LETTER XXXIV.WilliamtoEmilia.
We live now in a kind of continual dissipation; our instruments, our drawings, our books, all are packed up and ready to be sent on board. We are perpetually in motion, we eat, drink, sleep and visit like those people who have nothing to do, and try to kill time because they do not know how to employ it; what a miserable life must such beings lead! Shall I tell you, that the thoughts of taking leave of my native country is very painful to me; I must confess my weakness, dear Emilia; though I ardently long to be in London, I feel the most lively concern. Your brother commends this weakness. It is natural, hesays, and, in his opinion, we should be very unfeeling, if we could leave the country, where we have been born and educated, without being affected. Yesterday we paid a visit to Mr. Landbergen; his son still behaves with the greatest propriety; and, as the tender father considers your brother as the instrument of his darling’s reformation, his countenance is always lighted up with joy at our approach. When we entered he introduced a French gentleman to us, who appeared by his dress and manners to be in reduced circumstances. There was an appearance of mildness and good-nature in his face that instantly interested us. I have frequently felt myself thus attached in a moment to a person who had a mild and benevolent countenance. Mr. Landbergen desired his son to shew us two landscapes drawn by the gentleman, in whose favour we were so instantly interested, which were reallyvery beautiful. We could not forbear bestowing the praises on them they so justly merited; and I felt a little vexed with myself when I recollected how very inferior mine were. The young painter very modestly received our praises, and soon after left the room. We then again viewed the landscapes, and Charles remarked that he had very pleasing manners, and very much the air of a gentleman. Yes, said Mr. Landbergen, he is a good young man and a gentleman, though an unfortunate one. He received a very liberal education, but the loss of his parents and some other misfortunes, obliged him to exert his talents in order to earn a subsistence.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
I pity any one who loses their parents early in life; for they are our dearest and most faithful friends.
LANDBERGEN.
LANDBERGEN.
LANDBERGEN.
He has been here some months, and has not met with all the encouragement he deserves; his modesty prevents him from pushing himself forwards, or taking those methods that many of inferior abilities practise to obtain the name of able artists. He wishes to sell those two pictures, and, to spare him the disagreeable task of offering them to sale himself, I desired him to leave them here.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
What does he ask for them?
LANDBERGEN.
LANDBERGEN.
LANDBERGEN.
Thirty guilders.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
He undervalues them; that is too little.
LANDBERGEN.
LANDBERGEN.
LANDBERGEN.
Few think so nobly as you do, Sir; though they are certainly very welldone, and very cheap, I have not yet been able to find a purchaser.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
I like these pieces so well I shall be very happy to have them that I may copy them; I should be very proud, indeed, if I could draw but half as well. It is very inhuman not to pay an ingenious man the full price for his labour, or to undervalue the productions of an unfortunate gentleman.
The subject was now dropped, but when we took our leave, Charles gave Mr. Landbergen fifty guilders for the pictures; and as we walked home they were the subject of our conversation.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
I am glad that chance threw those pictures in my way, they are painted in a masterly style.
EDWARD.
EDWARD.
EDWARD.
They are well executed, I believe, but confess now Charles that you bought those pictures rather to be serviceable to the painter, than to please yourself.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
Pray, Edward, who made you my father confessor?
EDWARD.
EDWARD.
EDWARD.
You need not try to hide it, I saw you was determined not to buy a bargain.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
The pieces are worth the money, and it was incumbent on me to give fifty guilders for them. Believe me, he who will not, or cannot, give the full value for a thing should let it alone, and not attempt to defraud a person in distress.
EDWARD.
EDWARD.
EDWARD.
Do not suppose that I mean to blame you; you are frugal and sparing in every thing that respects your own private gratification, only to have it more in your power to be generous to others; you even chearfully bear inconveniences which you endeavour to guard your friends from; nay, you are as indulgent to them as severe on yourself.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
You are very obliging, Edward, but let us be serious. Must it not be very painful to an artist to hear his labour and trouble undervalued, by those who are unable to produce any thing like it themselves; nay, is it not unjust to endeavour to cheapen a thing, when you are conscious that only a reasonable price was demanded for it? In the present case, the French gentleman was impelled by his distress to offer them as a bargain;and could I take advantage of the distress of a fellow-creature?
WILLIAM.
WILLIAM.
WILLIAM.
My mother is entirely of your opinion. She has often told me that I should regulate my actions by an invariable rule of right, and, above all, never take advantage of the misfortunes of others to benefit myself.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
CHARLES.
I feel a particular respect for men of abilities, and should think wealth indeed a blessing, if it enabled me to be of use to them.
We now reached home, as I have the bottom of my paper. Farewell,
WILLIAM.
WILLIAM.
WILLIAM.
WILLIAM.