Walter Pater 
Imaginary Portraits 

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Chiefly through the solicitations of my father, old Watteau has consented to place Antony with a teacher of painting here. I meet him betimes on the way to his lessons, as I return from Mass; for he still works with the masons, but making the most of late and early hours, of every moment of liberty. And then he has the feast-days, of which there are so many in this old-fashioned place. Ah! Such gifts as his, surely, may once in a way make much industry seem worth while. He makes a wonderful progress. And yet, far from being set-up, and too easily pleased with what, after all, comes to him so easily, he’ has, my father thinks, too little self-approval for ultimate suc cess. He is apt, in truth, to fall out too hastily with himself and what he produces. Yet here also there is the golden mean. Yes! I could fancy myself offended by a sort of irony which sometimes crosses the half melancholy sweet ness of manner habitual with him; only that.