nor the other. There are some _Albert Durers_; one of the _Trinity,_ of the
date of 1523, and another of the _Doctors of the Church_ dated 1494: the
latter good, and a choice picture of the early time of the master. A
portrait of an old man, kit-cat, _supposed_ by _Murillo_. Two ancient
pictures by _Holbein_ (that is, the _Father_ of Hans Holbein) of the
_Fugger family_--containing nine figures, portraits, of the size of life:
dated 1517 and deserving of notice. An old woman veiled, half-length, by
_J. Levens_: very good. Here are two _Lucas Cranachs_, which I should like
to purchase; but am fearful of dipping too deeply into Madame Francs's
supplemental supply. One is a supposed portrait (it is a mere supposition)
of _Erasmus_ and his mistress; the other is an old man conversing with a
girl. As specimens of colouring, they are fine--for the master; but I
suspect they have had a few retouches. Here is what the catalogue calls "A
_fuddling-bout. beautyful small piece, by Rembrand_:" nº. 188: but it is
any thing but a beautiful piece, and any thing but a Rembrandt.

There is a small picture, said to be by _Marchessini_, of "Christ dragged
to the place of execution." It is full of spirit, and I think quite
original. At first I mistook it for a _Rubens_; and if Marchessini, and not
Otho Venius, had been his master, this mistake would have been natural. I
think I could cull a nosegay of a few vivid and fragrant flowers, from this
graphic garden of plants of all colours and qualities. But I shrewdly
suspect that they are in general the off-scourings of public or private
collections; and that a thick coat of varnish and a broad gilt frame will
often lead the unwary astray.

While I am upon the subject of _paintings_, I must take you with me to the
TOWN HALL ... a noble structure; of which the audience room, up one pair of
stairs--and in which Charles V. received the deputies respecting the famous
_Augsbourg Confession of Faith_, in 1530,--is, to my taste, the most