Between November 3 and 11, 1756 1

On Wednesday last departed this Life Mr. Nathl. Smibert2 after a short Illness in the 22d. Year of his Age; he was the 2d. Son of the late Mr. John Smibert, Painter, in wch. Business he succeeded his Father & bad fair to equall him in his justly Admired Skill. The Amiable Qualifications of this lately esteem'd & now much lamented Youth are more than can conveniently or prudently be mentioned on this Occasion, but as he was Undoubtedly possess'd of many Noble Virtues for wch. he was Applauded before he was dead That Honor wch. is due to the memory of the Just & the Benefit wch. the living may reap by such Examples of Virtue demand that his Character be not passed over in Silence. He was Naturally Active & lively yet tranquill & composed, but it was evident to his Companions, that the continual Serenity of his Mind if not wholly Resulting from, was always attended with, a thoughtful & judicious Veneration of Religion. He was of a Courteous Sympethetic & benevolent disposition, but if the Goodness of his Nature was no Virtue, yet it was Virtuous that he Improved every Opportunity to exert it. He tenderly commiserated the Poor was to deny himself many Expences that he might more liberally relieve them. His kind assistances were never wanting where Serviceable. His Industry was regular & interrupted by Nothing but the frequent Dis-371orders of his Body, but the Frankness & Complaisance of his Behaviour was disturbd only by the Appearance of Vice. He was Courteous & Obliging to Strangers, with his Companions he was Cheerful & Engaging, to his freinds he was faithfull, constant & tender. He was patient & resigned under the many afflictions wch. the delicacy of his Constitution expos'd him to. He was Slow to resent, ready to forgive, & convincd all Who knew him that his ruling Principle was Beneficence.

His Natural Ingenuity was remarkably promising, & tho' he had not the advantage of An Academical Education, yet he had made such a Progress in the dead & living Languages & in many of the Arts & Sciences as would be esteem'd to deserve the Honors. His Judgmt. was regular & penetrating, his Fancy was lively & just in his common Behaviour he was hapily free from absent Speculation & impertinent Discourse, a most engaging Composition of the Judicious & affable. But in all his Actions he confess'd the Obligation of Virtues Laws, & had expresly deny'd to employ his Art in the Service of Indecency or his Wit to the Embellishment of Vice. He had no relish to the Scenes of high Mirth & Gayety, but chose those Pastimes which improv'd the Thought & left an agreable Reflection.

But the wise hand of Providence has clos'd his Scene in the Prime of his Life tho' far Advanc'd in Virtues, & at once has blasted his future designs however wisely Plann'd, deprived the World of a Valuable Member & his Freinds of An Endear'd Acquaintance. His great Modesty concealed many of his Virtues from being publickly known, but as it has been esteem'd a Happiness to disclose them, so it will now be no less a Glory to imitate them.

MS ; endorsed: "On the Death of Mr. Natl. Smibert."

1.

Published in the Boston News-Letter of Nov. 11, 1756.

2.

Nathaniel Smibert (1734–1756), son of the artist John Smibert (1688–1751), and a fledging portraitist himself. See Henry Wilder Foote, John Smibert, Painter: With a Descriptive Catalogue of Portraits, and Notes on the Work of Nathaniel Smibert (Cambridge, Mass., 1950), which includes a descriptive catalogue of portraits by and attributed to the younger Smibert (pages 257–274).

RTP notes in his diary on Oct. 14: "Watch'd with Nl. Smibert"; mentions him again on the 22nd and Nov. 1; notes his death on Nov. 3; and then on the 8th: "I attended the funeral of Mr. Smibert as Bearer."