H O L 427

many In one piece, that they may not feem to be crowded ; but
to order them gracefully on the foreground efpecially, and the
reft of the figures to leflen and decline proportionably, both in
height and ftrengthby degrees at their feveral diftances.

And a Hiftory-painter muft'of neceffity underftand anatomy,
arithmetic, architecture, geometry, and perfpective, &c. and
not on|y the true fhape of man's body, but of all other creatures
whatfoever, and all the fhapes and forms that are in the world.

History, is reprefented, in painting, by a woman refemblng
an angel with great wings, looking behind her, writing on an
oval table, on the back of Saturn. '

The wings denote her publifhing all events with great expe-
dition ; her looking back, that Ihe labours for pofterity ; her
white robe, truth and fmcerity; Saturn by her fide denotes time,
and the fpirit of the actions.

Wencejlaus HOLLAR, was a gentleman born at Prague in
Bohemia in the year 1607. He was much inclined to miniature
and etching, in which la ft art he became exceeding famous. In
the year 1627, he left Prague, and vifited many cities of Germa-
ny, when, coming at laft to Cologn, he waited upon the earl of
Arundel, that truly great and noble patron of arts, who was there
on his embafly to the emperor at Vienna, and afterwards came
over with him to England. He lived here for fome time, and
drew many churches, ruins, perfons, and views, which he after-
wards etched, which will always be in good efteem. His par-
ticular excellency was etching ; there are a great number of his
prints in England. He at laft got into the fervice of the duke of
York; but, upon the breaking out of the civil wars, retired to
Antwerp, and there died.

Hans HOLBEIN. His manner was extraordinary and un-
ufual, differing both from the ancients and moderns, fo that it
feems as if he had not been incited or inftructed by any exam-
ple, but rather that he followed purely the dictates of his genius.
There is nothing to be feen of his doing but what is painted to
the utmoft perfection ; this is manifeft by that piece of his of
death's dance in the town-hall at Bafil, the defign whereof he
firft cut neatly in wood, and afterwards painted, which appeared
wonderful to the learned Erafmus. He requefted of him to draw
his picture, deftring nothing fo much as to be reprefented by fo
judicious a hand.

This being performed, and Erafmus thinking that he deferved
2 more plentiful fortune, he perfuaded him to come for England,
promifing him confiderable advantages from the bounty of king
Henry VIII. At his requeft, Holbein fet out for this kingdom,
bringing along with him Erafmus's picture, and letters of recom-
mendation from that great man to the then lord chancellor Sir

Thomas