PREFACE. 



WHEN one offers to the public the 

 labours of another perfon, it is al- 

 lowable and precedented to expatiate in 

 praife of the work. Of this indulgence how- 

 ever I fliall not make advantage. The in- 

 drjflry of Mr. Vertue was fufficiently known ; 

 the antiquarian world had fingular obliga- 

 tions to him. The many valuable monu- 

 ments relating to our hiflory, and to the 

 perfons of our monarchs and great men, 

 which he faved from oblivion, 'are lafling 

 evidences of his merit. What thanks are 

 due to him for the materials of tlie follow- 

 ing fheets, the public muft determine. So 

 far from endeavouring to prepoflefs them in 

 favour of the work, it (hall be my part fair- 

 ly to tell them what they mud expefl. 



In Italy, where the art of painting has 

 been carried to an amazing degree of per- 

 fe6bion, the lives of the painters have been 

 written in numberlefs volumes, aioAe fuf- 

 ficient to compofe a little library. Every 

 piclture of every confiderable m after is mi- 

 nutely defcribed. Thofe biographers treat 

 of the works of Raphael and Correggio with 



Vol. I, a as 



