Some Account xcix
as hard with his pencil, as any mechanick;
working at his trade for bread.55 About two
days in the week, during the winter, he
dined abroad ; once, and sometimes oftener,
he had company at home by invitation j and
during the remainder of the week he dined
with his family, frequently with the addition
of two or three friends. It muft not be un-
derstood that the days of every week were
thus regularly distributed by a fixed plan ;
but this was the general course. In the
evenings, when not engaged by the Academy,
or in some publick or private assembly, or
at the theatre, he was fond of collecting a
few friends at home, and joining in a party
at whist, which was his favourite game.
55 An observation made by Dr. Johnson on Pope, is
extremely applicable to our author, when employed in his
painting-room. “ He was one of those few whose labour
is their pleasure : he was never elevated into negligence,
nor wearied to impatince ; he never passed a fault un-
corrected by indifference, nor quitted it by despair. He
laboured his works, first to gain reputation, and afterwards
to keep it." LIVES OF THE POETS, iv. 163.