DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0219
LIFE OF GEORGE MORLAND.
191
In this manner passed the first seventeen years of the life
of George Morland, and to this unremitted diligence and
application he was indebted for the extraordinary power
he possessed over the implements of his art. Avarice
was the ruling passion of his father; and this passion
was so insatiable, that he kept his son incessantly at work,
and gave him little, if any, other education. To this
cause must doubtless be attributed all the irregularities of
his subsequent life.
Morland’s first original compositions were dictated by
his father. They were small pictures of two or three
figures taken from the ballads of the day, such as “ Young
Roger came tapping at Dolly’s Window,” &c. These his
father put into frames, and sold at different prices, from
one guinea to three, according to the pockets of his cus-
tomers. These, though infinitely inferior to his later pro-
ductions, were much admired; many fell into the hands
of engravers, and the engravings made from them first
brought Morland into notice.
Some gentlemen, to whom the elder Morland was
known, wished to patronize the youthful artist: from one
he borrowed two capital pieces by Vernet, which George
copied in an admirable style. Mr. Angerstein permitted
him to take a copy of Sir Joshua Reynolds’s celebrated
picture of Garrick between tragedy and comedy, and on
this occasion the unfortunate peculiarity of his disposition
was strikingly displayed. The original was at Black-
heath, whither the two Morlands went to copy it. Mr.
Angerstein wished to notice the youth, and to observe the
progress of the work ; but he refused to begin his picture
till he had obtained a solemn promise that he should be
overlooked by no person whatever. The promise was
given ; he painted the picture; associated with the ser-
vants while he remained in the house, and no encourage-
ment
191
In this manner passed the first seventeen years of the life
of George Morland, and to this unremitted diligence and
application he was indebted for the extraordinary power
he possessed over the implements of his art. Avarice
was the ruling passion of his father; and this passion
was so insatiable, that he kept his son incessantly at work,
and gave him little, if any, other education. To this
cause must doubtless be attributed all the irregularities of
his subsequent life.
Morland’s first original compositions were dictated by
his father. They were small pictures of two or three
figures taken from the ballads of the day, such as “ Young
Roger came tapping at Dolly’s Window,” &c. These his
father put into frames, and sold at different prices, from
one guinea to three, according to the pockets of his cus-
tomers. These, though infinitely inferior to his later pro-
ductions, were much admired; many fell into the hands
of engravers, and the engravings made from them first
brought Morland into notice.
Some gentlemen, to whom the elder Morland was
known, wished to patronize the youthful artist: from one
he borrowed two capital pieces by Vernet, which George
copied in an admirable style. Mr. Angerstein permitted
him to take a copy of Sir Joshua Reynolds’s celebrated
picture of Garrick between tragedy and comedy, and on
this occasion the unfortunate peculiarity of his disposition
was strikingly displayed. The original was at Black-
heath, whither the two Morlands went to copy it. Mr.
Angerstein wished to notice the youth, and to observe the
progress of the work ; but he refused to begin his picture
till he had obtained a solemn promise that he should be
overlooked by no person whatever. The promise was
given ; he painted the picture; associated with the ser-
vants while he remained in the house, and no encourage-
ment