University of Virginia Library

Senior Gr---v---s, who has now been dead many years, was one of the oldest hunters after portraits and Chalcographimanian specimens, beginning this research at a period when there existed scarcely any competitors; wherefore, although he lived to witness the most extraordinary rise in the value of engravings, could he now be taken from his tomb, I really conceive that he would hardly credit his senses.

Whensoever merit demands the meed of praise, far be it from me to withhold the due encomium which cannot possibly be enrolled at a more fitting period than the present; since this dealer most indubitably possesses true Chalcographian knowledge; nor let me in this place forget [although unknown] to acknowledge the many obligations which I owe to the personage in question, for the sterling advice he has given me during the prosecution of my own collecting mania.

By the F---th---rg---ll collection, Th---ne realized a fortune, and he will take especial good care that it shall not slip out of his fingers; independent of his pursuit after portraits, &c. he is a fancier of Autographs, many specimens of which, accompanied by portraits, have been given to the collecting world; in addition to which he has to boast no very trifling store of medals, that engross his thoughts equally with the above-mentioned researches.

When necessity has compelled me to visit the shop of this whining canting dealer, I have with infinite difficulty refrained from giving vent to my risible faculties, as he literally is the very epitome of discontent; penury, poverty, and want, being always at the tip of his tongue. If we regard him as acting upon the principle of an Elwes or Daniel Dancer, we behold him creeping to the most remote parts of the town, in order to purchase a loaf, because he can get it a farthing cheaper than in his own neighbourhood, while the same is conveyed home in a dirty, snuffy pocket handkerchief. On the score of S---mc---'s veracity, I can only affirm that I have heard him when in his shop declare to some stranger who called for payment of a bill, that by his Saviour he was not at that time worth a dollar, when I myself ten minutes before had paid him pounds for a lot of prints, and upon the death of an old servant maid, it was whispered that a subscription would be of great utility in defraying the charge of her interment, which however was conducted in a way that gave evident proof very little expence was resorted to. Some years back a ludicrous circumstance occurred to this dealer. Having an appointment with a gentleman at a particular hour, he was repairing to the spot with a portfolio under his arm, when happening to pass by a little book stall, he saw put up in the window for sale a very scarce old volume, the label upon the same purporting that it was to be sold for sixpence: on knocking at the door however, no one proved to be at home; what therefore was to be done? he durst not disappoint one of his best customers, and to leave the book to the chance of another collector passing by, was death to his fondest hopes. Thus critically situated, creative fancy, on the spur, suddenly put it into his head to break the pane of glass, which in the furor of the moment he was on the point of executing, but the dread of consequences checked his hand, when at that moment the window-shutter struck his regard, which he actually raised and placed before the window, to hide the book in question.

So many circumstances might be adduced of prints formerly rarissimo. becoming a drug, in consequence of the original coppers being discovered, that it would be superfluous to enumerate any one instance in particular. The multiplication of impressions however has only occurred where the plates have got into the hands of greenhorns, as your more experienced dealers, like our S---mc---, make a point of ekeing them out with infinite caution, after gracing the impressions with all the sacred ærugo of Chalcographian antiquity. In order to prevent such a circumstance as this from ever taking place, we have a living instance in the person of a grocer who hangs out the sugar-loaf in Dean-street, and has actually caused three plates of himself to be engraved; One an whole length, from which he has only struck off half a dozen impressions, and then destroyed the plates, in order to confer the title of extra rare upon these delineations of his sugar-plumb countenance.—Credite posteri!!!

M---lt---n---'s next step to honour and printselling fame was filling the envied post of foot-boy to Th---ne and T---rr., whose boots and shoes experienced the efficacy of his manual labours. Under such experienced Chalcographians, it is consequently little to be wondered at that this personage should imbibe the divine cacoëthes, which by progressive gradations has exalted him to the present acme of his greatness.

This assertion will become manifest when I acquaint my reader that our vender caused a drawing to be made by Bettilini, of the carrotty headed young master M---lt---no, which was afterwards engraved and published. Upon the first appearance of the print in question, a nobleman chanced to enter our dealer's shop, when seeing the portrait upon the counter, he exclaimed: “What d---d ugly little wretch have you got here, M---lt---no?” to which the latter, quite abashed, replied, “It is my Son, my Lord!” This brings to my recollection the anecdote of a gentleman at the Theatre, being seated next to Lord North, with whose person he was unacquainted, and of whom he enquired, after some preliminary conversation, the name of a lady sitting on the opposite side of the house, adding, that she was the ugliest woman he ever beheld—“That,” replied his lordship, “is my sister, Sir.” Confounded at the error he had committed, the interrogator stammering, exclaimed, “I do not mean that lady, but the one seated next to her.” “Oh!” answered Lord North, smiling, “That, Sir, is my wife, and we are esteemed the ugliest couple in England.”

M---lt---no and C---l---g---i were originally partners, but the instant the partnership was dissolved, M---lt---no became the purchaser of a very valuable collection, that laid the foundation of his fortune. I had nearly omitted to mention the conduct of Mr. D---nt, M. P. who one day entered the shop of M---lt---no in a towering rage, upon which occasion he abused this print-vender in the most violent manner, because our poor Chalcographian has exposed in his window a portrait of Bonaparte for sale, having placed the same by the side of a fine print of our Saviour.

I have been credibly informed that C---l---g---i's debut on the London pavée was in the character of a rat-catcher; but as to his early connection with Chalcography, I am not enabled to afford my readers any insight into the subject. While engaged on the topic of this Chalcographian vender, I cannot help noticing the licence granted to foreigners to import and export prints, which might equally facilitate the conveyance of political information to our enemies. Prompted by my partiality for the arts, I repaired as well as others to the shop of C---l---g---i, to inspect the highly extolled print of the Gallic Emperor, an impression of which was purchased by the Prince Regent, when in lieu of finding it the ne plus ultra of engraving, I will venture to affirm that it is not equal to the efforts of our Heath or Sharp. The impression is fine, and the paper and ink excellent, and to those essential requisites it stands indebted for its beauty.

No subject deserves more pointedly the corrective hand of satire than this shameful predilection of the Great for persons of foreign extraction, while English talent is left to weather the bitterest storms of neglect and adverse fortune. Take the whole circuit of our nobility, nay, even commence with the ramifications from R---ty itself, and you will find that our very P---es are the abettors of this partiality. One would really imagine that the affair of Sellis and the Duke of Cumberland would have afforded a wholesome and corrective lesson; but the evil still exists, to the lasting shame of the present æra, and the degradation of that national feeling, which was the boasted, pride of our patriotic ancestors.

I should like to ascertain the cause of this cacoëthes for foreign attendants; for my part there is a fawning sycophancy, an inexpressible something about Italians, and Frenchmen in particular, that always excites in my breast an unconquerable feeling of aversion: not to lay any stress on the acknowledged predilection of the former for a vice abhorrent to human nature. Englishmen, on the contrary, possess a manly independence, which scorns to have recourse to mean servility in attending their employers; and it is this characteristic which renders them in my estimation the fittest domestics for their generous countrymen.

I am told there is not a sum of money which could be demanded in reason that would not be given by C---l---g---i, if the prohibitions upon him as an alien could be removed.

St---c--- has by some means or other wriggled himself into the good graces of the Great, who no doubt serve his purpose admirably. One very happy step towards this enviable exaltation, was and is the knack of christening any nameless print or picture that may chance to be in the possession of a customer; thus rendering it either serviceable in illustrating, or affording some artist a job by having it engraved pro bono publico.

This print, which is engraved from a picture that resembled as much the bard of Avon, as Ben Jonson or Joe Miller, was puffed off in the newspapers and advertised with a confidence à la St---c---, that nothing could surpass. From the very first moment that I saw the painting in the possessor's hands, I pronounced it spurious, notwithstanding I was told to my infinite astonishment, that the correct and able judging Mr. D---ce, had not only given it his sanction, but honoured the list of subscribers by inserting his name: how far this gentleman may still continue in the same mind, I am not precisely enabled to state, but I rather apprehend his faith is much shaken. That St---c---'s grand object was however answered, there can be little doubt, for profit after all, is the Chalcographian vender's primum mobile.

Since penning the above note, I have called to my remembrance another portrait, said to be an original likeness of our bard when a young man, which was offered to view at the shop of C---l---g---, and is the property I understand of a Mr. P---rry, who has a taste for design, having executed drawings of several mendicant characters and others, eighteen of which are etched by an artist of the name of Van Assen, who seems to follow the style of Callot with no ability. Each of these portraits is accompanied by a short biographical sketch of the individual, one of which is particularly curious, viz. the likeness of Cardozo, a dwarf from Portugal, who was made a public spectacle during three days only, being sent to his native country at the expiration of that short term by order of the Portuguese ambassador. This extraordinary diminutive personage could only be paralleled by Count Borulawski, who some years back exhibited himself in the Strand, combining with great affability the manners of the most polished courtier. A few of these etchings were pirated by D---rt---n, son of the printseller of that name, who was however compelled to stop the sale of the impressions by the possessor of the plates in question, which doubtless grace the collection of B---r---n D---ms---le, whose mania consists in procuring portraits of people of every description.

Some years back an old head, exhibited at the European Museum, and belonging to a Mr. Felton, which was merely part of a picture, was boldly pronounced to be the original of Droeshout's engraving, affixed to the folio of Shakespeare's plays; whereas it precisely resembles a snuff-taking German. From this identical painting, however, R---ch---rds---n caused three different sized plates to be executed, which were, I believe, sanctioned by numerous subscribers; but whether to an extent that left much profit in the printseller's hands, I will not take upon myself to determine. While upon this topic, let not Sir Richard Phillips's whole length picture of Chaucer be forgotten, of which an engraving is affixed to Godwin's life of that poet.

At the epoch alluded to H---rb---rt was a very young man, and had just come into possession of all the rare typographical stores of his uncle, residing at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, which had originally constituted the library of Am---s. From this ample collection the hero of my tale procured fine pickings by way of exchange, and part money, &c. for while any thing remained J---hnny proved

Non missura cutem nisi plena cruoris hirudo.

Two individuals of the same name have written upon the subject of Hogarth, John and Samuel Ir---l---nd; the latter is however the personage above alluded to, who was no less fam'd with connoisseurs for his several volumes of Picturesque Views, than the ever memorable folio of Shakespearian relics. The pursuit after Hogarth's works was in much greater repute some years back, than at the present period: there are not however wanting individuals who still cherish every effort of this satirical artist, and among them no collector is perhaps possessed of greater rarities than Mr. Vincent, who was many years the friend and companion of Hogart, until the sarcasm of Churchill, combined with other circumstances, deprived the world of his inimitable powers.

Having before adverted to the flagrant imposture palmed upon the world by the pseudo stores of this fabricator, I shall no longer harp upon the same string, but dismiss him with a query from Virgil,

Et credis cineres curare sepultos?

N---d H---rd---ng, formerly residing in Pall Mall, but now snugly immured in the vicinity of Frogmore, was the publisher of all the works cited above, no inconsiderable portion of which were procured by the S---tt's for b---k---d---g, &c. as Mr. D---y the p---wnbr---k---r of S---t M---rt---n's Lane can testify, even to the present hour.

Mr. S---th---rl---nd the collector, who was an excellent customer of S---tt's, was requited for all his favours by the latter procuring the loan of some hundreds, not a farthing of which will ever be remunerated.

Mr. D---y the p---wnbr---k---r, who is bitten with a bookmania, was in the habit of lending our northern hero large sums of money upon works which, however profitable for a long period of time, proved at last a very losing concern. This knight of the golden balls was left guardian to the daughter of an opposite cheesemonger, who had, very justly, the highest opinion of his integrity, with the care of her fortune, of £30,000.

All---n the br---w---r, who may just as well be termed a dealer as a collector, advanced many sums in support of the N---bl--- A---th---r's, under the full conviction of gaining a good per centage; but in this hope he was wofully disappointed, nearly as much, as when he tried in vain to match the Prince of Wales's famous horse, and has now given up, not only the idea of interest, but all Hopes of the principal.

I cannot conclude my remarks on this personage without making mention of the deceased John Egerton's opinion of his character, and that of old F---ld---r, which was as follows: that All---n would not scruple to --- a church, but that F---ld---r would accept a poor child's bread and butter

Br---nd, who like the late A---th---ny St---r---r, and the living Mr. W---st---n, would poke into every hole and corner to procure prints at a mediocre price, was called upon to forfeit £500. for non-residence, which sum he was unable to pay, and therefore thought fit to employ our J---hnny to strip his Granger of all its rarities, in order to raise money by selling the prints in private. Of these Chalcographian curiosities Mr. S---th---rl---nd became a great purchaser at enormous prices, thereby leaving a decent profit to the wily vender.

The above personage is a paper-merchant, who would very willingly resign all claim to his debt for one pound weight of old rags.

As desperate persons are usually in league with characters of a similar stamp, it is not at all surprising that J---ky should have recourse to lawyers of such a description as W---, &c.; but that he should possess the art of over-reaching them is no less wonderful than true. One attorney however, named B---xt---n, a young man of the best character, has to enrol his name with the rest upon the losing score, owing to the confidence which he placed in the assertions of his inveigler.

Our northern dealer, without any invitation, as I understand, had the daring effrontery to present himself some few years back, at the country seat of the above gentleman, whose urbanity alone, as I conjecture, led him to tolerate his presence: for as to his breeding, erudition, or any one concomitant requisite for the formation of a gentleman, he is totally divested of them, while his countenance, person, and manners, are the just types of meanness, vulgarity, and inelegance.

In addition to his other qualifications, this bookbinder informs the trade, with a vast deal of consequence, that he has many rarissimo prints, but that he is so fearful of fire, that he has deposited them in the hands of a banker, for security against that destructive element; now this statement may in a certain degree be correct, if in place of banker we insert the words pawnbroker, as in all probability in imitation of his brother, such scarce specimens of Chalcography are in durance vile at the Golden Ball Repository in S---t M---rt---n's Lane.

The personage now before us has for many years back made portraits in particular his constant study, nor is there in the whole trade a mind better stored with this branch of the Chalcographian art. In the course of C---d's career, many fortunate windfalls have occurred, and so many rare and valuable prints have not perhaps passed through the hands of any other individual; one failing however he has displayed, which is, the suffering them to pass into other collections, without reaping their real value.

I could enumerate several instances where dealers, who arrogated to themselves great knowledge of prints, have been completely outwitted by the above personage, upon which occasions the most unqualified abuse has been lavished upon him. These revilers, at the same time forget, that their own consciences would willingly have sustained the burthen thus heaped upon his, had they been possessed of acumen equal to the task of circumventing him upon similar occasions.

C---lf---ld has displayed no small share of judgment in his literary efforts. The publication of his Remarkable Characters, which is now completed by Mr. Kirby, (the publisher of the Wonderful Museum in a series of volumes, is a sufficient proof that his efforts in delineating biographical sketches are very far above mediocrity, added to which he is extremely fortunate in selecting subjects likely to arrest public attention. If we consider the general conduct of this Chalcographian, few individuals can lay claim to greater oddity; and in regard to his costume, it would be sacrilege either to brush his coat or clean his shoes: in short, negligence is the predominant feature of his character.

C---r---m some years back sustained the loss of his collection by fire, and having dropped his insurance, the event fell the heavier upon him; this calamity however he sustained with manly fortitude, and by perseverance and integrity of conduct in all his dealings, he is endeavouring to retrieve his loss. I have frequently stationed myself beside this individual at sales, in order to converse with him, when I have found his judgment acute and his remarks upon men and manners delivered with that species of sarcasm, for which he is particularly noticed. I cannot refrain from adding, that his relationship to that great philanthropist Thomas Coram, through whose means the Foundling Hospital was established, should have entitled him to the consideration of the persons who are at the head of that wealthy establishment.

Many years C---r---m and C---lf---d, having conjointly illustrated a Granger, sold it to M--- F---nn---r---u, whom they supplied with prints, until that gentleman, wearied with the collecting mania, sold his specimens at King's auction room. But the best customer of the person who under review was the late Mr. Townley, who, although gifted with a refinement of taste in every branch of science and literature, was still possessed of a more inestimable gem—the noble and feeling qualifications of a heart that conferred honour upon the title of man.

I conceive that I am not infringing upon the dictates of veracity, when I place this individual upon a par with C---lf---ld and young Gr---v---s, and with regard to his knowledge of costume, a gentleman, upon whose judgment I can rely, has more than once assured me that he conceives C---r---m is as well, if not better versed in the subject in question, than any individual connected with Chalcographian research.

Οι πλειονες κακοι.

Whether J---y has ever thought proper in his absent fits to go barefoot, I cannot for a certainty say, but I will venture to affirm, that he has paraded the streets on the Sabbath in a blue mottled stocking and a white one, upon which occasion he called upon a person, who desired his maid to see what individual was at the door: when the servant going into the area, and two legs differently arrayed meeting her regard, she informed her master there were two persons. In respect to this dealer's dirty appearance, the following characteristic anecdote may be depended on. J---y was in the constant habit of frequenting a public house in Castle Street, Leicester Fields. Being there on St. Patrick's day, the company present, and our printseller among the rest, had been jeering Pat about his shamrock, when the Hibernian turning to J---y, exclaimed, “By Jasus, now I would advise that every Englishman, in order to identify his country, should appear in a clean shirt.”

Mr. T---rn---y, the member of parliament, had for some reason or other given offence, in his public capacity to J---y, who happened to meet him in company with L---d Sp---nc---r when walking along Pall Mall. J---ff---ry marching up to this nobleman, enquired how his Lordship could think of keeping company with such a b---kg---d. Indeed, so abusive was our dealer, that Mr. T---y was obliged to take J---y before a magistrate, when he was bound over to keep the peace.

As a Bibliomanian, few dealers surpass J---ffr---y in knowledge, whereas his research into Chalcography is very circumscribed. I have however enrolled his name among printsellers, in consequence of the illustrated Clarendon, which he some years back disposed of by raffle, on which occasion the prize fell to the present Duke of Gl---c---st---r, who possesses no taste for this mania. As however the name of this r---l personage emblazons my page, it may not be amiss to inform the public, that when his H---gh---ss was in Russia, two noblemen of that country were politely assiduous in their attendance upon him, for which conduct, on leaving the north, he very munificently presented the one with a watch, value five pounds, while the other was honoured with a mezzotinto portrait of himself, value seven shillings, which princely presents are now displayed in that country as a specimen of the generosity of an English descendant of the blood r---y---l.

This monarch of sallads may be termed an universal trader, as he will with one hand serve out a cabbage, and with the other present his customer with a print or oil picture. As to judgment he can boast as much as falls to the lot of a turnip or a potatoe, notwithstanding which he is worth no trifling sum of money. The following anecdote, however, will serve as a specimen of this acumen. Some years back he purchased of one Aldr---dg---, a low print-vender, then resident under the Piazza of Covent Garden, an impression of Hollar's rare print, representing a whole length of Francis Battalia, the stone-eater, copied in C---lf---ld's Remarkable Characters. For this print Peter gave sixpence, and afterwards resold it to young Gr---v---s for four shillings, whereas it was worth about as many guineas. This circumstance being made public, the fact came to Aldr---dg---'s ears; wherefore the next time Br---wne went into his shop, the wife of the Piazza printseller, who was a complete termagant, exasperated that her husband should have thus undersold his property, ran out with a kettle full of scalding water, swearing that she would throw it over our cabbage hero, for having cheated her caro sposo, nor would she have failed in effecting her purpose, had not Peter taken to his heels, and run off with all the expedition possible,

Several copies of the History of Westminster, published by Ackermann of the Strand, at fifteen guineas, were purchased by Br---wne, of a shopman of the former trader, at the reduced sum of five pounds; in consequence of which Ackermann, upon ascertaining the fact, discovered that the copies in question had been purloined by his servant; wherefore he indicted Peter as a receiver of goods, knowing them to be stolen, for which offence Br---n--- was tried, but acquitted.

Several printsellers, who carry their heads very high, have not scrupled, when hard pressed, to raise cash by getting their promissory notes discounted; upon which occasion P---t---r has no doubt taken good care to get a handsome douceur for his advance of the ready.

B---go is proverbial for dirt and grease, as no print, however clean when purchased by him, is again issued from the shop without bearing marks of filth. P---rs---ns, from his oddity of manner in fancying he has no inside, is by his brethren of the trade esteemed to be non compos mentis. The Gr---ns, senior and junior, may be heard every Sabbath-day ranting forth their methodistical trash to congregations just as enlightened and green as themselves. The father, prior to his embarking as a printseller in W---lls Street, used to handle the tremendous cook-shop carving knife, being a vender of boiled beef and plum-pudding. G---rge H---rd---ng, who buys and sells, thinks himself a monstrous clever artist; the use however which he makes of his talents at drawing is as follows: C---lf---ld having found out a Mrs. Aberdeen, who is the last descendant of the Cæsar family, and possesses many of their old portraits, procured permission to have them copied, being desirous of getting them engraved and brought out in a volume, accompanied with biographical sketches. The artist employed upon this occasion was H---rd---ng, who, unknown to C---lf---ld, made duplicate and triplicate drawings, which he surreptitiously disposed of to S---th---rl---nd and other gentlemen. C---r---y, though an itinerant printseller, parading the country with a portfolio, and knocking at every door, is, notwithstanding, so ridiculously conceited, that he would fain have it believed he is no vender, but a gentleman collector. To these specimens of dirty insignificant Chalcographians we might add H---rb---rt, formerly prompter of the Circus, who wrote an account of L---mb---th palace, and also published his L---nd---na, having gleaned his knowledge from C---lf---ld.

A variety of names might be enrolled as illustrative of this disgusting propensity, but from feelings of delicacy, the writer refrains from giving them publicity. Nor is it at all unfrequent to find in the library drawers of deceased persons of titled as well as plebeian rank, books and engravings of the most shameless description, whereas the late possessors were supposed during life to have nothing but the fear of God before their eyes.

This firm, which is unquestionably the greatest in England, has been attacked with the Chalcographimania and Bibliomania, in addition to the immense traffic carried on in modern literature. Though publishers in general are very far from being liberal to Poetasters, it must be confessed that in some instances these gentlemen have not proved themselves penurious, witness W---lt---r Sc---tt, whose prolific Muse has received ample recompence for her Pegasian flights.

D---rt---n and H---rv---y were the purchasers of the M---rq---is of D---n---g---l's Granger, which they cut to pieces, selling the portraits separately, and thus realized upwards of six hundred pounds profit. Flushed with this good fortune, and ignorantly conceiving that all illustrated Grangers would prove equally beneficial, they soon after bought another at Robins's auction room, which was made up by W---ll---m Sc---tt, and had belonged to Mr. Garrick, nephew of the great performer, when lo! on disposing of the pictorial work in question, a larger sum was lost by this second speculation, than was realized by the former purchase.