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
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