The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1811.] TltAVELS ON TIIIC COXTIXEXT. 445
tion may be (juoted. After .stating tluit the picture was firiislied, lie says,
" All I shall say of it is that it is, without any comparison, by many degTees
the best thing he has ever yet clone ; the comjiosition is truely masterly',
and the colouring is most delightful!. I call frequently to see Ji, and it
never fall: to encii:iut me. It i- more ihan you can cu, -eive ; ijierior to
what he did on thv' death of Il-'otor." ' The picture contained .even full
figiires, besides several half figures, and was valued at 050 guinea-." Other
details in thi.s and others of the Abbe's letters, show that Mr. Giant had a
love of art, and also a kind heart and lilieral hand towards rising artists.
He left lonne, with regret, in May 17G0, and travelled homewards by
Verona, i\[unic]i, etc., but uf his northward journey there is no record.
Abbd Grant's letters, apart from what may be called a natural
enthusiasm fur his young chiet", ^^•hich shows itself in a tendency to flatter,
give clear evidence that Mi'. Grant, even when he was only twenty-two
years old, made a fovourable impression upon all with whom he came in
contact. This evidence is corroborated by a letter from ]\Ir. Grant himself,
written on his journey homewards, and addressed to his intimate University
fiiend, Mr. Itolnnson. The letter, which indicates a mind higlily imbued
with moral principles, is otherwise also worth (quoting, as showing Mr.
Grant's high ideal of the duties and responsibilities of a member of Parlia-
ment, for which in his sojourn on the Continent it was intended by his
father he should prepare liimself
After dwelling on the pleasure of Mr. Robinson's friendship, and
expressing a hope that it might continue amid all difierences of ojiinion,
Mr. Grant says :
"
Reflecting upon these things, a thought struck me to
examme narrowly into the character most consistent with the man of
honour as repi-esentative of his country in the House of Commons. j\Iany
' Vol. ii. of tills work, p. .537. In reference to tins Christie's, for the entertainment of the curious."
second picture, Mr. Ciimniing of Altyre, on Sth [Letter at Castle Graut.]
April 1770, writes to Sir James Grant, "You'll '-' When the picture arrived in London, Mr.
be pleased to hear T am now the ]iossessor of Hamil- Grant's uncle, the Karl of Findlater and Seafield,
ton's famous picture of ' Andromache lamenting the wrote to }iim, begging that the work, which was
de.ith of Hector ; ' 'twas knocked ilown to me at a said to V>e " linely executed," might be shown at the
sale of Lonl Grosvenor's pictures, for 35 pieces ; I'^xhibition of Paintings. Mr. Grant's reply has not
when 'twas knocked out, people stood astonished ; been fouml, but no doubt the jiicture was exhibited,
it certainly is as extraordinary a thing as ever hap- It is now at Cullen House. It was engraved, and
pened. I have allowed it to remain a few daj's at a copy of the engraving is .at Castle Grant.