His vanity and conceit knew no bounds. He copied a picture by Titian in
the Royal collection, which he thought so vastly superior to the
original, that on its completion he exclaimed with great complacency,
"Poor little Tit, how he would stare!" Walpole says, "Jervas had
ventured to look upon the fair Lady Bridgewater with more than a
painter's eye; so entirely did that lovely form possess his imagination,
that many a homely dame was delighted to find her picture resemble Lady
Bridgewater. Yet neither his presumption nor his passion could
extinguish his self-love." One day, as she was sitting to him, he ran
over the beauties of her face with rapture--'but,' said he, "I cannot
help telling your ladyship that you have not a handsome ear." "No!"
returned the lady, "pray, Mr. Jervas, what is a handsome ear?" He turned
his cap, and showed her his own. When Kneller heard that Jervas had sent
up a carriage and four horses, he exclaimed, "Ah, mine Got! if his
horses do not draw better than he does, he will never get to his
journey's end!"