says "Rainy Day Smith," "that when he
commenced publishing, he etched small plates of landscapes, which he
produced in plates of six, and sold for sixpence; and that as there were
very few print-shops at that time in London, he prevailed upon the
sellers of children's toys to allow his little books to be put in their
windows. These shops he regularly visited every Saturday, to see if any
had been sold, and to leave more. His most successful shop was the sign
of the 'Cricket Bat,' in Duke's Court, St. Martin's Lane, where he found
he had sold as many as came to five shillings and sixpence. With this
success he was so pleased, that, wishing to invite the shopkeeper to
continue in his interest, he laid out the money in a silver pencil-case;
which article, after he had related the above anecdote, he took out of
his pocket and assured me he never would part with. He then favoured me
with the following history of Woollett's plate of the 'Niobe,' and, as
it is interesting, I shall endeavour to relate it in Mr. Boydell's own
words:--

"'When I got a little forward in the world,' said the venerable
alderman, 'I took a whole shop, for at my commencement I kept only half
a one. In the course of one year I imported numerous impressions of
Vernet's celebrated "Storm," so admirably engraved by Lerpiniere, for
which I was obliged to pay in hard cash, as the French took none of our
prints in return. Upon Mr. Woollett's expressing himself highly
delighted with the "Storm," I was induced, knowing his ability as an
engraver, to ask him if he thought he could produce a print of the same
size which I could send over, so that in future I could avoid payment in
money, and prove to the French nation that an Englishman could produce a
print of equal merit; upon which he immediately declared that he should
like much to try.

"'At this time the principal conversation among artists was upon Mr.
Wilson's grand picture of "Niobe," which had just arrived from Rome. I
therefore immediately applied to his Royal Highness the Duke of
Gloucester, its owner, and procured permission for Woollett to engrave
it. But before he ventured upon the task, I requested to know what idea
he had as to the expense, and after some consideration, he said he
thought he could engrave it for one hundred guineas. This sum, small as
it may now appear, was to me,' observed the alderman, 'an unheard-of
price, being considerably more than I had given for any copper-plate.
Howe