Mr. Peale a copy by Sharpless himself, of that artist's crayon profile of Washington, made in 1796. On the back of it was a eulogy of Washington, written in monumental form in two columns, by an English gentleman, Mr. Smith said, whose name he had forgotten, or never knew. He told Mr. Peale that the gentleman pasted it on the back of the portrait. It was at about that time that a crockery dealer in Philadelphia imported a number of earthenware pitchers from Liverpool, each bearing a portrait of Washington from an engraving of Stuart's picture painted for the Marquis of Lansdowne, which Heath had badly engraved, and Nutter had better executed for Hunter's quarto edition of Lavater. Nutter's engraving was coarsely imitated in the one upon the pitcher. The pitchers attracted the attention of Mr. Dorsey, a sugar refiner of Philadelphia, who had a taste for art, and he purchased several of them, as he considered the likeness of Washington a good one. Mr. Dorsey, after several unsuccessful attempts to separate the part bearing the portrait, from the rest of the pitcher, succeeded, by using the broad-faced hammer of a shoemaker, in breaking them cleanly out by a single blow, given directly upon the picture. One of these pictures broken out by Mr. Dorsey, was handsomely framed by Mr. Smith, and sent to Judge Washington at Mount Vernon, with the eulogy on the back of the Sharpless profile belonging to his father, copied by his own hand. That copy varies materially from the original, in some of its phraseology and in large omissions. This difference may be accounted for by the supposition that Mr. Smith had not room in the space on the back of the picture to transcribe the whole of the original, and some parts were omitted and others changed. The Sharpless picture was much larger than the pitcher portrait, and there was more room on the back for the eulogy. In the year 1819 or 1820, Mr. Smith gave Mr. Harrison Hall, the publisher of the Port Folio, a perfect transcript of what was, probably, the original eulogy, and to the courtesy of that gentleman I am indebted for the subjoined copy, which contains all the omissions in the one upon the back of the picture at Mount Vernon. Mr. Hall, and others of Mr. Smith's friends, have been under the impression that that accomplished gentleman was the author of the eulogy, but the explicit statement of Mr. Peale and concurring circumstances appear to remove all doubt of the truth of the common tradition in the Washington family, that it was written by an unknown English gentleman. The mutilated inscription, as it appears upon the back of the portrait at Mount Vernon, was published in Alden's Collection of American Epitaphs and Inscriptions, as early as the year 1814. The following is a copy of the original on the back of the Sharpless profile given by Mr. Smith to Mr. Hall· WASHINGTON, The DEFENDER of his COUNTRY, The FOUNDER OF LIBERTY, The FRIEND of MAN. HISTORY and TRADITION are explored in vain For a Parallel to his Character. In the Annals of MODERN GREATNESS, He stands alone, And the noblest Names of Antiquity Lose their Lustre in his Presence. Born the Benefactor of Mankind, He was signally endowed with all the Qualities 'Appropriate to his Illustrious Career. Nature made him Great, And, Heaven directed, He made himself Virtuous. Called by his Country to the Defence of her Soil He led to the Field Her Patriot Armies; And displaying in rapid and brilliant succession, The united Powers Of Consummate Prudence And Heroic Valour, He triumphed in Arms Over the most powerful Nation Of Modern Europe; His Sword giving Freedom to America, His Counsels breathing Peace to the world. After a short repose From the tumultuous Vicissitudes Of a Sanguinary War, The astounding Energies of WASHINGTON Were again destined to a New Course Of Glory and Usefulness. The Civic Wreath Was spontaneously placed By the Gratitude of the Nation, On the Brow of the DELIVERER of his COUNTRY. He was twice solemnly invested With the Powers of Supreme Magistracy, By the Unanimous Voice of A Free People; And in his EXALTED and ARDUOUS station, His Wisdom in the Cabinet Transcended the Glories of the Field. The Destinies of Washington Were now complete. Having passed the Meridian of a Devoted Life, Having founded on the Pillars Of NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE The SPLENDID FABRIC Of a Great Republic, And having firmly established The Empire of the West, He solemnly deposited on the Altar of his Country, His Laurels and his Sword, And retired to the Shades Of PRIVATE LIFE. A Spectacle so New and so Sublime, To the remotest regions of the Earth. Magnanimous in Youth, Glorious through Life, Great in Death, His highest Ambition The Happiness of Mankind, His noblest victory Bequeathing to America And building his Monument In the Hearts of his Countrymen, The Ornament of the 18th Century; He Died, LAMENTED BY A MOURNING WORLD. |