Philip, Earl of Pembroke, an eminent admirer of the arts, who considered
the picture as a valuable appendage to an English palace, resolved, if
possible, to prevent the bargain being concluded, and went privately to
the royal apartments, cut out the head of King Henry from the canvass,
placed it in his pocket-book, and retired unnoticed. The agent, finding
the picture so materially mutilated, declined to purchase; and it remained
in its station till Cromwell, having obtained the supreme command,
prevented any further disposal of the collection. On the Restoration, the
then Earl of Pembroke delivered the dissevered fragment to Charles the
Second, who ordered it to be reinserted in its place. By looking sideways
at the picture in a proper light, the reparation becomes visible."

P.T.W.

* * * * *

MEMORY.

It is reported of the Emperor Claudius, that he retained in memory all
Homer, Sallust, Demosthenes, Avicen, and Aristotle's Metaphysics.

Tully and Seneca never heard any thing material but it was imprinted in
their memory.

Scaliger said he learned Homer in twelve days, and all the Greek poets in
four months.

Seneca, the philosopher, could repeat two thousand names in the exact
order in which they were rehearsed to him.