Of Mr. Hope's literary acquirements and his patronage of the liberal
arts we have already spoken. It is, however, grateful to be enabled
to refer to special acts of such patronage. It should not, therefore,
be forgotten, that to the liberality of Mr. Hope, Thorwalsden,
the celebrated Danish sculptor, is chiefly indebted for a fostering
introduction to the world: we have seen at the liberal patron's seat,
Deepdene, a stupendous boar of spotless marble, for which the sculptor
received a commission of one thousand guineas. Mr. Hope, too, was one of
the earliest of the patrons of Mr. George Dawe, R.A. In a memoir of this
fortunate and distinguished painter we find that "Andromache soliciting
the Life of her Son," from a scene in the French play entitled
"Andromache," was purchased by Mr. Hope, "who, in the most liberal
manner, marked his approbation of Dawe's talents by favouring him with
several commissions for family portraits, especially a half-length of
Mrs. Hope, with two of her children, and two whole-lengths of the lady
singly." To the useful as well as elegant arts Mr. Hope's encouragement
was extended; and for the last ten years he has filled the office of one
of the Vice-presidents of the Society of Arts and Sciences in the
Adelphi.

Mr. Hope usually passed "the season" at his superb mansion in
Duchess-street, Portland-place, where he had assembled a valuable
collection of works of art, altogether unrivalled, and comprising
paintings, antique statues, busts, vases, and other relics of antiquity,
arranged in apartments, the furniture and decorations of which were in
general designed after classic models, by the ingenious possessor
himself. Among the sculpture is the exquisite Venus rising from the
Bath, by Canova. The whole of these valuables were open to the public,
under certain restrictions, during "the season." Mr. Hope likewise