This merry imp is the portrait of a child, which was painted without any
particular aim as to character. When Alderman Boydell saw it, he said:
“Sir Joshua, if you will make this pretty thing into a Puck, for my
Shakspeare Gallery, I will give you a hundred guineas for it.” The
President smiled and said little, as was his custom: a few hours’ happy
labour made the picture what we see it.