British breaking into the plantation, burning her winter firewood, and trampling down her vegetable garden; or entering into Mrs. Hopkinson's pleasure when her son Francis writes her of the cordial reception given him by his English relatives. Mrs. Hopkinson belonged to the Johnsons and Hydes, the latter Queen Anne's people, and Francis Hopkinson's letters from abroad are full of interesting details of life at Hartlebury Castle, the residence of his cousin the Bishop of Worcester, of English sayings and doings, and of encountering the Wests and other friends in London.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin West naturally entertained many Americans in their English home. Mr. Shewell, a cousin of Mrs. West, upon his return from England related numerous anecdotes of Mr. West's famous Sunday dinners, when Englishmen and distinguished countrymen of his own met around his hospitable board. "Mrs. West," he says, "was always American at heart, never losing her affection for her country and its customs. One day, while at dinner, a tall flunky placed a plate care

fully covered with a napkin before Mrs. West. 'Don't laugh at me, Cousin Tom!' she exclaimed, lifting the napkin and revealing a collection of corn-cobs. These are the result of my endeavor to grow green corn in our hot-house; but I had the cobs boiled to get the smell, anyhow.""

Mrs. West was a Philadelphia Quakeress, as was her kinswoman, the mother of Leigh Hunt. Of his mother's loveliness of character the poet writes with enthusiasm, while Mrs. West seems to have possessed a charm and vivacity all her own. A painting by Benjamin West, recently discovered in a family garret, represents his wife with her child in her arms, the costume and position evidently in imitation of the old masters. West was an early patron of the younger artist, John Singleton Copley, whose star, then rising, was destined to eclipse that of his patron. A quaint little sketch of Master Copley* and his

* This little boy was afterwards made Lord Lyndhurst, and was twice Lord Chancellor of England. His daughter, the Hon. Sophia Copley, married Mr. Hamilton Beckett, thus uniting, after many years of residence

scenes.

sister is to be found among West's drawings, while the charming face of Mrs. Copley appears in a number of her husband's paintings, especially in his Scriptural Mrs. Copley, like Mrs. West, was an ideal artist's wife, combining grace and beauty with strong New England common sense and executive ability. To the brush of Copley we are indebted for such interesting portraits of Colonial women as that of the beautiful Lady Wentworth, in which appears the flying squirrel, which seems to have been as great a favorite with Copley as was the King Charles spaniel with Van Dyck; and that of Mrs. Samuel Alleyne Otis, in the dress of a shepherdess, fair enough to have won the heart of any number of Florizels, and, like Perdita, to have drawn her sheep to "leave grazing, and only live by gazing."

Among Benjamin West's earlier portraits is that of Mrs. Thomas Hopkinson, which now hangs in the rooms of the

abroad, these two distinguished American families, the Hamiltons and the Copleys.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in the company of her son and her son's son, the latter, Joseph Hopkinson, author of "Hail Columbia," surrounded by fair daughters and daughters-in-law. One of the most attractive figures in this group is Mary Hopkinson, wife of Dr. John Morgan. A lady in fanciful attire with a mandolin in her hand-the Hopkinsons were then, as now, a musical race-is what the painting reveals, while from her numerous letters we can form some idea of the frank, observing, and vivacious young. woman, of whom her husband writes to his mother-in-law in 1775, describing their journey from Philadelphia to Cambridge,—

"Had Mrs. Morgan been a Princess she might have been received with Pomp and Magnificence, but not with a heartier welcome, were even her own Mamma, the Queen Mother, to receive us, than our relations have given us, both Mr. and Mrs. Clifford * and Mr.

* Probably Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clifford, whose country place, Rocky Point, on the Delaware, nearly opposite Burlington, was so frequently visited by those gay girls, the Misses Guest and Miss Sarah Eve. The Misses Guest were nieces of Mrs. Clifford.

and Mrs Kirkbride. She is an excellent companion at all times, but if possible excells herself on the road. She is full of spirits. Our horses are gentle as lambs and yet perform most admirably and we are truly happy that notwithstanding the rain, she escaped getting wet. It would delight you to get a glimpse of us just now, Col. Kirkbride at the violin and she at the harpsichord and sings most blithely and most sweetly."

Dr. John Morgan was appointed Director-General of Hospitals and Physician-in-Chief to the army in 1775, and it was upon this long and fatiguing journey that the husband and wife set forth so cheerfully. In one of her letters Mrs. Morgan begs her mother to write to her as often as possible, advising her to send her letters to Miss Morris, Mrs. Mifflin's sister, who had told her that "there would be an opportunity every three days." Of their reception at Cambridge she writes that there came

"six or eight of the gentlemen of the faculty to wait upon Dr. Morgan and escort us to the Camp, some of them on horse back and some of them in carriages. I do assure you we had no small cavalcade. My good friend Mrs. Mifflin met us on the way in her chariot and conducted us to her house, where we are to stay till we are settled in one of our own. You may, my dear