Benjamin, the greatest artist whom America has yet produced, was born in 1738, at Springfield in Pennsylvania. When a boy of seven, he began to exhibit his inclinations to art. According to the well known story, he was sitting by the cradle of the child of his elder sister. watching its sleep, when the infant happened to smile in its dreams, and, struck with its beauty, young Benjamin got some paper, and drew its portrait. The career thus begun was prosecuted amid many difficulties. The simple Quakers of his native province knew nothing of art; neither instructors nor copies were to be had, and he had to pursue his inclinations with such materials as chance threw in his way. It was impossible, however, to repress his genius; his perseverance overcame every obstacle; even his parents were led to abandon their Quaker principles, so far as to allow him to follow the vocation for which nature had marked him out, and at the age of eighteen he settled in Philadelphia as a portrait-painter. After a short time he removed to New York, where he practised his profession with considerable success. In 1760, through the assistance of some friends, he was enabled to complete his artistic education by a visit to Italy, where he remained nearly three years. Here he acquired a distinguished reputation as an historical portrait-painter; and so highly was his merit appreciated, that he was elected a member of the principal academies of Italy. On the expiry of his Italian visit he went to London on his route to America. The metropolis, however, held out powerful inducements to a young artist conscious of genius and zealous for fame; and he resolved to settle there as an historical painter. His success was not long in doubt. George III. took him under his special patronage; and thus supported by royal favour, commissions flowed in upon him from all quarters. He devoted his attention mainly to the painting of large pictures on historical and religious subjects, conceived, as he believed, and as his contemporaries were willing to believe, in the style of the old masters, and executed with great care and much taste. So high did he stand in public favour, that on the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds he was elected his successor as president of the Royal Academy, an office which he held for twenty-eight years. The monotony of his life in London presents few incidents deserving of special record. In 1802 he took advantage of the opportunity afforded by the peace of Amiens to visit Paris, and inspect the magnificent collection of the masterpieces of art, pillaged from the gallery of almost every capital in Europe, which then adorned the walls of the Louvre; and on his visit he was treated with the courtesy and deference due to a court artist and a man of talent. On his return to London, he devoted himself anew to the labours of his profession, which were, however, somewhat broken in upon by quarrels with some of the members of the Royal Academy. At one time he went the length of resigning his office, but a unanimous request that he should return to the chair induced him to recall his resignation. Time did not at all weaken the energy with which he laboured at his easel. When sixty-five, he painted one of his largest and best works, "Christ Healing the Sick." This was originally designed to be presented to the Quakers in Philadelphia, to assist in erecting an hospital in the town where West had first earned distinction as a painter. On its completion it was exhibited in London to immense crowds, and was purchased by the British Institution for 3000 guineas, West being allowed to make a copy of it, which, according to his original intention, he sent to Philadelphia. His subsequent works were nearly all on the same grand scale with the picture which had been so successful, but for obvious reasons did not meet with a very ready sale. He died in 1820, in his eighty-second year, and was buried in St Paul's, beside the other great masters of the pencil. Since his death his reputation has seriously declined. His works, which fond criticism ranked during his life with the great productions of the old masters, are now considered as in general formal, tame, wanting the freedom of nature, and the life which genius alone can breathe into the canvass. From this condemnation a few, however, of his works must be excepted.

His "Death on the Pale Horse" is allowed by all to deserve a large measure of the praise which it received on its first production; the "Death of Wolfe" possesses that dignity and nature which West so usually missed in his compositions; and his "Battle of La Hogue" is entitled to a very high place among British historical paintings. An account of West's life was published by Galt (Life and Studies of Benjamin West), and a biography of him occurs in Cunningham's Lives of Eminent British Painters.

West, Gilbert, was the son of Dr West, prebendary of Winchester, who published an edition of Pindar in 1697. He was born probably about 1700, and studied at Winchester, Eton, and subsequently at Christ Church, Oxford. His studious and serious turn inclined him to take orders; but Lord Cobham, his maternal uncle, diverted him from that pursuit, and gave him a cornetcy in his own regiment. This profession he soon quitted on account of an opening of another nature, which presented him with a flattering prospect of advancement in life. A number of young gentlemen were to be selected from the universities, and, at the expense of government, were to be taught foreign languages, and then sent to the secretary's office, to be initiated into business, and trained there for the public service, as envoys, ambassadors, &c. West was one of the few pitched upon; and, on his first introduction into that office, Lord Townshend, secretary of state, treated him with singular marks of regard, and the strongest inclinations to serve him were testified from all quarters. But Lord Cobham's strong opposition to the measures of the government rendered these advantages entirely fruitless; and the ministers honestly told West that he must not expect them to distinguish his merit, as any favours conferred upon him would be imputed as done to his uncle. He now left that office, and all his views of making his fortune, and, entering into the married state, retired to Wickham in Kent, where he lived in great domestic comfort and tranquil happiness. In 1752 he was appointed one of the clerks of the privy council; and Pitt, on becoming paymaster, nominated him under-treasurer of Chelsea Hospital. During his earlier years, he joined Lyttelton in his infidel principles, but towards the end of his life he wholly applied himself to the study of the Scriptures, being extremely anxious to try his utmost endeavours to reconcile the seeming inconsistencies which gave the enemies of revealed religion a handle to doubt and discredit their authenticity. The result of his inquiries was partly communicated to the public in his Observations on the Resurrection, Lond. 1747, 8vo. This work procured him from the University of Oxford the degree of LL.D., conferred by diploma. On the evidences of the truth of the New Testament he meditated another work, but did not live to execute his design. He lost his only son in 1755; and on the 26th of March, in the following year, a stroke of palsy terminated his own career. He left behind him the character of an amiable and pious man. His Observations, which, it has been said, were written to confirm the wavering faith of his great friends Pitt and Lyttelton, bear ample testimony to his reasoning powers and the sincerity of his religion, while his translations from Pindar show him to have been a respectable Greek scholar, and very considerable poet. His Dissertation on the Olympic Games is likewise a creditable specimen of his learning.