26 Memoir of Chantrey, the Sculptor. with milk---some with malt liquor---some with whiskey---and others with port wine, as these various liquids happened to be before him. In the autumn of 1819 he went to Italy, for the purposes of observation and improvement. Not wishing to have his time occupied in receiving and returning visits, he travelled privately, in company with an English gentleman, John Read, Esq. who resides at the village where Chantrey was born. During this excursion he devoted almost every hour to the study of objects intimately connected with his professional pursuits. While at Rome he generally received that marked attention which Italy invariably bestows on men eminent in art; but he shunned as much as possible every thing like parade or ceremony, nor did he permit the many courtesies he experienced to abstract his attention from those studies which had induced him to visit Italy. During his stay at Rome he was made a member of the Academy of St. Luke, as a compliment to his talents and an acknowledgment of his rank in art. Previously to this journey he had been long in the habit of sketching from nature; it was one of his greatest gratifications, and in transmitting the minute detail as well as the more obvious features of a scene to paper, he had wonderful facility, which during his tour in Italy he still farther improved. While in Rome, that exquisite poet, Thomas Moore, was one of his associates: they visited Canova's sculpture-gallery together, and were delighted with the many beautiful groups and images which his fine imagination had called into existence and arrayed in grace and loveliness. Moore, in his Fables for the Holy Alliance and Rhymes on the Road, where he apostrophises the genius of Canova, has a beautiful allusion to Chantrey's admiration of his talents. Memoir of Chantrey, the Sculptor. "Wonderful Artist! praise like mine, That best of fame-a rival's praise." 27 Chantrey returned to England confirmed and strengthened in his own notions and conceptions of art, of which many admirable specimens have since appeared from his hands. Contemplating his progress, and studying the peculiar character of his works, I am sometimes inclined to suppose that had he been placed by fortune in a situation more propitious, he might not have attained his present eminence in his profession. He had formed his style, disciplined his fancy, and settled his own feelings of art, before he emerged from obscurity; and the emotions which he experienced on beholding the Elgin marbles was only a deeper and more intense continuation of what he felt in his little lonely room in Sheffield. Had he been otherwise situated, his strong natural good sense might not have preserved him from being a copyist of other men's labours, and the contemplation of the divine productions of antiquity instead of inspiring him with the conception of something truly great and English, such as Phidias would have imagined and executed, had he been of London and not of Athens, * Chantrey. + Canova always shows his fine statue, the Venere Vincitrice, by the light of a small candle. 28 Memoir of Chantrey, the Sculptor. might only have impressed him with the wish to steal with discernment, and have taught him to look at nature through the eyes of other men. Wishing Chantrey, therefore, to be no other than what he is, I am glad that in early life he was allowed to think for himself---draw his forms from objects in real life—and his sentiment from the human heart. In this hasty and imperfect notice, I have only glanced at some of the earlier productions of Chantrey; and it is not my intention to give a catalogue of his works, or to enter into a critical analysis of their merits; but the high character which he has imparted to some of his busts and statues, render them worthy of being particularly mentioned. The monumental groups and figures, which he has already executed, are numerous, and distinguished by fine taste and elevated feeling they are beautiful specimens of domestic sculpture---in design, they are simple and full of pathos, and several of them may be classed amongst the most dignified works of art. His statues will secure him an abiding fame: I have, therefore, added a list of what may be considered his finest productions in this department of his profession. King George the Third, placed in the Common Council Room, London. Lord Viscount Melville, placed in the old Parliament House, Edinburgh. Dr. James Anderson, placed at Madras. Lady Louisa Russell, placed at Woburn Abbey. Robert Dundas, Lord Chief Baron for Scotland. Francis Horner, for Westminster Abbey. James Watt, Civil Engineer. Cyril Jackson, Dean of Christ Church, for Oxford. Sir Joseph Banks, for the Royal Society-to be placed in the British Museum. Lady Liverpool. Dr. Hey, of Leeds. Memoir of Chantrey, the Sculptor. 29 Amongst the numerous BUSTS executed by this distinguished sculptor, the following may be regarded as his best. J. Raphael Smith.-John Horne Tooke.-Professor Playfair.-Professor Porson.Sir Joseph Banks.-John Rennie.-James Watt.-Sir Walter Scott.-William Wordsworth.-Earl St. Vincent.-Benjamin West, P.R.A.-Sir Henry Englefield.— Right Hon. George Canning.-Marquis of Londonderry.-His present Majesty.Duke of Wellington.-Earl Spencer.-Sir Charles Long.-Bishop of London.Bishop of Rochester.-Bishop of Durham.-Samuel Shore, Esq. That this eminent artist should have devoted so much of his time to the execution of busts, may perhaps be regretted. There is a higher walk in sculpture, in which all the excellencies of his profession are required and all the energies of the mightiest talent may be displayed. Here the genius of Chantrey may move amid beings of his own creation, and establish for himself a name and character not less elevated in art than Canova's. He has attained much, but more remains to be accomplished: in his busts he has given hearing and thinking, beauty and intellect, to marble-and in his statues he has clothed the human figure with grace and dignity. Let him persevere !---our own history and native poetry abound with subjects both moving and heroic, presenting images of perpetual interest, interwoven deeply with our national pride, and inseparable from the mass of the people. These subjects are worthy of his chisel, his ambition, and his fame. Let him leave to others the gods of the heathen, and the cold mystical allegory that has too long degraded his profession, and from which, to his honour, he has been the first to depart, and create a series of poetical groups and figures, deeply imbued with sentiment and feeling, and hand down to posterity the national character of his countrymen, I am glad to be enabled to add, that such is the purpose of this celebrated sculptor. SECTION III. Whittington Revolution House.---Centenary Commemoration of the Revolution of 1688.---The Procession Ball and Concert.---Walk from Whittington to Chesterfield.---Smelting Furnaces.---Local History of Chesterfield.---The Church Spire.---Walk to Ashover.---Scene from Stone Edge.---Approach to Ashover.---Ashover Church.---Eastwood Hall, &c. FROM Norton we had a pleasant walk over some fields to Apperknowe Common, and from thence to Whittington. There was no passing this village without loitering a short time within it. We recognized the humble dwelling called the Revolution House, and recollected the part which the Earls of Devonshire and Danby, Sir John D'Arcy, eldest son of the Earl of Holderness, and others, are represented to have had in promoting the revolution of 1688, when the second James, by a series of years of misrule, had become obnoxious to the nation. These noble families, solicitous to put an end to his government and establish the Prince of Orange on the throne, are reported to have held secret meetings for the purpose. Whittington, and a moor near it, were the places selected, and the Cock and Pynot, a small public-house in the village, sometimes sheltered these patriotic men on these occasions. On the 5th of November 1788, the centenary commemoration of |