Ph-ll-p-.

But what allur'd mine hero most,

Was when fine proofs-bewitching host,
Were brought the hammer's blow to share,
Impressions matchless, bright, and rare;
Which Ph―ll-p-singing blithe Te Deum,
Had chose for sale at great M—s—um ;
Whereas he should have borne to dwelling

No more than duplicates for selling (u),

But northern sense is ne'er in mist,

And proofs we know to mill bring grist.
While to Museum thus I'm led,

Of D~gh—t―n something should be said ;

(u) Th-ne having furnished Mr. Cracherode, who left his collection to the British Museum, with numerous prints, recognized the rare portrait of Doctor Moore, by Faithorne, when finding that he was outbid by W-db-rn the dealer, he made the circumstance public.

Ph-ll-p

Who void of blushes stole at will,

From all collections purse to fill ;

Till Rembrandt's etching, prime landscape (v),
Call'd COACH, brought D-gh-n into scrape,
Who finding guilt will courage alter,
On being prov'd a base defaulter;

Restor❜d whate'er he still possess'd,
And thus the case was lull'd to rest.

(v) D-gh-n the artist being countenanced by the Prince Regent, and on terms of intimacy with B-lo, who held a situation in the British Museum, procured admission whensoever he wished, under the plea of making copies of rare etchings; instead of which his practice was to select the choicest prints he could find from Cracherode's collection in particular, with which he was in the habit of walking off. Among the valuable Chalcographic specimens thus procured, was the above-mentioned extra rare and fine etching known by the name of Coach, in consequence of one of those vehicles being introduced into the design. Of this print D-gh-n executed a precise copy, and then disposed of

St-w-rt.

A second son of Scotia's isle,

Now claims my Catalogus' smile,

Whose mental attributes may be,

In words condens'd no more than three,

Wherefore he is---so wills it fate,

Conceited-stupid-obstinate;

'Tis true he oft appalls with wonder,

When hammer's blow re-echoes thunder,

Thus what his elocution lacks,

Is made good by tremendous whacks;

one of the impressions to W--db-rn as being an original, when the latter, anxious to ascertain the fact for a certainty, and well aware that there was one deposited in the Museum in Cracherode's bequest, he repaired thither for the purpose of comparing the impressions, but upon inspection of the folios, this coach landscape could not be found; when a strict enquiry was instituted, the result of which proved a complete discovery of the depredations in *question.

St-w-rt.

Which oft from seat hath caus'd to jump,

My knight, electrified by thump.

O! what a famous row was made,
With Chalcographians and the Trade,
When dainty lots of Lake deceas'd (w),
Heroic bidders finely fleec'd:

Or when with Chalcographian rage,

He warr'd for Basiologian page,
Suppos'd from Fife's great Lord to come,
Whereas I swear 'twas all an HUM (x),

(w) Whatsoever may be wanting on the score of rhetorical tropes, such deficiency is amply compensated by the most liberal use of this vender's hammer, who, though from North of the Tweed, was not as I have before stated a competent match for the Norfolk Br-nt. Sir James L-k-'s effects, which were very numerous, and sold for high prices, were consigned to St-w-rt, who had no cause to complain of the result, which was extremely beneficial to his pocket. Hotsoffrom eld of and againblue

Saing ytusvee bus, bothand out bar (*) Basiologia is a small folio, containing fine impressions of

St-w-rt.

No more belonging to that peer,

Than Champagne's brew'd from hops, like beer;

many 'rare portraits by the Passes and others, of which volume very few indeed have made their appearance. The contents of the last that was sold by St-w-rt, netted upwards of five hun dred and fifty-five pounds; and was universally supposed to have belonged to the Earl of Fife, well known to possess a copy; but in this conjecture the Chalcographimanians labour under a most egregious error, as the volume in question, to my certain knowledge, is still in his lordship's library.

Nil intra est oleam, nil extra est in noce duri.

HOR.

Some years back an imperfect copy of the Basiologia was purchased by a well-known bookseller, who is dubbed by his tribe with the significant appellation of Measter B-y-ns, for eighteenpence, which the relinquished at the Knock Out for an advance of six pounds. This new purchaser then disposed of his acquisition for forty-five pounds the day after he brought his bargain into the market; on which he conceived that he had outdone all former outdoings, but to his mortification ascertained when too late, that the next possessor procured two hundred and seventy guineas for the prints, within three days after his disposal of them.