I asked him the real names of Small Fry" and one or two other pseudonyms of persons whose drawings he etched. He said that he could not tell, and that he often etched sketches for publishers, and never knew the names of the artists, who were frequently amateurs. I said," West seems to have been a very dilatory man. Cruikshank laughed and said :—Yes, he was, the boys used to go into his shop, and abuse him "like anything," for his frequent delays in publishing continuations of his plates.

No wonder the boys complained when we know some of the facts. To give only two examples: West's characters and scenes in the 'Pilot were published in 1828, but the side-scenes were not issued until 1833. The Forty Thieves' he issued in 1819, but plate 6 is dated and did not appear until 1827, and so on.

I have not 'Meg Merrilies (Douglas No. 1003), but I feel certain from the description that it is similar to one I have of Mrs. Egerton as Madge Wildfire,' a celebrated character impersonated by a celebrated actress. My print is initialed J. R. C., and under the above number, at p. 164, Captain Douglas says:-"Reid simply gives this without signature or imprint, it is a very common plate,* but I think it is from a book. Pailthorpe has facsimilied it :-value 10s. F. W. Pailthorpe etched a number of good prints; he was son of a printseller who carried

on business in London.

But though as Douglas states, the Egerton print is from a book, my print of 'Madge' is evidently not abstracted from a book, nor has it ever been in one as can be seen from

the edge of the paper all round. The size of the doubled ruled lines forming a border, is six and a half inches high and four and a quarter wide.

For years I have been endeavouring to identify the source of my print, and only since I began this note have I discovered from whence it came. It is, as Captain Douglas surmises of "Meg," from a book. It is not one of West's. These prints are exactly the same as a class of similar portraits issued in The Mirror of the Stage,' a periodical published by E. Duncombe in 1825 in five volumes octavo, which were unknown to Douglas. The copy in the *Surely Capt. Douglas is mistaken in saying

ITALIAN LITERARY CRITICISM IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. FRANCESCO MONTANI DI PESARO.

II.

THAT Montani was a man of deep culture can be seen all through the essay, but more especially on p. 54, where he quotes an English poet Edmond Waller's Poems written upon several occasions' in English and not in an Italian translation. There is. no evidence to prove that any other critic of the beginning of the Settecento did know English directly or had studied it, and only later with Antonio Conti, who translated Pope (Cf. Brognoligo: L'Opera Letteraria di Antonio Conti: Ateneo Veneto, 1894), do we enter into that period of Anglomania in Italy which produced the Frustra Letteraria of Baretti. Montani knew English, and perhaps some analogy with Bacon may be discerned in his theories.

At p. 7 he fulminates against those critics: "who, finding themselves in possession of such a stupid mind as to carry out very well the office of body to a fine design, desire often ardently either to contaminate the finest writings with their reflections or to profane them and insult them with praise."

"In truth, he who sets out to write with. eagerness, opening out a vastly broader way to the life of his spirit than that which Nature can ever concede to his body, will have to build more, in my opinion, from what he has in his head, relying more on the vibrations [vibrazioni-a

new use] and creations of his brain than on that

which he finds in his inventories-reason not being. dependent on authority but authority being the daughter of reason.

66

It is much too un certain, this clothing in novelty and this giving absoletis nitorem, fastiditis gratiam; and without that, writing does not mean increas ing or enriching the literary world with productions of one's own spirit; without that it is not.

either of the indexes. When I bought my print of Blackwell, he looked 75 years old.

Macbeth.-I think that West's scenes dated Dec. 4, 1815, are by I. R. C. from the style: no doubt copied from the theatre: the perspective is truly dreadful, but painters plead necessity and are icensed offenders, I believe. Ninth statue, fifteen small characters, on the left of a folio sheet, Feb. 7, 1815.

scene

'The Merry Wives of Windsor,'. May 24, 1815, oblong on a folio sheet, on the left of 'Comus,' dated May 21 (q.v.),

'Midsummer Night's Dream' [1816] (in Print Room only, see vol. iv. p. 18), on an oblong folio sheet, dated May 24, 1814.

One o'clock; or the Knight and the Wood Daemon, in two plates [by 1. R. C.]. I have the proof before letters of plate 1, with West's writing (ibid. plate 2 is in the P. R. vol. i. p. 106). I also have the print of plate 1 dated Aug. 10, 1811. Old Oak Chest,' sixteen small characters on a quarto sheet, Sept. 11, 1817.

'Richard III.' two plates of small characters on an oblong folio sheet, May 21, 1814; it was redated May 21, 1824.

Richard III.,' plate 3.

Small characters on the left of an oblong folio sheet, with 'Illusion' on the right, dated Nov. 14, 1814.

Illusion (above) on the right of Richard III.,' dated Nov. 7, 1814.

Telemachus,' July 3, 1815. Douglas Catalogue No. 1010, price 10s. I have not this of the original date of 1815, but I have it on the left of an oblong folio sheet with Little Hunchback' (q.v.), on the right; redated July 3, 1825.

West's new theatrical characters [by I. R. C.], plate 3, top left hand Rolla in Fizarro,' Aug. 27, 1811.

West's new theatrical characters, plate 4, [by I.R.C.], top left Major Sturgeon in the Mayor of Garratt,' Aug. 27, 1811.

I also have a proof before letters of this sheet. 'Welch Chieftains '[where was this acted?] on the left of an oblong folio sheet with Harlequin Brilliant (q.v.) on the right, dated July 20, 1815. Froof before letters in the Frint Room: vol. iv.

folio 31.

Horses (six) in the Tyrant Saracen and Noble Moor,' in three plates. In the Print Room, vol. iv. folio 44, are proofs before letters of all three plates, Sept. 11, 1811.

Then Captain Douglas enumerates some of Jameson's quarto penny scenes, and Hodgson's double or folio scenes in his Nos. 1013 to 1029: not one of which is by either of the Cruikshanks. In my article on G. Cruikshank and G. Childs' (12 S. i. p. 203) I show that Hodgson's prints are drawn by George Childs. Not only are these Hodgson's not by the Cruikshanks, but I consider it ridiculous of Douglas to assign Nos. 1019 and 1020, entitled 'Hodgson's Grand pageant of the elements' (1822), to George or either of the Cruikshanks. There is not a line that has the Cruikshank touch. These pageants were produced in William Hath's

but are chiefly by one of his brothers, probably Horace. Such an absurd attribution shows that the Captain was no artist, but was a mere collector, with little knowledge of art or power of judging for himself. Considering the size of these folio sheets, eight inches high and twenty inches long, if G. Cruikshank's, they should be worth twenty shillings each.

Incidentally I may mention that I have during the last few years, completed the compilation of a catalogue of every print I have seen, of the Juvenile Theatrical Series published by W. West; it forms a MS. quarto Further I indicate in it, of about 200 pages. the volume and page of each print, in the nine elephant folio volumes of my first collection now in the Print Room Collection at the British Museum, the name of the author and the first performances and various other information.

The Print Room Collection is arranged under publisher's names and then alphabetically according to title of play: there is no hand list to the contents of the volumes. When I began my catalogue I had the prints in alphabetical order of the plays, but since I completed it I have rearranged my own prints in order of the original dates on West's prints. The advantage of this is that one clearly sees how West began with indifferently executed prints and improved Other publishers issuing as years went on.

cheaper prints made no difference to West. I also have a separate Catalogue of all the West's Juvenile Theatrical Portraits that I have, and of those in the Print Room. Also a separate Catalogue of every print I have seen of J. H. Jameson's (1811-1827). All of his theatrical prints I believe were by the Cruikshanks.

On p. 165 of his Catalogue Captain Douglas enumerates Characters in Harlequin Whittington, dated "June 9, 1825," but the year of the first issue of the plate was 1815. The boys of 1815 had grown up by 1825, and the boys of 1825 looked upon the plates as quite new ? I think West got into some trouble in 1824, as he published no new plays, but he redated many old ones in 1825.

Many years ago when I dined at the house of that scholar, author and true lover of art, H. S. Ashbee, I sat between Mr. and Mrs. George Cruikshank. George was so full of conversation and anecdotes about himself, that the only bit of information I managed to get from him, was that West's price to any artist for a quarto plate of characters, was

either of the indexes. When I bought my print of Blackwell, he looked 75 years old.

Macbeth.-I think that West's scenes dated Dec. 4, 1815, are by I. R. C. from the style: no doubt copied from the theatre: the perspective is truly dreadful, but scene painters plead necessity and are icensed offenders, I believe. Ninth statue, fifteen small characters, on the left of a folio sheet, Feb. 7, 1815.

....

'The Merry Wives of Windsor,' May 24, 1815, oblong on a folio sheet, on the left of 'Comus,' dated May 21 (q.v.),

Midsummer Night's Dream [1816? 1, (in Print Room only, see vol. iv. p. 18), on an oblong folio sheet, dated May 24, 1814. One o'clock; or the Knight and the Wood Daemon, in two plates [by I. R. C.]. I have the proof before letters of plate 1, with West's writing (ibid. plate 2 is in the P. R. vol. i. p. 106). I also have the print of plate 1 dated Aug. 10, 1811. Old Oak Chest,' sixteen small characters on a quarto sheet, Sept. 11, 1817.

'Richard III.' two plates of small characters on an oblong folio sheet, May 21, 1814; it was redated May 21, 1824.

Richard III.,' plate 3. Small characters on the left of an oblong folio sheet, with Illusion ' on the right, dated Nov. 14, 1814.

Illusion (above) on the right of Richard III.,'

dated Nov. 7, 1814.

Telemachus,' July 3, 1815. Douglas Catalogue No. 1010, price 10s. I have not this of the original date of 1815, but I have it on the left of an oblong folio sheet with Little Hunchback (q.v.), on the right; redated July 3, 1825.

West's new theatrical characters [by I. R. C.], plate 3, top left hand Rolla in Fizarro,' Aug. 27,

1811.

folio 31.

Horses (six) in the Tyrant Saracen and Noble Moor,' in three plates. In the Print Room, vol. iv. folio 44, are proofs before letters of all three plates, Sept. 11, 1811.

Then Captain Douglas enumerates some of Jameson's quarto penny scenes, and Hodgson's double or folio scenes in his Nos. 1013 to 1029: not one of which is by either of the Cruikshanks. In my article on G. Cruikshank and G. Childs' (12 S. i. p. 203) I show that Hodgson's prints are drawn by George Childs. Not only are these Hodgson's not by the Cruikshanks, but I consider it ridiculous of Douglas to assign Nos. 1019 and 1020, entitled 'Hodgson's Grand pageant of the elements' (1822), to George or either of the Cruikshanks. There is not a line that has the Cruikshank touch. These pageants were produced in William Hath's

but are chiefly by one of his brothers, tion shows that the Captain was no artist, probably Horace. Such an absurd attribubut was a mere collector, with little knowledge of art or power of judging for himself. Considering the size of these folio sheets, eight inches high and twenty inches long, if G. Cruikshank's, they should be worth twenty shillings each.

Incidentally I may mention that I have during the last few years, completed the compilation of a catalogue of every print I have seen, of the Juvenile Theatrical Series published by W. West; it forms a MS. quarto of about 200 pages. Further I indicate in it, the volume and page of each print, in the nine elephant folio volumes of my first collection now in the Print Room Collection at the British Museum, the name of the author and the first performances and various other information.

The Print Room Collection is arranged under publisher's names and then alphabetically according to title of play: there is no hand list to the contents of the volumes. When I began my catalogue I had the prints in alphabetical order of the plays, but since I completed it I have rearranged my own prints in order of the original dates on West's prints. The advantage of this is that one clearly sees how West began with indifferently executed prints and improved as years went on. Other publishers issuing cheaper prints made no difference to West. I also have a separate Catalogue of all the West's Juvenile Theatrical Portraits that I have, and of those in the Print Room. Also a separate Catalogue of every print I have seen of J. H. Jameson's (1811-1827). All of his theatrical prints I believe were by

conform to Cruikshank's ideas he told me, which accounts for his having done so few for West.

I asked him the real names of "Small Fry and one or two other pseudonyms of persons whose drawings he etched. He said that he could not tell, and that he often etched sketches for publishers, and never knew the names of the artists, who were frequently amateurs. I said," West seems to have been a very dilatory man. Cruikshank laughed and said :-Yes, he was, the boys used to go into his shop, and abuse him "like anything," for his frequent delays in publishing continuations of his plates.

No wonder the boys complained when we know some of the facts. To give only two examples: West's characters and scenes in the 'Pilot' were published in 1828, but the side-scenes were not issued until 1833. The Forty Thieves' he issued in 1819, but plate 6 is dated and did not appear until 1827, and so on.

I have not 'Meg Merrilies (Douglas No. 1003), but I feel certain from the description that it is similar to one I have of Mrs. Egerton as Madge Wildfire,' a celebrated character impersonated by a celebrated actress. My print is initialed J. R. C., and under the above number, at p. 164, Captain Douglas says:-"Reid simply gives this without signature or imprint, it is a very common plate, but I think it is from a book. Pailthorpe has facsimilied it :-value 10s.' F. W. Pailthorpe etched a number of good prints; he was son of a printseller who carried

on business in London.

But though as Douglas states, the Egerton print is from a book, my print of Madge' is evidently not abstracted from a book, nor has it ever been in one as can be seen from the edge of the paper all round. The size of the doubled ruled lines forming a border, is six and a half inches high and four and a quarter wide.

For years I have been endeavouring to identify the source of my print, and only since I began this note have I discovered from whence it came. It is, as Captain Douglas surmises of "Meg," from a book. It is not one of West's. These prints are exactly the same as a class of similar portraits issued in The Mirror of the Stage,' a periodical published by E. Duncombe in 1825 in five volumes octavo, which were unknown to Douglas. The copy in the *Surely Capt. Douglas is mistaken in saying

| National Library is very incomplete, but they considered it so rare that the remnantsof five volumes, only make one, and "The Mirror' is not enumerated by Douglas, though it has a number of J. R. C.'s portraits, Unfortunately, this particular plate that I possess is wanting in the National Library copy. If I have not said enough to relieve myself of the suspicion of having abstracted it (!) I may say that the copy of the 'Mirror of the Stage was bound in the National Library when it was acquired in 1870, and be cut out without itsnothing could showing!! RALPH THOMAS.

ITALIAN LITERARY CRITICISM IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. FRANCESCO MONTANI DI PESARO.

II.

Poems

THAT Montani was a man of deep culture can be seen all through the essay, but more especially on p. 54, where he quotes an English poet Edmond Waller's written upon several occasions' in English and not in an Italian translation. There is. no evidence to prove that any other critic of the beginning of the Settecento did know English directly or had studied it, and only later with Antonio Conti, who translated Pope (Cf. Brognoligo: L'Opera Letteraria. di Antonio Conti: Ateneo Veneto, 1894), do we enter into that period of Anglomania in Italy which produced the Frustra Montani of Baretti.

Letteraria

knew

English, and perhaps some analogy with Bacon may be discerned in his theories.

At p. 7 he fulminates against those critics: "who, finding themselves in possession of such a stupid mind as to carry out very well the office of body to a fine design, desire often ardently either to contaminate the finest writings with their reflections or to profane them and insult them with praise."

"In truth, he who sets out to write with.

eagerness, opening out a vastly broader way to the life of his spirit than that which Nature can ever concede to his body, will have to build more, in my opinion, from what he has in his head, relying more on the vibrations [vibrazioni-a new use] and creations of his brain than on that which he finds in his inventories-reason not being. daughter of reason. dependent on authority but authority being the

"It is much too un certain, this clothing in novelty and this giving absoletis nitorem, fastiditis gratiam ; and without that, writing does not mean increas irg or enriching the literary world with productions of one's own spirit; without that it is not