fered in opinion; some being inclined to give the palm to Berry, while others preferred Piccler. The works of these two artists were well known to each other; and each declared, with that manly kind of ingenuousnefs, which superior genius alone can confer on the human mind, that the other was greatly his superior. Berry admired the works of Piccler with the most unqualified approbation; and the writer of this article, thinks he never gave such high satisfaction, by a small mark of attention, as he gave to Mr Berry, by giving him an imprefsion of the head of the present pope Braschi, done by Piccler, which he had got from Mr Byres, the gentleman whose, animated vindication of the Scotch, makes such a conspicuous figure in Moore's travels in Italy.

Mr Berry possessed not merely the art of imitating busts, or figures set before him, in which he could observe and copy the prominence, or the deprefsion of the parts; but he pofsefsed a faculty which presupposes a much nicer discrimination, viz. that of being able to execute a figure in relievo, with perfect justnefs in all its parts, which was copied from a drawing or painting upon a flat surface. This was fairly put to the test in the head he executed of Hamilton of Bangour. That gentleman had been dead some years, when his relations wished to have a head of him executed by Berry. Mr Berry, had never himself seen Mr Hamilton, and there remained no picture of him but an imperfect sketch, which was by no means a striking likeness. This was put into the hands of Mr Berry, to serve

as a model for him to work upon, by a person who had known Mr Hamilton very well, and who pointed out the defects of the painting in the best way that words can be made to correct things of this nature; and from this picture, with the ideas that Mr Berry had imbibed from the corrections, he made a head, which every one who knew Mr Hamilton, allowed to be one of the most perfect likenesses that could be wifhed for. In this, as in all his works, there was a correctness in the outline, and a truth and delicacy in the expression of the features, highly emulous of the best antiques; which were indeed” the models on which he formed his taste.

Besides the heads above named, he also executed some full length figures, both of men and other aanimals, in a stile of superior elegance. But that attention to the interests of a numerous family, which a man of sound principles, as Mr Berry was, could never allow him to lose sight of, made him forego these amusing exertions, for the more lucrative, though lefs pleasing employment, of cutting heraldic seals, which may be said to have been his constant employment from morning to night, for forty years together, with an afsiduity that has few examples in modern times. In this department he was without dispute the first artist of his time; but even here, that modesty, which was so peculiarly his own, and that invariable desire to give full perfection to ever thing he put out of his hands, prevented him from drawing such emolument from his labours as he might, and ought to have done. Of this the following anecdote, which consists with the perfect

knowledge of the writer, will serve as an example and illustration.

The duke of B

h, when he succeeded

to his estate, was desirous of having a seal cut with his arms, &c. properly blazoned upon it. But as there were no less than thirty-two compartments in the shield, which was of necefsity confined to a very small space, so as to leave room for the supporters, and other ornaments, within the compafs of a seal of an ordinary size, he found it a matter of great difficulty to get it executed. Though a native of Scotland himself, the duke never expected to find a man of the first rate eminence in Edin-. burgh; but applied to the most eminent seal engravers in London and in Paris, all of whom declined to do it, as a thing that exceeded their power to execute. At this his grace was highly disappointed; and having expressed to a gentleman, who was on a visit to him, the vexation he felt on this occasion, the gentleman, who knew Mr Berry, afked if he had applied to Mr Berry. "No, (said the duke;) I did not think of finding any one in Edinburgh, who could execute a task that exceeded the powers of the first artists in London and Paris." The gentleman said he was in a mistake; and that he would undertake that Berry could execute it. The duke, impatient to try, went to Edinburgh with the gentleman next morning, who called upon Mr Berry, whom he found, as usual, sitting at his wheel. Without introducing the duke, or saying any thing particular to Mr Berry, he just fhowed him an impression of a seal that the duchefs dowager had got cut a good

many years before, by a Jew in London, who was dead before the duke thought of his seal, and which had been shown to the others as a pattern, afking him if he would cut a seal the same with that. After examining it a little, Mr Berry answered readily that he would. The duke, pleased and astonished at the same time, cried out, "Will you by G-d !” Mr Berry, who thought this implied some sort of doubt of his abilities, was a little piqued at it; and turning round to the duke, whom he had never seen before, nor knew; Yes (said he,) Sir; if I do not make a better seal than this, I fhall take no payment for it.' The duke, highly pleased, left the pattern with Mr Berry, and went away. The pattern seal contained, indeed, the various devices.on the thirty-two compartments, distinctly enough to be seen, but none of the colours were exprefsed. Mr Berry, in a proper time, finished the seal; on which the figures were not only done with superior elegance, but the colours on every part so distinctly marked, that a painter could delineate the whole, or a herald blazon it, with the most perfect accuracy. For this extraordinary exertion of talents, he charged no more than thirty-two guineas, though the pattern seal had cost seventy-five. Thus it was, that, notwithstanding he pofsefsed talents of the most superior kind, and afsiduity almost unequalled, observing at all times a strict economy in his family, Mr Berry died at last, in circumstances that were not affluent; which adds one more to the numerous list of examples, that genius seldom tends to augment the domestic prosperity of man, And that

unless a man of eminence in arts appreciates his own works properly, and is so fortunately situated as to be brought forward to public view, during his own life time, he may be suffered to live neglected, and die without having tasted of the fruits of that ge

nius.

Besides eminence as an artist, Mr Berry occupied a high degree of respect among the circle of his acquaintance, on account of the integrity of his moral character, and the strict principles of honour which on all occasions influenced his conduct. He married a daughter of Mr Andrew Anderson of Drefsalrig, a man of the strictest probity, with whom he lived in habits of the most cordial intimacy. By her he left a numerous family of children, who now promise to become distinguished members of the community to which they belong.

Mr Berry died on the third of June 1783, in the fifty-third year of his age.

The portrait from which this engraving is taken, is a very striking likeness, which the engraver, with his usual ability, has happily catched in the figure that accompanies this number.

ANECDOTE.

AUGUSTUS, king of Poland, had passed for a prodigy of strength. At the table of the emperor, he took a silver dish, in which there was wine, and having made a globe of it, confined the wine in it close every way; then squeezing it with his fingers, made the wine play to the very roof of the apartment. VOL. XIV.