LIFE OF HOLBEIN.

9

pray, my lord, that I can, whenever I please,make seven lords of seven ploughmen, butI cannot make one Holbein even of sevenlords."

We cannot undertake to give a list of Hol-bein's works, but this may be seen in Wal-pole's Anecdotes. Soon after the accessionof the late king, a noble collection of hisdrawings was found in a bureau at Kensing-ton, amounting to eighty-nine. These, whichare of exquisite merit, have been admirablyimitated in engraving, in a work publishedlately by John Chamberlaine, F. S. A. cer-tainly one of the most splendid books, andmost interesting collections of portraits everexecuted. Holbein painted equally well inoil, water-colours, and distemper, in largeand in miniature : but he had never practisedthe art of painting in miniature, till he re-sided in England, and learned it from LucasCornelii; though he afterwards carried it toits highest perfection. His paintings of thatkind have all the force of oil-colours, and are