Sir,—I extract the following out of the copy I got from you of "Smeeton's Reprints," which answer one of the queries put by your correspondent in last month's "Current Notes," p. 7, concerning the print of Cromwell.
"The following is a History of this celebrated Print:—
"Faithorne, with his master, Robert Peake, engaged in the King's service, and were both taken prisoners at Basing House, from whence Faithorne was brought to London, and confined in Aldersgate; here resuming his occupation, he produced the exquisite Portrait of the Protector, (known as Cromwell between the Pillars), which pleased the parties then in power so much, that shortly after, it occasioned his being set at liberty, and he retired to France. Copies of the original print have been known to sell as high as 40 pounds!
"Mr. Caulfield in his Chalcographiana, says, Mr. Bull the celebrated Collector, shewed him the original drawing in red chalk from which Faithorne engraved the print; from whom he also learned the face was afterwards altered to William III."
"Ogils."
Print of Oliver Cromwell.
Sir,—I have a beautiful impression of the Print alluded to by a "Young Print and Portrait Collector," ("Current Notes" for January, p. 7), with this superscription: "Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, and the Territories thereunto belonging. Engraved by Chas. Turner, from the celebrated print by W. Faithorne." Below the figure of the Protector, on a small ornamental tablet, is "The Emblem of England's distractions, and also of her attained and further expected Freedom and Happiness;" which sufficiently explains the extraordinary allegorical figures which crowd the print.
Yours,
S. S.
Autographic Biography.
Sir,—Perhaps some of the readers of your "Notes," can inform me who is the "Kendall" who signs a document, a fragment only of which I possess, and that without date, which also bears the signatures "Orford," "J. Houblon," "G. Wharton," "P. Rich," and another I cannot decypher.