Painters in the 'Reign of ^een Elizabeth, 16 1 



Of the family of Ifaac Oliver I find no 

 certain account; nor is it of any importr 

 ance ; he was a genius; and they tranfmit 

 more honour by blood than they can re- 

 ceive. After ftudying under Hilliard, he 

 had fome ' inftrudlions from Zucchero ; Ver- 

 tue even thought, from variety of his draw- 

 ings after the great mafters, efpecially Par- 

 megiano, that he had been in Italy. For 

 whatever elfe relates to him, let his works 

 fpeak. 



Dr. Meade pofiefTed fome of the moft 

 capital ; as Oliver's own portrait, extremely 

 fmall ; the head of the queen of Scots, * an 

 admirable piece, though very doubtful! 

 whether of her ; queen Elizabeth, profile ; 

 Henry prince of Wales, f Ben Johnfon ; f 

 and the whole length of Sir Philip Sidney, 

 fitting under a tree. All thefe were pur- 

 chafed by the late prince of Wales. I have 

 another portrait of Oliver himfelf, larger 



* Zink made an exceedingly fine copy of this in 

 enamel, purchafed by his Royal Highnefs the Duke of 

 Cumberland. It is engraved in Jebb's colleftions. 



f There are one or two others of this prince by the 

 fame hand. 



X It is engraved among the illullrious heads, but U 

 very unlike tlie old pidurcs and prints of that poet. 



R3 than 



