at that port, who bore a moft refpectable character. There were four children; John was the eldeft; his brother at this very time holds the place under government which belonged to his father; and the other two were daughters. Our painter caught a love for the art, which he afterwards profeffed with fo much honour to himself, from two very remarkable circumstances:-Before his eyes were conftantly fome drawings, by an uncle of the fame name, who, though he never rofe above mediocrity, has yet left behind him fome works which will preferve his name from oblivion, particularly the altar-piece at Aylesbury church, and the potraits of Pat Alexander, and of anold woodman in the neighbourhood. As this man was an itinerant, his works are ftill to be so seen in feveral parts of Great Britain, particularly in Yorkshire.

Nor was the young defigner at a lofs for objects on which to indulge his fportive fancy; for the peculiar fituation in which he was placed, occafioned him to obferve the proceedings of that ferocious and cunning tribe of men, the fmugglers, and led him to be very converfant with the wild fcenes of nature, and the terrific grandeur of the fea, in watching their artful proceedings, that his parent might beft purfue thofe measures which the duty of his office called upon him to fulfil. Relative affection might be faid to have produced the defire, and local circumstances to form the peculiar tafte of one who, every where but in his paintings, poffeffed mildness and urbanity of manners in the highest degree. Was nature, indeed, more liftened to than it is in the choice of a profeffion, we should not fo often have occafion to lament that dulness has admittance

where genius alone fhould be found, and that Genius herself had mistaken her aim, in choofing that avocation which too much tended to cramp her powers and clip her wings. From education, young Mortimer received no great advantages, as it was mere ly that which his own, then obfcure, village afforded; but, however, from being often in company with men of talents, he acquired a greater know-ledge of the Poets than is generally poffeffed by perfons, whofe pursuits do not abfolutely oblige them to live on the fruits of their literary ftock.

Contrary to the pernicious maxims which the most cautious parents generally adopt, in dictating to their children the walk of life in which they fhould tread, they who had the happiness of calling this children their own, fanned the rising flame, and placed him for three years with Mr Hudson, giving a premium of 1001. for that purpose, having taken great delight in looking at thofe drawings which he had produced from time to time in copy-books, which they procured him for that purpose, feveral of which are in the poffeffion of Knight C. of Shropshire. At Mr Hudfon's, he fucceeded Sir Joshua Reynolds, and had for his fellow pupil, Mr Wright, of Derby; names which can never be mentioned without exciting agreeable emotions.Whilft he was here, and for a confiderable time afterwards, he attended the Duke of Richmond's gallery †, which indeed was his fchool, and where his affiduity, his exertions, and his opening powers were fo much noticed by Cipriani and the late Mr Mofer, that they reprefented him fo favourably to the illuftrious nobleman, whofe liberal scheme might be faid greatly to have contributed to the encouragement of young artists,

(who,

that a bare enumeration is fufficient*, viz. 1. King John figning Magna Charta; 2. The Battle of Agincourt; 3. The Origin of Health; 4. Twelve Characters from Shakespeare, and four reprefenting the Tragic and Comic Mufe, Poetry, and Painting; 5. Banditti, from Salvator Rofa; 6. A fet of Monsters, which were defigned to contraft the horrible and the tender; 7. A group of Geniufes in caricature, viz. Johnfon, Churchill, Goldsmith, &c. As a Potrait Painter, he did not poffefs much excellence. Still life had not fufficient attractions for his romantic mind; he has, however, drawn feveral. Befides Mr Drake's family, there are fome good portraits of Mr and Mrs Scottowe; Mrs Wells, wife of the Rev. John Wells, of Great Miffenden, in the poffeffion of her father, Jofeph Burnham, Efq.; Mrs Mortimer, and Mrs Pigott.

He also affifted others, for the figures in Paton's Sea Views, which were fent over to the Emprefs of Ruffia, being reprefentations of important victories gained by her, were drawn by him. Jervafe frequently employed him, and, among other works, the defign of the Great Win dow at Salisbury cathedral is done by him. The leifure moments of Mr Mortimer, were employed in drawing defigns for Bell and others those which were prefixed to the first edition of Evelina, were of his performance. His defigns are, indeed,

who have had an opportunity to examine both with attention. The heat of genius was not cooled by ftaying too long on the anvil of industry; there are fome fine fketches ftill in the poffeffion of Dr Bates; one efpecially, of Mr Kenyon's family, with the original sketch at the bottom of the paper.

It was aftonishing to obferve with what rapidity he wrought. Once I remember to have been with him when he was engaged in painting the Battle of Agincourt, and hardly could I tell which to admire moft, the quicknefs with which his pencil wrought, or the energy of his remarks. No man feemed less confci cus of his own powers than himself, or lefs unwilling to encourage others, who had the fmallest pretenfions to excellence. Before he attempted. any work of importance, he always devoted fome time to the perufal of that author which would give him the most information; and, indeed, his converfation frequently turned on allufions to the politeft writers, expreffed in the most forcible terms. After the sketch had been drawn, he generally gave himself fome reft, tho he often applied to the drag net by way of exercife.

The career of this true devotee to Apollo, terminated fooner and much more fuddenly than could have been wifhed. He stayed at Aylesbury till about the clofe of the year, and went to London as well as ufual. The evening

evening but one before he went up, I fupped at his houfe, in company with fome friends, and he feemed as cheerful as ever, and talked of writing his life in Hudibraftic verfe. Soon after, however, an alteration took place; he was feized with a violent fever, which preying upon a conftitution already weak, carried him off in a few days, to the regret of all that knew him. He was attended by two physicians; but, being defirous of seeing his old friend,

Dr Bates, he came up to him, and, alas! had the pain to behold his lively friend give up the ghoft in his arms. He died February 4, 1779, aged 38 years, at a time when Envy was withdrawing her fhafts, and the voice of Truth was heard with attention. He is dead, but his memory ftill lives; for there was that about him, independent of his talents, which must make an humble admirer of true worth and cultivated underftanding regret his lofs.

able to the speedy difperfion of information, one has been called forth at Paris, by the political ftate, and diffufive culture of the people, which may deferve imitation in other countries. It is called in France a Cabinet de Lecture, or reading fhop. All the streets of Paris are fupplied with these rooms, fome on the groundfloor, fome, and these are moft quiet, above stairs. The owner provides periodical publications, fuch as the principal newspapers, magazines, reviews, annual registers, &c.; provides a ftanding library, confifting of maps, gazetteers, ftatistical dictionaries, and of the more eminent political writings; and provides all the pamphlets and hand-bills of the time, with impartial profufion. Thefe shops are open from eight in the morning until ten in the evening. They are shaded in fummer by blinds, warmed in winter by ftoves, and, at dark, are illuminated by Argand's lamps, defks and chairs are commodioufly arranged for the customers. Tents, or moveable fhops of this kind, are occafionally pitched in the Garden of Equality, in the Thuilleries, in the Elyfian Fields, in the groves of the Luxembourg. Perfons are allowed to fubfcribe by the quar

and, in confequence of fuch fubfcription, can ufe, in the room, any of the books with which it is furnished.The fhop-keeper, mofily a female, delivers them out. To a fingle fitting, any one is admitted for twopence, and may thus acquaint himfelf with the topics of the day, in the fpeeches and pamphlets of the leading public characters. A fmall expence is fufficient to found fuch a library, which moftly fupports itself with profit.

It is alfo common for thefe fhop-keepers to be in connection with fome principal bookfeller, and to vend any of the articles expofed for perufal, at a price marked in the title-page. Neither coffee nor converfation is admitted. The filence of a church prevails. Thefe readingrooms have done more to form the public mind of the Parifians, than the converfations of the Caffé de Foi, the difputations of the Jacobins, or even the galleries of the National Convention. The proprietors vie with each other in the affected elegance of their defignations. One fhop calls itfelf the Altar of the Mufes, another the Temple of Instruction, a third the Cradle of Opinion, and a fourth the Coffin of Prejudice!