While thus the harte with torments torne asunder
Maye of the worlde be cal'd the wofull wonder."
These two stanzas are by no means favourable specimens of the entire poem, but I prefer to give them, because the work itself may be printed. If it appears, on inquiry, to be still inedited, I may venture to submit a few other extracts from it of a more illustrative character. Our bibliographers would be more useful guides, were they always to give the first lines of old poems. I have a tolerably good library, but can find no work sufficiently descriptive of Breton's works to enable me to trace the above.
H.
THE VIRTUOSI, OR ST. LUKE'S CLUB.
Where is to be found that intensely interesting MS. Lot 120., Sixth Day's Sale, at Strawberry Hill, a folio tract entitled The "Virtuosi," or St. Luke's Club, held at the Rose Tavern, first established by Sir Anthony Vandyke; with Autographs of all the eminent Artists of the day?
Such is the account of Mr. George Robins, to the sound of whose hammer it fell, let us hope, into worthy hands.
By the aid of a note made whilst the several precious contents of that "Gothic Vatican of Greece and Rome," as I think Pope described it, were on view, I hope to whet the appetite of some of our literary vultures:
"Rose Tavern, Mar. 5. 1697.
"An order for raising an annual fund for pictures; with twenty names of stewards."