defeated,  and  that  Buonaparte  had  been 
taken  prisoner.  If  they  send  him  here,  one  might  really  say 
that  he  must  have  won  the  esteem  and  respect  of  this  nation, 
so  great  will  be  the  marks  of  distinction  with  which  he  will 
be  honoured  by  all,  and  these  to  his  good  and  generous  soul 
will  be  as  great  a  consolation  as  though  he  had  entered 


JANE,  DUCHESS  OF  GORDON. 


MRS.    BUTLER. 


MRS.    JAMES    STUART   WORTLEY    MACKENZIE, 

MOTHER    OF   JAMES,    FIRST    LORD 

WHARNCLIFFE. 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

London  amid  blood  and  carnage,  and  at  the  head  of  soldiers 
who  might  reasonably  lay  claim  to  a  large  share  of  the  glory 
and  honour  of  the  victory.  And  if  after  the  manner  of  the 
Roman  conquerors  the  English  should  cause  him  to  appear 
loaded  with  chains,  how  many  beautiful  and  generous  hands 
would  not  break  them  from  off  his  feet  to  entwine  them 
round  his  heart !  Ah,  fair  ones  !  it  is  you  who  have  nourished 
and  fomented  the  passion  of  the  warrior  heroes  who  are  the 
scourge  of  nations !  I  fear  the  post  is  going. 

"  A  thousand  thanks  to  my  good  gossip   for  the  letters 
sent  to  me.     Accept  my  homage,  and  believe  me  ever  yours, 

"  P.  DE  PAOLI. 
"  October  7,  1793." 

General  Paoli  to  Mrs.  Cosway. 

"  BATH,  March  30,  1798. 

"  HONOURED  SIGNORA  GOSSIP, 

"  I  should  have  written  to  Pietris  my  complaints 
against  you  for  not  having  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  my 
last  letter,  but  by  good  luck  in  Pietris'  letter  I  found  yours, 
which  has  edified  me,  and  has  altogether  disposed  me  to 
follow  your  wise,  good,  and  saintly  counsel  in  these  days  of 
propitiation,  so  that  you  will  no  longer  doubt  of  my  ortho- 
doxy, although  perhaps  at  this  hour  the  poor  Catholic 
Church  may  be  without  a  head.  But  what  matter,  her 
dogmas  will  endure  so  long  as  the  world  lasts,  and  I  believe 
them  by  the  authority  by  which  she  has  manifested  them, 
and  in  this  put  aside  all  the  doubts  which  the  weakness  of 
the  human  mind  would  strive  to  pass  off  as  arguments  to  the 
contrary.  The  moral  is  good ;  whoever  recommends  it  cannot 
have  a  bad  disposition  or  be  a  liar. 

"  The  air  of  Bath  is  not  so  good  as  that  of  Clifton.     After 
the  holidays  I  shall  perhaps  return  there  from  being  busy. 

"  Receive  my  homage. 

((  T>       T)  '» 

Mrs.  Cosway's  Letter  to  General  Paoli  and  his  Reply  to  it. 

"  DEAR  GOSSIP, 

"  I  send  you  a  book,  but  not  as  a  gift,  only  as  a  loan : 
until  you  find  one,  you  are  always  immersed  in  philo- 
sophy or  literature,  but  this  is  the  greatest  of  all.  If  you 

97  H 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

have  no  engagement  this  morning,  and  would  go  with  me  to 
Mr.  Nolikens,  you  would  give  me  pleasure  and  see  some  fine 
engravings.  My  servant  will  come  and  tell  you  in  which 
chapel  I  shall  be,  and  if  you  will  fetch  me  you  will  do  me  a 
favour. 

^  "  Are  you  coming  to  Mass  to-day  ?  The  feast  of  All 
Saints ;  that  we  may  meet  among  them  some  day  is  the  hope 
of  your  '  gossip,' 

"  MARIA  COSWAY." 
Reply  endorsed  on  letter. 

"Just  in  the  act  of  having  my  hair  done,  so  my  good 
gossip  must  pardon  me  for  replying  in  this  way. 

"  Will  read  the  book  because  you  recommend  it.  I  have 
not  yet  opened  it  to  see  who  is  the  author.  The  carriage  is 
at  your  disposal.  Name  the  hour,  because  I  could  not  come 
to  your  chapel,  but  after  the  Mass  of  Portugal  I  will  come 
and  fetch  you  wherever  you  are. 

"  Always  your  devoted 

"  PAOLI." 

Letter  in  English  addressed  to  Mr.  Landseer. 

"  QUEEN  ANNE  STREET,  EAST,  88. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Ever  since  I  had  your  letters  I  have  been  enquiring 
in  what  I  could  be  of  use  to  you.  At  last  I  have  found  what 
you  required — some  information  on  the  work  of  Egypt. 
M.  Dutretre  went  by  order  of  Government  with  Buonaparte 
at  the  same  time  of  Venon  and  others  :  he  made  very  large 
and  distinct  drawings.  On  his  return  he  has  had  reasons  for 
not  giving  his  Drawings  to  the  forming  their  work,  but  is 
going  to  publish  it  himself.  When  I  mentioned  you  he 
seemed  very  desirous  of  having  some  plates  done  by  you,  but 
he  cannot  send  the  drawings,  and  it  would  be  particularly 
necessary  for  you  to  come  here.  He  cannot  afford  to  give 
great  price,  and  wishes  even  to  find  some  person  who 
will  join  him  in  this  undertaking  and  share  the  expenses  and 
the  profits — the  drawings  are  very  beautiful  and  I  have 
taken  many  people  to  see  them,  and  all  agree  they  are  very 
fine  and  much  superior  and  more  satisfactory  than  the  other 
work — that  which  is  published  by  Government  goes  on  very 


THE  BARONESS  AND  HER  COLLEGE 

slow,  and  is  also  paid  but  little — if  what  I  have  said  can  raise 
any  wish  in  you  to  come  to  any  arrangement  with  Mrs. 
Dutretre,  I  will  then  enter  more  fully  into  particulars,  and 
send  you  all  the  exact  informations  on  the  subject.  I  have 
been  asked  for  some  young  man  who  engraves  in  wood-cuts, 
do  you  know  of  any  who  would  come  here,  there  would  be 
employment  for  him. 

"  Remember  me  ever  as  yours  most  sincerely, 

"  MARIA  COSWAY. 
"PARIS,  January  12,  1803." 

"  DEAR  SIGNOR  COLNAGHI, 

"  Hearing  that  you  are  about  to  go  to  London  I  send 
you  four  parts  of  the  works  of  Lasinio*  that  I  have  this 
morning  received  from  the  author  on  ordinary  paper.  I  have 
addressed  these  prints  of  fine  ladies  to  your  bureau  in  London. 
Sir  Thomas  Lawrence  and  others  were  awaiting  with  anxiety 
those  that  were  sent  on  the  occasion  of  Lord  Guilford'st 
visit.  I  am  sure  that  you  will  do  all  that  is  in  your  power  to 
get  subscribers.  I  should  have  liked  your  wife  and  daughter 
to  have  come  to  the  examinations  which  took  place  last 
month,  but  Artaria  I  not  being  able  to  come  I  did  not  know 
by  whom  to  have  them  accompanied.  If  you  came  to  spend 
another  day  in  Lodi  I  would  show  you  a  little  silver  niello 
which  I  have  just  bought.  I  will  have  an  impression  taken, 
which  I  will  send  to  you. 

"  Believe  me, 

"  Yours  sincerely, 

"  MARIA  COSWAY. 
"  LODI,  October  15,  1826." 

[Address], 
"  To  Monsieur  Colnaghi,  Milan,  with  a  bundle  of  prints." 

*  Count  Carlo  Lasinio  was  a  well-known  engraver,  who  published 
various  artistic  works.  Sir  D.  Colnaghi  suggests  that  this  work  may 
have  been  "  Pittura  fresco  del  Campo  Santo  di  Pisa  con  illustrazione 
e  figure  colorite,"  Firenze,  1822-25.  I  v°l-  grande  in  folio. 

f  Lord  Guilford  was  a  great  art  patron,  and  many  engravings  of 
Italian  artists  were  dedicated  to  him. 

|  Artaria  was  a  printseller  in  Milan. 

99  H   2 


CHAPTER  VIII 
COSWAY'S  MINIATURES 

THE  dainty  miniatures  produced  by  Cosway  were  in 
many  ways  the  very  antithesis  of  the  work  of  the  older 
school  that  had  preceded  him.  The  painters  of  the 
sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  were,  as  Mr. 
Hodgson  said  in  his  sketch  of  Cosway,  "  pure  realists  ; 
they  sought  only  the  reality  and  individuality  of  nature, 
whereas  Cos  way's  characters  have  the  elegance  and 
refinement,  as  well  as  the  artificiality,  of  a  society  which 
had  become  conscious  of  the  rudeness  of  earlier 
manners,  and  was  striving  to  perfect  its  own.  Cosway's 
works  have  all  the  excellences  as  well  as  the  defects  of 
the  age." 

One  of  his  rivals,  Ozias  Humphrey,  who  was, 
although  a  rival,  personally  attached  to  Cosway,  thus 
wrote  of  him  :  "  He  inclined  more  to  the  neat,  the 
graceful,  and  the  lovely,  than  toward  the  serene,  the 
dignified,  and  the  stern,  and  though  his  admiration  of 
the  antique  was  great,  this  was  modified  by  his 
continuous  study  of  living  nature,  and  from  a  taste  for 
whatever  was  soft  and  delicate." 

He  can  really  be  considered  as  the  first  miniature 
painter  who  realized  the  beauties  and  advantages  of 
ivory.  It  had  certainly  been  used  before  his  time,  and 
by  many  artists,  but  no  one  appears  to  have  properly 
appreciated  the  charm  of  its  brilliant  surface,  the 

100 


mm 

7 


GEORGIANA,    DUCHESS    OF    DEVONSHIRE    (UNFINISHED). 
Collection  o/H.M.  the  King. 


COSWAY'S  MINIATURES 

exquisite  transparent  effect  that  could  be  obtained 
upon  it,  or  the  manner  in  which  the  ivory  itself  could 
be  left  to  suggest  some  of  the  lights  in  the  portrait,  or 
some  of  the  airy  effects  desired  by  the  painter.  He 
was  also  the  first  person  to  introduce  the  use  of  a  fresh, 
clear,  blue,  cloudy  background,  largely  composed  of 
brilliant  Antwerp  blue,  of  which  he  was  particularly 
fond,  and  upon  this  background  he  set  with  excellent 
effect  many  of  his  most  beautiful  productions.  A 
special  characteristic  of  his  work  is  to  be  found  in  his 
treatment  of  the  hair.  It  is  light,  free,  and  easy, 
suggested  in  masses  and  in  wash  rather  than  in  lines 
drawn  in  detail,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  method 
adopted  by  Plimer,  whose  hard,  wiry  hair  is  equally 
distinctive  of  his  work.  The  clear  brightness  of  the 
eyes  and  their  gleam  of  pure  white  light,  the  roundness 
and  grain  of  the  limbs,  and  the  airy  transparency  of  the 
draperies,  are  other  characteristics  that  should  be 
marked,  but  the  special  feature  that  distinguishes 
Cosway's  miniatures  from  those  of  his  contemporaries 
and  rivals  is  not  easily  expressed  in  words.  It 
consists  in  the  fact  that  the  portrait  is  so  lightly  laid 
upon  the  ivory  as  to  appear  almost  as  though  it  had 
been  blown  into  position,  and  was  an  aerial  thing  of 
graceful  lightness,  that,  like  a  bit  of  gossamer,  had 
rested  upon  the  ivory  and  had  become  fixed  there. 
The  ease  with  which  the  effect  is  produced  is  remark- 
able, especially  when  it  is  remembered  that  Cosway's 
technique,  although  so  aerial  in  effect,  is  always  strong 
and  full  of  intention.  His  brush-work,  it  is  true,  is 
marvellously  dexterous,  but  dexterity  did  not  mean 
carelessness,  and  rapidity  of  action  never  implied 
thoughtless  work.  Brilliantly  flippant  it  is,  of  course, 
but  at  the  same  time  exquisite  in  taste  and  perfect  in 
finish.  The  want  of  apparent  labour  in  the  playful 
grace  of  many  of  Cosway's  conceptions  is  apt  to 

101 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

deceive  the  observer  into  neglecting  to  give  to  the 
artist  a  proper  meed  of  appreciation,  such  as  he 
deserves.  The  effect  appears  too  easy,  too  showy, 
and  even  too  tricky  to  be  considered  great,  but  it  is 
not  so,  and  the  closer  Cosway's  miniatures  are 
scrutinized,  the  stronger  will  be  the  opinion  that, 
although  flippant,  and  even  tricky,  they  are  marked  by 
very  high  artistic  character,  and  by  a  skill  in  brush- 
work  of  exceeding  rarity. 

In  actual  drawing  Cos  way  was  often  astonishingly 
careless,  but  his  faults  in  that  respect  are  more 
apparent  in  his  tinted  drawings  than  in  his  miniatures, 
and  the  spirituel  quality  of  his  portraits  is  so  con- 
vincing that  one  is  ready  for  the  sake  of  their  charm 
to  overlook  faults  in  drawing  that  are  sometimes 
egregious. 

He  had  early  trained  himself  upon  the  antique,  and 
always  possessed  a  certain  impression  of  the  dignity  of 
classic  art  and  the  rare  beauty  of  Greek  sculpture.  In 
his  pencil  drawings  this  characteristic  is  revealed,  and 
to  a  certain  extent  it  shows  itself  in  his  miniatures. 
Elegance,  refinement,  grace,  are  the  usual  adjectives 
applied  to  Cosway's  work,  but  strength  and  firm- 
ness are  none  the  less  characteristic  of  the  master ; 
the  faces  are  often  powerfully  modelled,  the  hand 
generally  exquisitely  drawn,  the  drapery  well  arranged, 
and  suggested  by  a  series  of  graceful  touches. 

Specially  extraordinary  was  the  faculty  for  rapid 
work  which  Cosway  possessed.  He  would  boast  of 
having  despatched  during  the  day  twelve  or  thirteen 
sitters,  although  it  is  probable  that  his  boast  only 
implied  that  he  had  given  the  first  sitting  for  that 
number  of  portraits  ;  but  he  certainly  was,  according  to 
his  contemporaries,  capable  in  a  full  hour  of  painting  a 
miniature  of  astonishing  merit,  and  producing  a  really 
admirable  likeness. 

102 


PRINCE    MICHAL   AND    PRINCESS    IZABELLA    OGINSCY. 

From  the  scarce  stipple  engraving  by  Schiavonetti,  1793,  after  Cosway's  original  drawing,  in  the  possession 

of  the  family  in  Lithuania. 


COSWAY'S  MINIATURES 

So  popular  did  he  become,  and  so  great  was  the 
demand  upon  his  time,  that  he  invented  a  method  of 
portraiture  peculiarly  his  own,  and  with  which  his  name 
will  always  be  connected.  He  produced  pencil  sketches 
which,  according  to  the  accepted  phraseology  of  the 
day,  he  termed  "  stained  drawings."  They  were  very 
rapidly  drawn,  with  much  freedom  and  an  easy,  light 
pencil.  They  were  cool  and  gray  in  tone,  the  hands 
and  face  only,  or  sometimes  the  face  alone,  receiving 
colour.  The  features  were  painted  with  all  the 
daintiness  of  a  miniature,  sometimes  rather  hard  and 
dry  in  manner,  but  at  other  times  full  of  charm  and 
aerial  lightness.  The  figures  are  frequently  far  too 
tall  and  curiously  lacking  in  proportion,  but  the  pose 
is  invariably  pleasing,  the  composition  graceful,  and 
the  draperies  almost  classic  in  their  arrangement.  As 
a  rule,  the  weak  point  in  these  drawings  is  to  be  seen 
in  the  hands,  which  are  sometimes  carelessly  finished, 
and  are  almost  like  claws.  This  fault  can  be  perceived 
in  the  beautiful  drawing  of  three  Princesses,  which  is 
now  in  Windsor  Castle  Library,  where  the  faces  and 
draperies  are  altogether  excellent,  but  the  drawing  of 
the  hands  most  unsatisfactory. 

Cosway  was  exceedingly  fond  of  the  lead  pencil, 
and,  in  addition  to  this  portrait  drawing,  he  produced 
a  large  number  of  classical  and  religious  subjects,  many 
of  which  are  of  extraordinary  beauty.  Some  of  the 
finest,  which  had  been  preserved  in  Italy,  were  sold 
at  Christie's  in  June,  1896,  and  they  revealed  the 
artist  as  a  close  student  of  the  Italian  masters,  notably 
of  Correggio,  and  showed  that  he  possessed  an  origin- 
ality in  pencil  which  had  not,  previous  to  that  time, 
been  fully  recognised. 

His  colouring  in  his  finest  miniatures  was  always 
low  in  tone,  as  a  rule  marked  by  a  predominance  of 
blue,  each  colour  being  put  on  very  lightly  in  a  trans- 

103 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

parent  wash,  so  clear  as  even  to  reveal  the  grain  of 
the  ivory  beneath  it. 

There  were  times  when  he  adopted  a  very  curious 
method  of  technique,  with  regard  especially  to  the 
draperies.  In  the  possession  of  the  author  is  an  un- 
finished miniature  by  Cosway,  which  was  painted  for 
one  of  his  pupils,  especially  in  order  to  explain  this 
technique.  It  was  preserved  as  a  curiosity  by  Mrs. 
Cosway,  and  was  in  her  possession  at  her  death, 
coming  into  the  author's  possession  direct  from  her 
home  in  Italy.  It  is  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Robinson,  and 
shows  that  large  masses  of  colour,  especially  of  blue 
and  white,  almost  unformed  in  appearance,  were  laid 
upon  the  ivory,  and  then  were  taken  off  by  a  finer 
brush,  a  process  the  very  reverse  of  that  usually 
adopted.  With  this  miniature  the  author  was  enabled 
to  acquire  a  piece  of  paper  upon  which  Cosway  had 
tried  his  colours,  and  one  of  his  brushes,  and  by  means 
of  them  we  are  enabled  to  reconstitute  the  artist's 
palette,  and  to  mark  its  very  limited  character.  The 
colours  most  used,  in  addition  to  the  blue  already 
referred  to,  were  grays,  sepias,  blacks,  carnations,  and 
pale  yellows,  green  being  an  exceptional  colour,  very 
seldom  made  use  of.  For  his  carnation,  he  seems  to 
have  made  a  considerable  use  of  Indian  red. 

His  colours  he  obtained  from  Newman,  of  Soho 
Square,  with  whom  Turner,  Reynolds,  Gainsborough, 
De  Wint,  and  others  also  dealt.  Unfortunately,  the 
earlier  books  of  the  firm  have  not  been  as  carefully 
preserved  as  could  be  wished,  and  records  of  Cosway's 
purchases  are  not  forthcoming.  A  peculiar,  clear,  keen 
blue,  resembling  Antwerp  blue,  is  very  distinctive  of 
the  master's  work.  It  appears  almost  invariably  on 
the  miniature,  and  is  generally  to  be  seen  in  the  back- 
ground. In  the  opinion  of  Messrs.  Newmans  it  is  a 
delicate  tint  of  pure  ultramarine.  It  is  clear  from  one 

104 


m 


HER    ROYAL    HIGHNESS    PRINCESS    AMELIA    (UNFINISHED). 
Collection  of  H.M.  the  King. 


LADY   ANNE    LINDSAY,  ELDEST    DAUGHTER   OF   JAMES,    FIFTH    EARL   OF 

BALCARRES,    AND    WIFE    OF    ANDREW    BARNARD. 

AUTHORESS    OF    "  AULD    ROBIN    GRAY." 

Collection  of  Mrs.  Rowley. 


COSWAY'S  MINIATURES 

pencilled  memorandum  by  Cosway,  in  which  he  reminds 
himself  to  order  "  from  old  Newman  another  lot  of  my 
blue,"  that  the  colour  was  specially  prepared  for  him, 
and  the  books  and  traditions  of  the  house  testify  to 
the  frequent  preparation  of  different  forms  of  this  costly 
colour  for  special  customers.  Venetian  red,  vermilion, 
and  Indian  red  Cosway  also  ordered  of  Newman. 

Benjamin  West  gave  to  Andrew  Robertson,  the 
miniaturist,  some  admirable  advice  as  to  colours.  He 
said  :  "  Young  man,  do  all  you  can  with  Indian  red  ; 
avoid  all  others  in  your  flesh  tints  when  you  can,  for 
that  only  will  stand.  Also  avoid  indigo."  With  this 
advice  Cos  way's  work  is  in  full  accord.  He  did  not 
appear  to  use  indigo,  and  he  made  great  use  of  Indian 
red. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  his  life  the  artist  occasion- 
ally adopted  a  speckled  or  mottled  background,  and 
miniatures  with  this  class  of  work  can  be  attributed 
to  a  period  after  1805.  During  a  somewhat  earlier 
period —  i?99  to  1804  —  a  few  miniatures  were 
executed  with  a  background  either  perfectly  white 
or  with  gray  and  grayish-white  or  drab  effects  only, 
but  these  were  but  few,  and  probably  experimental, 
and  even  then  the  Cosway  blue  can  be  found  some- 
where used  in  almost  every  specimen. 

In  one  of  his  sketch-books  there  is  recorded  an 
interesting  memorandum  respecting  shadows.  It  was 
written  on  a  very  small  piece  of  paper,  which  became 
unfortunately  damaged,  and  the  most  important  word 
in  it,  the  name  of  the  artist  whom  Cosway  recom- 
mended as  an  example  worthy  of  copy,  cannot  be 
deciphered.  The  word  has  the  appearance  of  being 
"  Fr  Casne,"  but  may  be  "  Francia  "  or  Fr.  Cossa." 

"All  shadows,"  Cosway  said,  "are  generally  speaking  cold 
in  their  nature,  endeavour  therefore  to  keep  them  warm  and 
in  order  to  do  this  have  an  eye  to  the  point  of  distance  from 

105 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

which  the  picture  is  to  be  viewed  for  the  interposition  of  the 
air  does  much  refridgerate  for  which  you  must  make  a  reason- 
able allowance.  Figures  ought  always  to  be  made  Pyramidal  or 
Serpentine  and  must  be  placed  by  the  numbers  one,  two  and 

three,  this  form  is  nowhere  better  seen  than  in  F .     The 

figure  to  be  painted  must  have  its  base  or  broad  part  upwards 
its  cone  downwards.  The  letter  S  is  not  only  to  be  observed 
in  the  whole  of  the  figure  but  in  every  limb  and  part  of  it. 
Use  but  little  yellow  among  yr  carnations  for  the  yellowness 
of  the  oil  in  a  great  depth.  Let  yr  shadows  be  warmer  than 
the  Life." 

Cos  way  gave  lessons  in  painting  to  Lady  Caroline 
Sanford,  and  her  stepson,  Mr.  Sanford,  of  Nynehead 
Court,  the  father  of  Lady  Methuen,  sent  me  certain 
instructions  and  maxims  given  by  the  artist  to  his  fair 
pupil. 

Speaking  about  the  management  of  oil  colours,  he 
said  that  no  medium  was  ever  to  be  used  save  linseed 
or  walnut  oil  ;  no  varnish  or  preparation  of  it  was  ever 
to  be  used  with  the  colours,  and  pictures  were  not  to 
be  varnished  until  some  years  had  passed  after  painting. 
He  said  that  the  improper  use  of  varnish  was  the 
chief  cause  of  the  cracking  of  most  modern  pictures. 
He  also  insisted  on  the  using  of  as  little  oil  as  possible, 
so  that  the  colours  should  adhere  firmly  and  no  more. 
He  impressed  upon  this  pupil,  and  upon  all  his  pupils, 
the  importance  of  firm  drawing,  stating  that  many 
persons  learned  to  paint  when  they  could  not  draw, 
thinking  that  paint  would  cover  bad  drawing,  and  that 
others  should  never  be  allowed  to  paint  at  all,  as 
inability  to  draw  accurately  and  firmly  should  be 
pronounced  a  reason  for  depriving  them  of  colour  box 
and  brushes.  That  the  master  always  carried  out  his 
own  advice  is  not  evident,  but  at  least  it  may  be  said 
of  his  oil  portraits  that  they  have  lasted  perfectly,  and 
have  not  cracked,  as  have  the  works  of  his  contem- 
poraries, and  that  therefore  his  advice  in  that  class  of 

1 06 


COSWAY'S  MINIATURES 

work  is  well  worthy  of  attention.  Mr.  Sanford 
possesses  a  fine  pencil  drawing  by  Cosway,  and  has 
several  pictures  by  his  talented  pupil,  Lady  Caroline. 

In  a  letter  to  E.  Kendrick,  which  it  is  evident 
that  author  used,  without  acknowledgment,  in  her 
"Conversations  on  the  Art  of  Miniature  Painting" 
(1830),  Cosway,  in  speaking  of  measurements,  said 
that  "  there  should  be  room  in  the  face  for  an  eye 
between  the  two  eyes  ;  hair  should  always  be  repre- 
sented in  masses,  and  then  lightly  touched  out ;  there 
should  be  a  ray  of  light  along  the  nose  and  a  white  dot 
at  its  tip,  and  a  stream  of  light  should  flow  on  the 
cheek,  while  the  ears  and  nose  should  be  equal,  level, 
and  equally  forward." 

D.  G.  Rossetti,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  refers  to 
Cosway's  use  of  squirrel-tail  brushes  as  most  suitable 
for  miniature  work,  and  says  that  from  many  of  them 
he  burnt  off  the  tip,  that  he  might  dot  or  streak  in  the 
colour  with  the  blunted  point.  He  also  refers  to  the 
invariable  good  taste  of  the  draperies  arranged  by 
Cosway. 

His  ivory  tablets  he  obtained  from  Drane,  a  comb 
manufacturer,  of  25,  Aldgate.  His  plain  gold  frames 
were  made  by  Gregory,  an  engraver  of  23,  Chandos 
Street,  St.  Martin's  Lane,  and  this  man  seems  to  have 
mounted  the  miniatures  for  him  and  arranged  the  hair  of 
the  fair  sitter  that  so  often  ornamented  the  back  of  the 
miniature  frame.  The  trade  cards  of  both  these  men 
have  several  times  been  found  behind  the  miniatures, 
together  with  pieces  of  old  playing-cards,  upon  which 
are  sometimes  written  notes  in  Cosway's  own  hand. 
I  have  in  my  own  collection  specimens  of  all  these 
cards. 

As  to  ivories,  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  that 
Cosway  heated  them  between  paper  by  means  of  an 
iron,  in  order  to  remove  their  grease,  and  that  he 

107 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

rubbed  them  with  pumice-stone  until  they  acquired,  in 
his  words,  "  a  dead  grave  effect."  It  may  be  interest- 
ing to  add  that  the  account  of  a  Mr.  Heneage,  in 
1802,  records  the  price  paid  to  Cosway  at  that  period 
for  the  miniature  of  himself  as  25  guineas.* 

Soon  after  Cosway's  death  there  appeared  two  or 
three  small  books  on  miniature  painting  which  are 
now  scarce,  but  to  which  the  reader  who  is  interested 
in  miniature  work  is  referred,  as  they  are  evidently 
founded  on  Cosway's  methods,  and  even  on  his 
words.  They  can  all  be  examined  at  South  Ken- 
sington, and  the  following  are  specially  interesting  : 
"  New  Hints  on  Miniature  Painting,"  1837;  "  The 
Art  of  Miniature  Painting,"  by  A.  Parsey,  1831  ; 
"Conversations  on  Miniature  Painting,"  by  E.  Ken- 
drick,  1830;  "Miniature  Painting,"  by  L.  Mansion, 
1822. 

Cosway's  work  was  not  invariably  on  ivory.  There 
are  three  miniatures  on  vellum,  which  appear  to  be 
his  work,  and  there  are  two  others  attributed  to  him  on 
substantial  evidence,  while  several  miniatures  on  paper 
have  been  identified  as  from  his  brush.  Lord  Wharn- 
cliffe  has  the  fine  miniature  on  vellum  of  Lady 
Hamilton,  and  Lord  Beauchamp  has  at  Madresfield 
Court  two  specimens  of  Cosway's  experimental  efforts 
in  enamel. 

*  For  this  information  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Gary  Elwes,  the 
grandson  of  Mr.  Heneage,  and  the  present  owner  of  the  miniature. 


108 


EMMA,    WIFE    OF    SIR    WILLIAM    HAMILTON. 
On  vellum,  signed. 


CHAPTER  IX 

COLLECTIONS   AND   COLLECTORS 

THE  most  noteworthy  collections  of  Cosway's  works 
may  be  briefly  reviewed. 

At  Windsor  Castle  is  one  of  the  very  finest  collections. 
Some  specimens  in  it  have  always  belonged  to  the 
Crown  ;  others  have  been  acquired  by  gift  and  bequest, 
and  some  have  been  purchased  under  the  advice  of 
Sir  Richard  Holmes,  the  King's  librarian.  Included  in 
this  latter  group  are  those  purchased  at  Christie's  from 
the  late  Lord  Truro's  estate,  amongst  which  are  the 
wonderful  unfinished  miniatures  of  Georgiana,  Duchess 
of  Devonshire,  and  the  Princess  Amelia.  Possibly  the 
finest  work  by  Cosway  at  Windsor  is  an  extremely 
delicate  pencil  drawing  of  three  Princesses,  which  was 
lent  to  the  Cosway  show  in  1895. 

Perhaps  the  collection  that  contains  the  most  im- 
portant series  of  portraits  by  Cosway,  next  to  that  of 
Windsor  Castle,  is  the  one  at  present  in  this  country 
belonging  to  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan.  The  dispersal 
of  the  celebrated  collection  which  was  formed  by  Mr. 
Edward  Joseph,  and  passed  afterwards  into  the  posses- 
sion of  Mr.  Woodroffe,  and  the  sale  of  Dr.  Propert's 
collection  and  of  many  of  the  best  miniatures  from 
the  Whitehead  collection,  have  enabled  Mr.  Morgan  to 
gather  up  many  of  the  choicest  examples  of  Cosway's 
work.  He  now  owns  upwards  of  sixty  miniatures  by 

109 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Cosway,  many  of  which  are  of  the  highest  possible 
merit. 

From  the  Joseph  collection  he  bought  the  portraits 
of  the  Prince  Regent,  Princess  Caroline,  Princess 
Charlotte,  Mrs.  Fitzherbert,  Mrs.  Nixon,  Lady  Eliza- 
beth Foster,  the  Marchioness  of  Salisbury,  Sir  William 
Twysden,  Mr.  Andrew  Stuart,  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Mrs. 
Dawson  Darner,  Lady  Stuart,  Prince  Lubomirski,  and 
half  a  dozen  anonymous  portraits. 

From  the  Whitehead  collection  he  acquired  portraits 
of  the  Duke  of  York,  the  Prince  Regent,  the  Duke  of 
Kent,  Prince  Leopold,  Lady  Bessborough,  Miss  Car- 
wardine,  and  a  delightful  picture  of  Cosway  himself. 

From  Dr.  Propert's  collection  came  the  beautiful 
portraits  of  the  Duchess  of  Gordon,  Mrs.  Moffatt,  and 
Mrs.  Abingdon,  and  in  addition  to  these,  Mr.  Morgan 
purchased  the  wonderful  miniature  of  Mrs.  Parsons, 
which  has  been  handed  down  in  the  Lawrell  family, 
and  which,  by  reason  of  its  being  carefully  preserved 
in  a  double  gold  case,  is  in  particularly  brilliant 
condition. 

Purchases  to  enrich  this  collection  have  also  been, 
and  are  still  being,  made  in  many  other  directions, 
and  the  finest  examples  of  Cosway 's  work  are  being 
so  steadily  acquired  for  it  that  no  other  portrait  collec- 
tion will  be  able  to  rival  it  in  extent  and  variety. 

Amongst  the  family  collections  that  have  remained 

intact,  there  is  not  one  of  greater  interest  than  the 

roup  of  miniatures  at  Belvoir  Castle,  belonging  to  the 

uke  of  Rutland,  and  it  includes  several  very  fine 
works  by  Cosway.  Amongst  them  are  two  portraits 
of  Charles,  the  fourth  Duke  of  Rutland,  and  one  of  his 
wife,  Mary  Isabella,  known  as  the  "beautiful  Duchess"; 
two  of  Lord  Robert  Manners,  the  youngest  son  of  the 
famous  Marquis  of  Granby,  brother  to  the  fourth  Duke  ; 
and  one  of  John  Henry,  the  fifth  Duke  of  Rutland, 

110 


MRS.    PARSONS    (NF.E    HUFF). 

Collection  of  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan . 


ONE    OF    THE    SONS    OF    GEORGE    III. 

Collection  of  H.M.  the  King. 


H  R.H.    THE    PRINCESS    SOPHIA. 

Collection  of  H.M.  the  King. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

when  a  boy,  the  latter  a  portrait  of  engaging  sweetness, 
representing  a  delightful  little  boy  with  long  curly  hair. 
The  same  collection  includes  a  portrait  of  Anne,  Coun- 
tess of  Northampton,  and  more  than  one  anonymous 
portrait  by  Cosway. 

There  are  some  good  works  by  the  master  in  the 
Miniature-Room  at  Holland  House.  The  room  is  a 
very  small  one,  measuring  only  12  feet  by  9  feet, 
and  7^  feet  high.  It  is  hung  with  yellow,  and 
communicates  with  the  Gilt  Room  and  the  Yellow 
Drawing- Room,  forming,  as  Princess  Marie  of  Liech- 
tenstein says  in  her  book,*  "  a  strikingly  diminutive 
episode  on  the  first  floor." 

For  many  years  the  contents  of  this  room,  which 
represent  almost  every  school  of  miniature  painting  in 
England,  were  neglected,  the  light  was  allowed  to 
pour  in  through  the  windows,  and  the  miniatures 
suffered  accordingly,  the  carnations  in  some  cases 
fading  away  almost  entirely,  while  the  heat  was  allowed 
to  curl  the  ivories,  and  the  dust  to  penetrate  the  frames. 
All  this  neglect  was  speedily  altered  as  soon  as  Lord 
Ilchester  succeeded  to  the  estate,  and  under  the  loving 
care  of  Lady  Ilchester  the  treasures  of  the  Miniature- 
Room  have  now  been  protected  from  sun,  heat,  and 
dust,  and  have  been  rescued  from  further  damage,  so 
that  the  works  by  Cosway  and  his  pupils,  the  brothers 
Plimer,  as  well  as  those  by  his  numerous  contempo- 
raries and  rivals,  can  now  be  studied  with  satisfaction 
and  their  beauties  appreciated.  Fortunately,  a  few  of 
the  best  miniatures  are  still  in  good  condition. 

There  is  a  peculiarly  attractive  frame  to  be  seen  in 
this  room,  which  appears  to  have  been  favoured  by 
Cosway  for  some  of  his  best  portraits.  It  is  of  ivory 
with  two  bands  of  fine  gold  bead-work  round  it,  and 
we  happen  to  know  that  it  was  made  for  the  artist  by 

*  "Holland  House,"  by  Princess  Marie  of  Liechtenstein  (1875). 

Ill 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

the  comb  manufacturer  Drane  (seep.  107),  who  resided 
at  25,  Aldgate,  and  who  also  supplied  Cosway  with 
the  ovals  of  ivory  that  he  required,  all  ready  cut  and 
prepared  for  painting.  There  are  examples  of  this 
charming  frame  in  other  collections,  notably  one  fine 
one  at  Sunninghill  Park,  belonging  to  Mrs.  Crutchley. 

There  are  several  beautiful  miniatures  by  Cosway  in 
the  possession  of  Lord  Wharncliffe,  amongst  which 
should  perhaps  be  mentioned  those  of  Lady  Mont- 
stuart,  the  Duchess  of  Devonshire,  Eliza  Farren, 
Countess  of  Derby,  and  Margaret  Cunninghame, 
afterwards  Mrs.  Stuart  Wortley  Mackenzie.  The 
collection  also  includes  a  portrait  of  Lady  Elizabeth 
Foster,  and  a  striking  one  of  Mrs.  Fitzherbert. 

There  are  some  striking  examples  in  the  collection 
of  Mr.  Henry  Drake,  and  amongst  them  is  one  that 
has  a  curious  inscription  on  the  back.  The  writing  is 
believed  to  be  that  of  Cosway  himself,  and  certainly 
bears  a  close  resemblance  to  the  one  or  two  pieces 
of  his  handwriting  that  are  available  for  comparison. 
The  picture  represents  a  Mrs.  Whittington,  and  is 
unfinished.  It  is  said  that  the  artist,  after  commencing 
the  portrait,  had  a  quarrel  with  the  lady,  wrote  her 
character  upon  the  incomplete  work,  and  refused  to 
finish  the  portrait.  The  statement  that  now  appears 
is  by  no  means  a  flattering  one.  It  reads  as  follows  : 

"  Impatient  to  advice, 
Excessive  pride  upon  a  false  foundation, 
A  specious  exterior, 
An  unfeeling  heart, 
Inconstant, 
Ungrateful, 

And,  the  writer  of  this  may  justly  add,  as  he  has 
woefully  experienced  it,  cruel." 

Two   delightful   miniatures   are   in   the   possession 

112 


MRS.    HARCOURT,    AFTERWARDS    LADY    HARCOURT,    WIFE    OF    THE    THIRD 
EARL    HARCOURT. 


MRS.    FITZHERBERT. 


MRS.    WHITTINGTON. 


All  from  the  Drake  Collection. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

of  the  Duke  of  Sutherland,  representing  the  fifth  and 
sixth  Dukes  of  Devonshire,  the  latter,  William,  being 
depicted  as  a  child.  They  are  light,  easy,  sketchy 
works.  Two  other  children  of  William,  the  fifth 
Duke,  were  painted  by  Cosway — Georgina,  afterwards 
Countess  of  Carlisle,  and  Harriet,  afterwards  Countess 
of  Granville.  These  children  were  painted  twice  by 
the  artist,  in  both  cases  being  together,  and  Cosway 
hardly  ever  painted  more  charming  works  than  these 
two  circular  portraits.  One  of  them  is  now  in  the 


possession  of  Miss  Blanche  Pitt,  to  whom  it  came  from 
Lady  Taunton  and  Lord  St.  Germans,  and  the  other 
belongs  to  Lord  Spencer. 

Mrs.  Fitzherbert  sat  to  Cosway  on  several  occasions, 
and  in  her  possession  there  were  several  portraits  of 
the  Prince  Regent.  Some  of  these  now  belong  to  the 
Earl  of  Portarlington ;  others,  including  perhaps  the 
best  portrait  Cosway  ever  painted  of  the  Prince 
Regent,  which  was  found  clasped  in  the  hand  of  Mrs. 

113  i 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Fitzherbert  when  she  died,  are  in  the  family  collection 
at  Swynnerton  Park. 

A  beautiful  pencil  drawing,  representing  Mrs.  Fitz- 
herbert in  a  big  summer  hat,  is  in  the  possession  of  the 
Marquis  of  Hertford. 

At  Ham  House  there  is  a  lovely  portrait  represent- 
ing Ensign  Tollemache,  and  at  Welbeck  a  particularly 
beautiful  portrait  of  Henrietta  Scott,  afterwards  Duchess 
of  Portland,  who  is  painted  as  a  child,  with  curly  hair 
falling  over  her  shoulders. 

At  Goodwood  there  are  two  fine  portraits  represent- 
ing Mary,  Duchess  of  Richmond,  and  Charlotte, 
Duchess  of  Richmond,  while  at  Madresfield  Lord 
Beauchamp  owns  one  of  the  loveliest  things  the  artist 
ever  painted,  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Swinnerton,  of  Butter- 
ton  Hall,  set  in  the  inside  of  a  fine  mother-of-pearl  box. 

Mr.  Poyntz  Stewart  has  a  wonderful  portrait  of 
Mrs.  Dawson,  who  was  a  great  beauty  in  her  time,  as 
well  as  one  or  two  other  important  examples. 

At  Devonshire  House  there  are  several  of  Cos  way's 
best  works,  two  representing  Georgiana,  Duchess  of 
Devonshire,  one  of  them  of  unusually  large  size,  and 
with  them  is  a  fine  portrait  of  a  Mr.  Cavendish. 

In  the  collection  of  Mr.  Michael  Tomkinson  is  a 
large  portrait  of  unusual  colour  scheme  which  always 
attracts  attention.  In  some  respects  it  differs  from  the 
ordinary  work  of  Cosway,  but  it  bears  a  genuine  signa- 
ture on  the  back,  and  is  dated,  and  although  rather  a 
perplexing  portrait,  may  be  safely  accepted  as  a  genuine 
work ;  in  all  probability,  its  technique  was  of  an  experi- 
mental nature,  and  it  seems  possible  that  the  miniature 
was  painted  either  as  a  companion  to  some  already 
existing  portrait,  or  else  as  the  result  of  a  definite 
commission.  It  is  an  exceedingly  beautiful  portrait, 
and  the  largest  example  of  Cos  way's  work  known  to 
the  author. 

114 


A  LADY  (NAME  UNKNOWN  ;  SIGNED  AND  DATED). 
Collection  of  Mr.  Michael  Tomkinson. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

In  the  possession  of  the  late  Duke  of  Cambridge 
there  were  three  excellent  portraits  of  members  of  the 
Royal  Family,  which,  together  with  a  portrait,  partly 
the  work  of  Plimer,  were  mounted  in  a  case  by  them- 
selves, and  were  so  framed,  after  having  been  lost  sight 
of  for  many  years.  Till  the  time  of  the  Duke's  death 
they  stood  upon  his  writing-table,  but  they  were  sold 
at  the  sale  of  his  effects  at  Christie's,  and  are  believed 
to  have  passed  into  an  American  collection. 

Other  collectors  who  own  important  works  by 
Cosway  are  Lord  Hothfield,  Mr.  Ward  Usher  of 
Lincoln,  Mr.  J.  W.  Whitehead,  and  Mr.  Julian  Senior, 
who  have  each  of  them  many  miniatures. 

In  the  possession  of  the  allied  families  of  the 
Earl  of  Ancaster  and  Lord  Gwydyr  are  to  be  found  a 
series  of  Cosway's  works  of  far  more  than  ordinary 
interest.  The  well-known  Ancaster  box  is  of  ivory, 
and  was  made  for  the  third  Duke  of  Ancaster  to  be 
carried  in  his  vest  pocket,  and  was  used  to  contain 
toothpicks  and  patches.  It  is  one  of  the  finest 
conceivable  pieces  of  jeweller's  work,  perfectly  made, 
with  enamel  decoration  of  remarkable  beauty.  Out- 
side the  box  are  the  portraits  of  the  Duke's  two 
daughters,  the  Ladies  Priscilla  and  Georgiana  Bertie, 
afterwards  Baroness  Willoughby  de  Eresby  and 
Marchioness  of  Cholmondeley.  Inside  the  lid  was  the 
portrait  of  the  Duke's  son,  Robert,  afterwards  fourth 
Duke,  and  outside  the  box,  on  its  lower  side,  appeared 
the  portrait  of  Mary,  Duchess  of  Ancaster  (n<?e  Panton). 
In  addition  to  the  portrait  on  this  box  a  lovely 
one  of  Robert,  the  fourth  Duke,  belongs  to  the  Hon. 
Willoughby  Burrell,  and  a  replica  of  it  to  his  father, 
Lord  Gwydyr.  Still  another  belongs  to  Earl  Walde- 
grave,  and  was  evidently  done  for  the  Duke  that  he 
might  present  it  to  Lady  Horatia  Walpole,  to  whom 
he  was  engaged.  The  Duke  died  unmarried,  and  this 

115  i  2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

miniature  was  lost  sight  of  for  some  years,  and  its  owners 
did  not  know  whom  it  represented. 

Mr.  Burrell  also  owns  two  exquisite  miniatures 
of  Peter  Burrell,  afterwards  first  Lord  Gwydyr,  and 
his  wife,  Lady  Priscilla  Burrell,  who,  on  the  death 
in  1779  of  her  only  brother  Robert,  the  fourth  Duke  of 
Ancaster  and  Kesteven,  became  Baroness  Willoughby 
de  Eresby  in  her  own  right,  the  ancient  barony 
having  been  called  out  of  abeyance  by  the  Crown  in 
her  favour,  as  it  had  fallen  into  that  condition  between 
herself  and  her  sister.  Yet  another  portrait  of  the  first 
Lord  Gwydyr  by  Cosway  is  set  into  another  ivory  box 
belonging  to  Lord  Ancaster. 

In  the  "  Letters  of  Lady  Jerningham  to  Lady 
Bedingfeld,"*  edited  by  Egerton  Castle,  F.S.A.,  is  an 
interesting  mention  of  Lord  Gwydyr.  It  is  contained 
in  a  letter  dated  May  i2th,  1812,  and  is  as  follows: 

"  The  mention  you  make  of  Lord  Gwydyr's  grief  for  his 
Sister  is  very  interesting  and  makes  one  suppose  both  Him 
and  Lady  Beverley"  [she  had  died  in  January,  1812. — 
Author.]  "aimiable.  He  never  was  naturally  Partial  to  Lady 
Willoughby.  She  fell  in  Love  with  Him  and  fretted  so 
much  that  her  Mother  the  Duchess  of  Ancaster  was  afraid 
She  would  go  into  a  consumption.  Mais  il  s'est  fait  prier,  and 
having  declared  to  the  young  Men  of  his  time  that  Lady 
Priscilla  Bertie  should  never  be  Lady  Priscilla  Burrel  when 
He  Consented  to  marry  Her  He  desired  that  as  she  was 
Priscilla  Elizabeth  She  would  be  Called  by  the  Latter  name 
only.  And  accordingly  she  became  Lady  Elizabeth  Burrel 
till  her  Father's  "  [really  her  brother's]  "  decease  made  her 
Lady  Willoughby." 

This  first  Lord  Gwydyr  was  Peter  Burrell,  who 
succeeded  to  his  great-uncle's  baronetcy  and  resided  at 
Privy  Garden,  now  called  Gwydyr  House,  in  White- 
hall. He  was  caricatured  by  Dighton,  in  1818, 

*  Vol.  ii.,  p.  21. 
116 


LADY    PRISCILLA    BERTIE,    AFTERWARDS    BARONESS    WILLOUGHBY    DE    ERESBY    IN    HER 

OWN    RIGHT,    AND    WIFE    OF    THE    F»ST    LORD    GWYDYR,    WITH    HER    SISTER, 

LADY    GEORGIANA    BERTIE,    AFTERWARDS    MARCHIONESS    OF 

CHOLMONDELEY,    DAUGHTERS    OF    PEREGRINE,    THIRD 

DUKE    OF    ANCASTER    AND    KESTEVEN. 

Collection  of  the  Earl  of  Ancaster. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

as  the  "  Welsh  Castle."  He  had  four  sisters — Amelia 
Elizabeth,  who  married  Mr.  R.  H.  Bennet ;  Susan 
Isabella,  Countess  of  Beverley;  Frances  Julia,  Duchess 
of  Northumberland,  and  Elizabeth,  who  was  first 
Duchess  of  Hamilton  and  afterwards  Marchioness  of 
Exeter.  Cosway  not  only  painted  the  brother's 
portrait,  but  also  each  of  the  sisters'.  The  portraits  of 
two  of  the  sisters,  presumed  to  be  the  Duchess 
of  Northumberland  and  the  Duchess  of  Hamilton, 
belong  to  Mrs.  Crutchley,  and  are  lovely  examples 
of  Cos  way's  finest  work.  In  the  same  collection  is  a 
third  miniature  by  the  same  hand,  considered  to  be 
one  of  the  Burrell  sisters,  and  supposed  to  be 
Mrs.  Bennet  on  the  authority  of  a  Crutchley  family 
tradition.  The  portrait  of  the  fourth  sister,  the 
Countess  of  Beverley,  a  large  picture  in  oils,  is  at 
Alnwick,  and  belongs  to  the  Duke  of  Northumber- 
land, her  great-grandson.  The  miniature  of  the 
mother  of  these  four  sisters,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Burrell, 
is  in  the  National  Gallery.*  An  oil-painting  by 
Cosway  is  at  Grimsthorpe,  and  represents  Robert, 
the  fourth  Duke,  and  his  sister  Georgiana.  In  this 
picture  the  young  Duke  is  being  crowned  with 
laurel  by  his  sister.  He  had  been  serving  with  his 
regiment  in  Canada  when,  owing  to  his  father's  death, 
he  succeeded  to  the  Dukedoms  of  Ancaster  and 
Kesteven,  and  became  the  fourth  Duke.  Even  this 
does  not,  however,  exhaust  the  interesting  group  of 
family  portraits.  Lord  Gwydyr  owns  a  stained  draw- 
ing of  Elizabeth  Burrell,  Duchess  of  Hamilton, 
Marchioness  of  Exeter,  and  another  of  her  nephew, 
Peter  Robert  Burrell,  the  second  Lord  Gwydyr,  both 
of  which  are  signed  and  dated  ;  and  there  is  further  a 
miniature  belonging  to  Mrs.  Crutchley  of  another 

*  Lord  Hatherton  also  has  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Burrell.     She  was  a 
noted  beauty  and  wit 

117 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

connection  of  the  family,  Sophia,  the  daughter  and 
heiress  of  Sir  Charles  Raymond,  and  wife  of  Sir 
William  Burrell,  who  succeeded  to  Sir  Charles 
Raymond's  baronetcy. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  point  out  that  two  of  the 
Burrell  sisters  painted  by  Cosway  are  great-grand- 
mothers of  the  poet  Swinburne,  Lady  Beverley  being 
the  grandmother  of  his  mother,  Lady  Jane  Swinburne, 
and  Mrs.  Bennet  the  grandmother  of  his  father. 

In  this  connection  two  lovely  miniature  portraits  of 
Sir  John  and  Lady  Swinburne  (nde  Bennet),  belonging 
to  Miss  Swinburne,  must  not  be  overlooked  ;  nor  the 
portraits  of  Henry  Swinburne,  the  traveller,  and  his 
wife,  which  were  engraved  by  Bova,  the  original 
miniatures  of  which  cannot  yet  be  traced. 

Cosway  appears  to  have  been  commissioned  very 
frequently  to  paint  portraits  of  several  members  of  a 
family.  In  course  of  time  family  portraits  became 
scattered,  but  there  are  several  groups  of  such  portraits 
still  in  existence,  although  it  is  necessary  to  visit  many 
collections  in  order  to  reconstruct  the  original 
series.  There  are,  far  example,  the  miniatures  now 
belonging  to  the  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts  and 
to  Lord  North,  comprising  Sir  Francis  Burdett  and 
his  wife,  Sophia  Coutts,  father  and  mother  of  the 
Baroness,  and  the  sisters  of  Lady  Burdett,  Susan 
and  Frances,  afterwards  Countess  of  Guilford  and 
Marchioness  of  Bute,  and  their  husbands. 

Another  series  is  that  of  the  five  Pierson  sisters, 
with  their  brother  Francis,  belonging  to  Mrs.  New- 
bury  ;  and  there  are  also  the  Townshend  group,  be- 
longing to  Miss  Darley  and  Lord  Hatherton  ;  the  Pon- 
sonby  group,  belonging  to  Lord  De  Mauley,  Viscount 
Emlyn,  Mrs.  F.  Ponsonby,  Lady  Margaret  Boscawen, 
Mrs.  Henry  Cavendish,  Miss  Georgiana  FitzRoy,  and 
Mrs.  H.  Lee  Steere  ;and  the  Spencer  group,  belonging 

118 


LADY  CARTERET  AND  LADY  CAROLINE  MORLAND 
(NEE  COURTENAY). 

Collection  of  Mr.  W.  C.  Morland. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

to   Earl    Spencer,    Lady    Sarah    Spencer,   and    Mr. 
R.  Spencer. 

Another  remarkable  set  comprising  both  oil  portraits 
and  miniatures  is  that  of  the  Courtenays ;  the  oil 
portraits  are  at  Powderham  Castle,  almost  life-size, 
while  the  miniatures  belong  to  Mr.  W.  C.  Morland. 
They  represent  the  second  and  third  Viscounts 
Courtenay,  and  the  sisters  Lady  Harriet  Carteret 
and  Lady  Caroline  Morland,  one  miniature,  represent- 
ing both  sisters  together,  being  of  marvellous  beauty. 

An  even  more  important  series  is  that  of  the 
Pelhams.  There  is  a  very  scarce  engraving  in  stipple 
by  Caroline  Watson,  from  a  drawing  by  Cosway, 
representing  Charles  Anderson  Pelham,  first  Lord 
Yarborough,  with  his  wife,  Sophia  (ntfe  Aufrere),  and 
six  of  their  children.  The  drawing  and  the  copper 
plate,  and  as  many  of  the  impressions  as  could  be 
obtained,  were  all  destroyed  by  Lord  Yarborough 
after  his  wife's  decease,  and  the  print,  already  rare, 
became  exceptionally  scarce.  Cosway  executed  the 
work  in  about  1779,  but  in  later  years  he  painted  in 
miniature  five  of  the  daughters — Mrs.  Heneage,  Mrs. 
Cary  Elwes,  Mrs.  North,  Mrs.  Tennant,  and  Mrs. 
Dashwood.  Of  the  same  family  there  are  other  pencil 
drawings  and  miniatures  at  Brocklesby  belonging 
to  Lord  and  Lady  Yarborough,  as  well  as  miniatures 
in  the  possession  of  other  members  of  the  family. 

In  the  Hawkins  collection  there  were  a  great  many 
fine  Cosways.  These  have  all  been  dispersed  at 
Christie's,  and  as  a  result  of  this  and  other  sales,  the 
dealers  in  such  works  have  in  their  possession  some 
of  the  very  finest  miniatures  Cosway  ever  painted. 

Probably  the  best  collection  in  the  hands  of  a  dealer 
belongs  to  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins.  He  has  been 
buying  with  rare  discretion  for  many  years,  and  has 
now  a  very  wonderful  series  of  portraits. 

119 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Some  beautiful  miniatures  painted  for  the  Keppel 
family  have  recently  come  into  the  possession  of  Messrs. 
Duveen.  Two  representing  sisters  of  the  name  of 
Harvey  may  specially  be  mentioned,  and  the  student 
of  Cosway's  work  must  not  overlook  the  many  fine 
examples  in  the  hands  of  these  two  firms  of  dealers. 

Of  drawings,  the  most  important  series  until  recently 
belonged  to  Lord  Tweedmouth.  He  had  thirty-one 
excellent  portraits,  admirably  drawn  in  pencil,  and,  with 
one  exception,  every  portrait  was  named.  They  were 
in  a  sketch-book  when  purchased  by  the  father  of 
the  present  owner,  but  the  first  Lord  Tweedmouth  had 
them  framed  and  mounted  in  two  large  cases. 

Other  sketch-books,  and  a  very  important  series  of 
full-length  drawings,  with  slightly  tinted  faces,  belong 
to  Mr.  E.  M.  Hodgkins,  and  are  in  his  own  private 
collection  at  his  house  in  London. 

A  very  pretty  drawing  belongs  to  the  Ffoulkes 
family.  It  represents  Miss  Jocelyn,  of  Stanstead, 
Bury  House,  Hertfordshire,  afterwards  Mrs.  Ffoulkes 
of  Eriviatt.  She  was  a  pupil  of  Cos  way,  and  Judge 
Ffoulkes,  to  whom  it  at  one  time  belonged,  wrote 
respecting  it  as  follows :  "  My  dear  mother  told  me 
that  this  portrait  was  done  by  Cosway  while  she  was 
taking  a  lesson  from  him,  and  that  she  believed  it 
was  intended  to  be  a  portrait  of  herself,  but  when  she 
asked  him  what  he  was  doing,  he  pushed  it  on  one 
side  and  made  no  answer,  or,  at  all  events,  did  not 
reply  to  her  question,  but  allowed  her  to  take  it." 

There  are  many  fine  drawings  in  the  possession  of 
Lord  Currie,  and  he  and  Lady  Currie  between  them 
possess  several  exceedingly  fine  miniatures,  as  well  as 
an  almost  complete  collection  of  engravings  after  Cos- 
way.  From  the  Currie  collection  Mr.  F.  B.  Daniell 
compiled  in  1890  the  exhaustive  catalogue  of  engraved 

1 20 


DRAWING    REPRESENTING    <;  MINERVA    DIRECTING    THE   ARROWS    OF    CUPID. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

works  after  Cosway,  from  which  all  information  on  that 
branch  of  the  subject  must  necessarily  be  taken.  By 
his  kind  permission,  a  short  list  of  engravings  has  been 
added  to  this  book. 

The  most  important  series,  however,  of  pencil 
drawings  that  has  ever  been  submitted  to  the  public 
came  under  the  hammer  at  Christie's  in  June,  1896. 
It  comprised  works  that  had  been  deposited  in  a 
museum  in  Lodi,  and  which  were  not  intended  ever 
to  be  sold ;  but  these  drawings,  together  with  others 
and  a  few  fine  miniatures  that  had  remained  in 
the  possession  of  Mrs.  Cos  way's  descendants,  were 
acquired  by  a  clever  dealer  in  Italy  and  sent  to 
London  for  sale.  Many  of  them  were  of  remarkable 
excellence,  and  exhibited  Cosway  in  a  new  light  as  the 
creator  of  fine  classical  drawings  in  pencil.  They  also 
exhibited  a  signature  by  the  artist  that  up  till  that 
time  had  not  been  recognised.  It  appeared  on  many 
of  these  drawings,  and  consisted  of  a  large  "  C  "  with 
a  very  small  "  R  "  in  the  centre  of  it.  Amongst  the 
miniatures  sold  at  this  sale  were  two  or  three  of 
remarkable  merit,  especially  a  portrait  of  Princess 
Lubomirski,  signed  and  dated  1779,  and  in  an  old 
steel  frame;  one  of  the  Prince  Regent,  dated  1772,  in 
a  gilt  bronze  frame ;  one,  somewhat  strong  in  colour, 
representing  an  old  gentleman,  dated  1786;  and  a 
most  graceful  work,  called  at  the  sale  "  Portrait  of  a 
Child,"  but  really  representing  Cosway's  own  little 
girl,  Louisa  Paolina  Angelica,  very  tender  and 
graceful  in  execution,  highly  finished  and  exquisite  in 
detail. 

There  were  times  when  Cosway  made  curious 
experiments  with  regard  to  his  miniatures.  A  portrait 
of  a  daughter  of  Walter,  the  sixteenth  Earl  of  Ormonde, 
which  Cosway  is  known  to  have  painted,  belonged  at 
one  time  to  Lord  James  Butler,  and  afterwards  to  his 

121 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

daughter,  Miss  Grace  Butler.  At  her  death  it  was 
sold  in  Dublin,  1898,  and  is  now  in  the  collection  of 
Mr.  Bemrose,  of  Derby,  who  owns  several  other 
works  by  Cosway.  This  portrait  is  on  a  pearly-white 
background,  and  hence  presents  a  very  unusual  appear- 
ance, although  one  of  great  beauty.  In  the  possession 
of  the  same  lady  was  a  somewhat  similar  but  larger 
work,  on  a  background  nearly  white,  which  represented 
Miss  Butler's  great-grandmother,  Anne,  sole  heiress  of 
John,  the  last  Earl  of  Wandesford,  who  married  John 
Butler,  of  Garryricken,  who  was  in  1791  restored  to 
the  earldom  of  Ormonde  as  seventeenth  Earl.  This 
also  was  known  to  be  the  work  of  Cosway,  although 
in  many  respects  it  differed  from  his  accepted  methods. 
It  has  been  lost  sight  of  since  Miss  Butler's  death,  and 
it  is  not  known  where  it  now  is. 

Other  fine  works  by  Cosway  can  be  found  in  the 
collections  of  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  Earl  Cathcart,  the 
Countess  of  Yarborough,  Mr.  Morgan  Williams,  Sir 
A.  C.  Orde,  the  Earl  of  Carlisle,  and  Colonel 
Williams. 

Of  those  generally  accessible  to  the  public,  there  are 
five  at  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum  ;  one  is  in 
the  Dyce  collection,  another  was  left  to  the  Museum 
by  Mrs.  Plumley,  and  the  other  three  were  purchased. 
Of  the  five,  but  one  is  a  fine  one,  that  representing 
the  Earl  of  Carlisle  ;  one  of  the  others  has  a  forged 
signature  upon  it. 

Examples  of  his  work  can  also  be  seen  in  the 
Wallace  collection,  and  in  the  Hawkins  collection  in 
the  University  Galleries  at  Oxford. 

There  have  been  several  opportunities  given  to  the 
public  for  the  comparison  of  works  by  Cosway  with 
those  of  other  miniature  painters. 

The  largest  series  was  brought  together  in  1865  at 
the  South  Kensington  Museum,  when  an  extremely 

122 


J 


PENCIL    DRAWING  REPRESENTING    THE    DESCENT    FROM    THE    CROSS. 
Signed  R.C.     Collection  of  the  Author. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

fine  and  varied  collection  of  miniatures  of  all  periods, 
representing  national  portraiture,  was  exhibited,  and 
an  admirable  catalogue  compiled  by  Mr.  Samuel 
Redgrave  and  Sir  Henry  Cole,  still  an  important  work 
of  reference  on  the  subject. 

In  1879  there  was  an  excellent  collection  of  Cosway's 
miniatures  at  the  Old  Masters'  Exhibition  at  the 
Royal  Academy,  and  ten  years  afterwards  at  the 
Burlington  Fine  Arts  Club  an  even  larger  and  more 
carefully  selected  group  was  shown. 

To  the  illustrated  catalogue  of  this  exhibition  Mr.  J. 
Lumsden  Propert  contributed  a  review  of  the  history 
of  the  art  and  short  memoirs  of  its  chief  exponents. 
Two  years  before  (1887)  Mr.  Propert's  important 
book,  entitled  "  A  History  of  Miniature  Art,"  had 
appeared,  dealing  with  the  subject  in  all  its  complexity, 
and  giving  adequate  attention  to  each  of  its  varied 
schools.  This  book  was  very  finely  illustrated,  mainly 
from  specimens  in  the  author's  own  collection,  and  in 
it  Cosway  received  the  attention  which  was  his  due. 

In  1892  another  exhibition  of  miniatures  was  held 
at  the  rooms  of  the  Fine  Art  Society  in  New  Bond 
Street,  and  this  chiefly  comprised  specimens  from  the 
cabinets  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Whitehead.  To  the  catalogue 
Mrs.  Norman  Grosvenor,  herself  a  clever  exponent  of 
the  beautiful  art,  contributed  an  introduction.  At  the 
Grafton  Gallery  in  1894,  at  the  Exhibition  of  Fair 
Women,  and  again,  in  1895,  at  the  Exhibition  of  Fair 
Children,  there  were  many  specimens  of  Cosway's 
work. 

In  May,  1895,  there  was  a  Cosway  Exhibition  at 
Moncorvo  House,  Ennismore  Gardens,  when  about 
350  miniatures  were  exhibited,  mostly  the  work  of 
Richard  and  Maria  Cosway,  and  some  few  by  Cosway's 
pupils,  the  two  brothers  Andrew  and  Nathaniel 
Plimer. 

123 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

This  collection  was  brought  together  and  catalogued 
by  the  author  of  this  volume,  and  was  the  largest  ever 
exhibited  of  the  master's  work.  It  included,  however, 
a  few  miniatures  the  attribution  of  which  to  Cosway 
was  doubtful. 

A  few  words  may  be  added  as  to  Cos  way's  hand- 
writing. In  preparing  his  memoir  in  1896,  I  had 
occasion  to  make  a  special  search  for  any  autograph 
letters  from  the  artist,  or  for  any  specimens  of  his 
signature.  I  found  my  task  one  of  peculiar  difficulty  ; 
and  as  the  result  of  a  prolonged  search,  I  did  not 
obtain  one  single  specimen  of  the  signature  for  which 
I  was  eagerly  seeking.  It  is  curious  to  narrate  that 
none  of  the  autograph  collectors  who  form  the  Society 
of  Archivists  seem  to  possess  any  autographs  of 
Cosway.  I  sent  a  circular  letter  to  every  one  of  them, 
enclosing  an  addressed  postcard,  and  I  further  de- 
spatched the  same  missive  to  about  150  other  collectors. 
A  great  many  persons  did  not  reply  at  all  to  my 
circular,  but  of  those  who  did  favour  me  with  a  letter 
not  one  was  able  to  send  me  the  signature  I  wanted. 
Several  letters  from  Mrs.  Cosway  (nde  Maria  Hadfield 
and  afterwards  Baroness  Cosway)  rewarded  my  search, 
and  some  of  them  were  of  great  interest,  but  not  a 
scrap  did  I  obtain  of  her  husband's  writing.  Fortunately, 
I  had  found  in  Italy  and  elsewhere  a  few  items  of 
correspondence  to  and  from  the  artist,  and  had  seen 
a  parcel  of  family  papers  and  deeds,  or  my  work  would 
have  been  seriously  crippled ;  but  the  scarcity  of  the 
great  artist's  signature  is  a  somewhat  curious  circum- 
stance. 

On  the  miniatures  signed  by  the  artist  his  signature 
varies,  and  is  very  representative  of  his  character.  It 
usually  appears  on  the  oval  paper  on  the  back  of 
the  ivory,  and  reads  thus :  "  Rdus  Cosway,  R.A., 

124 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

Primarius  Pictor  Serenissimi  Wallise  Principis,"  with 
the  date. 


^u$        j  / 


hi  cJ 


In  some  cases  he  added  "F.S.A."  after  "R.  A.,  "either 
alone  or  proceeded  by  "  et."  Sometimes  he  changed 
the  position  of  the  last  two  words,  making  it  read  : 
"  Principis  Walliae." 


Q 
ff   : 

(/ 


(I  i  <*  x  f'L 


On  one  delightful   drawing  of  the   Madonna  and 

125 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Child  he  proudly  wrote :  "  Rdus  de  Cosway  Armiger 
Primarius  Pictor  Serenissimi  Principis  Walliae." 

One  miniature  I  have  seen  signed  thus :  "  Rdus 
Cosway,  Principal  Painter  to  the  Prince  of  Wales  and 
to  all  the  Royal  Family  ;"  and  one  is  actually  signed 
as  follows :  "  Richard  Cosway,  R.A.  and  F.S.A., 
greatest  miniature  painter  in  the  world."  This  is 
dated  1816,  at  the  time  of  his  most  serious  mental 
trouble. 

Many  of  his  drawings,  as  already  stated,  are  signed 
by  a  very  tiny  monogram  of  "  R.  C,"  hidden  away 
in  a  corner  of  the  work.  The  C  is  drawn  as  a 
large  capital,  and  the  R  is  a  smaller  capital  inserted 
within  it. 

So  far  as  I  am  aware,  there  are  but  three  genuine 
signatures  on  the  face  of  a  miniature  in  existence.  The 
most  important  of  these  three  pictures  is  not  only  fully 
signed  on  the  back  in  the  usual  pompous  manner,  but 
also  on  the  face  with  an  unmistakable  signature.  It 
is  a  very  elaborate,  highly-finished  work,  resembling  an 
enamel,  and  very  different  in  style  from  Cosway's 
ordinary  work,  and  I  imagine  that  either  he  feared  it 
would  not  be  recognised  as  his,  and  therefore  doubly 
signed  it,  or  else  that  he  was  particularly  proud  of 
this  extraordinary  and  unusual  piece  of  work. 

Another  of  the  three  signed  ones  (a  portrait  of  Kitty 
Clive)  is  illustrated  in  this  volume.  In  very  many 
cases  Cosway's  signature  has  been  forged  to  the  face 
of  a  miniature. 

The  only  scrap  of  his  handwriting  in  my  possession 
I  found  at  the  back  of  one  of  his  miniatures.  It  is  a 
note  (apparently  torn  out  of  an  old  account-book) 
reminding  him  that  he  has  to  pay  a  ground-rent  of 
^19  13.9.  nd.  to  the  Duke  of  Portland,  and  that  it 
must  be  paid  before  a  certain  date,  and  at  66,  Berwick 
Street. 

126 


KITTY    CLIVE,    THE    CELEBRATED    ACTRESS    (iyil     TO     1788),    AS    AN 

OLD  LADY  (SIGNED  AND  DATED  1775). 
Collection  of  Countess  Tolstoy. 


DR.    J.     B.    DE    MAINANDUC. 
Collection  of  Sir  H.  Howorth,  K.C.I.E. 


COLLECTIONS  AND  COLLECTORS 

In  conclusion,  may  I  say  a  few  words  to  those 
fortunate  persons  who  own  miniatures  by  Cosway  ? 
The  greatest  enemies  to  a  miniature  are  sunlight, 
damp,  and  heat.  Miniatures,  especially  those  of  the 
eighteenth-century  period,  should  never  be  exposed  to 
strong  sunlight.  If  kept  in  glass  cases  or  cabinets, 
these  should  not  be  so  placed  that  the  light  falls  on  the 
glass.  They  should  never  be  exposed  opposite  to  a 
window,  unless  the  cases  are  provided  with  blinds  or 
curtains  to  keep  off  the  sunlight.  The  miniatures  now 
in  the  finest  condition  are  those  which  have  been  kept 
in  cases,  and  only  shown  when  occasion  demanded. 
Miniatures  should  never  be  hung  on  the  wall  by  a 
fireplace,  as  the  heat  curls  the  ivories  and  sometimes 
splits  them.  They  are  already  dry  from  age,  and  heat 
may  cause  the  colours  to  flake  off  from  the  unabsorbent 
parts  of  the  ivory. 

Finally,  they  must  be  kept  free  from  damp.  Some- 
times, by  reason  of  exposure  upon  a  damp  wall,  or 
neglect  in  a  damp  box  or  case,  specks  of  mould  can 
be  seen  on  the  portraits.  This  is  a  serious  sign,  and 
must  be  removed  at  once,  and  by  an  expert,  or  it  will 
spread,  suck  up  the  colour,  tarnish  the  fine  work,  and 
spoil  the  miniature.  Let  me  implore  owners  never 
to  attempt  to  remove  this  mould  themselves,  but  to 
have  it  done  at  once  by  experienced  hands.  I  can 
cordially  recommend  Messrs.  Vokins,  of  King  Street, 
St.  James's,  as  the  best  people  to  do  this  work. 
They  had  through  their  hands  every  miniature  in  the 
Propert  collection,  the  miniatures  at  Holland  House, 
those  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  and 
many  others.  I  believe  that  they  can  absolutely  be 
trusted  neither  to  injure  nor  restore  the  miniature, 
and  I  would  never  commit  any  miniature  in  which 
I  was  interested  to  other  than  their  trustworthy  care- 
fulness. 

127 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Miniatures  should  often  be  examined  with  a  magnify- 
ing glass,  as  mould  grows  upon  them  very  rapidly  if 
the  room  in  which  they  are  kept  is  damp,  but  with 
proper  care  they  will  last  for  ever,  and  be  an  unfailing 
source  of  delight. 


128 


APPENDIX  I 

LIST    OF    PICTURES    EXHIBITED    BY   RICHARD   AND    MARIA 

COSWAY    AT    THE    ROYAL   ACADEMY    AND    VARIOUS 

OTHER    EXHIBITIONS,     1760-1806 

PICTURES  EXHIBITED  BY  RICHARD  COSWAY. 

SOCIETY  OF  ARTISTS. 

1760.  Cosway  living  in  Orchard  Street. 
9.  Mr.  Shipley. 

1767.  29.  A  gentleman  ;  half-length. 

30.  A  young  gentleman  as  Cupid. 

31.  A  family  in  conversation. 

1768.  Cosway  living  in  Berkeley  Street. 

25.  A  lady  as  Sigismonda ;  three-quarter  length. 

26.  A  child  asleep  in  the  character  of  Cupid. 

27.  Miniature  of  a  lady  with  her  brother. 

28.  Miniature  of  the  late  Tripoline  Ambassador. 

29.  A  gentleman. 

1768.  229.  A  tinged  drawing  of  Venus  and  Adonis. 

1769.  27.  A  portrait  in  miniature  of  a  lady  as  Pallas. 

FREE  SOCIETY  OF  ARTISTS. 

1761.  87.  A  three-quarter  portrait  of  a  gentleman. 
141.  Three  portraits  in  water-colours  (miniatures). 
143.  A  gentleman's  portrait  in  a  ring. 

1762.  5.  Gentleman. 

71.  A  young  gentleman. 

103.  Gentleman. 

122.  A  Magdalen  (miniature). 

123.  A  lady  (miniature). 
192.  Gentleman  (enamel). 

129  K 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

1763.  36.  A  young  gentlemen  dancing  a  hornpipe  in  the  habit  of 

a  sailor. 

37.  A  Magdalen. 

38.  Two  portraits  (in  miniature). 

1764.  35.  Gentleman  in  his  study  with  a  servant. 
36.  Miniature  of  a  lady. 

1766.       62.  A  lady;  three-quarter  length. 
63.  A  young  gentleman. 

THE  ROYAL  ACADEMY. 

1770.  47.  Portrait  of  an  officer ;  whole-length. 

48.  A  portrait  in  the  character  of  Minerva. 

49.  The  portraits  of  a  gentleman,  his  wife  and  sister,  in  the 

character  of  Fortitude  introducing  Hope  as  the  com- 
panion to  distress. 

1771.  Cosway  living  in  Berkeley  Row. 

44.  A  lady  and  her  daughters  in  the  character  of  Virtue  and 
Beauty  directed  by  Wisdom  to  sacrifice  at  the  altar  of 
Diana.  (The  Countess  of  Carrick  and  her  daughter s^ 
Lady  Henrietta  and  Lady  Margaret  Butler?) 
('k  Tawdry."—  Walpole} 

1771.  45.  Portrait  of  an  Armenian.     ("Very  good." — Walpole.} 
46.  Venus  and  Cupid ;  a  study. 

55.  A  portrait  of  a  gentleman  in  miniature. 

1772.  Cosway  living  in  Berkeley  Street. 

56.  Rinaldo  and  Armida,  from  Tasso. 

57.  A  miniature  in  the  character  of  Cupid. 

1773.  53.  Portrait   of  a  lady  and  her  son  in  the  characters  of 

Venus  Victrix  and  Cupid. 

54.  Portrait  of  a  child  in  the  character  of  St.  John.  (Master 
James  Townsend^  son  of  the  Hon.  Charles  Townsend 
and  Lady  Greenwich} 

1774.  47.  A  small  whole-length  of  a  lady. 

1775.  68.  Europa.     ("  Tawdry."—  Walpole} 
69.  Portrait  of  a  lady ;  miniature. 

1776.  63.  A   Madonna  and  Child;  portraits.     ("Woman's  head 

very  natural,  child's  ill  placed." —  Walpole} 
64.  Portrait  of  a  young  lady  in  the  character  of  Psyche ;  a 
miniature. 

1777.  66.  Portraits  of  a  nobleman's  children  at  play. 
67.  Portrait  of  a  lady  in  miniature. 

1778.  66.  A  Cupid,  the  portrait  of  a  young  nobleman.     ("Lord 

Barrymore." —  Walpole} 
67.  Peace  and  Love;  a  miniature. 
I30 


PICTURES  BY  RICHARD  COSWAY 

1779.  57.  A  lady;  kitcat. 

58.  A  lady  playing  on  the  harp  ;  small  whole-length. 

1780.  26.  Love  and  innocence.     (Probably  Lady  Duncannon  and 

child:) 

93.  Portrait  of  a  lady  in  the  character  of  the  Comic  Muse  ; 
a  tinted  drawing.     (Mrs.  Abington.) 

1781.  22.  Her  Royal  Highness  the  Duchess  of  Cumberland. 
197.  Sigismunda. 

1782.  131.  Portrait    of   a    nobleman's    child       (Probably    Lady 

Catherine  Poulett.} 

212.  Portraits  of  a  nobleman's  children.     (Probably  children 
of  the  Earl  of  Cork.) 

1783.  74.  Wisdom,  Prudence,  and  Valour  arming   St.   George. 

(The  Prince  of   Wales.)      ("Very   unlike."  —  Wai- 
pole.) 

1784.  38.  The  angel  delivering  St.  Peter  from  prison. 

96.  Portrait  of  a  lady  protected  by  the  Comic  Muse.     (Mrs. 

Cow  ley.) 
Cosway  living  in  Pall  Mall. 

1785.  120.  Pastor   Bonus:    the   portrait  of  a  nobleman's  child; 

whole  length. 

141.  Portrait  of  a  young  gentleman  ;  whole-length. 
146.  Portrait  of  a  gentleman;  three-quarter  length.    (Probably 

James  Hutton.) 

1786.  135.  Portraits  of  a  lady  and  her  daughter.      (Duchess  of 

Richmond?) 

1787.  53.  View  from  the  breakfast-room  in  a  gentleman's  house 

in  Pall  Mall,  with  the  portrait  of  a  lady  by  Mr  Cos- 
way.  ("  Mrs.  Cosway." —  Walpole.)  ( This  was  exhibited 
as  a  work  by  W.  Hodges,  R.A.>  who  painted  the  rest 
of  the  picture?) 
93.  Portraits  of  a  lady  and  her  child ;  whole-length.     ("Lady 

Page  Turner." —  Walpole.) 
Cosway  living  in  Stratford  Place. 

1798.  71.  Portrait  of  General  Paoli. 
1 6 1.  David  and  Bathsheba. 

1799.  165.  Venus  and  Adonis. 
208.  Portrait  of  a  lady. 

1800.  143.  Portrait  of  Master  C.  H.  Sturt. 

221.  Portraits  of  the  two  sons  of  the  Marquis  of  Blandford. 

(Lords  George  and  Charles  Spencer^ 
532.  Portrait  of  Lady  B.  Ashley. 
1803.     119.  The  Flight  into  Egypt. 

1806.     235.  Portrait  of  Lady  Caroline  Spencer,  daughter  of  the 
Marquis  of  Blandford,  as  an  angel. 

131  K    2 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

PICTURES  EXHIBITED  BY  MARIA  COSWAY  AT  THE 
ROYAL  ACADEMY. 

1781.  ii.  Rinaldo. 

68.  Creusa  appearing  to  JEne&s. 
130.  Like  patience  on  a  monument,  smiling  at  grief. 

1782.  2.  "Darthula,  in  defending  the  body  of  her  vanquished 

father,   discovers   herself  to   Cairbar  her  lover." — 
Ossian. 

17.  "As  when  fair  Cynthia  in  darksome  night  is  in  a 
noyous  cloud  enveloped  Where  she  may  find 
the  substance  thin  and  light,  Breaks  forth  her  silver 
beams,  and  her  bright  head  Discovers  to  the  world 
discomfited."  —  Vide  Spenser's  "  Fairy  Queen." 
("  Duchess  of  Devonshire  as  Diana  in  the  air.  Ex- 
travagant."—  Walpole.) 

78.  Eolus  raising  a  storm. 
129.  A  Magdalen. 

1783.  39.  Little  Red  Riding  Hood. 

54.  Portrait  of  a  lady.     (Mrs.  Coszuay.) 
192.  "Althan  stood  in  the  wood  alone,  and  saw  a  ghost  in 
the  darkening  air,  his  stride  extended  from   hill  to 
hill."—  Ossian,  vol.  i. 
261.  The  Hours. 

1784.  120.  A  Persian  going  to  adore  the  sun. 

205.  Samson. — Judges  xvi.  30. 

206.  Astrea  instructing  Arthegal :     "So  thence  him  far  she 

brought  into  a  cave,  from  company  exiled,  In  which 
she   nursed   him,   till   years   he    wrought,    and    all 
the  discipline  of  Justice  thence  him  taught."     (Mrs. 
Braddyll  and  her  son.) 
386.  Portrait  of  a  young  gentleman. 

1785.  34.  Almangor  and  Osmida.     ("Upon  the  earth  they  saw 

the  hoary  monarch  supporting  on  his  knee  the 
drooping  head  of  his  unhappy  child ;  his  hands  were 
clasped  and  raised  towards  that  heaven,  etc.,  etc." — 
Vide  Mrs.  Cowley's  "  Maid  of  Arragon.") 

1785.  65.  The  Deluge. 

1 06.  A  shepherdess. 

224.  Clytie,  etc. 

248.  Portrait  of  a  lady.     (Mrs.  Cosway.) 

255.  Basilaeas's  dream.     Vide  "  Diodorus  Siculus." 

1786.  121.  A  vision. 

1787.  i.  Young  Cybele  with  two  nymphs;    portraits.      (Lady 

Charlotte,  Lady  Anne,  and  Lady  Frances  Villiers.) 
132 


PICTURES  BY  MARIA  COSWAY 

1787.  65.  Young  Bacchus ;  portrait.     (Hon.  Mr.  Lambe.) 

80.  An   enchantress;    portraits    of    a     lady   with   two  of 

her  children.     {Countess  of  Jersey!) 

170.  Pysche;  portrait.     (Md lie.  Pinto.) 

251.  Portrait  of  a  lady.     (Mrs.  Cosway.) 

1788.  191.  Laura.      Vide  Petrarch.     (Mrs.  Fitzherbert.) 
237.  Portrait  of  a  lady  and  her  son.     (Mrs.  Parkins!) 

1789.  101.  A  dying  child,  summoned  by  the  spirit  of  its  deceased 

parents  :  an   historical  fact.     ("  Miss   Gardnor  and 

Lady  Townshend."—  Walpole.) 
112.  Medusa. 
1796.       30.  An  Hebrew  woman   carrying  her  purification  offering 

to  the  temple. 
1800.       23.  The  birth  of  the  Thames. 

122.  Angelica  :    "How  oft  inscrib'd  with  Friendship's  votive 

rhyme,  The  bark  now  silver'd  by  the  touch  of  time." 

— Rogers. 
131.  "There,  while  the  shaded  lamp's  mild  lustre  streams, 

Read  ancient  books,  or  woo  inspiring  dreams." — 

Rogers. 

137.  Miss  Loftus  and  Miss  H.  Loftus. 
149.  Perseverance. 

1800.  548.  Miss  Linwood. 

705.  Portrait  of  the  Princess  de  Rauveau.     "And  jocund 
day  stands  tiptoe  on  the  misty  mountain's  top." 

1801.  36.  The  guardian  angel. 
114.  The  call  of  Samuel. 

232.  The  exultation  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  or  the  salvation  of 
mankind,  purchased  by  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 

N.B. — The  notes  and  attribution  relating  to  the  above  pictures  are  supplied  to 
me  by  Mr.  Algernon  Graves  from  his  important  work  on  the  Royal  Academy,  now 
in  course  of  publication.  He  has  also  extracted  Walpole's  comments  regarding 
certain  pictures  from  the  annotated  catalogues  belonging  to  Lord  Rosebery,  and 
has  permitted  me  to  make  use  of  them. 


133 


APPENDIX   II 

LIST    OF    PERSONS    WHOSE    PORTRAITS    COSWAY    PAINTED, 
THE   ORIGINALS    OF   WHICH    CANNOT    BE   FOUND 


COSWAY  painted  the  portraits  of  the  following  persons,  but  I 
been  unable  to  trace  the  originals  : 


have 


Bertram  Ashburnham. 

Lady  St.  Asaph. 

Mrs.  Bennet. 

General  Bell. 

Mrs.  Bell. 

Miss  Bell. 

Earl  of  Clonmell. 

Mrs.  Cowley. 

Mrs.  Dickson. 

Marquis   of    Downshire 

Lord  Arthur  Hill. 
J.  L.  Dussek. 
Countess  of  Errol. 


and 


Hon.  Thos.  Erskine. 

Sir  John  Henry  Moore. 

C.  E.  Nugent,  Esq. 

Rt.  Hon.  George  Rose. 

Colonel  St.  Leger. 

Caroline  Isabella  Somerset. 

Henry  Swinburne,  Esq. 

Mrs.  Swinburne. 

Colonel  Tarleton. 

Peter  Templeman. 

Charles     Grant,     Vicomte     de 

Vaux. 
Sir  Robert  Wilson. 


134 


THE    MARQUIS    OF    DOWNSHIRE    AND    LORD    ARTHUR    HILL. 

From  the  engraving  after  the  lost  miniature. 


APPENDIX  III 

HAND-LIST   OF    ENGRAVINGS   AFTER    RICHARD   AND 
MARIA   COSWAY 


TITLE. 

Mrs.  Abington  as  "Thalia." 
Mrs.  Abington. 

Do. 

Signora  Allegranti. 
William  John,  Earl  of  Ancrum. 
Mrs.  Anderson  as  a  Fortune-teller. 
Mrs.   Baldwin,   "The  Portrait  of  a  Grecian 

Lady." 
Miss  Barker. 

Richard,  Lord  Barrymore. 
La  Comtesse  Du  Bary. 
Master  Horace  Beckford. 
Mrs.  Billington  as  the  "  Peruvian." 

Do. 

George,  Marquis  of  Blandford. 
Hon.  Mrs.  E.  Bouverie. 
Lady  Helen  Boyle. 
William  Browfield. 
John  George,  Count  Browne. 
Miss  Brunton  as  "  Horatia." 
Sir  Francis  Burdett. 
Sir  William  Burrell,  Bart. 

Do. 

Frederick,  Earl  of  Carlisle. 
Caroline,  Princess   of  Wales,   and   Princess 

Charlotte. 
Juliana,*    Countess     of    Carrick,     and    her 

Daughters. 
Princess  Charlotte  of  Wales. 

135 


ENGRAVER  AND   DATE. 

Bartolozzi,  1783. 
W.  Lane,  1790. 
W.  Ridley. 
Bartolozzi,  1783. 
J.  Dixon,  1773. 
Kingsbury. 

Bartolozzi,  1782. 
M.  Bovi. 
J.  Jehner,  1798. 
J.  Conde,  1794. 
J.  Cond^,  1792. 
Bartolozzi,  1786. 
Ridley,  1801. 
W.  Barney. 
J.  Conde,  1793. 
T.  Trotter,  1781. 
D.  Orme,  1792. 
G.  Hadneld. 
Bartolozzi,  1785, 
A.  Cardon,  1804. 
R.  Laurie. 
P.  Audinet. 
A.  Cardon. 

Bartolozzi,  1799. 

J.  R.  Smith,  1773. 
M.  A  Bourlier,  1807. 


RICHARD  COSWAY 


TITLE. 

Princess  Charlotte  Augusta. 
The  Duke  of  Clarence. 
Do. 
Do. 

John,  Earl  of  Clonmell. 
Harriett,  Lady  Cockerell. 
R.  Cosway. 
Do. 
Do. 

Maria  Cosway. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

Mr.  Cosway's  Breakfast  Room. 
Mrs.  Cosway  as  "  Lesbia." 
Do.  "  L'  Allegro." 

Do.  "  II  Penseroso." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosway.* 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosway. 

Do. 

Louisa  P.  A.  Cosway. 
William,  Viscount  Courtenay. 
Mrs.  Cowley. 
Do. 
Do. 

Comedy  unveiling  to  Mrs.  Cowley. 
Lady  Theodosia  Cradock. 
Duchess  of  Cumberland. 

Do. 

Penn,  Viscount  Curzon. 
Isabella  Czartoryska. 
Hon.  Mrs.  Damer. 
Do. 


Mrs.  Daniel. 

Georgiana,  Duchess  of  Devonshire. 
Mrs.  Dickson. 

Marquis  of  Downshire  and   Lord 
Arthur  Hill. 


ENGRAVER  AND   DATE. 

Bartolozzi,  1797. 
L.  Saillar,  1790. 
Sharp. 

E.  Scriven,  1807. 
P.  Conde. 
J.  S.  Agar. 
Bovi,  1786. 
J.  Clarke,  1788. 
R.  Cosway,  1760. 
Bartolozzi,  1785. 
Schiavonetti,  1791. 
R.  Cosway. 
J.  Hogg,  1785. 
Birch,  1789. 
C.  Josi,  1787. 
C.Josi,  1787. 
C.  Josi,  1787. 
R.  Cosway. 
R.  Thew,  1780. 
W.  Lane,  1788. 
A.  Cardon,  1797. 
C.  Turner,  1809. 
J.  Fittler,  1785. 
Cook. 
Murray. 
Heath,  1783. 

f.  Freschi,  1805. 
K.  Sherwin,  1780  and  1784. 

V.  Green,  1783. 

J.  Basire. 

G.  Testolini,  1791. 

Schiavonetti,  1791. 

Also  by  W.  Edwards  and 
J.  Murray,  and  by  Great- 
bach,  1840. 

Waltner. 

G.  T.  Stubbs,  1782. 

P.  Conde. 

P.  Conde. 


*  The  whole  idea  for  this  engraving  was  evidently  borrowed  by  Cosway 
from  a  very  rare  print  by  Van  Orley,  which  it  very  closely  resembles.  An  im- 
pression of  this  print  belongs  to  Mr.  Mockler,  of  Wotton-under-Edge,  who  gives 
me  this  information. — G.  C.  W. 

136 


ENGRAVINGS  AFTER  R.  AND  M.  COSWAY 


TITLE. 

Mrs.  Duff. 

Viscountess  Duncannon  and  her  Child. 

Lord  Dungarvon  and  his  two  Brothers. 

J.  L.  Dussek. 

Miss  Elliot  as  "  Minerva." 

Grace  D.  Elliott. 

Le  Chevalier  d'Eon  de  Beaumont. 

John  Errington,  Esq. 

Elizabeth,  Countess  of  Errol. 

Hon.  Thomas  Erskine. 

Sir  Wm.  Erskine. 

Miss  Eyre. 

Maria  and  Harriett  Falconer. 

Master  Fawcett. 

General  Ferguson. 

Do. 

Lord  Fitzgibbon. 
Mrs.  Fitzherbert. 

John  Fothergill. 
Charles  James  Fox. 
General  Frazer. 

Prince  of  Wales. 

Do. 
Do. 

Do.  and  the  Princess. 
Mr.  Edward  Goldney. 
Countess  of  Guilford  and  her  Three  Sisters. 
Lady  Christina  de  Ginkel. 
Mrs.  Hardinge. 
Lady  Heathcote. 
Lady  Hume. 
Master  Hare. 
James  Hutton. 
Mrs.  Jackson. 
General  Kosciuszko. 
Earl  of  Leicester. 
Ladies  of  the  Loftus  family. 
Henry  Lubomirski. 
Vincent  Lunardi. 

137 


ENGRAVER   AND   DATE. 

J.  Agar,  1807. 

C.  Townley,  1784. 

J.  Jones,  1786. 

P.  Conde,  1800. 

J.  Saunders,  1772  and 

1774- 

J.  Brown,  1858. 
T.  Chambers,  1787. 
Leney,  1798. 
T.  A.  Dean,  1841. 
W.  Sharp,  1791  and  1801. 
S.  W.  Reynolds. 
Bartolozzi,  1778. 
E.  Scott,  1788. 
P.  Dawe. 
A  Cardon,  1810. 
Also  H.  R.  Cook,  1813. 
Bartolozzi,  1790. 
J.  Conde,  1792;  also  A. 

Roffe. 
Bartolozzi. 
R.  Cosway. 
H.   Meyer;  also   H.   R. 

Cook,  1814. 
W.    Sharp,     1790;    also 

Burke,  1787. 
L.  Saillar,  1787. 
J.  Conde,  1725;  also  W. 

Read. 
M.  Sloane. 
T.  Chambers,  1759. 
W.  Raddon,  1840. 
S.  W.  Reynolds. 
Bartolozzi,  1787. 
J.  Agar,  1809. 
V.  Green,  1783. 
Unknown. 
J.  R.  Smith,  1786. 
J.  Conde,  1794. 
A.  Cardon,  1798. 
P.  Conde. 
E.  Stodart,  1889. 
Bartolozzi,  1787  and  1820. 
Bartolozzi,  1784. 


RICHARD  COSWAY 


TITLE. 

Lady  Lyttleton. 
Lord  Lyttleton. 
Signer  Magnini. 
J.  B.  De  Mainauduc. 
Lady  Louisa  Manners. 

Lady  Manners. 

Luigi  Marchesi. 

Duke  of  Marlborough. 

Mrs.  Merry. 

Sir  J.  H.  Moore,  Bart. 

Signer  Morelli. 

Lord  Nelson. 

C.  E.  Nugent. 

Michal  and  Isabella  Oginocy. 

Miss  O'Neill. 

Duke  of  Orleans. 

General  de  Paoli. 

C.  A.  Pelham  and  Wife  and  Six  Children. 

Sampson  Perry. 

Lady  Caroline  Ponsonby.     "  Infancy." 

Lady  Catherine  Powlet. 

Miss  Pulteney. 

Ann,  Countess  of  Radnor. 

Madame  Recamier. 


Mary  Robinson. 

Do. 

Rt.  Hon.  George  Rose. 
Duchess  of  Rutland. 
Duke  of  Rutland. 
Fanny  Sage. 
Colonel  St.  Leger. 
Paul  Sandby. 
Lady  Sefton. 
Hugh  H.  J.  Seymour. 

Mrs.  Sheridan. 
Mrs.  Siddons. 
Mrs.  Sidney. 

Lady  Diana  Sinclair. 
Caroline  J.  Somerset. 
Countess  Spencer. 


"  Melania." 
"  Laura  Maria.' 


138 


ENGRAVER  AND   DATE. 

C.  Townley,  1796. 

C.  Townley,  1781. 

G.  T.  Stubbs  or  R.  Cosway. 

P.  Conde\ 

J.  Conde,  1793 ,  and  1797; 

also  by  Gaujean. 
R.  Cooper. 
Schiavonetti,  1790. 
J.  S.  Agar. 
A.  Cardon. 
P.  Conde. 
J.  Godefroy,  1797. 
Skelton,  1853. 
Ridley,  1803. 
Schiavonetti,  1793. 
J.  S.  Agar. 
G.  Hadfield. 
C.  Townley,  1784. 
C.  Watson. 
Maddan. 
Bartolozzi,  1788. 
C.  W.  White,  1782. 
Bartolozzi. 
M.  Bovi. 
A.  Cardon,  1 802  and  1 804; 

also  by  H.  R.  Cook. 
J.  Conde,  1792. 
A.  Van  Assen,  1790. 
J.  S.  Agar. 
W.  Lane,  1791. 
W.  Lane,  1791. 
J.  Brown,  1862. 
P.  Roberts,  1795. 
R.  Dagley,  1831. 
W.  Dickinson,  1783. 
T.  Cheesman,  1795,  an(* 

L.  Hall,  1835. 
Gaujean. 
J.  Brown,  1862. 
J.  R.  Smith,  1771,  and  J. 

Wilson. 
M.  Bovi,  1791. 
Bond,  1 80 1. 
By  herself. 


THE    SON    AND    DAUGHTER    OF    SIMON,    COUNT    WORONZOW,    A    RUSSIAN 

NOBLEMAN.        THE    GIRL    EVENTUALLY    MARRIED    IN    l8o8 

GEORGE,    ELEVENTH    EARL    OF    PEMBROKE,    AND 

DIED    IN    1856. 

From  the  stipple  engraving  by  C.  Watson,  1786,  after  Cosway's  original  pencil  drawing. 


ENGRAVINGS  AFTER  R.  AND  M.  COSWAY 


TITLE. 

Lady  Caroline  Spencer. 

Earl  of  Sunderland  and  his  Brother. 

Lady  Anna  Stanhope. 

Jane  Stirling. 

Henry  Swinburne. 

Mrs.  Swinburne. 

Colonel  Tarleton. 

Peter  Templeman. 

Master  Thornhill. 

Mrs.  Tickell. 

Master  Townsend. 

Marchioness  Townshend. 

Robert  Udney. 

Mrs.  Udney. 

Vicomte  de  Vaux. 

Caleb  Whitefoord. 

Mrs.  Whitefoord  and  her  Son. 

Sir  Robert  Wilson. 

Mrs.  Wood. 

Miss  Woolls. 

The  Woronzow  Children. 

The  Duke  of  York. 


ENGRAVER   AND   DATE 

W.  W.  Barney,  1807. 

W.  Barney,  1805. 

A.  Cardon,  1 80 1  and  1 805. 

Lithograph. 

M.  Bovi,  1786. 

Do. 

C.  Townley. 
W.  Evans,  1799. 
G.  T.  Stubbs,  1797. 
J.  Condd,  1791. 
P.  Da  we,  1774,  and  also  a 

variety  from  a  miniature. 
G.  Hadfield. 
Gardiner. 
Unknown. 
P.  Conde. 
J.  Cond^,  1806. 
G.  Minasi,  1806. 
H.  R.  Cook,   1811,  and 

Hall,  1805. 
R.  J.  Lane. 
P.  Dawe,  1773. 
C.  Watson,  1786. 
G.  Hadfield. 


FANCY  SUBJECTS. 


A  Lady. 

A  Lady  and  Girl. 

A  Lady  as  Milkmaid. 

A  Lady  as  Gipsy  Woman. 

A  Military  Officer. 

Abelard  and  Eloisa. 

Academical  Study  of  a  Female. 

Agrippina. 

Andromache  and  Ascanius. 

Albarosa  and  Polindo. 

Arie,  the  title  to  a  volume  of  music. 

Child  with  Dog. 

Childish  Impatience. 

Christ's  Passion. 

Comic  and  Tragic  Muse. 

Cupid. 

Cupid  unveiling  Venus. 

139 


Unknown. 
G.  Minasi. 
J.  S.  Agar. 

Do. 

R.  Cooper. 
W.  Humphrey,  1774. 
J.  Minasi. 
C.  Townley,  1782. 
J.  Conde,  1789. 

Do. 

Unknown. 
Mrs.  Cosway. 
Gaujean,  1786. 
W.  Sharp,  1791. 
A.  Cardon,  1798. 
Sedgwick,  1790. 
A.  Cardon,  1800. 


RICHARD  COSWAY 


TITLE. 

Divine  Instruction  and  Worldly  Instruc- 
tion.    A  Pair. 
Docet  Amor. 
Donald  and  Jessie. 
Europa. 
Fidelity. 

Flora  and  Ceres. 
Flora  dispensing  her  Favours   on  the 

Earth. 

Guardian  Angel. 
Harmonia. 
Hebe. 
Do. 

Henry  and  Emma.     A  Pair. 
Hope  nursing  Love. 
Hours  crowning  Love. 
Infancy. 

Joseph  and  his  Mistress. 
Leda  and  the  Swan. 
Leda. 
Love. 


Love  and  Friendship.    A  Pair. 
Love  and  Innocence. 
Memorial  to  R.  Udney. 
Minerva  and  Cupid. 

Minerva  bound  by  Love. 
Monimia  visiting  the  Tomb. 
Music  hath  Charms. 

Nude  Figure  of  a  Child. 
Queen  Margaret  in  a  Wood. 
Rinaldo  and  Armida. 
Sacrifice  to  Love. 
Salvator  Mundi. 
Sappho. 
Sigismonda. 
Sportive  Innocence. 
A  Ticket. 

Do. 

Do. 
Venus. 

140 


ENGRAVER  AND   DATE. 

P.  Conde,  1801. 
J.  Conde,  1791. 
Bartolozzi,  1790. 
J.  R.  Smith,  1776. 
J.  K.  Sherwin,  1798. 
A.  Cardon,  1797. 

Unknown. 

J.  Ogborne,  1784. 

A.  Cardon,  1798. 
Do. 

E.  J.  Dumee. 

J.  R.  Smith,  1875. 

R.  Read. 

T.Ryder,  1793. 

C.  White,  1787. 

W.  Nutter,  1785. 

Picot. 

J.  Conde,  1792. 

T.Ryder,  1786, and  J.  G. 
Huck,  1787  ;  also  one 
nearly  whole-length. 

R.  Pollard. 

Bartolozzi,  1783. 

P.  Conde. 

J.  Conde ;  also  Mrs.  Cos- 
way. 

Unknown. 

J.  R.  Smith,  1784. 

P.-Bettelini,  1784;  also  by 
Mrs.  Cosway. 

Unknown. 

J.  Conde. 

P.  Dawe,  1780. 

Menagest,  1780. 

G.  Minasi,  1806. 

G.  T.  Stubbs,  1777. 

T.  Blackmore. 

E.  Scriven,  1802. 

J.  Mitan. 

Schiavonetti. 

J.  Conde\ 

J.  R.  Smith,  1774. 


ENGRAVINGS  AFTER  R.  AND  M.  COSWAY 

TITLE.  ENGRAVER  AND   DATE, 

Venus  and  Adonis.  Bartolozzi,  1778. 

Do.  W.  Blake,  1787. 

Venus  and  Cupid.  Unknown. 

Water  Nymphs.  Cosway. 

Young  Lubin.  G.  H.,  1787. 

Young  Shepherd.  H.  R.  Cook,  1802. 

A  Series  of  Subjects  relating  to  the  Train- 
ing of  Youth.  J.  R.  Smith. 

A  Series  of  Mythological  Subjects.  Mrs.  Cosway. 

Two  Series  of  Engravings  published  at 
Florence. 

Cosway's  Drawing  Book.  Mrs.  Cosway. 

*Female  Dissipation  and  Female  Virtue. 
Fourteen  Plates. 

*Going  to  the  Temple.  Tomkins. 

^Winter's  Day.     Twelve  plates. 

The  foregoing  list  is  intended  to  be  merely  a  hand-list  of  engravings 
issued  after  Cosway  and  his  wife.  Full  details  of  every  engraving, 
with  all  needful  information  as  to  it,  will  be  found  in  Frederick  B. 
Daniell's  exhaustive  catalogue  raisonne  of  the  engraved  works  of 
Cosway,  published  in  1890  at  32,  Cranbourne  Street,  London,  from 
which  book,  by  kind  permission,  the  foregoing  list  is  extracted. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  state  that  some  of  the  plates  for  these 
engravings  are  still  in  existence.  Mr.  Daniell  permits  me  to  add  the 
list  of  those  copper  plates  which  are  held  by  different  printsellers,  and 
to  append  their  names. 


PLATES  IN  EXISTENCE. 

Mrs.    Abington,    reproduced    in    "Life    of   Mrs.   Abington." 

Reader  and  Co.,  1888. 
Mrs.  Abington  as  "  Thalia."    RimelL 
Signora  Allegranti. 

Harriet,  Vicountess  Bulkeley.     RimelL 
Frederick,  Earl  of  Carlisle. 
H.R.H.  The  Duke  of  Clarence. 
View  from  Cosway's  Breakfast  Room.     Tuer. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosway.     "  Abelard  and  Eloisa."     Lodi. 
Mrs.  Duff.     RimelL 
Mrs.  Fitzherbert     RimelL 
Mrs.  Jackson. 

*  The  above  three  were  all  drawn  by  Mrs.  Cosway. 
141 


RICHARD  COSWAY 

Miss  O'Neill  as  a  Beggar  Woman. 

The  Duke  of  Orleans.     DanielL 

Mrs.  Robinson  as  "  Melania,"  reproduced  in  "  Memoirs  of  Mary 

Robinson."     Gibbings  and  Co.,  1894. 
Master  Thornhill  with  a  Dog. 
Mrs.  Tickell. 

Ann,  Marchioness  Townshend.     DanielL 
Docet  Amor.     RimelL 
Love.     RimelL 
R.  Cos  way.     RimelL 

All  the  plates  for  the  two  series  of  designs  issued  in  Florence,  1826, 
are  preserved  at  Lodi. 


142 


INDEX 


ABINGTON,  MRS.,  letters  of,  48 

Academy  of  Artists,  6 

"  A  Description  of  the  Louvre,"  24 

"  y£olus  raising  a  Storm,"  22 

"  A  History  of  Miniature  Art,"  77 

Ancaster,  Earl  of,  7,  22,  81 

Box,  52 

"  Angel  delivering  St.  Peter,"  3 
Angelo,  reminiscences  of,  33,  34 
"  Art  of  Miniature  Work,"  123 
Astley,  30 
Aylesbury,  Countess  of,  27 

Bacon,  J.,  R.A.,  anecdote  by,  58,  59 
Bampton  Church,  altar-piece  of,  2,  3 
Banks,  T.,  R.A.,  37-40 

Bust  of  Mrs.  Cos  way,  marble, 

47 
Baroness,  the,  and  her  pupils  in  the 

Sala  Rosa  at  Lodi,  81 
Bartolozzi,  9,  10 
Beauchamp,  Earl,  108 
Bedingfield,  Frances,  72 
Benfield,  Paul,  M.P.,  9 
Bennett,  Mrs.,  portrait  of,  117,  118 
Berkeley  Street,  9,  26 
Berry,  Miss,  23 
Bertie,   Lady   Priscilla  and   Lady 

Georgiana,  portraits  of,  115-117 
Blunder's  School,  I 
Bouverie,  Mrs.,  drawing  of,  34 
British  Museum,  41 
Brocklesby  Park,  119 
Buckingham  Palace,  tapestry  of,  45 
Bunhill  Fields,  23 
Burdett,  Sir  F.,  portrait  of,  118 
Lady,  portrait  of,  118 


Burdett,  Sir  F.,  and  his  wife,  por- 
traits of,  118 
Lady,    sisters   of,  portaits  of, 

118 

Burdett  Coutts,  Baroness,  118 
Burgoyne,  Mr.  M.  T.,  37 
Burlington  Fine  Arts  Club,  123 
Burrell,  Peter,  portrait  of,  116 
Hon.  Willoughby,  115 
Lady  Priscilla,  portrait  of,  116 
Sir  W.,  portrait  of,  118 
Bust  of  Maria,  Baroness  Cos  way, 
75 

Cambridge,  H.R.H.  the  Duke  of, 

miniatures  of,  115 
Carr,  John,  Sir,  65,  67 

Mariana,  67 
Carrick,  Countess  of,  and  daughters, 

portraits  of,  7 
Cavendish,  Mrs.  H.,  118 
Christie's,  catalogue  of,  41,  61 
Cipriani,  7,  10 
Clarke,  Mr.,  7 
Clayton,  Miss,  17,  23 
Cole,  Sir  H.,  123 
Colnaghi,  Sir  Dominic,  79 

Mrs.  Paul,  59  ;   extract   from 

journal  of,  79  et  seq. 
Miss   Francesca,    59;   extract 

from  letter  of,  81 
Mr.  Paul,  96 
Combe,  Charlotte,  87,  92 

William,  letter  to,  92  et  seq. 
"  Conversations  on  Miniature  Paint- 
ing," 108 
Coombe  Willis,  4 


143 


INDEX 


Cooper,  Samuel,  65 
Copper  plates,  original,  141,  142 
Cosway,  Louisa  Angelica,  as  a  baby, 
portrait  of,  82 

R.  P.,  Esq.,  2 

W.  R.,  letter  of,  15,  16 

Exhibition,  123 

Sir  W.,  2,  4  et  seq. 

Mr.  W.,  i,  2 

Miss,  2 

Elizabeth,  70 

Jane,  70 

Maria,  n  et  seq.;  letter  of,  n 
et  seq.;  parentage  of,  18 ; 
marriage  of,  20 ;  photograph 
of  marriage  register  of,  21 ; 
child  of,  22  ;  her  presentation 
to  Napoleon,  24 

Baroness,  funeral  of,  74 ;  inscrip- 
tion on  chapel  wall  to,  75 ; 
copy  of  will  of,  87  et  seq.; 
bust  of,  75 

Mrs.,  her  life  abroad,  68  etseq.; 
college  of,  71  et  seq.;  her 
designs  for  Boydell  and 
Macklin,  47  ;  her  devotion 
to  her  husband,  49  ;  created 
Baroness,  73  ;  death  of,  74  ; 
letter  to  General  Paoli,  95, 
96  ;  letter  to  Mr.  Landseer, 
96;  letter  to  Signer  Col- 
naghi,  99 

Cosway,  the  Baroness,  her  college 
and  her  friends,  77  et  seq.; 
godchild  of,  85 

Richard,  early  life  and  student 
days,  i  etseq.;  parentage  of, 
i  ;  baptism  of,  i ;  his  pre- 
sentation to  Tiverton,  3 ; 
origin  of  family  of,  4 ;  his 
first  prize,  5  ;  pictures  and 
miniatures  of,  7 ;  earliest 
work  of,  8  ;  as  Royal  Acade- 
mician, 25  ;  his  influence  on 
miniature  painting,  26;  char- 
acter of,  31 ;  prosperity  of,  39 ; 
stained  drawings  of,  103 ; 
energy  of,  47  ;  defection  of, 
49,  50;  loss  of  Royal  patron- 
age, 52  ;  hallucinations  of,  53 
et  seq.;  religious  opinions  of, 


59;  superstition  of,  58,  59; 
paralysis  of,  60 ;  sales  of,  61  ; 
catalogue  of  sale  of,  61 ; 
death  of,  62  ;  burial  of,  62  ; 
inscription  on  monument  of, 
63 ;  photograph  of  monu- 
ment of,  63  ;  will  of,  65  et 
seq.;  original  diploma  of,  83  ; 
signature  of,  124;  photograph 
of  signature  of,  125  ;  his 
methods  and  materials,  104 
et  seq.;  memorandum  from 
sketch-book  of,  105  ;  manage- 
ment of  oil  colours  by,  106  ; 
on  measurements,  107  ;  his 
ivories,  107 ;  his  work  on 
vellum,  1 08  ;  enamel  work 
of,  1 08  ;  portfolios  of,  90, 91  ; 
R.A.,  portrait  of  (frontis- 
piece} ;  marriage  register,  21 ; 
miniatures  of,  100  et  seq.; 
usual  signatures  on  minia- 
tures, 125 

Courtenays,  oil  portraits  and  minia- 
tures of,  119 

Cowley,  Mrs.,  27,  28 

Coxe,  Peter,  30 

Crutchley,  Mrs.,  117 

Cunningham,  Allan,  n,  16 

Currie,    Lord,    45  ;    collection   of, 

120,  121 
Lady,  120,  121 

Curtis,  Mrs.,  94 

"  Cynthia,"  22 

D'Albany,  Princess,  22 
"  Dancing  Faun,"  5 
Daniell,  Mr.  F.  B.,  120,  141 

Mat.,  31 

"  Darthula,  in  defending  the  body 
of  her  vanquished  father,  dis- 
covers herself  to  Cairbar,  her 
lover,"  20 

David,  24,  45 ;  letter  of,  45,  46 
De  Louthenbourg,  P.,  57 
De  Mauley,  Lord,  miniatures  be- 
longing to,  118 
Devonshire,  Duke  of,  portraits  of 

the  two  children  of,  113 
Georgiana,  Duchess    of,  por- 
traits of,  114 


144 


INDEX 


Dighton,  31 

Dining-room,  the,  at  Dame  Inglesi, 

Lodi,  78 
Downshire,    Marquis    of,    portrait 

of,  134 
Drake,    Henry,    Esq.,    miniatures 

belonging  to,  112 
Drane,  107 
Dussek,  J.  L.,  49,  134 
Dyce  Bequest,  122 

Elwes,  Mr.  Cary,  108 
Emmerson,  T.,  61,  62 
Emlyn,  Viscount,  118 
Exeter,    Marchioness    of,    stained 
drawing  of,  117 

Ferdinand  I.,  Emperor,  74 
Fesch,  Cardinal,  68,  69 
Ffoulkes  family,  1 20 
"  Fighting  Gladiator,"  5 
Fine  Art  Society,  123 
Fitzherbert,  Mrs.,  portraits  of,  113, 

114 

Fitzpatrick,  Sister  Joseph,  83 
FitzRoy,  Miss  G.,  118 
Fladgate,  Mr.  W.  J.,  86 
Francis  I.,  Emperor,  71-73 
Free  Society,  7 
Fuseli,  17 

Gainsborough,  30 

"  Gazetta  Privilegiata  di  Milano," 

76 

Gdrard,  24 

Germaine,  Lady  Betty,  61 
Gore,  Mrs.,  13 
Grafton  Gallery,  123 
Graham,  "  Celestial  Doctor,"  30 
Grimsthorpe,  117 
Grosyenor,  Mrs.  Norman,  123 
Gudrin,  24 

Guidici  versus  Kenton,  86 
Gwydyr,  Lord,  stained  drawing  of, 

117  ;  portrait  of,  52  ;  sisters  of, 

portraits  of,  116,  117 

Hadfield,  Mrs.,  19 
Halliday,  Sir  A.,  u 

W.  Halliday,  Esq.,  2 


Hamilton,  Duchess  of,  portrait  of, 

117 
Lady,  miniature  on  vellum  of, 

1 08 

Hammersley,  Messrs.,  70,  86 
Harrowby,  Lord,  8 
Hartig,  Count,  73 
Hatherton,  Lord,  117 
Hayman,  32 
Hazlitt,    W.,    his    description    of 

Cosway,  54,  55 

Heneage,  Mr.,  portrait  of,  108 
Hennell,  E.  W.,  Esq.,  17 
Hertford,      Marchioness,      pencil 

drawing  of,  114 

Hill,  Lord  Arthur,  portrait  of,  134 
Hilliard,  N.,  65 
His,  Madame,  miniature  of,  45 
Hodges,  W.,  R.A.,  picture  of,  30,  31 
Hodgkins,  Mr.,  119 
Holland  House,  miniature-room  of, 

in 

Holmes,  Sir  R.,  109 
Hudson,  Thomas,  6 
Humphreys,  Mr.,  n 

Ilchester,  Countess  of,  1 1 1 
Inglesi,  Dame,  71-75 
Inscription  on   the  back  of  Mrs. 
Whittington's  portrait,  113 

Jarvis,  30 

Jocelyn,  Miss,  pencil  drawing  of,  120 
Johnston,  Lady  C.,  14,  27 
Joseph,  Mr.  E.,  no 

Kauffmann,  A.,  picture  of,  47 

Angelica,  18,  19,  47 
Kendnck,  E.,  107 
Knipe,  Mr.,  96 
Kosciusko,  portrait  of,  45 

Lawley,  Mr.  S.,  8 

Lawrell,  Mrs.  J.,  no 

Letit^  Madame,  24 

"  Letters  of  Lady  Jerningham  to 
Lady  Bedingfeld,"  116  ;  quota- 
tion from  letter  o£  116 

Liechtenstein,  Princess  Marie,  in 

"  Life  of  Thomas  and  Paul  Sandby," 
by  Seeley,  53 


INDEX 


Lodi,  the  college  at,  77  et  seq.;  art 
treasures  and  relics  of,  77  ; 
room  in,  8 1  ;  paintings  in,  81, 
82,  83  ;  nuns  of,  83 ;  library 
of,  83,  84  ;  churches  of,  85  ; 
lawsuit  of,  85 
Duke  of,  71 

gratitude  of  people  of,  76 
Lord  Bishop  of,  84-86 
museum  of,  96 
Louvre,  gallery  of,  24 

the,  Cosway's  gift  to,  44 
Lubomirski,  Princess,  portrait  of, 

121 

Lunardi,  V.,  49 
Lyon,  Emma,  30 
Lyttelton,  Lady,  14 

Marchesi,  49 

Maria  Carolina,  Empress,  73 

Mengs,  17 

Meyer,  J.,  26 

"  Miniature  Painting,"  108 

Miniatures,  to  preserve  them,  127, 

128 

Moncorvo  House,  123 
Monument    to    the    memory    of 

Richard  Cosway,  63 
Morland,  Mr.  W.  C,  119 
Moser,  Mary,  R.A.,  50,  51 

Newbury,  Mrs.,  118 

"New  Hints  on  Miniature  Paint- 
ing," 108 

Newman  and  Co.,  105 

Nollekens,  4,  47 

North,  Lord,  118 

Northcote,  J.,  R.A.,  18,  19 

Northumberland,  Duchess  of,  por- 
trait of,  117 

Okeford,  i 

Orchard  Street,  9,  16 
Ormonde,  Anne,  Countess  of,  por- 
trait of,  122 

Paoli,  General  P.  de,  oil  portrait, 

95 

Parsons,  19 
Pasquale  de   Paoli,   General,   94  ; 


portrait  of,  95  ;  his  letter  to 
Dr.  Raimondo  Cocchi,  95  ;  his 
letter  to  Mrs.  Cosway,  96  et  seq. 

Pasquin,  memoirs  of,  57 

Peard,  Oliver,  5 

Pelham,  C.  Anderson,  drawing  of, 
119;  his  wife  and  six  children, 
drawing  of,  119 

Pencil  drawing,  three  ladies  of 
the  Royal  Family,  103 

Phillips,  T.,  R.A.,  19 

Pierson,  Matthew,  portraits  of  his 
five  daughters,  118 

Pindar,  P.,  lines  of,  38,  41  ;  de- 
scription of  "The  Hours "  by,  42 ; 
his  satire  on  "  The  Virtues  arm- 
ing St.  George,"  42  ;  his  satire 
on  **  Samson,"  43 

Pitt,  Hon.  Blanche,  113 

Plumley,  Mrs.,  122 

Pompeo  Baitoni,  17 

Ponsonby  Group,  118 
Mrs.  F.,  118 

Portarlington,  Earl  of,  113 

Powderham  Castle,  1 19 

Prince  Regent,  secession  of,  52 

Propert,  Mr.  J.  Lumsden,  123 

Purves,  Dr.  W.  Laidlaw,  39,  40 

Radnor,  Countess  of,  memoranda 

of,  34  et  seq. 

Lord,  portrait  of,  34  et  seq. 
Earl  of,  collection  of,  34  et  seq. 
Rashleigh,  Jonathan,  miniature  of, 

8  ;  his  wife  Mary,  miniature  of, 

8 ;  his  eleven  children,  miniatures 

of,  8 

Rathfarnham,  convent  of,  72 
Redgrave,  Mr.  S.,  123 
Reynolds,  Sir.  J.,  33 
Rich,  Lady,  Portrait  of,  2 
Richmond,    Mary,   wife    of   third 

Duke  of  Richmond,  portrait  of, 

114 

"  Rinaldo,"  20 
Robertson,  Andrew,  55,  56 
Robert,  Duke  of  Ancaster,  portrait 

of,  115 

Robinson,  Mrs.,  portrait  of,  104 
Rossetti,  107 
Royal  Academy,  33 


146 


INDEX 


"  Royal  Academicians  at  Somerset 

House,"  33 
Rubens'   "  Cupids   Reaping,"   60 ; 

"  The  Escorial,"  60 
Ryder,  Mr.  H.  Dudley,  86 

Sala  Rosa,  81 

Sandby,  Mr.,  jun.,  letter  to,  52 

P.,  R.A.,  portrait  by,  47 
Sanford,  Lady  C.,  106 

Mr.,  106 

Santa  Maria  delle  Grazie,  74,  85 
Schomberg  House,  26  et  seq. 
Scouler,  J.,  26 
Shipley,  portrait  of,  6 
Smith,  J.  T.,  4-6  ;   testimonial  of, 

48 

Soane  Museum,  28 
Society  of  Arts,  7 
Society  of  Artists,  7 
Sophia,   wife    of   Sir  W.   Burrell, 

portrait  of,  118 
Sotherans,  11 
South   Kensington   Museum,    122, 

123 

Spencer  Group,  118,  119 
Earl,  119 
Lady  S.,  119 
Mr.  R.,  119 
Stanley,  Mr.,  60,  61 
Steere,  Mrs.  H.  Lee,  118 
St.  George's,  Hanover  Square,  9, 10, 

20 

Stratford  Place,  37,  39;  furniture 
of  house  in,  39,  40  ;  No.  I,  por- 
trait of,  38 

Sutherland,  Duke  of,  113 
Swinburne,  Sir  J.  and  Lady,  por- 
traits of,  118 
Miss,  118 

Henry,  and  his  wife,  portraits 
of,  118 

Templeman,  Peter,  M.D.,  portrait 
of,  6 


Tennant,  Mrs.,  portrait  of,  119 
"  The  Art  of  Miniature  Painting," 

108 

"  The  Hours,"  42 
"The  Macaroni  Painter," 31 
Thomas  and  S.   H.  Gill,  Messrs., 

86 

Times,  the,  extract  from,  64 
Tiverton,  I,  2 
Towneley,  Mr.,  19,  20 
Townshend  Group,  118 
Tresham,  Mr.,  R.A.,  58,  59 
Tweedmouth,  Lord,  collection    of, 

1 20 

Udney,  Mr.  R.,  62 

Mrs.,  62 

Miss,  62 
Uffizi  Gallery,  95 

Velazquez,  60 

Virginia,  Rev.  Mother,  82  et  seq. 

Vokins,  Messrs.,  127 

Waldegrave,  Earl,  115 

Walpole,   23,   29  ;  phrase  from    a 

letter  of,  26  ;;  cynicism  of,  23,  29 
West,  Benjamin,  advice  of,  165 
Wharncliffe,  Earl  of,  112 
Whitehead,  Mr.  J.  W.,  no 
Whittington,  Mrs.,  portrait  of,  112; 

description     of      character     of, 

113 
Willoughly  de  Eresby,    Baroness, 

portrait  of,  115-117 
Windsor  Castle,  109 
"  Wisdom  arming  St.  George,"  7 
Woodroffe,    Mr.   F.,  collection  of, 

109 

Yarborough,    Lord,    119;    portrait 
of,  119  ;  daughters  of,  119 

Zoffany,  his  picture,  5 1 


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