In his
trouble he applied to the Chief of Kintail. 'Will you,' he said
in that theatrical style common to Lawrence, 'will you be the
Antonio to a Bassanio?' He promised to pay the L1000 in four years,
but the money was given on terms the most agreeable to the feelings
and complimentary to the talents of the artist. He was to repay it
with his pencil, and the chief sat to him for his portrait. Lord
Seaforth also commissioned from West one of those immense sheets of
canvas on which the old Academician delighted to work in his latter
years. The subject of the picture was the traditionary story of the
Royal hunt, in which Alexander the Third was saved from the assault
of a fierce stag by Colin Fitzgerald, a wandering knight unknown to
authentic history. West considered it one of his best productions,
charged L800 for it, and was willing some years afterwards, with a
view to the exhibition of his works, to purchase back the picture
at its original cost. In one instance Lord Seaforth did not evince
artistic taste. He dismantled Brahan Castle removing its
castellated features and completely modernising its general
appearance. The house, with its large modern additions, is a tall,
massive pile of building, the older portion covered to the roof with
ivy.
Pages:
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548