Painters in the Reign of Henry VI 11. 109 



More. In thofe letters the former tells 

 Aegidius, that Holbein was very defirous 

 of feeing the works of Quintin Matfis, the 

 celebrated black-fmith painter, whofe tools, 

 it is faid. Love converted into a pencil. Of 

 this inafter Holbein had no reafon to be 

 jealous : With great truth and greater la- 

 bour, Quintin's pictures are inferior to Hol- 

 bein's. The latter fmoothed the lliffnefs 

 of his manner by a velvet foftnefs and 

 kiftre of colouring ; the performances of 

 his cotem.porary want that perfecting touch ; 

 nor are there any evidences that Quintia 

 could afcend above the coarfenefs or defor- 

 mities of nature. Holbein was equal to 

 dignified charaCter — He could exprefs the 

 piercing genius of More, or the grace of 

 Ann Boleyn. Employed by More, Hol- 

 bein was employed as he ought to be : 

 This was the happy moment of his pencil -, 

 from painting the author, he rofe to the 

 philofopher, and then funk to work for the 

 king. I do not know a fingle countenance 

 into which any mafter has poured greater 

 energy of exprefTion than in the drawing of 

 Sir Thomas More at Kenfington : It has a 

 freedom, a boldnefs of diought and acute- 



nefs 



