The remaining incidents in Barry's life are only worth recording, as they serve to illustrate a truth, which cannot be too frequently inculcated, that mo roseness of temper, and rudeness of manner, will always present an insuperable bar to the success of talents however splendid, and accomplishments how ever distinguished. We find Barry elected profes sor of painting in the royal academy ; yet quarrel :ling with every one of his associates, accusing them of cabals and conspiracies against him, holding them up to the ridicule and detestation of his pupils, and at length attacking them publicly in an intem perate invective, which reduced them to the neces sity of thrusting him from his chair—a chair which, with more temper, he might have filled with the high est honour to himself, and advantage to the art which he professed. We find him, after the pre-eminence of his genius had been universally acknowledged, de • prived of almost every friend, sunk in the lowest indi gence, scowling with malignity on mankind, whom he in general regarded as active enemies, and stung with the keenest torments of disappointed expecta tions, and mortified pride. To such a frantic height, did his fear of conspiracies reach, that he would not keep a servant, lest the active malice of his enemies should employ her as an instrument for his destruc tion. His house presented a picture of the most complete wretchedness ; its walls sunk, and its win dows broken ; without even a bed that deserved the name ; dirty, gloomy, and cold. Such a house seem ed to offer but little temptation to plunderers ; yet it was twice broken into, and robbed of several hundred pounds. The loss was made up to Barry by the mu nificence of the Earl of Radnor, and two gentlemen of the name of Hollis ; but still his capital was too small to enable him to procure a more comfortable mansion. He had planned and begun a series of paintings to represent the progress of theology ; but his narrow circumstances, and the want of proper ac commodation, prevented him from proceeding with this design. In this situation he attracted the atten tion and pity of the Earl of Buchan, who set on foot a public subscription on his behalf, as the best mode of relieving his necessities without wounding his pride, which would probably have spurned at the 'idea of accepting any boon from individual benevolence. The subscription when closed amounted to about a thou sand pounds, with which the friends of Mr Barry had just purchased an annuity, when their benevolent ex ertions were rendered useless by his death, which hap• pened on the 22d February, 1806.
As an artist, Barry was distinguished by the gran deur of his conceptions, and the general magnificence of his designs. Glowing with the enthusiasm of ge nius, and impressed with an early conviction of the paramount importance of his art, he pursued, with in defatigable ardour, whatever could be made even re motely subservient to his professional improvement. He beheld the face of nature with the exquisite rap ture of a poet ; and while he contemplated its mag nificent or tranquil Scenes, felt his mind expand with the finest conceptions of grandeur and of beauty. He
read, with all the interest of a kindred mind, the works of our most classical bards,and had completely digested and appropriated whatever was most pleasing or exalt ed in their descriptions. But his favourite study was his tory, which presented to his discriminating eye, all the varieties of character, action, and passion, and furnish ed valuable hints for his direction in the high style of historical painting. The monuments of Grecian sculp ture, which he contemplated in Italy with almost ido latrous admiration, led him to the study of mytho logy, in which he acquired the skill and taste of an accomplished critic. And his early education, aided by the religious subjects of the Italian paintings, gave his mind so strong a bias for theology, that there was scarcely a fact in its history with which he was not acquainted. All these accomplishments were consi •dered by himself as mere auxiliaries to his art ; and their advantage is sufficiently apparent in his paint ings, which, however deficient in correctness and exe cution, are allowed by all to be almost unrivalled in the sublimity of idea, and vast reach of thought ex pressed in their design. But his varied acquisitions appear with still more admirable effect in his writings, which contain more acute and able criticisms on the va rious styles and productions of the great masters in painting, and more judicious rules for the practice of that art, than any work of the same kind that has ever been given to the world. How much is it to be regret ted, that such an artist had not been enabled, by the independence of his circumstances, to follow out, without distraction, his own magnificent ideas ; or that the sternness and irritability of his temper pre vented him from reaping the full advantage of his su periority ! In justice to his character, however, we must observe, that though thus repulsive and irascible, he was by no means deficient in the better qualities of the heart. He was susceptible of the warmest friendship ; and had not his mind been soured by de pendence and misfortune, might have been a cheer ful and engaging companion. His honesty, his can dour, and his sincerity, were proverbial ; and his de sires were so moderate and well regulated, that he could submit, without repining, to privations, which few men in polished life could even sustain.
His principal paintings were, a picture of Adam and Eve, Venus, Jupiter and Juno, and the paintings in the great room in the Society-of Arts. His writings are, Lectures on Painting ; Observations on different Works of Art in France and Italy ; Fragment on the Story, and Painting of Pandora ; An Inquiry into the Real and Imaginary Obstructions to the Acquisition of the Arts in England ; A Letter to the Dilettanti Society ; An Account of a Series of Pictures in the Great Room of the Society of Arts, &c. ; A Letter to the President, Vice Presidents, and the rest of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Society for the en couragement of Arts, &c. See the Works of the late James Barry, Esq. with a sketch of his life pre fixed. (k)