THOMAS BENTLEY. 165 



work written at Burslem, Wedgwood's native place, says, 

 speaking of Josiah Wedgwood, " He took into partnership 

 Mr. Richard Bentley, son of Dr. Bentley, the celebrated 

 critic and Archdeacon of Ely, a man of great ingenuity, 

 taste, and learning, possessing too a large circle of acquaint- 

 ance among people of rank and science. To him, it is 

 generally understood, Mr. Wedgwood was chiefly indebted 

 for his classical subjects, for which his establishment became 

 so highly celebrated." This statement has been repeated 

 with but little variation, in almost every notice which has 

 yet appeared of Wedgwood or of his productions down 

 to the present time. I am enabled, however, to show 

 that this statement is erroneous, and that not only was 

 Wedgwood's partner not the son of Archdeacon Bentley, 

 the critic, but was not even named Eichard. The com- 

 panion, and afterwards partner, of Josiah Wedgwood was, 

 as will be seen from the fac-simile of his autograph, which 



I here engrave from a letter in my own possession, Thomas 

 Bentley. The letter from which this autograph is copied, is 

 addressed to " My dear Friend," " Mr. Josiah Wedgwood, 

 at Etruria," &c. In connection with this autograph I give 

 in the following illustration an engraving of the beautiful 

 medallion of Bentley, produced by Wedgwood as a com- 

 panion, probably, to his own, from an example in my own 

 collection. The bust, it will be seen, is remarkably bold 

 and fine, and must have been the work of an artist of no 

 common order. 



In connection with this medallion, it will be interesting 



