mon, and done from a capital picture, in the collection of T. Wright, painter, in Covent Garden. I do not know whether any proofs even of a probable originality can now be given; but I have heard from fome one, who was told by fome one, that Zouft's was a copy from the original by Zucchero— and that this original was feen in or near Lincoln's Inn play-house, about forty years ago.

I will take the liberty of fuggefting another hint, for the still further embellishment of an edition: namely, the ornamenting the engraved Title page to each play with a Vignette.

IF fome of them were engraved in the light ftyle of fome of the Drawings in the collection by Rogers, they would add a pleafing contraft to the darkness of the other prints-particularly in the style of The last fupper-F. Lauri's drawing-Carlo Maratt's Affumption, St. Francis, and Cupid-Titian's Repofe-and Tintoretto's ftudy, in vol. 1, and Guercino's Clio, Afaffination, and Woman begging water-Boucher's Bathsheba, and his Trinity-and Helena Forman, in vol. 2. Some of them might be in the shape and style of Shelley's Marcella, engraved by Burke; or as richly coloured as Kauffman's Celia.

THE fubject of fome of them, might in fome degree be alluding to the play; and the others might be merely ornamental or fanciful-fuch asMasks, Crowns, Daggers, Tambourines, and other emblems of the Tragic and Comic Mufe, of Poetry, Mufic, and the Drama. My meaning. will be better understood by referring to the vignette oppofite p. 120, vol. 2, of Keate's poems-the title page in a collection of Poems by Mendez, in page 124, 135, 174, and 183, of Rogers's Drawings, vol. 2the very beautiful defign at p. 10, of Idylles de Saint Cyr, which I much wish were looked at; it is printed at Amsterdam and Paris, 1771-the tail-piece to Hamlet, to the Winter's Tale, and to Richard III. in the

last quarto edition. of Hanmer--the title page, and p. 22, of Nouvelle

Traduction

Traduction des Heroides d'Ovide, 8vo. Paris, 1763—the heads of Shakefpeare and Garrick, in Bell's 1st edition-Hudson's print of Mrs. Cibber, engraved by Marchand—to many ornaments accompanying Houbraken`s Heads, fuch as thofe of Chaucer, Buchanan, Shakespeare, and Addifon; and to more of them in the French collection of Heads, as well as round many of their fingle ones, fuch as the Heads of Corneille, Racine, Boileau, Moliere, Defcartes and Crebillon-the Copper Plate Magazine will fhew fome of them-the title page of Bafkerville's Horace, Birmingham, 1770-the two little children at the bottom of the frontifpiece to a collection of Prologues by Griffiths-the fatyr, in a print to. the British Magazine, for June, 1783-Hanmer's Head of Shakespearethe Head to his Poems, reprinted by Evans-the heads of Mrs. Montaand Mrs. Barbauld in the Westminster Magazine, for June, 1776— gue the head of Shuter, in the fame Magazine, for December, 1776-the head of Kelly, in the fame Magazine, for March, 17-the head of Woodward in the fame Magazine, for May 1777-the head of Mrs. Griffith, in the fame Magazine, for September, 1777-the head of Voltaire, in the fame Magazine, for June, 1778-the head and tail-pieces of Bell's laft edition of Henry IV. part 2d. and the Tempeft, and to the head-piece of Coriolanus-the top parts of the vignettes in Bell's last edition of Macbeth, Much Ado, Lear, Titus Andronicus, Henry IV. part ift. and to that rich one in Love's Labours Loft-the title page of Les Metamorphofes de Melpomene et de Thalie, defigné d'aprés nature par Whirlker, printed at Paris-and to Laurie's metzotinto. of Mr. Garrick, after Dighton. The best Masks that I have seen, are in M. de Loutherbourg's vignette to Love's Labour Loft, and in a print of Boileau, engraved by Walker (for a late English translation (I believe) of Voltaire's works. The fame portrait is engraved by Collyer, in quarto, for fome. publication by G. Kearsley, but the expreffion of the mafk is different, The best Crown I have ever feen, is among the ornaments to the portrait of Corneille, published by G. Kearfley, for. (I fuppofe) the Copper plate Magazine.

FOR

For the title page to the Tempest, might be engraved the same Vignette as is in vol. 2, of the first edition of Grofe's Antiquities—leaving out the two figures-in whose stead might be introduced an expreffive one of the great magician Profpero, ruminating on the diffolution of nature. Or it might be expreffive of, or alluding to a Tempeft. See therefore the fea weeds in p. 61 of Hooper's tranflation of Gefner's Idylls. And fee a print of a ship in distress, with lightening, in a set of prints in 8vo. called "Succefs and triumph to Britannia's arms." They are engraved by N. Parr, without any printer's name to the fet in my poffeffion, and there are verses under each print. I much with this print were looked

at.

WOULD it be too ludicrous to recommend as a Vignette, to the first part of Henry IV. the figure of the man only, in Mr. Bunbury's ticket for Wynstay Theatre, in the winter of 1781?-his bottle of fack might remain with him, and a few characteristic ornaments alluding to the play might be introduced. And on the play bill in his hand might be written: Falstaff by Quin-Hotspur by Booth-Prince of Wales by Wilkes-and Francis by Edwin.

AMONG the tragic emblems for the Vignette to Othello, might be drawn the fame turban, which is in a portrait of Racine, engraved by Colyer, for (I believe) the Copper-plate Magazine; and the fame sword and torch that are in the Vignette to Bell's Othello. Would it be proper to introduce among these ornaments the handkerchief?

To form a Vignette for As you Like it, we must see the rich ornaments to M. de Loutherbourg's pleafing print to this play-for what ornaments can fo chaftly apply as the bugle-horn, the fpear, and bow, to wound the poor fequeftered ftag?

IN the Vignette to Henry VIII. might be in introduced the fame Cardinal's hat, and the fame viper, staff, and vine, which are in Houbra

ken'

ken's head of Wolfey. Among other decorations might be drawn an axe-the fame ruby which Wolfey gave the King, and for which see Walpole's Anecdotes, v. 1, p. 137, 8vo-and at a distance might be dimly feen thofe twins of learning, Ipfwich and Oxford: one of which indeed fell with him. The gateway to Wolfey's College at Ipfwich, may be seen in Grose-and part of that building at Oxford which impreffes us with the great conceptions of the Cardinal's mind, may be feen at a small distance.

In the Vignette to Coriolanus, might be drawn (among other things) the fame warlike trophies which are in Bell's laft edition-and in that for the first part of Henry VI. may be introduced thofe emblems that are in Bell's edition of the first and third parts of this play. See also the Tail-piece to Hanmer's edition of the first part, which will give an idea of introducing the arms of France. In the third part of this play (among other ornaments) might be given a distant view of the Abbey of Tewksbury.

AND fome of the fame military trophies, may be given to Henry V. in addition to those rich ones which M. de Loutherbourg has thrown round his Vignette to Bell's last edition of this play a print animated with the very spirit of Shakespeare; and were the boy taken out: it would perhaps be one of the most characteristic prints ever defigned. A fword covered with crowns imperial might be introduced---for

now fits expectation in the air,

And hides a fword from hilts unto the point,
With crowns imperial: crowns and coronets,
Promised to Harry and his followers.

As a Vignette to King John, might be engraved the figure of Agar, now at Wentworth-house-Not the smallest alteration fhould be made. If it were engraved in the colours of the picture, it would better exhibit the green fafh. No picture ever fo well painted a mother's grief. Thofe

who have seen this divine conception of Guido's, will thank me for having mentioned it—and to those who have not been fo fortunate : words are insufficient to describe the propriety with which it might be annexed to a page of Shakespeare's.*

For a Vignette to Richard III. I would propofe the figure of an angel (in no mean style) tenderly furveying a small reduced portrait of Vertue's Edward V. which might be the fize of, and fomewhat fimilar to the heads of Rubens and Bronkhorft, in Deschamp's Vies des Peintres, or like Bell's head of Spencer. There might be introduced a small dead lamb-and the scroll, on which was written, Jocky of Norfolk. And there might be drawn a part of a battle-horse; for a defign for which, fee the Head-piece to the third volume of Defchamp's.-On a nearer inspection, this horse proves to be a unicorn, but by taking away the horn and the cloven feet, it will give the most spirited head of a horse I ever saw.--both the animals are equally expreffive :-At a distance might be seen either the Tower, or Chertsey Monastery; and we may unite the white rofe and the red. See alfo Vertue's print of Richard.

OR

If any objection can arife against its being a Vignette, it will be on account of its being too much reduced in fize. Were it richly engraved on a large scale, it would form a chaste and fuperb ornament for fome department of an edition, which might be appropriated for the receiving of Fancy Designs, or Tributary Memorials, in honour of the Genius, or ingratitude to the Memory of Shakespeare. In this woman's hand might be a volume of Shakespeare, and her fublime grief would seem to flow from having just perused some of those scenes: where the heart fwells, and the tears burft out, juft at their proper places.

THE late Duke of Northumberland offered the Marquis of Rockingham, fevén hundred guineas for this picture.

C