from which the early profusion of crape had disappeared,—'but since I saw you, I have met with an old Roman acquaintance of yours, who has made me an offer, and I don't know how he would like to see in our church a monument of such expense to my late husband. Indeed, on second thoughts, it would perhaps be considered quite enough, if I got our mason to put up a mural tablet, and that you know he can cut very prettily.' 'My charge, madam, for the model,' said the sculptor, 'is one hundred guineas.' 'Enormous! enormous!' said the lady, but drew out her purse and paid it." The mutability of human nature!
NOLLEKENS' COMPLIMENTS.
Cunningham says that a portion of his sitters
"were charmed into admirers by the downright
bluntness of his compliments, which they regarded
as so many testimonies on oath of their beauty. As
a specimen of his skill in the difficult art of pleasing,
take the following anecdotes. He was modelling
the head of a lady of rank, when she forgot herself,
changed her position, and looked more loftily
than he wished. 'Don't look so scorney, woman,'
said the sculptor, modelling all the while, 'else you
will spoil my bust—and you're a very fine woman—I
think it will make one of my very best busts.'
Another time he said to a lady, who had a serious
squint, 'Look for a minute the other way, for then
I shall get rid of a slight shyness in your eye, which,
