HENRY FUSELI, R.A.

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE OF FUSELI.

Henry Füessli (for such is the family name), the second son of John Caspar Füessli, was born Feb. 7, 1741, N. S., at Zurich, in Switzerland, which place had been the native place of his family for many generations. His father, John Caspar, a painter of portraits and landscapes, was also distinguished for his literary attainments. He married Elizabeth Waser, and by this marriage he had eighteen children, three of whom only reached manhood: Rodolph, who became a painter; Henry; and Caspar, well known for his able works on entomology.

Henry received his early education from his mother; and he profited much by the society of Solomon Gessner, the poet and painter, who was his godfather. Henry showed very early a predilection for drawing and for entomology; but his father designed him for the clerical profession. He discouraged the idea of his being an artist, probably from thinking that he would never excel in the mechanical part of painting; for in youth he had so great an awkwardness of hand, that when precious articles were shown to visitors, his father often said: "Take care of that boy, for he destroys or spoils whatever he touches." He always spoke of his age with reluctance. Once, when pressed about it, he peevishly exclaimed: "How should I know? I was born in February or March-it was some cursed cold month, as you may guess from my diminutive stature and crabbed disposition."

Notwithstanding sore discouragement, young Fuseli bought with his pocket-money candles, pencils, paper, &c., in order to make drawings when his parents believed him to be in bed. Some of these early sketches are still preserved; and among them is one of "Orestes pursued by the Furies," telling the story wonderfully for a boy eleven years of age.

His rapidity in making drawings and caricatures was surprising the better to escape observation, he drew with his left hand, a practice which made him ambidextrous through life.

Fuseli was placed at the Caroline College, in Zurich, where he had for his friends Lavater, Usteri, Toman, Jacob, and Felix Hess, names well known in German literature. He studied hard-in fact, he was capable of any mental labour, however severe. He was enamoured with the plays of Shakspeare, and attempted to translate Macbeth into German; he read with avidity Richardson's novels, Rousseau's works, and the poetic flights of Dante aroused his feelings and afforded subjects for his daring pencil.

Lavater said: Nature designed him for a great orator.

FUSELI AN ENTOMOLOGIST.

Fuseli was an enthusiastic entomologist, and greatly assisted his brother in collecting insects for his museum. Mr. W. Raddon relates that Fuseli once chided him for apathy in the pursuit, and concluded by saying: "When I was of your age, I often went at two or three o'clock in the morning into the corn-fields and woods to collect for my brother, and many of the insects figured by him were from my drawings." Nor did this love of entomology leave the Professor in the decline of life for when he had delivered his last lecture, and was descending from the rostrum, the first inquiry he made was, "Where is Raddon? (his brother entomologist.) Has he taken Atropos? (the Death's-head moth.)"

His great love of entomology induced him occasionally to introduce moths into his pictures; these he painted with great care and fidelity, and when much taken with the subject, he made them frequently incongruous. Thus, in a picture of Lycidas, from the passage in Milton,

Under the opening eyelids of the morn,

What time the grey-fly winds his sultry horn,

where the shepherd and the shepherdess are only ten inches in length, happening to find, in Mr. Johnson's garden at Fulham, a beautiful moth, he was so delighted with it, that, in spite of all propriety, and his better knowledge, he painted it the size of nature, hovering above the figures with expanded wings. This singular appearance attracted the notice

of the celebrated Dr. Jenner, who was also skilled in entomology, and who, on being informed of the line it was intended to illustrate, said, "No, no; this is no grey-fly, but a moth, and winds no horn; it is a mute." Fuseli, who heard this remark, knew well its accuracy, and therefore said nothing.

FUSELI COMES TO ENGLAND.

In 1761, Fuseli entered into holy orders; he made some attempts to bring about a better style of preaching at Zurich; but having written a pamphlet in conjunction with Lavater, exposing the conduct of an unjust magistrate, to avoid his vengeance, Fuseli resolved to travel awhile. After visiting Germany, he came to England, partly as an agent to establish a literary communication between the latter country and his native place. In London he was introduced to Mr. Coutts, the banker; and Millar and Johnson, the publishers. He first took lodgings in Cranbourne-alley, to be near Mr. Coutts, then residing in St. Martin's-lane. He was soon much employed as a translator, by the booksellers; and among his literary acquaintance were Falconer, the poet; and Dr. Smollett, for whose Peregrine Pickle Fuseli made several drawings. He next became acquainted with Mr. Moser, Keeper of the Royal Academy, and Mr. Kauffman, father of Angelica, the painter. He then accepted the office of travelling tutor to Viscount Chewton, but soon threw up his charge, referring to which, in after life, he used to say, "The noble family of Waldegrave took me for a bear-leader, but they found me the bear." Fuseli, however, soon relinquished the pen for the pencil.

FUSELI STUDIES ART,-HIS FIRST PICTURE.

In 1767, the high patronage of Artists, which led to the formation of the Royal Academy, induced Fuseli to study for a painter. He obtained an introduction to Mr. (afterwards Sir Joshua) Reynolds, to whom he showed a portfolio of drawings and etchings. Reynolds was much struck with their style, grandeur, and original conception, and said to Fuseli, were he at his age, and endowed with the ability of producing such works, if any one were to offer him an estate of one thousand pounds a-year, on condition of being anything but a painter, he would, without the least hesitu

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tion, reject the offer." With such encouragement from the greatest painter of the age, Fuseli directed nearly the whole of his attention to drawing; and on the recommendation of Reynolds, tried oil colours. His first picture was "Joseph interpreting the dreams of the Butler and Baker of Pharaoh." On showing this to Reynolds, he remarked that "he might if he would be a colourist as well as a draughtsman." This picture Mr. Knowles describes as remarkably well-coloured, and for a first attempt in oil, a surprising production.

VOLTAIRE CARICATURED.

In 1767, when Hume and Voltaire were constantly attacking Rousseau, Fuseli published anonymously a small volume in defence of his countryman, and for this work he designed the frontispiece. This represents in the foreground, Voltaire, booted and spurred, riding upon man, who is crawling upon the earth; in the back of the picture, justice and liberty are gibbeted. Rousseau is witnessing Voltaire's pranks, and by his attitude, seems to threaten disclosure. This work is now very rare; most of the impressions having been destroyed by an accidental fire at Mr. Johnson's, the publisher, in Pater

noster-row.

FUSELI AND DR. ARMSTRONG.

In 1769, Fuseli, accompanied by Dr. Armstrong, (who wrote the poem on The Art of Preserving Health, and whom he met at Mr. Coutts's table, and had formerly known at Berlin,) left London for Italy, intending to go to Leghorn by sea. The voyage was long and tedious,-both the voyagers were of naturally irritable tempers, and they finally quarrelled about the pronunciation of an English word; Fuseli pertinaciously maintaining that "a Swiss had as great a right to judge of the correct pronunciation of English as a Scotsman ;" and being driven by a gale of wind into Genoa, Fuseli and Armstrong parted in a mood far from friendly. Upon Fuseli's return to England, he was reproved by Mr. Coutts for his rudeness to the Doctor, who lay dangerously ill. The painter called upon him, when he said: "So you have come back?" Fuseli replied: "Yes; I have come home.' Armstrong: Come, you mean to London! 'the needy villain's general home;' however, (putting out his hand,) I thank you for this visit: you find me in bad plight; but I am glad to see you

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