Chantrey's First Sculpture

: Begging.

Chantrey, when a boy, used to take milk to
Sheffield on an ass. To those not used to seeing and observing such things,

it may be necessary to state that the boys generally carry a good thick

stick, with a hooked or knobbed end, with which they belabour their asses

sometimes unmercifully. On a certain day, when returning home, riding on

his ass, Chantrey was observed by a gentleman to be intently engaged in

cutting a stick wit his penknife, and, excited by curiosity, he asked the

lad what he was doing, when, with great simplicity of manner, but with

courtesy, he replied, "I am cutting _old Fox's head_." Fox was the

schoolmaster of the village. On this, the gentleman asked to see what he

had done, pronounced it to be an excellent likeness, and presented the

youth with _sixpence_. This may, perhaps, be reckoned the first money

Chantry ever obtained in the way of his _art_.














Admiral Chatillon had gone one day to hear mass in the Dominican Friars'

chapel; a poor fellow came and begged his charity. He was at the moment

occupied with his devotions, and he gave him several pieces of gold from

his pocket, without counting them, or thinking what they were. The large

amount astonished the beggar, and as M. Chatillon was going out of the

church-door, the poor man waited for him: "Sir," said he, showing him what

he had given him, "I cannot think that you intended to give me so large a

sum, and am very ready to return it." The admiral, admiring the honesty of

the man, said, "I did not, indeed, my good man, intend to have given you so

much; but, since you have the generosity to offer to return it, I will have

the generosity to desire you to keep it; and here are five pieces more for

you."