the bearer if I shall wait upon you, the designs shall be ready for you to aprove or disaprove of, according as you shall finde them to your purpose; as for making me loose and in your company, I should always be proud of ye honor of spending my tyme so agreeably, and believe me to be with all respect, Honored S', Your most humble and most obedient Servt, Monday morning, 8 a Clock. JA. GIBBS. gate that leads from the schools. The assemblage of buildings in that quarter, though no single one is beautiful, always struck me with singular pleasure, as it displays such a vision of large edifices, unbroken by private houses, as the mind is apt to entertain of the renowned cities that exist no longer. In 1728, Gibbs published a large folio of his own designs, which I think will confirm the character I have given of his works. His arched windows, his rustick-laced windows, his barbarous buildings for gardens, his cumbrous chimney-pieces, and vases without grace, are striking proofs of his want of taste. He got 1500l. by this publication, and sold the plates after for 400l. more." LETTER XXXIV. GIBBS TO POPE. For ALEX'. POPE, Esq. at the RIGHT HONble, the LORD BATHURSTS HOUSE, in ST. JAMES Sqr. Gerard Street, 4 a Clocke. Sr. Mr. Rysbracks house is in the further end of Bond Street, & up cross Tyburn Rode in La. * J. Michael Rysbrack, the best sculptor that has appeared in these islands since Le Soeur, was born at Antwerp. His father was a landscape painter, and had been in England, but quitted it with Largelliere, and went to Paris, where he married, and returning to Brussels and Antwerp, died at the latter in 1726, at the age of four score. Michael his son arrived here in 1720, then about the age of twenty-six, and began by modelling small figures in clay to show his skill. The Earl of Nottingham sat to him for his bust, in which the artist succeeded so well, that he began to be employed on large works, particularly monuments. For some time he was engaged by Gibbs, who was sensible of the young man's merit, but turned it to his own account, contracting for the figures with the persons who bespoke the tombs, and gaining the chief benefit from the execution. Thus, Gibbs received 1001. a-piece for the figures on Prior's monument, yet paid Rysbrach but 351. each. The statuary, though no vain man, felt his own merit, and shook off his dependance on the architect, as he became more known and more admired. Business crowded upon him, and for many years all great works were committed to him; and Oxfords grownd upon the right hand, going to his Chaple-but I will waite on you at Williames his deep knowledge of his art and singular industry gave general satisfaction. His models were thoroughly studied and ably executed; and as a sculptor capable of furnishing statues was now found, our taste in monuments improved, which till Rysbrach's time, had depended more on masonry and marbles, than statuary. Besides numbers more, Rysbrach executed the monuments of Sir Isaac Newton and of the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim, and the equestrian statue in bronze of King William at Bristol, in 1733, for which he received 1,800l. Scheemaker's model, which was rejected, was, however, so well designed, that the city of Bristol made him a present of 501. for his trouble. Rysbrach made also a great many busts, and most of them very like, as of Mr. Pope, Gibbs, sir R. Walpole, the duke and duchess of Argyle, the duchess of Marlborough, Lord Bolingbroke, Wootton, Ben Jonson, Butler, Milton, Cromwell, and himself; the statue of King George I. and of King George II. at the Royal Exchange; the heads in the hermitage at Richmond, and those of the English worthies in the Elysian fields. at Stowe. Walpole's Lives of Painters. The business and reputation of Rysbrach were both injured by the appearance of Scheemaker's Shakspeare in Westminster Abbey, and still more so by the competition of Roubiliac. In order to redeem his fame, he produced his Hercules, "an exquisite summary of his skill, knowledge, and judgement," for which he studied the persons of the most athletick men he could find. His fortune was, however, inferior to his merit, and he was obliged to make a sale of his models a short time before his death, which happened Jan. 8, 1770. coffie house near St. James's, about five on thurs day, who am, St. your most humble Serv1. JAS. GIBBS. I beg my most dutyfull respect to My Lord Bathurst. LETTER XXXV. POPE TO SIR, I'm sorry to give you this trouble, which I'm forced to, on account of a letter directed to our man at Mr. Jervas's in Cleveland Court, which I yesterday sent by one of y' servants from Twitenham. There was enclosed in it a paper of great concern, which I find was never brought to my lodging. I beg you to enquire ab it, & let it be given to the bearer; if possible tonight; if not you'l extremely oblige me in sending ye letter to-morrow very early to me, it I am desired by my Aunt Marie to acquaint you wth her recepion of your kinde Lrre, and that it came safe to her hands; she takes y same as a very great favour from you, and now returns you her hearty thankes, She also is glad you are returned safely from your longe Journeys, and wishes you all ye happiness ye world affords. The death of her sister makes a great impression upon her, but the extraordinary manner you have represented it to her, does much conduce to ye mitigation of y' affliccion. She is alsoe mightily |