The municipality would fain have encouraged a fellow-citizen, and John Borrow had been invited to paint the portrait.

'Why,' it was asked, 'should the money go into a stranger's pocket and be spent in London ?' John, however, felt diffident of his ability and declined, and this in spite of the fact that the L100 offered for the portrait must have been very tempting.

'What a pity it was,' he said, 'that Crome was dead.' 'Crome,' said the orator of the deputation that had called on John Borrow, 'Crome; yes, he was a clever man, a very clever man, in his way; he was good at painting landscapes and farm-houses, but he would not do in the present instance, were he alive.

He had no conception of the heroic, sir.

We want some person capable of representing our mayor standing under the Norman arch of the cathedral.'[16] At the mention of the heroic John bethought himself of Haydon, and suggested his name; hence his visit to London, and his proposed interview with Haydon.