Mary Beale was the daughter of a clergyman named Cradock, of Walton-on-Thames, and was distinguished for her genius as a painter, which was much appreciated at her time. She studied under, or at least was a great admirer of, Sir Peter Lely, whose style she imitated with peculiar success. The gallant painter was said to be attached to his charming pupil; but Mr. Beale was the successful candidate for her hand, and seems fully to have appreciated her merits; for he recorded every incident connected with her life and works in his notebooks, which, chance having spared from destroying time, furnish details of her occupations and habits. The following extracts from the seven of them which Walpole names as having fallen into the hands of Vertue, are curious as relating to remarkable persons of the period at which Mary Beale lived:–

“ 1672, 20th April.

“ Mr. Lely was here, with Mr. Gibson and Mr. Skipwith, to see us, and commended very much her copy after our Saviour praying in the garden, &c., after Anto. da Correggio: her copy in little after Endymion Porter, his lady and three sons, he commended extraordinarly, and said, to use his own words, it was painted like Vandyck himself in little, and that it was the best copy he ever saw of Vandyck. Also, he very well liked her two copies in great of Mr. Porter's son Phil. He commended her other works, copies, and those from the life.