life, as all were personally known to the artist who has represented their lineaments. Our notations commence with honest, but unfortunate Johneland His original designation and employment was that of a watchmaker, but his natural propensities inclined him to a love of letters and the arts, and he certainly discovered considerable taste for both. It is to be feared, and perhaps on his account to be lamented, that when he should have been investigating improvements in mechanics, he was to be found studying criticisms on Shakespeare with Henderson, or conversing about Salvator Rosa with Mortimer. This was certainly not the road to affluence, and it was not a great while before he found that he had lost his way, and got entangled in briars and thickets beyond his skill and ability to remove. He with drew from his mechanical occupation, and was compelled to exercise his ingenuity in a far less promising and lucrative pursuit. He became first of all, a writer in the newspapers; and here let the pride of affluence forbear to express scorn and contempt at this employment, as being mean, ignoble, or disingenuous. Let such be informed, that it is not the employment itself, but the spirit and the motive with which it is undertaken and prosecuted, which entitles it to approbation or censure. It may be rendered, as it often has been, the vehicle of moral not the Dean of Westminster, but his namesake moral instruction, of useful information, of agreeable amusement. It has been pursued sometimes as an amusement of leisure, and not unfrequently, from the pressure of necessity, by some of the ablest and some of the most amiable characters among The exercise of John's abilities in this line, procured him a scanty provision for himself, his wife, and a sister. It is doing him an act of justice to state, that he was no politician, and never dipped his pen in the gall of party, or interfered with the measures of government or the proceedings of any opposition. His productions were perfectly harmless, and chiefly consisted of anecdotes of the stage, of pictures and artists, with such other matters as he gleaned from an extensive range of acquaintance. But he had also another resource, though this was but an unsubstantial one also. He had a taste for engraving, and a particular fondness for the works of Hogarth, in which perhaps he was more skilfully conversant than almost any other contemporary. He had, if our information does not deceive us, a slight knowledge of Hogarth himself, but after his death, he became intimately acquainted with Mrs. Hogarth. He was useful to the widow in assisting in the disposal of Hogarth's prints, and he learned from her a great many particulars of the artist and his works, which he afterwards turned to account. It It is this circumstance which entitles him to a place in the catalogue of authors. Under the auspices of the Boydells, he published a minute detail and description of all Hogarth's works, in three large volumes; a very agreeable and amusing work, which was well received by the public, and afterwards republished. He was an amiable and unoffending man, and there were many families, of which that of the Sexagenarian was one, in which he was constantly received with hospitality and kindness. He repaid the welcome he found, by his lively conversation, and abundance of anecdotes. Poor fellow! it is to be feared, that in the decline of life, when his powers of mind were too enfeebled to communicate the usual pabulum of intelligence to his employers, and when his bodily powers became too infirm to go in quest of it, that he had to endure many and serious privations. The literary fund was not then established, or his latter days might have been rendered more comfortable. This admirable institution, as is very well known, has frequently administered, in hours of suffering and anguish, substantial consolation to afflicted and expiring genius. It is to be hoped that its powers may be yet further extended, and that by timely interference the extreme of suffering 'may be prevented, that talent may not be checked in its ardent career from the want of aid and encouragement, nor undertakings suffered to fall to the ground, and be the cause of ruin to the original contriver, merely from the want of oil to facilitate the motion of the machine. Where, or under what circumstances, the person of whom we are speaking, paid the last debt of nature, is not recorded, but this slight tribute seems affectionately paid by our Sexagenarian to his me mory. Among the various incidents of his wayward passage through life, he used to relate one which appears worth commemorating. Whilst he exercised his occupation of a watchmaker in Maidenlane, he was on some occasion or other in his shop at a very early hour in the morning, expecting any thing but a customer. An old man, of very mean appearance as to dress and person, presented himself, and desired to see one of the most valuable watches in his possession, and one that without any consideration of price, he could conscientiously recommend. Our friend John happened to have a repeater by him, made by one of the first artists, and of the goodness of which he thought very highly. This he accordingly produced. The old man, after taking a few minutes to examine it, enquired the price.-" Fifty guineas."-" Is that the lowest ?"" It is." The money |