PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENS'O, No. 69, MARKET-STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA
[No. 6 5, of Vol. ll.]
ACCOUNT of M. DE LA TOUR,
Late Painter to the King of France, of the Royal Academy of
fainting at Paiis, of that of Sciences, Belles Lettres, and Arts, at
Amiens, &c. &c.
MDE LA TOUR was born at St. Quentin, in 1765. His
» active genius displayed itfelf at an early period, and the
margins of all his school books were embellilhed with the effu
fions of his youthfnl fancy. Frequent floggings, however, rewarded
the (Inking caricatures of his pedagogue, which appeared conspi
cuous in various places. On his leaving school, his father fuffered
him topurfue the bent of his inclinations, and placed him with a
matter, who taught him the firft rudiments of his art.
Here he made no small progress, but was much more improved
by a journey to the Netherlands, where he had an opportunity of
studying the chejs-d'auvrcs of the Flemish School, Cambray was
at that time the feat of a negociation which employed the minis
ters of many powers. The portraits of fevcral of these were
painted by the young La Tour, with such success, that the Eng
iifti AmbalTador prevailed on him to accompany him to London,
where he received the most flattering encouragement.
On his return to France, an extreme irritability of the nervous
system forbidding him the use of oil-colours, he was obliged to
confine himfelf to crayons, a mode of painting, to which it is dif
ficult to give any degree of force. The obstacles he had hencc to
encounter served but to animate his zeal ; and he fought every
means of peTfefting his art, by the constant study of design ; to
•which he added those of geometry, physics, and even philosophy,
which he rendered subservient to his grand object, painting. The
fruits of his profound study gave anew merit to his enchanting
crayons ; and whilst his lively and agieeable conversation alleviat
ed the irkfomenefs of fitting confined to a particular posture ; the
features of the mind became imprinted on the canvass, as well as
those of the countenance.
Admitted in the royal academy of painting at the of thirty
three, it was not long before he was called to court. His free and
independent spirit, however, led him to refufe what most as ea
gerly covet. At length he submitted to the monarch's commands
« The place in which Louis XV. chofeto fit for his picture, was
a tower surrounded with windows. " What am I to do in this
Janthorn !" said la : " painting requires a single passage for
the light."— 44 I have chosen this retired place," answered the
king, 41 that we may not be interrupted."—l did not know, Sire,"
replied the painter, 44 that a king of France was not mafterof his
•wn house."
Louis XV. was much amused with the original Tallies of la
Tour, who sometimes carried them pretty far, as may be conceived
from the following anecdote. Being sent for to Versailles, to
paint the portrait of Madame de Pompadour, he answered surlily,
V Tell Madame the Marchioness, that I do not run about the town
to paint. 0 Some friends representing to him the impropriety of
iuch a mcffagc,hc promised to go toVerfailleson a certain day,pro
vided no one were permitted to interrupt him. On bis arrival he
repeated the condition, requesting leave to eonfider himfelf at
home, that he might paint at his ease. This being granted, he
took off his buckles, garters and neckcloth ; hung his wig upon a
girandole ; and put on a silk cap, which he had in his pocket.
In this dilhabille he began his work, when presently the king en
tered. 44 Did you not promise me, Madame," laid the painter,
rising and taking off his cap, 44 that we should not be interrupt
ed?" The king, laughing at his appearance and rebuke, pressed
him to go on. 41 It is impoflible for me to obey your majesty,"
answered he : 4< I will return when the Marchioness is alone."
"With this he took up hisbuckles, garters, neckcloth and perriwig,
and went into the next room to dress himfelf, mutteringas he went,
that he did not like to be interrupted. The favorite of the king
yielded to the painter's caprice, and the portrait was finiftied.
It was a full length, as large as life, afterwards exhibited at the
I>ouvre, and perhaps the greatest work of the kind ever executed.
M. de la Tour Dainted all the royal family ; and both court and
oity crouded to his closet. But amongst his numerous perform
ances, those which afe the fruits of esteem or fiiendfhip, are easily
distinguishable. In them art seems to have surpassed itfelf. We
cannot here avoid particularizing the portrait ot M. de la Con
«Umine"> in which it is apparent that the philosopher was deaf.
With an agreeable talent for conversation, just taste, a memory
flored with extensive knowledge, and an excellent heart, he could
not be destitute of friends. His house was resorted to by the mod
diftinguiftied artists, philosophers, and literati, in the capital.
Favored by the fovercign, and by the heir apparent, he was de
void of pride, and had the modesty twice to refufe the order of
St. Michael.
In his private charatter, M. de la Tour was an ufeful member
•f society, generous and humane. The desire of making otheis
happy was his prodominant, or rather sole paflion. Gratitude
published, in spite of him* his continual a6ls of benevolence, and
his door was continually surrounded by the needy. It is not ea
sy to diflinguifh the tr.uly unfortunate from those whom idleness
reduces to want, when both equally appeal to our benevolence ;
and he would rather give to those who abuft-d unfufpefting chari
ty, than hararcf the refuting succour to the really deferring, Even
if he had found one whom he had but just relieved returning to
entreat his afliftance, he would suppose that he had new wants,
and again afford him aid.
Amongst the ufeful eftablifliments to which M. de la Tour
turned his.thoughts, painting, the source of his fame, and in a
great measure of his fortune, particularly claimed h?s attention:
he gave four hundred guineas to found an annual prize for the best
piece of linear and aerial perfpeftive alternately, to be adjudged
by the academy of Paris. Pcrfuaded too of the benefits of good
morals, and ufeful arts, he founded an annual prize ot twenty
guineas, to be distributed by the academy of Amiens to the most
worthy action, or mod ufeful discovery in the arts. He also found
ed and endowed two eftablilhments ; one for the lupportot indi
gent children ; the other, an asylum for distressed age : and at St.
Quentin, a free school for drawing.
Having enjoyed all the pleasures attached to celebrity in the
capital, M. de la Tour at length retired to the place of his nativity,
to enjov the purer ones of rendering his fellow-creatures happy.
His entrance into St. Quentin resembled a triumph ; and to this
the benefa&or of mankind has surely a far better claim than the
conqueror, whose path is marked with horror and devastation.
Here, at the age of eighty-four, he fin idled his carccr.—May all,
whom fortune favors with her gifts, stimulated by his example,
make as good a use of them !
Saturday, December 4, 1790.
FROM THt PORTSMOUTH, (N. H.) SPY.
[THE following beautiful LINES, wrote on
the death of Miss L n, and Miss
L L n, twins, late of Exeter, cannot
but be pleasing to our fair readers, especially to
thole, whose hearts of " thousand strings" vi
brate at the tale of distress.]
BY A GENTLEMAN IN THIS TOWN
TWO beauteous flow'rets on one Hem,
In one fair garden grew,
Smil'd at th' invigorating beam,
And fipp'd the foft'ring dew.
Not woodbines thro' the fragrant air;
Did balmier scents disclose,
The lily was not halffo fair,
Nor half so sweet the role.
Each eye beheld the matchless pair,
With admiration mov'd
And wonder'd how they grew so fair-
They wonder'd—prais'd and lov'd,
But ah ! one lovely flow'r declines !
How languishing it lies ?
( What art can frullrate h'eav'ns designs!)
It droops—it fades—it dies !
Farewell, sweet heav'nly plant ! Ah, fa*' t
How will thy partner mourn !
Snatch'd from thy lov'd embracc away>
Ah ! never to return !
But fee, the tender sympathy
Pervades the widow'd flow'r !
The lonely mourner, left by thee,
Pants for the final hour !
Itcomcs! adieu, sweet flow'rs, adieu /
Forgive thete breaming eyes,
I fee you, wraut from mortal view,
Now blooming in the skies !
VIENNA, August 30.
ON the 7th inft. in conformity to the intentions
of the late Field Marshal LaudonJ, 2carriages
filled with plans and manuscripts, were brought
from Hunterfdorf to the war-ofßce, They con
sist principally of plans of fortrefies, of sieges and
battles, executed in a superior style, enriched
with historical observations on many passages of
the memoirs on the Austrian military. The great
er part of tliefe works were by the Marshal.
M A Y E N C E, August 28.
An infurredtion lately took place here, in which
the cockade was worn. As soon as the landgrave
of Darmstadt was informed of it, he lent fix hun
dred soldiers to the afliftance of theeledtor, who
restored order. This infurredtion is supposed to
have taken place in confequfince of the instiga
tion of some French travellers in Germany. The
French apearnow desirous of overturning every
constitution in Europe.
O S T E N D, .September 3.
Vandernoof s Crusade againlt Limburg has fail
ed. The peasants which he had colleifted toge
ther, from the different diftridts, to the amount
of 40,000, entered the Province. A body of 1 j,ooo
Limbourgers, and part of the Imperial troops,
retired till they got the enemy into a convenient
situation between Huy and Liege, they then
made the attack and entirely routed the Patriots,
and pursued them to the gates of Liege, where
they were refufed admittance, in consequence of
the agreement made between the Liegois and
Leopold ; great numbers were therefore killed
report fays 7000. Three or four hundred of
the prisoners, who were undisciplined soldiers,
and therefore considered as mere rebels, were
hung, among whom were about 30 Capuchins,
and 80 Priells.—This adtion took place the 23d.
The committee of this town received this in
telligence officially, in a bulletin from the States
of Flanders, in which they fay that such another
acftion will put an end to the religion and liberty
of the country, and invite all those who have
any regard for either, to come forward and ex
ert themselves.
Sixty-nine waggons with wounded peasants,
arrived at Louvain, and 50 more at Bruilels,
there being no room for them at Namur. The
number carried in then) we know not.
This intelligence is also confirmed to us by
another letter, which mentions that mod of the
monks in the different convents of Linlbourg are
confined on suspicion of being concerned in fo
menting these disturbances. .
L 1 L L O [Dutch Brabanf] Sept,,
A proclamation from Baron d Afpre the An
ftrian deputy commandant, under the direction
of the Governor General has appeared, requit ing
every parish and community to furiiifh one man
in ten armed : every parish to furnifh a waggon
with provisions for one week, in order to repel
t he attacks of a funilar expedition among the
661
[Whole No. 167.]
Brabanters. All the volunteers to receive one
fchelling a day, and to be at liberty to return
home at the end of a week, upon giving three
days notice for a substitute to arrive.
This proclamation had nearly excited some
clamour againlt this early exercise of the Aus
trian prerogative ; and the emiflaries of the
Congrel's in the Province fomented it at much as
possible. It was complained of that they demand
ed too peremptorily what ought to have been
requested with moderation ; but a foftening in
terpretation of the Edicft, being immediately
published by the Commiflaries, the contents of it
were cheerfully complied with, and such vigo
rous measures taken, that r 6,000 Limburghers
are now under arms, all firmly resolved to con
teftthe paflage of the Brabanters to thelalt : the
remembrance of the horrors committed by the
latter at Herve are heightened by the late pillage
of the towns of Efneux and Honti,andtherefenc
ment of the Limburghers is proportionate. Tliey
have besides received a reinforcement of Bam
bergh troops from the army in the country of
Namui, which Baron deßealieu has fparedthem;
having raised the camp of Nalomont and another
advanced station, in order to detach those troops
for that more important station. They have
now numerous bodies of peasantry intermixed
with troops, who line the Banks of the Meufe
and the finaller rivers of Ourteand Vefce, inof
der to prevent an irruption.
The Compte de Gontreuil, who is indefatiga
ble in his arrargements, has taken station near
Chence to observe the motions of the Belgians.
The last accounts from Luxemburg h?ve raised
the desponding spirits of the Limburgeois and the
Auftrians ; they advise the arrival, on the 4th
inft. of 600 Wurtzburghefs and 400 horses, with
400 of Bender's regiment from Friburg ; and
they positively expect the advanced column of
the grand army by the end of the month : the
Comptede Braun, General of Artillery, who is
to command the whole army, is expecTted in a
few days, and there are no longer any doubts of
the march of the reft of the troops. Application
has been made to various of the circles for the
paflage of 40,000 men.
The Austrian relations of the late affairs, which
the Belgic details havefo much boasted of, differ
as usual; the former relate their whole loss in
the close attack, so vaunted by General Sclioen
feld, to amount to 17 men only.
They have published a lift of the cannon and
ammunition taken from the Patriots: One of
the pieces was a gifc of the ladies of Bruges,
another was from the gentlemen of the fame
town, and a third was an offering from the town
of Malines j the infeription of pro con flit utiane en
graved on them, is perhaps, as applicable in the
Iniperialifts hands as in their own.
The abode of Brussels is now become more
dangerous than ever for the true lovers ofjuftice
and freedom ; the outrages committed on those
who have alone profefled and pracftifed thofefen
titnents, are carried to the very utmost extent of
horror. A relation of the atrocities committed
last week with impunity, muftaffuredly open the
eyes of every one to the true principles of the
present Belgic adininiftration. Some wretches
of the volunteer company of Chafleurs, who have
always been prostituted to the arittocracy, on
Monday evening last, fell upon a young man of
another company, as he was parting the Hotel
d'Angleterre, and put him to death with repeat
ed strokes of their sabres. This unfortunate
youth incapable of making any resistance, hav
ing his right arm in a fling from a wound he had
received in the Patriotic ar.my, where he made
the laie expedition of forty days, had no other
fault than that of being a true patriot, and not
coinciding in the justice of all the measures of
the present government : he thus fell a cruel fa
crifice to the vengeance denounced by these
wretches upon many others. Besides, the fame
evening they found another vi<ftim, and if there
could be any aggravation to such atrocious
crimes, it was that of putting a feinblance of ju
dicial proceedings on this second offence. They
ook ai'o her young man to the guard house,
and there in that supposed fandtuary they cut
him to pieces with the fame barbarity. But this
is not all the horror ! The hypocritical and blood
thirsty priellrcrafr, far from denouncing venge
ance on such guilt', gave it a fancftion, by deny
| ng the maiigl d carcnfles of these two unhappy
[youths the accutlomed tribute of a consecrated