Shortlegsinaheroicpicturewillneverdo；and，uponthewhole，Ithinkthepainter’sattemptattheheroicinpaintingthemayoroftheoldtownadecidedfailure。IfIamnowaskedwhetherthepicturewouldhavebeenaheroiconeprovidedthepainterhadnotsubstitutedhisownlegsforthoseofthemayor-Imustsay，Iamafraidnot。IhavenoideaofmakingheroicpicturesoutofEnglishmayors，evenwiththeassistanceofNormanarches；yetIamsurethatcapitalpicturesmightbemadeoutofEnglishmayors，notissuingfromNormanarches，butratherfromthedoorofthe’Checquers’orthe’BrewersThree。’Thepainterinquestionhadgreatcomicpower，whichhescarcelyevercultivated；hewouldfainbeaRafael，whichhenevercouldbe，whenhemighthavebeensomethingquiteasgood-anotherHogarth；theonlycomicpiecewhichheeverpresentedtotheworldbeingsomethinglittleinferiortothebestofthatillustriousmaster。Ihaveoftenthoughtwhatacapitalpicturemighthavebeenmadebymybrother’sfriend，if，insteadofmakingthemayorissueoutoftheNormanarch，hehadpaintedhimmovingunderthesignofthe’Checquers，’
orthe’ThreeBrewers，’withmace-yes，withmace，-themaceappearsinthepictureissuingoutoftheNormanarchbehindthemayor，-butlikewisewithSnap，andwithwhiffler，quartpot，andfrying-pan，BillyBlindandOwlenglass，Mr。PetulengroandPakomovna；-then，hadheclappedhisownlegsuponthemayor，oranyoneelseintheconcourse，whatmatter？ButIrepeatthatI
havenohopeofmakingheroicpicturesoutofEnglishmayors，or，indeed，outofEnglishfiguresingeneral。Englandmaybealandofheroichearts，butitisnot，properly，alandofheroicfigures，orheroicposture-making。Italy……whatwasIgoingtosayaboutItaly？
CHAPTERXXXIX
Noauthoritywhatever-Interference-Wondrousfarrago-BrandtandStruensee-Whatalife!-Thehearse-Mortalrelics-Greatpoet-Fashionandfame-Whatadifference-Oh，beautiful-Goodfornothing。