The most material advantage which he derived from Lis residence in Dublin, was his acquaintance with Mr Burke, to whom he was introduced through the kind ness of Dr Sleigh, a physician in Cork, and a very en lightened amateur of the art of which Barry became so distinguished a master. In one of his first interviews with Mr Burke, an amusing incident took place, which could not fail to increase highly their mutual admira tion and friendship. They were disputing on the sub ject of the arts as grounded on taste, when Barry, in opposition to Mr Burke's opinion, quoted the autho rity of a very able, though anonymous treatise, which had lately appeared. Mr Burke ridiculed the work as a mere theoretical romance, unworthy of attention, and useless as an authority. The contest became warm ; and Barry's defence of this admired perform ance was rising even into rage, when Mr Burke, to appease him, acknowledged himself the author. Bar ry flew with transport to embrace him, and sheaved him a copy of the Essay on the Sublime and Beau tiful which he had been at the pains to transcribe.
After residing about eight months in Dublin, he accompanied some of Mr Burke's family to London ; where he was introduced, through the recommenda tion of his distinguished friend, to the most eminent painters, and engaged in an employment, which, though not very dignified, at least afforded him the means of subsistence, and promised considerable pro fessional improvement. That employment was to copy in oil colours drawings by Mr Stewart, the successor of Hogan!), better known by the name of Athenian Stewart. But to become a finished artist, it was necessary that he should study the works of the great Italian masters ; and his generous patrons, Mr Edmund Burke, and his two brothers, provided him with the means of enjoying this essential advan tage. Accordingly he set out for the Continent to wards the latter end of the year 1765. During a re sidence of about ten months in Paris; he was very di ligently employed in studying the best works in the various collections which that city contains, and in drawing after living subjects in St Luke's academy. From Paris lie proceeded to Rome, where he continued nearly five years.
His mode of study, during his residence in that great emporium of the arts, was very different from the course generally pursued by young artists who resort thither for improvement. With an imagina tion capable of conceiving and of relishing whatever is grand and beautiful in art, he contemplated, with the most enthusiastic admiration, the noble specimens of both, which he found in the antique statues, and in the works of Michael Angelo, Raphael, and Titian. These inimitable models so completely occupied his atten tion, that, in one of his letters to Sir Joshua Reynolds, lie informs him, that for near three years he had never employed himself for two hours on any thing else, except some little things of his own invention, and a piece of a figure of a Magdalen by A nnibal Carracci.
From these he endeavoured to exalt and refine his ideas of perfection in painting ; and to catch the spirit which they breathed without condescending often to the mechanical drudgery of copying. We should be disposed, perhaps, to regret that more of his time was not devoted to his practical improve ment in the art, were we not convinced that the very masterly criticisms which he has made on most of the paintings which he studied, and the excellent rules which he has deduced from them, are a much more valuable legacy to future artists, than the most finished productions, which, with the utmost atten tion to mechanical execution, his pencil could ever have produced.
Soon after his arrival in Rome, he was engaged in keen hostilities with the Cicerones. The con tempt which they expressed for English artists, many of whom were his particular friends, offended at once his private feelings, and his national pride. His temper, naturally irritable, was often inflamed to rage, in the defence of his opinions, which, though generally correct, were frequently singular ; while the knavery of the traffickers in antiquity, continual ly employed in duping his countrymen, drew from him the most passionate expressions of indignation. He became of course an object of general hatred to all the artists who resided at Rome ; and his imagination was continually haunted with the idea i of conspiracies formed to injure and depress him. By the mild and judicious remonstrances of his friends in London, he appears to have been in some measure restored to his temper and to peace; for in one of his letters we hear him say, that he spends his time agreeably with those whom he had formerly re garded with so much rancour and apprehension.
On his return to England in 1771, he determined to distinguish himself by some masterly production, which might at once establish his fame as a painter. The subject which he chose was Venus ; and the public immediately recognized his amazing powers in em bodying the most exquisite ideas of beauty and graces Next year lie produced a picture of Jupiter and Juno on Mount Ida, which was received as a favourable specimen of his talents for the great style. In the choice of his next subject, the death of General Wolfe, he was extremely unfortunate : for how could he expect to succeed in painting figures in the mo dern costume, which he had always affected to de spise, as disguising the human form ? The same con tempt for the stiffness of modern dress rendered him extremely averse to portrait painting, which he con sidered, at any rate, as but an inferior branch of the art ; but this can never apologise for his ingratitude and incivility to his steady friend and patron Mr Burke, Dr Brocklesby had expressed a desire to have a portrait of that gentleman painted by Barry; and Mr Burke,.