Page "Thomas Lawrence" Paragraph 3

It was during the family's six-year stay at the Black Bear Inn that Lawrence senior began to make use of his son's precocious talents for drawing and reciting poetry.

Visitors would be greeted with the words " Gentlemen, here's my son-will you have him recite from the poets, or take your portraits?

" Among those who listened to a recitation from Tom, or Tommy as he was called, was the actor David Garrick.

Lawrence's formal schooling was limited to two years at The Fort, a school in Bristol, when he was aged six to eight, and a little tuition in French and Latin from a dissenting minister.

He also became accomplished in dancing, fencing, boxing and billiards.

By the age of ten his fame had spread sufficiently for him to receive a mention in Daines Barrington's Miscellanies as " without the most distant instruction from anyone, capable of copying historical pictures in a masterly style ".

But once again Lawrence senior failed as a landlord and, in 1779, he was declared bankrupt and the family moved to Bath.

From now on, Lawrence was to support his parents with the money he earned from his portraits.