Fomnivorous, rapacious, and pro

FOR the greedy print-gatherer

fuse there is now, happily, but little toleration. This artistic craze is but a species of the other established insanities. The spectacle of the frantic virtuoso, hungering after proofs before letters, first, second, and third stages, plates that have been retouched, India proofs, and other developments of this fatal frenzy, excites only pity and contempt, and suggests serious thoughts as to the gracious interference of the Chancellor, and the wholesome restraint of a Commission.

Still, there is one agreeable shape of this mania, for which there may be indulgence. And when the print-devouring Vitellius is content to gorge himself on such delicacies as the public delighted in towards the close of the last century, and purchased and appreciated-when he becomes deranged in reference to PORTRAITS, and amasses such treasures as all the noble ladies and gentlemen of that day, turning his portfolio into a huge Walhalla-it is hard to be wroth with this agreeable lunatic, who furnishes so delightful an entertainment-not for himself merely, but for his heirs and assigns, and but too often, unhappily, for the cheap loungers of the auction-room. These were the 'heads' that " were stuck in the print-shops,' like that admirable boaster's, Mr. Lofty; such a print also, in all the print-shops, did amiable Goldsmith send home to his Irish relations, to show them how much considered he was; such a print was issued of the fashionable Mr. Sterne-afterwards reduced in size and placed as a frontispiece for his sermons. It was Sir Joshua, with the dainty brush and honied colouring, that first spiritualized the famous lord or lady upon canvas. Then followed the mezzotinto plate -the most perfect translation that could be conceived outside the world of colour-of the master's exquisite and most tender manner. They are

VOL. V.-NO. XXIX.

to be seen now with the bloom still on, so clear, and cold, and delicate, brilliant, rich, full, deep, and full of marvellous effect. Modern work halts after these examples lamely; Smith, MacArdle, and others were the masters of this school. They have long since laid by their acids and burins, and it would seem as though their cunning was lost.

The London crowds drifting through the Strand often stopped to stare at a new print-one of this matchless series-which was then 'stuck in the print-shops.' The beautiful Lady Coventry, perhaps the most notorious on the crowded roll of English beauties, was painted by a fashionable artist, and is now to be found in the portfolios, sometimes in good condition,' clean, fresh, bright, and, above all, not 'cut down.' Looking on that attractive face and graceful figure, which turned half the fashionable heads in London, her strange and romantic story, as yet never told consecutively, seems to rise out of the past, more entertaining than a romance, and quite as profitable as a sermon.

There was a certain Irish country gentleman living down in the West, who is set down in the books of heraldry as 'John Gunning, Esquire, of co. Roscommon.' That is a notoriously boggy district; and it may be presumed John Gunning, Esquire,' fulfilled the customary function of many Irish gentlemen of that day, shooting snipe, and other Irish gentlemen, and certainly never dreaming of the prodigious destiny that was in store for his two little daughters. He had made a good connection, marrying a sister of the Earl of Mayo; so that the obscurity of the little girls is not quite so great as has been represented. They were born at Castlecoote their father's place-still in the vast bog country; Maria, the eldest, coming into the world in the year seventeen hundred and thirty-three, the other, Elizabeth, the year after. Bridget was the name of the daughter of the

2 A

Mayo family, and the result of the alliance was one son and five daughters, namely, John, Mary, Elizabeth, Catherine, Lizzy, and Sophia. That John grew up from being a sweet little boy,' as one who knew him called him, entered the army, fought with distinction at Bunker's Hill, became a major-general in the army and Sir John Gun-. ning. The first was to be hereafter Countess of Coventry and titular belle of the English court; the other was to wed successively the Duke of Argyle and Duke of Hamilton-elevations which, however striking, have been paralleled; not so, however, that union of beauty, fortune, and romance.

What became of John Gunning, Esquire, co. Roscommon,' has never distinctly appeared, nor would public curiosity be likely to be much excited in his behalf. One glimpse that we have of John Gunning, Esquire, is characteristic, and shows that the world had gone a little hard with him. He had come up to Dublin, and had lived in that gay capital during one of its gayest epochs, until he could reside there no longer; and, as we are naïvely told, had been obliged to retire into the country, to avoid the disagreeable consequences that must

ensue,

A strange, irregular actress, who about this time had an engagement at Mr. Sheridan's theatre, happened to be one day returning from rehearsal. When at the bottom of Great Britain Street she heard what she called the voice of distress.' These were the times when sentiment was fast coming into fashion both before and behind the curtain, and all ranks were diligently petting and cultivating their tender emotions to the very highest point of delicacy. On hearing, then, the voice of distress in Britain Street, the actress at once turned in the direction it seemed to proceed from, entered a house, and without ceremony proceeded upstairs. Strange men, however, stood at the door, about whose garments hung the true ca sa flavour; and in the parlour she found a distressed family, consisting of a woman of a most

elegant figure,' and who was the centre of a group of four beautiful girls' and a sweet boy of about three years.' The united voices of this young family had joined in that mournful chorus which had so irresistibly attracted the actress in Britain Street.

The woman of a most elegant figure' proved to be Mrs. Gunning, the wife of John Gunning, Esquire, co. Roscommon; she received her guest very politely, and complimented her 'upon possessing such humane sensations.' She then entered upon an explanation of her position-how they had lived beyond their income, and how John Gunning, Esquire, had been obliged, as before mentioned, 'to retire into the country, to avoid the disagreeable consequences that must ensue.' Some hopes had been entertained that Lord Mayo, her brother, would have come forward, listening to the dictates of fraternal affection,' and have done something for John Gunning, Esquire, and his family; but this reasonable hope had turned out quite unprofitable; and the ill-looking officials at the door were actually preparing to carry out their stern duty, in virtue of the powers confided to them by the high sheriff. The future countess and double duchess were awaiting with tears this indignity in what is now one of the obscurest streets in the City. But what shall be said of John Gunning, Esquire, who had 'withdrawn into the country' to avoid the inconveniencies of this proceeding, and left his family to face bailiffs and executions?

The actress and the lady, however, soon arranged a practical plan --a shape that pure sentiment rarely takes. It was resolved that when darkness set in, the actress's manservant should be despatched to Britain Street, should stand under the drawing-room, and catch any light articles that should be thrown down to him.

Further, the good-natured actress actually agreed to take in the whole of the young family and their ser vant until some arrangement could be made. Not long after, Miss Burke, Mrs. Gunning's sister, a lady

of exemplary piety who had passed her probation in the community of Channel Row,' sent for the younger children; but the two famous girls remained with the actress. Maria, the elder, seems to have been 'all life and spirits,' a sort of boisterous hoyden; the other was 'more reserved and solid.'

This charitable actress was the well-known George Anne Bellamy, who has left behind her some free, outspoken, vulgar memoirs; but which are yet so natural and characteristic, tinged also with that abundant Boswellian garrulity, as to become very entertaining. These

were valuable services, which should have left a lasting sense of obligation; though, indeed, Mrs. Bellamy, who always looked very high, might have hoped to have found her profit in a connection with the Mayo family.

After this odd incident the actress was drifted away to London, and became lost in the whirl of theatrical intrigue. How the Gunning family were finally extricated does not appear; but Maria, our heroine, wrote her benefactress a letterstrange both in orthography and composition; but which seems so overdone in its mistakes as to excite reasonable suspicion. It is known, however, that these beauties were sadly illiterate, and so the letter is to a certain degree in keeping. It was addressed to

'MISS BELLAMY IN ENGLAND.' The following are some characteristic extracts:

'I reced my dearest Miss Bellamy letter at last; after her long silence, indeed I was very jealous with you, but you make me amen's in Letting me hear from you now. it gives me great joy and all our faimley to hear that yr Dear mama and your Dearest self are in perfict health to be sure all yr Relations where fighting to see which of them shod have you first and Longest with ym.

I

was very unfortunate to be in the country when our Vaux Hall was. if I was in Town I shod be thear and I believe I should be much more delighted than at a publicker deversion. .. I don't believe it

was Mr. Knox you read of at Bath for he is hear. Dublin is ye stupites place. . . . . I believe Sheredian can get no one to play with him is doing all he can to get frinds for him sef to be sure you have hread he is marrd for sirtain to Miss Chamberlan. a sweet pare.

'I must bid a due and shall only say I am my Dr your ever affecnat 'M. GUNNING.'

After all, this spelling was not exceptional. Mr. Sterne's MSS. are full of faults almost as gross; and he talks of opening a dore.'

What became of the 'sweet little boy' has been mentioned. Of the three younger sisters who are unknown to fame, one, Catherine, married an undistinguished gentleman who is only known to posterity as one Robert Travis, Esquire.' The destiny of the undistinguished portion of the family was written by an ancient parish clerk, in a letter to a Mr. Madder, of Fulham, and, appropriately enough, was adorned with spelling quite as unorthodox. 'I take the freedom,' says this odd document, which is dated from Huntingdonshire, 'in wrighting to you from an information of Mr. Warrington, that you would be glad to have the account of my Townswoman, the Notefied, the Famis, Beautifull Miss Gunnings, Born at Hemmingfordgrey, tho they left the Parish before I had knoledge enough to remember them, and I was born in 32. But I will give you the best account I can, which I believe is better than any man in the country besides myself, though I have not the Birth Register for so long a Date, and since Dr. Dickens is dead, I dont know where it is.' He then tells of the two elder sisters; and recollects distinctly seeing the Portrait of the wife of Robert Travis, Esq., in a print-shop, I beleeve in St. Poul's Churchyard;' and who had acquired a sort of reflected reputation from her sister's fame. This was an oval after Cotes, with a scrap of doggrel underneath.

This youngest grace, so like her sister's frame, Her kindred features tell from whence she

came,

'Tis needless once to mention Gunning's name .