Copley, the father of Lord Lyndhurst, painted a vast picture of the
Relief afforded to the Crew of the Enemy’s Gun-boats on their taking
fire at the Siege of Gibraltar. The painting was immense, and it was
managed by means of a roller, so that any portion of it, at any time,
might be easily seen or executed. The artist himself was raised on a
platform. The picture was at length completed, and a most signal mark of
royal favour was granted the painter, by his receiving permission to
erect a tent in the Green Park for its exhibition. It attracted
thousands. Beneath the principal subjects, in small, was painted Lord
Howe’s relief of the garrison of Gibraltar; and the portraits of Lords
Heathfield and Howe, (heads only,) occupied each one side of this
smaller subject.
When Copley’s magnificent picture, afterwards hung up in the Egyptian
darkness of the Council-room in Guildhall, was first exhibited, Dr.
Dibdin one day placed himself in front of it, and was sketching the
portrait of Lord Heathfield with a pencil on the last blank page of the
catalogue, when some one to his right exclaimed, “Pretty well, but you
give too much nose.” The Doctor turned round--it was the artist himself,
who smiled, and commended his efforts.