It is a great thing to paint a beautiful picture, but 't is a more
difficult feat to hypnotize the public into accepting the fact.

The live Keppel was pointed out on the street as the man who had had his
picture taken.

Now, people do not have portraits painted simply because they want
portraits painted: they want these portraits shown and admired.

To have Reynolds paint your portrait might prove a repetition of the
Keppel--who knows!

Sitters came and a secretary in livery took their names and made
appointments, as is done today in the office of a prosperous dentist.

Joshua Reynolds was young and strong, and he worked while it was called
the day. He worked from sunrise until sunset.

That first year in London he produced one hundred twenty portraits,
besides painting various other pictures. This he could not have done
without the assistance of a most loyal helper.

This helper was Giuseppe Marchi.

There are a half-dozen biographies of Reynolds, and from Boswell,
Walpole and Burney, Gossips-in-Ordinary, we have vivid glimpses into his
life and habits. Then we have his own journal, and hundreds of letters;
but nowhere do we get a frank statement of the assistance rendered him by
Giuseppe Marchi.