During the delivery of one of his lectures, in which he calls landscape
painters the topographers of art, Beechey admonished Turner with his
elbow of the severity of the sarcasm; presently, when Fuseli described
the patrons of portrait painting as men who would give a few guineas to
have their own senseless heads painted, and then assume the air and use
the language of patrons, Turner administered a similar hint to Beechey.
When the lecture was over, Beechey walked up to Fuseli, and said, "How
sharply you have been cutting up us poor laborers in portraiture!" "Not
you, Sir William," exclaimed the professor, "I only spoke of the blasted
fools who employ you!"