Hampton Court ... Illustrated with forty-three drawings by Herbert ...

CHARLES I.'S COLLECTION 181
gave the title to the delightful Antoine Watteau, and
it is in such a place as Hampton Court that we should
look to find a gallery from his hand. But the dispersion
of Charles's collection scattered the portraits
that once were here, and there remain only (besides
the charming sketch of Madame de Cante Croix, of
which the finished picture is at Windsor), sacred or
mythological compositions, not always in his happiest
style. The most important is the Cupid and Psyche,
alate work, unfinished,with a singular charm.
" Rare artisan, whosepencilmoves
Not our delights alone,but loves!
Fromout thy shop of beauty we
Slaves return, that entered free.
The heedless lover does.,rpt know
Whose eyes they are that woundhim so,
But, confounded with thy art,
Inquires her name that has his heart."
Pity 'tis that there are not here some of those fair
ladies of whom Waller is thinking, and who walked
through the trim gardens of Hampton Court when
Charles the First was King.
Rubens we should name if there were much here of
his to be observed; but there is onlythe very doubtful
Sir Theodore Mayerne (No. 711), and his composition,
a great, coarse, yet powerful work, of Dian with
nymphs and satyrs, with game by Snyders.
There are many other artists of this age here represented
with whom we would gladly linger — Gentileschi;
his daughter Artemisia, whose bright and vigorous