lost his ears at Lancaster, and raised a dead body by necromancy. He was, by order of the Emperor Rudolph, confined for his imprudent conduct, and died in 1595, occasioned by a fall in endeavouring to escape out of a window.-He wrote a poem on chemistry, and one on the philosopher's stone, printed in "Theatrum Chymicum Britannicum."

JOHN BLAGRAVE; a small head, D. L. (oggan) fecit. In the engraved title to "Planispherium Catholicum, quod vulgo dicitur The Mathematical Jewel,” &c. Lond. sumptibus Josephi Moxon, 4to. The editor was John Palmer, M. A. whose head is also in the title. There is another small head of the former in a ruff. His portrait is in the possession of George Blagrave, esq. of

Bullmarsh Court.

John Blagrave, of Southcote, near Reading, in Berkshire, was the second son of John Blagrave, of Bullmarsh Court, near the village of Sunning, in that county. He was a man of a strong head and a benevolent heart, and had the honour of being an inventive genius. This excellent mathematician did not pursue phantoms, like Dee and Kelly, but reduced his speculations to practice; and his friends, his neighbours, and the public, reaped the fruits of his studies. His "Mathematical Jewel," which is in a great measure an original work, is his capital performance. He cut the figures for this book with his own hand, and they are well executed.* This gentleman, who possessed an independent fortune, was not only distinguished by his knowledge in mathematics; he was, and is still, known for his judicious charities. He died the 9th of August, 1611, Et. 61, and lies buried in St. Laurence's church, in Reading, where a fine monument was erected to his memory. See more of him, and Doctor Dee, in the "Biographia Britannica."

JOHN GERARDE; engraved by William Rogers, for the first edit. of his "Herbal."

* In his Discourse to the Reader, before his " Mathematical Jewel," he expresses himself thus: "Never give over at the first, though any thing seeme hard; rather aske a little helpe: and if you desire to be excellent perfite in your instrument, abridge my whole worke, and you shall find it will stand you more steede than twenty times reading. I have always done so with any booke I liked."

JOHN GERARDE; engraved by Payne, for Johnson's edition of the same book.

John Gerarde, a surgeon in London, was the greatest English botanist of his time. He was many years retained as chief gardener to Lord Burleigh, who was himself a great lover of plants, and had the best collection of any nobleman in the kingdom: among these were many exotics, introduced by Gerarde. In 1597, he published his "Herbal," which was printed at the expense of J. Norton, who procured the figures from Frankfort, which were originally cut for Tabermontanus's "Herbal" in High Dutch. In 1633, Thomas Johnson, an apothecary, published an improved edition of Gerarde's book, which is still much esteemed. The descriptions in this Herbal are plain and familiar; and both these authors have laboured more to make their readers understand the characters of the plants, than to give them to understand that they knew any thing of Greek or Latin.

ROGER ASCHAM; a small whole length; reading a letter to Queen Elizabeth. In the engraved title to Mr. Elstob's edition of his "Epistles," M. Burghers sc. Copied by W. Richardson.

Roger Ascham, who was born at North Allerton, in Yorkshire, and educated at St. John's College, in Cambridge, was one of the brightest geniuses and politest scholars of his age. He was public orator of the university of Cambridge, and Latin secretary to Edward VI., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth; the last of whom he taught to write a find hand, and instructed in the Greek and Latin languages, of which he was a consummate master. His letters are valuable both for style and matter, and are almost the only classical work of that kind written by an Englishman.+ The most perfect

Thomas Johnson, who, for his labours in this work, was honoured with a doctor of physic's degree, by the university of Oxford, was lieut. col. to Sir Marmaduke Rawdon, governor of Basing-house, in the civil wars. He set fire to the Grange near that fortress, which consisted of twenty houses, and killed and burnt about three hundred of Sir William Waller's men, wounded five hundred more, and took arms, ammunition, and provision, from the enemy. He died in Sept. 1644, of a wound which he received in a sally from the garrison.

+ Daniel George Morhoff speaks thus of him, at p. 283 of his "Polyhistor. Literarius," published by the learned John Albert Fabricius : " Rogerus Aschamus, Anglus, Regina Elizabethæ fuit a Latinis Epistolis, cujus Epistolas Thuanus ele

collection of them, which may be still enlarged, was that published by Mr. Elstob; but he had omitted the author's poems, which are printed in other editions. His "Schoolmaster" abounds with great good sense, as well as knowledge of ancient and modern history; it is also expressive of the great humanity of the author, who was for making the paths of knowledge as level and pleasant as possible, and for trying every gentle method of enlarging the mind and winning the heart. His "Toxophilus," a treatise of shooting in the long-bow, of which he was very fond, is rather whimsical. He seems to think, that a man who would be a complete archer, should have as great a compass of knowledge as he possessed himself. He died the 4th of January, 1569.

THOMAS HILL, Et. 42; a small oval, cut in

wood.

He was author of "The Contemplation of Mankinde; contayning a singular Discourse, after the Art of Physiognomie, on all the Members and Partes of Man, from the Head to the Foot, in a more ample Manner than hytherto hath been published," 1571, small 8vo. or 12mo. This frivolous writer hath given the reader his own head to contemplate in the title to his book.

AN AUTHOR AND ACTOR.

RICHARD TARLTON; in a clown's dress, playing on his pipe and beating his drum; in Harding's "Biographical Mirrour." The original is in the title-page to Tarlton's "Jests," 1611; wood-cut; of which there is a copy the same size 12mo.

Richard Tarlton, born at Condover, in the county of Salop, was brought to London by a servant of Robert, earl of Leicester, who found him in a field keeping his father's swine: being highly pleased with his answer, he took him under his patronage, and introduced him to court. He performed at the Bull theatre in Bishopsgate-street, and acted the part of the judge in the play of

gantissime scriptas judicat. Pene unus e gente Anglica est cujus stylus veterem Latinitatem sapit. Cum Joanne Sturmio singularem coluit amicitiam; cujus exemplo erectus, elegans dicendi genus sectatus est."

King Henry V. which was prior to that of Shakspeare. He excelled in the clown parts, and was famous for his extempore wit. For some time he kept an ordinary in Paternoster Row, and was author of one dramatic performance, called The Seven deadly Sins. He died about 1589, and was buried at Shoreditch.

CLASS X.

ARTIST S.

PAINTERS.

NICHOLAS HILLIARD, Æt. 30, 1577; from a limning at Penshurst. T. Chambers sc. In the "Anecdotes of Painting;" 4to.

Nicholas Hilliard, who was bred a goldsmith, applied to painting in miniature, in which art he chiefly formed himself upon the smaller pieces of Holbein, but never rose to all their excellence. Hilliard had the honour of contributing to the formation of Isaac Oliver, a greater genius than himself. Two of his works, which are in the possession of Simon Fanshawe, esq. bear ample testimony to his merit. Dr. Donne has immortalized him by a very slight sketch:

a hand or eye

By Hilliard drawn is worth a history
By a worse painter made-

He was miniature painter and engraver of medals to James I. who granted him a privilege by patent for engraving the heads of the royal family. I have seen a set of counters of the kings of England in silver, which were probably engraved by himself and several other artists who worked under him. In this set were the heads of James and the princes Henry and Charles, neatly executed by Simon Pass, who assisted him in these works. He died January 7, 1619. See more of him in the "Anecdotes of Painting."

ISAACUS OLIVERUS; in the set of Painters by Hondius; h. sh.

ISAAC OLIVER. J. Oliver p. J. Miller sc. 4to. In the "Anecdotes of Painting;" 4to.

There never appeared in England, perhaps in the whole world, a greater master in miniature than Isaac Oliver. He painted a few pieces of history, but generally portraits; which have so much truth and delicacy, as never to have been equalled, but by the smaller works of Holbein. His pictures are marked with P. He died in the reign of Charles I.

CORNELIUS KETEL. C. Ketel p. Bary sc. 1659, large quarto. The next is copied from it.

CORNELIUS KETEL. T. Chambers sc. 4to. In the "Anecdotes of Painting."

C. Ketel, a Dutch painter of history and portrait, was introduced to the queen by Lord-chancellor Hatton, and had the honour of painting her picture. He also did portraits of several of the nobility. After his return to Holland, he laid aside his pencils, and painted with his fingers, and after that with his toes. This artist reminds me of the man who could thread a needle with his toes, and attempted to sew with them. He is said, however, to have made but very bungling work.

FREDERIGO ZUCCHERO. Campiglia del Billiy f. In the "Museum Florentinum."

FREDERIC ZUCCHERO. A Bannerman sc. 4to.

FREDERICO ZUCCHERO; in "Acad. Pictura." J. Sandrart.

Frederic Zucchero, a celebrated Italian painter of history and portrait, had also the honour of painting the queen. Several of his portraits are engraved among the Illustrious Heads. There is a very grand composition by him, in the church of St. Angelo, in Vado, the place of his nativity, of which I shall give a description, as I have not seen it any where described. In the lower part of this piece, which is painted in the form of a large arch, is the angel Gabriel, revealing the birth of Christ to the Virgin. On the right and left, are the patriarchs and prophets who foretold that great event, with tablets in their hands, on which are inscribed their pro

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