146 PainUrs in the Reign of Henry VI I L 



colonel Sothby in Bloomfbury-fquare. It is 

 painted in die neateil; manner in miniature. 

 On the right hand are inferted die portraits 

 of Mr. More and his wife. Sir Thomas's 

 grandfon, for whom it was drawn, and their 

 two fons, with their garden at Chelfea be- 

 hind, and a view of London. The pain- 

 ter of this exqnifite little piece is unknown, 

 but probably was Peter Oliver. 



The fifth was in the palace of the Del- 

 fino family at Venice, where it was long on 

 iale, the price firft fet 1 500 Z. When I faw 

 It there in 17415 they had funk it to 400/. 

 foon after which die prelent king of Poland 

 bought it. 



It v/as evidently defigned for a fmall 

 altar-piece to a chapel ; in the middle on a 

 throne fus the Virgin and child ; on one fide 

 kneels an elderly gentleman with two fons,, 

 one of them a naked infant; oppofite kneel-^ 

 inR are his wife and dauo-hters. The old 

 man is not only unlike all reprefentations of 

 Sir Thomas More, but it is certain that he 

 never had but one fon * — For the colouring 



it 



* There is recorded a bon-mot of Sir Thomas on the 

 birth of his Ton ; He had three daughters : His wife was 



impatient 



