t a little at one side, balancing, as it were, the
figure of the dog opposite. The lines inclosing the entire group form
a pyramid.

The original painting is still beautiful in color, being among the
best preserved of Reynolds's works. Critics have pronounced it a
"matchless work that would have immortalized Reynolds had he never
painted anything else."

V

MASTER BUNBURY

By a pleasant coincidence the year 1768 brought to Reynolds's studio
for portrait sittings two young people who began an acquaintance at
this time which had a romantic ending. They were Miss Catherine
Horneck and Henry William Bunbury, who were married a few years later,
and were the parents of the little boy in our picture.

Miss Horneck was one of two pretty sisters who, upon their father's
death, had become wards of Sir Joshua, the family being old Devonshire
acquaintances of his. They were now living in London with their
mother, and were great pets in society. Goldsmith, who knew them well,
playfully named Miss Catherine "Little Comedy" from the resemblance
between her face and that of the allegorical figure of Comedy in one
of Reynolds's portraits of Garrick.

Mr. Bunbury was a gentleman of family and fortune, who had unusual
artistic talent. His special forte was in humorous subjects and
caricatures, and his works were sought and praised by connoisseurs.

Reynolds must have followed with affectionate interest the lives of
these young friends whose attachment had been fostered in his studio.
He always felt a fatherly regard for Mrs. Bunbury and a generous
admiration for her husband's artistic work. Their elder son, the boy
of our picture, was born in 1772, and was named Charles John. The
painter visiting his friends saw the child grow out of baby-hood and
become a sturdy boy. He was a beautiful child, with large eyes set
wide apart in his round face. His expression was delightfully frank
and honest. When he was nine years old the portrait was painted which
is reproduced in our illustration.

The boy sits under a tree in a pleasant landscape looking intently
before him at some object. Though he seems to have been carefully
dressed for some special occasion he has been enjoying himself in boy
fashion in spite of that. His ringletted hair is blown about by the
wind, and the coat is unbuttoned at the throat, as he drops down to
rest, hot and panting from some vigorous exercise.

His chubby hands rest on his knees, and his eyes are