I04 Painters in the Reign of Henry VIII. 



land. It is more likely to have been the 

 uncle, who we have ittn. was a painter, and 

 do not find that he was a very good one. 

 He might have come over, and died here 

 in obfcurity. 



Holbein's inclination to drawing appear- 

 ed very early, and could not fail of being 

 encouraged in a family * fo addi<5led to the 

 art. His father himfelf inftru6led him ; 

 and he learned befides, graving, calling, 

 modelling and architedture : in the two lat- 

 ter branches he was excellent. Yet with 

 both talents and tafte, he for fome time 

 remained in indigence, diflipating with wo- 

 men what he acquired by the former, and 

 drowning in wine the delicacy of the latter. 

 At that time Erafmus was retired to Bafil, 

 a man, whofe luck of fame was derived 

 froai all the circumftances which he him- 

 felf reckoned unfortunate. He lived when 

 learning was juft emerging out of barbarifm, 

 ^nd fhone by lamenting elegantly the de- 

 fects of his cotemporaries. His being one 

 of the firft to attack fuperflitions which he 

 had not courage to relinquifh, gave him 



* Holbein had two brothers, Ambrofe and Bruno, 

 who were alfo painters at Bafil. 



merit 



