Chalcographimaniacs, &c.

The noble furor of his mind,

To turn Collector most refin'd;

Enrolling name with Syk-s renown'd
Who for old head paid seventy pound (2);
Or Bl-ndf-rd's M-rq-s whose bright glow
Spent thousands on Boccacio (a):

(2) The individual bere quoted, at the sale of S―r J—ms L-k-s prints, paid the above price for a portrait of Sir Henry Inglefield, engraved by Faithorne, which was not only a bad impression, but in very poor condition; and the same personage also paid nearly fifty pounds at Graves's sale for an equestrian print, representing the Earl of Oxford and Lord Southampton on horseback.

(a) This specimen of typography, of which there are only two copies existing, was stolen from the Vatican at Rome during the Gallic depredations committed in that celebrated city. This extreme rarity is owing to the conduct of the then wearer of the tiara, who condemned the whole edition to be burnt, on account of the licentiousness which pervades the whole work.

Chalcographimaniacs, &c.

Or Sp-nc-r's Earl who fought red hot,
With M-rq-s for the self-same lot;

Or B-ll to Granger firmly knit (b),
With daughter decking holy writ (c):

At this momentous epoch in the annals of auctioneering, the great competitorship was between the M-rq-s and E—1 Sp—ne—†, who possesses one of the most classic libraries in the kingdom. The sum at which this copy of the Decameron was knocked down proved £.2266.

Rarus enim fame sensus communis in illa,
Fortuna.

JUVENAL.

Our noble M―rq-s has also a most incurable itch for books of emblems, which he will purchase at any price, and in regard to himself, he certainly may rank as the Emblem of Death, with which stricture I will now wind up my comment.

(6) As a collector for Granger, Mr. B-ll deceased was very conspicuous; but on the score of his liberality, more this deponent saith not.

(c) The lady here adverted to, who is now chronicled with the

Chalcographimaniacs, &c.

Or N-rf-k's Duke who plays bo-peep,
With tradesman herding to buy cheap (d);

dead, possessed during her terrestrial pilgrimage a most violent cacoëthes for scriptural illustrations, in which pursuit she is now imitated by L―rd M—rk K—rr, respecting whose judgment more will be stated in the progress of my annotating pages.

(d) No individual is more fond of increasing his collection than the nobleman above cited, who would no doubt drink a bottle of geneva with any two-penny printseller in order to purchase cheap. Having in a preceding note given specimens of his Grace's friendly predilections, I shall here subjoin a further instance of Br-nt's upright mode of dealing, which was rendered pre-eminently conspicuous in a public court of justice. The proof here adverted to, occurred before Sir James Mansfield, when St-ce the printseller, being interrogated as a witness, deposed to the following effect, when speaking as to Br-nt's character: "I am well "acquainted with Br-nt, who carries his books for sale in a green bag, in order that he may pass for a lawyer. He one day came to my house in this manner, with one volume of a work "which he was desirous of selling, the book in question being in

very good condition. Now it so happened, my Lord Judge, that I

Chalcographimaniacs, &c.

Or M÷rq―s B-th, well-known to fame
And mother boasting mutual flame (e);

e;

"had been at Wilson's, the bookbinder's, that very morning, and "had there seen the other volume of the work, which was worm" eaten, and in a very bad state: in consequence of this, it occur"red to me, that the book at the binder's was Br-nt's, where"fore I demanded of him whether Mr. Wilson was not his binder; "to which he replied in the affirmative, thus affording a convinc"ing proof that this man was desirous of deceiving me by producing the volume in good condition as a specimen of the work,

66 as,

after payment, he could have referred me to Mr. Wilson "for the remaining volume, when I should have been the com

plete dupe of his artifice. In consequence of this, I ordered my "maid to deny me at all times to the green bag man and his son, "whensoever they should intrude themselves at my door."

(e) These noble personages are not only famed for their love of the Chalcographian Art, but are characterized by a spirit of liberality in accumulating their pictorial stores, which is deserving of the most unqualified commendation.

D

Chalcographimaniacs, &c.

Or B-te possess'd of Hogarth knowledge (ƒ);
M-l-ne renown'd at D-Inch College (g);

(ƒ) The particular predilection of the Marquis of B-te, who was the purchaser of Mr. B-ll's Granger, is for the productions of our pictorial satirist Hogarth, concerning whose genius and talents so much has been said by Messrs. John and Samuel Ireland, not to omit their predecessor Trusler, whose work, descriptive of his plates, is now become very valuable. It would be highly indecorous in me, were I to pass over the mention of this nobleman's taste and judgment, which are rendered conspicuous in every branch of his Chalcographian research.

(g) I have been given to understand that this cumbersome commentator was in possession of a very curious manuscript relating to the stage, and the performers of the period of James the First, which was left to the College by Allen its founder. This theatric treasure was deposited in the above gentleman's hands by way of a loan, but from appearance it was more than probable the library of Dulwich would long continue divested of its just right. This circumstance brings to recollection the conduct of David Garrick, who, taking advantage of the stupidity which characterized the then Head of the College, procured from him all the rare