A Ready-Witted Painter.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 17 June 1890, Page 2

A Ready- Witted Painter.

— : ♦ ... ■„_,. ,_ , ■•, Sir John Watson .Gordon, who ultimately became president of ; the. Royal Scottisli Academy, used to tell this story of Lord Palmers ton :— I. had exhibited for several years, but without 1 any particular success. One year, however — the year before I painted ' The Corsi : cans ' — Lord Paltnerston took a sudden fancy to.: my pic^ur* cal'erl ' Summer in the Lowlands,' and bonght it at a high figure. His Lordship, at the same time made inquiries after the artist, an 1 invited me to call upon him. I waited upon His Lordship accordingly. ,He complimented me upon tW picture, but there was one -thing about it he could not understand. " What is it, my lord ?" I asked.- • " That there should be such Ion? grass in a field where there artf So many sheep.', said His Fordship, promptly, and with a merry twinkle of his eye It was a decided hit. that ; aa^. Having bought ifc he was entit'.ed tr> his joke. •' How do ynu account for it ?" he went on, smiling, and: looking firpt at the picture and thtn at- me. " Thf^se sheep, my lord,'' I replied, 11 were only turned into the field ilie night before I finished the picture." His Lordship laughed hearti'v, and said '• Bravo !" at ray replr, ftnd'ghve me a commission for two more pic. tures ; a>d I have cached since then some very notabfo cheques of his, dear old boy ! ;