bleaux, qu'on est
tente d'y porter la main." It is said also that in the works of
Van-Huysum, "le veloute des fruits, l'eclat des fleurs, le transparent
de la rosee, tout enchante dans les tableaux de ce peintre admirable."
Sir U. Price observes of this latter painter, "that nature herself is
hardly more soft and delicate in her most delicate productions, than the
copies of them by Van-Huysum." Two flower pieces by this painter, sold
at the Houghton sale for 1200_l._

In the pieces of _Bos_, a Flemish painter, the dew was represented so
much like nature, as to deserve universal approbation.

Bernazzano painted strawberries on a wall so naturally, that, we are
told, the plaster was torn down by the frequent pecking of peacocks.

Amidst these celebrated painters, these admiring judges of nature, let
us not forget our never-dying Hogarth; his piercing eye even discovers
itself in his letter to Mr. Ellis, the naturalist:--"As for your pretty
little seed cups, or vases, they are a sweet confirmation of the
pleasure nature seems to take in superadding an elegance of form to most
of her works, wherever you find them. How poor and bungling are all the
inventions of art!"

[48] The very numerous works of this indefatigable writer, embracing so
many subjects, make one think he must have been as careful of his time,
as the celebrated friend of the witty _Boileau_: the humane, benevolent,
and dignified Chancellor _Aguesseau_, who finding that his wife always
kept him waiting an hour after the dinner bell had rung, resolved to
devote this time to writing a work on Jurisprudence. He put this project
in execution, and in the course of time, produced a quarto work in four
thick volumes.

[49] This chesnut tree is thus noticed in a newspaper of August,
1829:--"The celebrated chesnut tree, the property of Lord Ducie, at
Tortworth, in the county of Gloucester, is the oldest, if not the
largest tree in England, having this year attained the age of 1002
years, and being 52 feet in circumference, and yet retains so much
vigour, that it bore nuts so lately as two years ago, from which young
trees are now being raised."

[50] There is an 8vo. published in 1717, called the "Lady's Recreation,"
by _Charles_ Evelyn, Esq. There are two letters subjoined, written to
this author by the Rev. Mr. Lawrence. From page 103, 105, 129 and 141,
one should think this was not the son of the famous Mr. Evelyn. I now
find, that Mr. Lawrence, in the Prefa