he other ate not,
therefore, fit for good company in general. Poets and men of genius who
find their way there, soon find their way out. They are not of that ilk,
with some exceptions. Painters who come in contact with majesty get on
by servility or buffoonery, by letting themselves down in some way. Sir
Joshua was never a favourite at court. He kept too much at a distance.
Beechey gained a vast deal of favour by familiarity, and lost it by
taking too great freedoms.(5) West ingratiated himself in the same
quarter by means of practices as little creditable to himself as his
august employer, namely, by playing the hypocrite, and professing
sentiments the reverse of those he naturally felt. Kings (I know not how
justly) have been said to be lovers of low company and low conversation.
They are also said to be fond of dirty practical jokes. If the fact is
so, the reason is as follows. From the elevation of their rank, aided by
pride and flattery, they look down on the rest of mankind, and would
not be thought to have all their advantages for nothing. They wish to
maintain the same precedence in private life that belongs to them as a
matter of outward ceremony. This pretension they cannot keep up by fair
means; for in wit or argument they are not superior to the common run of
men. They therefore answer a repartee by a practical joke, which turns
the laugh against others, and cannot be retaliated with safety. That
is, they avail themselves of the privilege of their situation to take
liberties, and degrade those about them, as they can only keep up the
idea of their own dignity by proportionably lowering their company.

NOTES to ESSAY XIV

(1) It is calculated that West cleared some hundred pounds by the
catalogues that were sold of his great picture of Death riding on the
Pale Horse.

(2) I cannot say how in this respect it might have fared if a Mr.
Mudford, a fat gentleman, who might not have 'liked yon lean and hungry
Roscius,' had continued in the theatrical department of Mr. Perry's
paper at the time of this actor's first appearance; but I had been put
upon this duty just before, and afterwards Mr. Mudford's _spare_ talents
were not in much request. This, I believe, is the reason why he takes
pains every now and then to inform the readers of the _Courier_ that it
is impossible for any one to understand a word that I write.

(3) I (not very long ago) had the pleasure of spending an evening with
Mr. Betty, when we