J-hn S-tt.

With one more comment I'll dismiss,

Our Chalcographian, which is this,

He hath a noddle, but for brain,

Were we to search, 'twould be but vain,
'Tis all mere outside, gew-gaw sham;
His knowledge nothing but flim-flam (p).

The bard shall now a tale repeat,

With many fam'd exploits replete ;

So, first, 'tis fit his theme should quote

Ane Herbert's name, and cautious note (q),

determine. While upon this topic, let not Sir Richard Phillips's whole length picture of Chaucer be forgotten, of which an engraving is affixed to Godwin's life of that poet.

(p)

From naught take naught and what remains?

The store that's lodg'd in St-c-'s brains.

(4) At the epoch alluded to H-rb—rt was a very young man,

J-hn S-tt.

That æra as the time when winding,

Our youthful toiler at b-k-b-nd-ng ;
Like Anaconda round its prey,

Grasp'd stores against printselling day.

And having safe secur'd the spoils,

Left prey to struggle in its toils;

'Twas then to shew how talent oft,

To art oppos'd, proves mighty soft,

That Ir-l-nd, fam'd for picturesque,

And fond of Hogarth's keen burlesque, (r)

and had just come into possession of all the rare typographical stores of his uncle, residing at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, which had originally constituted the library of Am-s. From this ample collection the hero of my tale procured fine pickings by way of exchange, and part money, &c. for while any thing remained J-hnny proved

Non missura cutem nisi plena cruoris hirudo.

(r) Two individuals of the same name have written upon the

J-hn S-tt.

Should oft have aided Sawney's views,

Permitting him to pick and choose,

For very mediocre price,

Prime bits, by connoisseurs dubb'd nice.

To parent now the son let's add,

Of ancient lore, impostor lad, (s)

subject of Hogarth, John and Samuel Ir-l-nd; the latter is however the personage above alluded to, who was no less fam'd with connoisseurs for his several volumes of Picturesque Views, than the ever memorable folio of Shakespearian relics. The pursuit after Hogarth's works was in much greater repute some years back, than at the present period: there are not however wanting individuals who still cherish every effort of this satirical artist, and among them no collector is perhaps possessed of greater rarities than Mr. Vincent, who was many years the friend and companion of Hogarth, until the sarcasm of Churchill, combined with other circumstances, deprived the world of his inimitable powers.

(s) Having before adverted to the flagrant imposture palmed upon the world by the pseudo stores of this fabricator, I shall no

J-hn S-tt.

Who guilty was-accursed sin,
Of taking all the old ones in!

A crime I swear to pardon never,

Or even grant the forger clever ;
Who, spite of all his shrewd research,

Was left by Scotchman in the lurch;
Collection culling as he pleas'd,

Whereby the would-be BARD was eas'd;
Who found in time of money's dearth,

He scarce had shar'd one-tenth its worth.

In due succession H-rd-g next,

Enrols his name upon my text,

An inoffensive simple man,

As e'er race, Chalcographian ran;

longer harp upon the same string, but dismiss him with a query

from Virgil,

Et credis cineres curare sepultos?

J-hn S-tt.

Who now 'neath Windsor's shade serene,

From strife secure guards stores of queen;
So there with fat of land content,
In peaceful joys his hours are spent:
But did he choose to speak-alack!
He might tell tales of Will and Jack:

A string of evidence make clear,
Respecting plates that grace Shakespeare;
On Dryden's folio dwell with pain,

And Life's Economy explain;

Speak as to fables sweet of Flora,

And long descant on Leonora ;

Whose choice designs made all remark,

The genius of dame Di

Beauclerk (t).

(t) N—d H—rd—ng, formerly residing in Pall Mall, but now snugly immured in the vicinity of Frogmore, was the publisher of all the works cited above, no inconsiderable portion of which