f his letters, in this year, to Mrs
Piozzi, enquires 'will the master give me any thing for my poor
neighbours? I have had from Sir Joshua and Mr Strahan.'"--P.
264.

"Sir Joshua, indeed, seems to have been applied to by his
friends on all occasions; and by none oftener than by Dr
Johnson, particularly for charitable purposes. Of this there is
an instance, in a note of Johnson's preserved in his Life, too
honourable to him to be here omitted.

'To Sir Joshua Reynolds.

'Dear Sir--It was not before yesterday that I received your
splendid benefaction. To a hand so liberal in distributing, I
hope nobody will envy the power of acquiring.--I am, dear sir,
your obliged and most humble servant,

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

'June 23, 1781.'"--P. 278.

The following anecdote is delightful:--

"Whilst at Antwerp, Sir Joshua had taken particular notice of a
young man of the name of De Gree, who had exhibited some
considerable talents as a painter: his father was a tailor; and
he himself had been intended for some clerical office, but, as
it is said by a late writer, having formed a different opinion
of his religion than was intended, from the books put into his
hand by an Abbe who was his patron, it was discovered that he
would not do for a priest, and the Abbe, therefore, articled
him to Gerrards of Antwerp. Sir Joshua received him, on his
arrival in England, with much kindness, and even recommended
him most strongly to pursue his profession in the metropolis;
but De Gree was unwilling to consent to this, as he had been
previously engaged by Mrs Latouche to proceed to Ireland. Even
here Sir Joshua's friendly attentions did not cease, for he
actually made the poor artist a present of fifty guineas to fit
him for his Hibernian excursion; the whole of which, however,
the careful son sent over to Antwerp for the use of his aged
parents."--P. 284.

"It is also recorded, as an instance of his prizing
extraordinary merit, that when Gainsborough asked him but sixty
guineas for his celebrated Girl and Pigs, yet being conscious
in his own mind that it was worth more, he liberally paid him
down one hundred guineas for the picture. I also find it
mentioned on record, that a painter of considerable merit,
having unfortunately made an injudicious matrimonial choice,
was along with