We must not forget, whilst we are on this subject, to make some remarks
on his custom of painting by night, which confirms what I have already
mentioned,--his great affection to his art; since he could not amuse
himself in the evening by any other means so agreeable to himself. I am
indeed much inclined to believe that it is a practice very advantageous
and improving to an artist: for by this means he will acquire a new and
a higher perception of what is great and beautiful in nature. By
candlelight not only objects appear more beautiful, but from their being
in a greater breadth of light and shadow, as well as having a greater
breadth and uniformity of colour, nature appears in a higher style; and
even the flesh seems to take a higher and richer tone of colour.
Judgment is to direct us in the use to be made of this method of study;
but the method itself is, I am very sure, advantageous. I have often
imagined that the two great colourists, Titian and Correggio, though I
do not know that they painted by night, formed their high ideas of
colouring from the effects of objects by this artificial light.
_Reynolds._
[Illustration: _Gainsborough_ THE CHILDREN AND THE BUTTERFLY _Mansell_]