NOLLEKENS’ COMPLIMENTS.

Cunningham says that a portion of his sitters “were charmed into admirers by the downright bluntness of his compliments, which they regarded as so many testimonies on oath of their beauty. As a specimen of his skill in the difficult art of pleasing, take the following anecdotes. He was modelling the head of a lady of rank, when she forgot herself, changed her position, and looked more loftily than he wished. ‘Don’t look so scorney, woman,’ said the sculptor, modelling all the while, ‘else you will spoil my bust—and you’re a very fine woman—I think it will make one of my very best busts.’ Another time he said to a lady, who had a serious squint, ‘Look for a minute the other way, for then I shall get rid of a slight shyness in your eye, which, though not ungraceful in life, is unusual in art.’ On another occasion, a lady with some impatience in her nature was sitting for her portrait; every minute she changed her position, and with every change of position put on a change of expression, until his patience gave way. ‘Lord, woman!’ exclaimed the unceremonious sculptor, ‘what’s the matter how handsome you are, if you won’t sit still till I model you!’ The lady smiled, and sat ever afterwards like a lay figure.”