or passion play, representing Christ presented to the people, is being enacted on a raised stage, with scenery of classical architecture. Light direct; blue hills in the distance. (I think that this is an early Flemish rendering of the actual presentation of Christ to the Jewish populace by Pilate.-S. T. W.)

In reference to Dr. Oliver's remark that this is a coarse specimen of the low Dutch school," Charles, eighth Lord Clifford, observes (May 8th, 1870): "Instead of being a bad specimen of the Dutch school, it is by Briecklaer, who painted chiefly passion, or mystery, plays. In the Royal Picture Gallery at Munich, in the second room, is a picture similar to this, though not an exact copy. In the Gallery of the Municipality at Nuremburg is another not quite so large; it is square, not oblong. The woman on the right of the picture. has her back turned to the spectator, holds a plucked turkey in her left hand, and the arm of the man near her is round her waist. On the left of the picture, instead of an archway, is the dark obelisk which, in this picture, forms the end of the stage. There is no cart in the left foreground, and the one near the Jewish mob stands more sideways than in this picture, and in the left centre background, not the right. Near the woman in the right foreground is a pile of round whitishbrown cheeses and cakes; whilst quite in front, and further to the left, is a bowl of cherries and small apples and other fruit. The artist's name or monogram is stated to be on the picture, but it was hung too high to allow of my seeing it. There is another picture of his, also of a passion play, in the Art Gallery at Cologne."

GUIDO RENI. (?) Italian painter. 1575; Bologna, 1642. Opposed the realistic school of Caravaggio.

St. Mary Magdalene.

Half-length. Life-size, 4 by 24. Oil on canvas.

The figure is represented kneeling, bare nearly to waist, draped below in white robe, and with flaxen hair falling over the shoulders, reading, with studious and somewhat painful expression, a book held in both hands; a skull and discipline by her side; a crucifix in background to left; dark landscape in the background.

The Tribute Money. (Matt. xxii. 17-21.)

Three-quarter length. Life-size, 4 by 3. Oil on canvas.

Our Saviour in scarlet robe on left, with face towards the right, is pointing upwards with right hand, whilst the left holds the folds

of the robe; a bearded man in profile, on right, in brown clothes, with money in left hand, to which he is pointing with right; a face appears behind him. Light direct; sky in background, with part of a pillar to left. The picture is strongly coloured and vigorous.

GENTILESCHI, ORAZIO. Florentine historical painter. Pisa, 1563; London, 1647. In England about twelve years. The Holy Family Resting during the Flight into Egypt. Full-length. Life-size, 4 by 6. Oil on canvas.

The Virgin and Child on right; the former, with profile turned to left, is supporting herself by right hand on the ground. She is in blue dress over white, with a light brown handkerchief round her neck, and is suckling the nude child, whose right foot is on the ground. St. Joseph, in dark red robe, is lying asleep, to left, his head and shoulders resting on a sack, with a brown blanket under his head. Light from the right, but nearly direct. This picture is described in Pilkington's Lives of the Painters, p. 217. It is a singular and realistic painting, marked by considerable power. The Child's figure is firmly drawn and well coloured. The draperies are effectively treated. The great expanse of unbroken dark background is unpleasing.

There are two other similar pictures known to have been painted. One is at the Louvre (?); the other, painted for Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, is now at Whiteway House, the seat of the Dowager Lady Morley. The colours vary, but the arrangement of the figures is almost identical.

[The foregoing pictures are, with another, representing the family of Charles I., in the Library, all that remain of the considerable collection made by Thomas, First Lord Clifford.]

IN THE ANTE-ROOM.

ROESTRATEN, PETER. Dutch painter of portraits and still
life. Haarlem, 1627; London, 1698. Pupil of Francis
Hals, whose daughter he married. Came to England temp.
Charles II.

Surgeon Extracting Shot from a Poacher's Leg.
The Surgeon at Home.

Both 2 by 2. Oil on canvas.

Both these pictures are signed and dated-the first 1673, the other 1675. The first represents the surgeon, seated on a chair to left, coolly extracting shot from the bleeding leg of a man seated in centre, in brown dress, writhing in pain, and with hand raised to his head, who has evidently been robbing a hen-roost; for a basket of eggs stands by his side on right. An assistant is grinning in the background, which represents the interior of the room. The

fine qualities of this picture go far to counteract the unpleasantness of the subject.

The second shows the same surgeon sitting on left at a table, with his mistress on right. They have been supping, and the floor is strewed with oyster-shells. He is singing, and accompanying himself with the tongs; she is drinking to a toast, holding a glass in upraised right hand, whilst the left is on her hip. Light direct. Coarse sentiment in this piece takes the place of the rough humour which characterizes the preceding one and the next.

The Cobbler at Work.

The Cobbler at Home.

Both 24 by 2. Oil on canvas.

Both these are signed and dated-the first 1673, the second 1676. Light direct. In the first the cobbler sits, in brown coat, in the centre of the picture, working with shoe on lap, and whistling to his bird, in a wicker cage hanging on left. A woman, in red petticoat, on right, stirring the fire, with her back turned. To the right is a block, with hammer lying on it, and a tub on the ground by its side. Tools lying about. In the second the cobbler is sitting over a fire, smoking a pipe, on right of the picture; his wife spinning in centre. Boots and cookery utensils on the floor. The first of these is a capital piece, vigorously painted, excellent in light. and shade and tone; the most pleasing of the series. The second has less spirit, and in technical qualities does not reach the level of the companion pictures.

Encouraged by the success of Lely, Roestraten came over to England, and was introduced to King Charles II. Deschamps, in his Lives of the Dutch Painters, gives an improbable account of Sir Peter Lely's jealousy of him as a portrait painter, which led to Roestraten retiring from that field. It is more probable that he adopted from choice the style of painting for which he is best known; viz., pictures of vases of gold, bas-reliefs, musical instruments, &c. The pictures here are figures and interiors in the style of the Dutch school, and their chief merit is rather in the drawing of still-life than in the figures, though in them there is great power of expression.

A Woman Holding a Pluck.

Full-length figure. Small size, 23 by 2. Oil on canvas.

In this picture, signed and dated 1674, Roestraten represents the woman, seated in a room, holding the pluck in her right hand. A young girl stands at her left, and a man's face is peering in at a window on right. A table, with tankard and wine-bottles, to left. Light direct. The subject is repellant; but every part of this picture is full of high artistic qualities.

A Lady at her Toilet.

2 by 2. Oil on canvas.

Signed and dated 1672. The lady sits in a chair by the table, . in grey dress over white skirt, with arms bare to the elbows. A letter lies on the floor in the centre, and a spaniel is gnawing a bone on the right of the picture. In the centre of background is a servant making a bed, with her back turned. A half-length portrait of a man hangs over the lady's head on the wall to left. The light falls through a window to left. Though technically as good as the other pieces by Roestraten, this shows that the artist succeeded best with scenes of rough humour or character. All six, however, possess great merit.

[From the fact that they are dated, one for about each year from 1672, the year before the death of the first Lord Clifford, it is more than probable that these pictures were painted by Roestraten on an order from him. There is no record of their having come to Ugbrooke at a later date.]

Artists unknown.

George Clifford, K.G., third Earl of Cumberland. Died
October 30th, 1605, æt. 48.

Margaret (Russell) his wife. Married 1577; died
May 24th, 1616, æt. 56.

Busts. Life-size. Both 2 by 11. Oil on canvas.

In the first of these pictures (which are possibly copies) the earl is represented at about 40 years old, with face slightly to left, auburn hair, and pointed beard. Light from the left. The countess, at about the same age, has her face inclined slightly to the right. Light direct. In both cases the eyes are looking at the spectator; and in the right upper corner of the plain dark background is a shield of arms, under an earl's coronet, bearing-Clifford: Chequy, or and azure, a fess gules; impaling Russell: Argent, a lion rampant, gules, on a chief sable three escallops of the field.

This Earl of Cumberland was one of the peers who sat in judgment on Mary Queen of Scots. He greatly distinguished himself as a naval commander against the Spaniards, and especially in the memorable contest with the Armada in 1588.

Another and different portrait of the earl is in the Bodleian Gallery, Oxford, and was engraved by C. Picart for Lodge's Portraits, vol. ii. There are also portraits of the earl and countess, by unknown artists, in the National Portrait Gallery. One similar to the latter is at Gorhambury, in the possession of the Earl of Verulam. It was engraved by Caldwell for Pennant's Journey from Chester to London, 4to edition, 1782,

p. 246. Other engraved portraits of the earl are mentioned in Bromley's Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits, 4to, 1793.

Artist unknown.

Anne, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery. 1590-1675. Only daughter of the last-named pair, and widow of Richard Earl of Dorset, to whom she was married in 1608; and of Philip, fourth Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, who died

in 1655.

Half-length. Life-size, 24 by 21. Oil on canvas.

This portrait is said to have been painted in 1670, when the widowed countess was aged 80, though she looks younger. Her face is turned slightly to the left; a black veil or head-covering falls over the shoulders, which are covered by a broad, white, laceedged collar. Hands not shown. In the upper corners of the plain dark background are two shields, the one bearing-Pembroke: Per pale, Az. and gules, three lions rampant, arg. Impaling, quarterly, 1 and 4 Clifford, as before; 2 and 3, Gules, six besants (or annulets, or plates), 3, 2, and 1. The shield to the right has for Sackville Earl of Dorset: Quarterly, Or and gules, over all a bend vaire. Impaling, quarterly, Clifford and Vipont (?), as before.

There is a line engraving of this portrait by Peter Mazel, who practised in the last half of the eighteenth century. Another, by R. White, represents the countess as Lady Anne Clifford, at the age of 13.

Another portrait, by Daniel Mytens, representing the countess at about the age of 33, and therefore before her second marriage in 1630, is in the collection of the Duke of Dorset, and was engraved by Edward Scriven for Lodge's Portraits. The features and expression are unmistakeably the same as in the Ugbrooke picture.

The countess was the reputed writer of the letter addressed to Sir Joseph Williamson, Secretary of State to Charles II., who had presumed to recommend to her a candidate for her borough of Appleby: "I have been bullied by an usurper; I have been neglected by a Court; but I will not be dictated to by a subject. Your man shan't stand."

Artist unknown.

Woman Cleaning a Saucepan.

Three-quarter length. Small size. Oil on canvas.

A painting of the Dutch school representing, in centre, a woman of about 30, in yellow-brown dress above the waist, and scarlet skirt below, leaning forward to right, cleaning the inside of a