then seen the original picture, he procured the Duke's permission to have a drawing from it, in crayons, executed by a very clever artist, the late Mr. Ozias Humphry; and the result was a portrait exhibiting a very material difference indeed from Sir Joshua's copy in oil. Mr. Malone has left the following in his hand-writing, on the back of the drawing by Humphry: "This Drawing of Shakspeare was made in August 1783, by that excellent artist, Mr. Ozias Humphry, from the only original picture extant, which formerly belonged to Sir William Davenant, and is now in the possession of the Duke of Chandos. The painter is unknown. "The original having been painted by a very ordinary hand, having been at some subsequent period painted over, and being now in a state of decay, this copy, which is a very faithful one, is in my opinion invaluable. Mr. Humphry thinks that Shakspeare was about the age of forty-three when this portrait was painted; which fixes its probable date to the year 1607. "The original picture is twenty-two inches long, and eighteen broad." Among various marks of Mr. Malone's kindness, of which I may reasonably be proud, he allowed me to have copies of both his pictures: the artists who executed them for me, were thoroughly aware of the duty of fidelity, and they are in truth fac similes. I am therefore well prepared to state the difference between them, of which I have already spoken. Sir Joshua's copy is characterized by smartness and pleasantry; |