THE ENGLISH CONNOISSEUR: CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF WHATEVER IS CURIOUS IN PAINTING, SCULPTURE, &c. IN THE PALACES AND SEATS OF THE NOBILITY by Thomas Mirtyn Ï VOLUME I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR L. DAVIS AND C. REYMERS OVER-AGAINST GRAY'S-INN-GATE, HOLBORN. MDCCLXV I. PREFACE. THE HE great progrefs which the polite arts have lately made in England, and the attention which is now paid them by almost all ranks of men; feem to render an apology for a work of this nature wholly unneceffary. The only way, by which we can ever hope to arrive at any skill in diftinguishing the ftiles of the different mafters in Painting, is the ftudy of their works: any affiftance therefore in this point cannot but be grateful to the rifing Connoiffeur. It is well known at how few of those houses into which, by the indulgence of their illuftrious owners, the curious are admitted, any catalogues of the paintings and other curiofities which adorn them can be obtained; and without fuch catalogues it must be confeffcd little ufe can be made, by the yet uninformed obferver of these va Juable collections, befides that general one of pleafing the eye and the imagination, by viewing a variety of delightful objects. The editor of the following trifle, aware of the neceffity of fuch affitance, when he first defigned to travel about his native country, in order among other views to become acquainted with the manner of the principal masters in painting, looked out for books giving an account of the curiofities which the feats of the nobility and gentry, in various parts of the kingdom, contain. From the few that fell into his hands, he abstracted what he thought was to his purpofe; and in his progreffes, corrected in them whatever he thought amifs, and made additions when he found them deficient. Where no catalogue had been before printed he endeavoured to obtain one, or to make out fuch an one as he was able to do, from a furvey of the houfe and information. If this work, which the editor here offers the young ftudent in the the polite arts, fhould at all contribute to promote or facilitate the ftudy of them among his countrymen, he will have gained all the end which he aims at. The curious obferver will find ample and inftructive leffons on the Italian schools in the houses of our nobility and gentry. Mr. Walpole (a) fcruples not to affert that there are not a great many collections left 'in Italy more worth feeing than that at Houghton. In the prefervation of the pictures it certainly excells moft of them.' It faculd be obferved in commendation of the tafte which our illuftrious countrymen in general have showed, that they have preferred the greatnefs of defign and compofi tion in which the Italian mafters are fo well known to excell, before the gaudy Flemish colouring, or the drudging mi mickry of nature's moft uncomely coarfe neffes (b)," upon which the Dutch fo much value themfelves. To deny these their per fhare of merit, or to refufe them a place (a) Edes Walpoliane, Introduction. (b) Ibid. pro |