he
bottom of the portrait, and over the original finished painting, and
therefore of a subsequent date:

"David Betonius, S.R.E., Card. Archiep. S. Andreae in Scotia, ab
Hostibus Fidei Barbare Trucidatus."

Beaton was elected to the Cardinalate in Dec. 1538; did he visit Rome after
that? He was at all events in Paris. The Scotch College at Rome was a
natural habitat for a portrait of a Scottish churchman so famous as
Cardinal Beaton, and it would be strange indeed if they had not one of him
where they affected a collecion of portraits of British prelates. I propose
to have this portrait engraved, if its probable authenticity cannot be
shaken. Did Pinkerton engrave any portrait of Beaton? There is none in my
copies of his _Iconographia Scotica_, 1797, and his _Scottish Gallery_,
1799. These contain several duplicates; but it is rare to meet with copies
that can be warranted perfect. If the portrait be published, it will
probably be accompanied by a short memoir, correcting from authentic
documents some of the statements of his biographers: any information either
as to the portrait or his life will be thankfully acknowledged. One or two
letters from Lord Buchan, on the subject of Scottish Portraits, appeared in
the _Gentleman's Magazine_, vol. lxv., but not relating to this particular
one.

SCOTUS.

* * * * *

ON THE POINTING OF A PASSAGE IN "ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL."

_Lafeu._ "They say miracles are past: and we have our philosophical
persons, to make modern and familiar, things, supernatural and
causeless."--Act ii. Scene 3.

So the passage is pointed in Johnson and Steevens, that is, with a comma
after the word "things;" and the same pointing is used in the recent
editions of Mr. Knight, Barry Cornwall, and Mr. Collier.

It occurred to me that this pointing gave a meaning quite out of harmony
with what directly follows, and also with the spirit in which Lafeu speaks.
Let the comma be placed after "familiar", and the whole passage be read
thus:

_Lafeu._ "They say miracles are past; and we have our philosophical
persons to make modern and familiar, things supernatural and causeless.
Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing ourselves into
seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear."

Lafeu apparently is speaking somewhat sarcastically of those who say
miracles are past, and who endeavour to _explain