"TO THE LOVERS OF VIRTU.

"Mr. —— has the heartfelt pleasure of congratulating the amateurs of the fine arts upon such an opportunity of enriching their collections, as no period from the days of the divine Apelles to the present irradiated era ever produced; nor is it probable that there ever will be in any future age so splendid, superb, brilliant, and matchless an assemblage of unrivalled pictures as he begs leave to announce to the connoisseurs are now exhibiting at his great room in ——, being the principal part of that magnificent bouquet which have been accumulating for so many ages, been preserved with religious care, and contemplated with pious awe, while they had an holy refuge in the peaceful gloom of the convents of Germany. By the edict of the Emperor they are banished from these consecrated walls, and are now emerged from obscurity with undiminished lustre! with all their native charms, mellowed by the tender, softening pencil of time, and introduced to this emporium of taste! this favourite seat of the arts! this exhibition-room of the universe; and when seen, must produce the most pleasing and delightful sensations.

"When it is added, that they were selected by that most judicious and quick-sighted collector, Monsieur D., it will be unnecessary to say more; for his penetrating eye and unerring judgment, his boundless liberality and unremitting industry, have ensured him the protection of a generous public, ever ready to patronize exertions made solely for their gratification!

"N.B.—Descriptive catalogues, with the names of the immortal artists, may be had as above."

THE BILL.

"Monsieur Varnish to Benjamin Bister, debtor.

£s.d.
To painting the Woman caught in Adultery, upon a green ground, by Hans Holbein330
To Solomon's Wise Judgment, on pannel, by Michael Angelo Buonorati2126
To painting and canvas, for a naked Mary Magdalen, in the undoubted style of Paul Veronese220
To brimstone, for smoking ditto026
Paid Mrs. W—— for a live model to sit for Diana bathing, by Tintoretto0168
Paid for the hire of a layman, to copy the robes of a Cardinal, for a Vandyke050
Portrait of a Nun doing Penance, by Albrecht Durer220
Paid the female figure for sitting thirty minutes in a wet sheet, that I might give the dry manner of that master[13]0106
The Tribute-money Rendered, with all the exactness of Quintin Metsius, the famed blacksmith of Antwerp2126
To Ruth at the feet of Boaz, upon an oak board, by Titiano330
St. Anthony Preaching to the Fishes, by Salvator Rosa3100
The Martyrdom of St. Winifred, with a view of Holywell bath, by old Frank1116
To a large allegorical altar-piece, consisting of men and angels, horses and river gods; 'tis thought most happily hit off for a Rubens550
To Susannah Bathing; the two Elders in the background, by Castiglione220
To the Devil and St. Dunstan, highly finished, by Teniers220
To the Queen of Sheba falling down before Solomon, by Morillio2126
To a Judith in the Tent of Holofernes, by Le Brun1160
To a Sisera in the Tent of Jael, its companion, by the same1160
Paid for admission into the House of Peers, to take a sketch of a great character, for a picture of Moses breaking the Tables of the Law, in the darkest manner of Rembrandt, not yet finished026

[13] Some of the ancient masters acquired a dry manner of painting from studying after wet drapery.—Webb on Painting.

[14] The annexed letter, which was published about this time, I have been informed was written by Hogarth; add to this authority, of which I have no doubt, I think it carries internal evidence of his mind. It is printed in the London Magazine for 1737, and thus prefaced:

The following piece, published in the St. James's Evening Post of June 7th, is by the first painter in England, perhaps in the world, in his way: