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193

PYRRHUS AT THE COURT OF GLAUCIAS.

(Painted by M. Vincent.)

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Few princes have had so precarious an existence as Pyrrhus, King of Epirus. The Molossians, having revolted against Eacides his father, were desirous of destroying the whole of the royal family-Pyrrhus was then in his cradle. Some faithful domestics, however, contrived to conceal him from his murderers, and fled with him to the Megarians; but, upon the road, they very narrowly escaped being overtaken by their pursuers. "At length, says Plutarch, "having eluded their vigilance, they arrived at the palace of Glaucias, King of Sclavonia, whom they found seated, with his wife, and placed the child before him. The King remained, for some time, silent, revolving in his mind in what manner he thould act, since he dreaded Cassander, who was the mortal enemy of the acideans. In the mean time, Pyrrhus, crawling on his hands and knees, took hold of the King's robe and raised himself by it before him. This, at first, excited the prince's attention; afterwards, an emotion of pity:-he appearing in the light of a supplicant, throwing himself freely upon his protection." Some say it was not to Glaucias that he addressed himself, but to the domestic gods, whom, raising himself beside them, he embraced. Glaucias conceiving this adventure to be by divine command, committed the child into the hands of his wife, and ordered that he should be brought up with his own children.

Rollin says, that:-"Cassander, the mortal enemy of Eacides, solicited the King to deliver the young prince into his hands, and offered him two hundred talents on that occasion; Glaucias, however, was struck with horror at such a proposal, and when the infant had attained the twelfth year of his age, he conducted him in person to Epirus with a powerful army, and reinstated him in his dominions; by which means the Molossians were compelled to submit. "When he had attained his seventeenth year, he began to think himself sufficiently established on the throne; and set out from his capital city for Illyria, in order to be present at the nuptials of one of the sons of Glaucias, with whom he had been brought up. The Molossians taking advantage of his absence, revolted a second time, drove all his friends out of the kingdom, seized all his treasures, and conferred the crown on Neoptolemus, his greatuncle. Pyrrhus being thus divested of his dominions, and finding himself destitute of all succours, retired to his brother-in-law Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, who had espoused his sister, Deidamia.

"This young prince distinguished himself among the bravest in the battle that was fought in the plains of Ipsus, and would not forsake Demetrius, even after he was defeated. He also preserved for him those Grecian cities which that prince had confided to him; and when a treaty of peace was concluded between Ptolemy and Demetrius, by the mediation of Seleucus, Pyrrhus went into Egypt as a hostage for his brother-in-law.

"During his continuance at the court of Ptolemy, he gave sufficient proofs of his strength, address, and extraordinary patience, in hunting exercises, and all other labours. Observing, that of all the wives of Ptolemy, Berenice had the greatest ascendancy over him, and that she surpassed the others in prudence, as well as beauty, he attached himself to her in particular; for as he was already an able politician, he neglected no opportunity of making his court to those on whom his fortune depended, and was studious to ingratiate himself with such persons as were capable of being useful to him. His noble and engaging demeanour procured him such a share of Ptolemy's esteem, that

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194

GARRICK IN THE CHARACTER OF RICHARD III.

he gave him Antigone, the daughter of Berenice, his favourite consort, in preference to several young princes, who demanded her in marriage. This lady was the daughter of Berenice, by Philip, her first husband, who was a Macedonian lord, little known with respect to any other particular. When Pyrrhus had espoused Antigone, the queen had so much influence over her consort as to induce him to grant his son-in-law a fleet, with a supply of money, which enabled him to repossess himself of his dominions."

Poussin, in one of his landscapes, admirably represented the flight of Pyrrhus to the Megarians; and two modern artists, of great celebrity-M. Vincent, professor of the Academy of Painting, at Paris; and Mr. West, President of the Royal Academy-have each depictured the moment in which Pyrrhus implores the protection of Giaucias. These two compositions possess very signal merit, and are remarkable for the beauty of their expressions, the happy disposition of the drapery, for freedom of execution, and strength of colouring.

The picture of Pyrrhus, one of the first pieces of M. Vincent, the figures of which are of the natural size, was exhibited at the Louvre a short time before the revolution, and was wrought in tapestry by command of Louis XVI.

GARRICK IN THE CHARACTER OF RICHARD III. (Painted by Hogarth.)

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Give me another horse! bind up my wounds!
Have mercy, Jesu! soft; I did but dream,

O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
The lights burn blue! It is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh."

Act V. Scene 3. In character and expression of countenance, Hogarth has been peculiarly happy; but in resemblance he has failed. "The features," says Ireland, have no likeness to the features of Mr. Garrick, and the figure gives an idea of a larger and more muscular man.' The accompaniments are no less appropriate than judicious: the lamp shedding a religious light, the crucifix placed at his head, the crown, sword, and armour before him, exhibit the descriptive powers of this celebrated geuius.

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The figures and tents in the back ground are likewise introduced with great propriety, and contribute to the interest of the scene.

Hogarth in his Analysis of Beauty observes, "The robes of state are always made large and full, because they give a grandeur of appearance suitable to offices of the greatest distinction," a precept which the drapery illustrates. This composition is simple, and the figures accurately drawn.

In painting Mr. Garrick in this character, Hogarth evinced considerable judgment. It was the first he appeared in, on the 19th of October, 1741, at Goodman's Fields, and his performance gave proof of those extraordinary talents which secured to him the celebrity he afterwards attained.

The paper adjoining the helmet, on which the following distich is written :

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not being brought to Richard until after the time represented in this scene, can only be reconciled by that licence which poets and painters exclusively

possess.

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