Pennsylvania heard of his success, they felt that the prophecy of the
old preacher as to little Ben's future eminence was now accomplished.
It is true, they shook their heads at his pictures of battle and
bloodshed, such as the Death of Wolfe, thinking that these terrible
scene, should not be held up to the admiration of the world.

But they approved of the great paintings in which he represented the
miracles and sufferings of the Redeemer of mankind. King George
employed him to adorn a large and beautiful chapel at Windsor Castle
with pictures of these sacred subjects. He likewise painted a
magnificent picture of Christ Healing the Sick, which he gave to the
hospital at Philadelphia. It was exhibited to the public, and produced
so much profit that the hospital was enlarged so as to accommodate
thirty more patients. If Benjamin West had done no other good deed than
this, yet it would have been enough to entitle him to an honorable
remembrance forever. At this very day there are thirty poor people in
the hospital who owe all their comforts to that same picture..

We shall mention only a single incident more. The picture of Christ
Healing the Sick was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, where it
covered a vast space and displayed a multitude of figures as large as
life. On the wall, close beside this admirable picture, hung a small
and faded landscape. It was the same that little Ben had painted in his
father's garret, after receiving the paint-box and engravings from good
Mr. Pennington.

He lived many years in peace and honor, and died in 1820, at the age of
eighty-two. The story of his life is almost as wonderful as a fairy
tale; for there are few stranger transformations than that of a little
unknown Quaker boy, in the wilds of America, into the most distinguished