the water-route, and hundreds are wise enough to know that art-treasures can be disposed of en passant there as elsewhere. Consequently various ceramic specimens do find their way into the hands of the dealers, from whom they pass onwards to Paris at a premium, not seldom being cheaply purchased and dearly sold. Now, if you can only stop a Capo di Monte group on its way from Italy, or a Bueno Retiro vase from Spain, or aught else, before it takes flight to the imperial city, which on more than one occasion it has been my good fortune to do, it will well repay you the trouble of an hour's visit to the bric-a-brac shops of the Rue de Paradis.

La Provence could formerly boast of several manufactures of pottery; but not till the end of the seventeenth century did it produce glazed or enamelled pottery, some time after that of Moustiers.

The first fabricant at Marseilles was Jean Delarisse, in 1769; whereas in the middle of the eighteenth century there were several artists, some of whom produced enamelled pottery.

Robert of Marseilles was another distinguished name. His works were first produced in 1793.

The widow Perrin, or Madame Perrin Veuve, as she was called, was, I believe, the last celebrated producer. Many specimens of her ware may still be found. They are generally marked with a monogram of the letters V. P. (Veuve Perrin), and are very interesting. During a

recent hunt at Madrid with an Italian friend who holds deservedly a high rank in the diplomatic service of his country, and who has recently had a severe attack of the "bric-a-brac " fever, we discovered several extremely interesting plates in glazed pottery, all marked with the V. P., and evidently the production of Madame Perrin's factory. In the centre of each was a well-painted pastoral landscape of considerable beauty. I consequently brought one to England, and produced it to some connoisseurs and dealers. The former pronounced my plate an interesting specimen, but of little beauty; the latter scarcely understood it, and, looking on its marketable value, pronounced it not equal to a Bristol mustard-pot. So much

for the incurable fashion in this age of moneymaking. Nevertheless, I strongly urge on all lovers of bric-a-brac who may chance to find themselves at Marseilles, which, after all, seems to have derived its name from a ceramic treasure, never to neglect a raid when visiting that city.

MARSEILLES.

A certain king who had a daughter fair,—
An only child,-promised her that she
Should in her nuptial choice unfettered be;
Wherefore, one morn he gave into her care
A costly china cup begemmed with jewels rare,
And said: "This day a goodly company
Will hither come to seek thy hand, and he
To whom thou givest this cup shall be my heir."
Knights, nobles, princes, thronged the bannered ground.
The blushing maiden cast her eyes around,

And chose a youth as yet unknown to fame,

Though born to greatness. He, to mark the spot
Where fortune gave for him so bright a lot,

There a city built-Marseilles its name.

And now, the weather being fine, and the sea calm, say in the latter end of May and early June, the trip by sail or steamer to Messina is not the most unpleasant undertaking in life; moreover, it is of short duration. I am not aware as to whether the patriotism of Garibaldi ever moved him to collect the art treasures of the country he loves so

E

well; but you get a view of his solitary mansion as you pass through the Straits of Bonifacio, perched as it is on a lonely and verdurous spot on the rocky island of Caprera, and possibly say to yourself, having recently strolled up Regent-street or the Boulevards, "Though I should die of ennui or go mad were my residence fixed here through the winter, during summer a yacht and books might make it endurable."

There is no doubt that the position of Messina is a lovely one, placed as it is in a mild and pleasant climate; but it would be far more so if the city were backed with some glorious oaks, and the country around and about were overshadowed with such woodlands as old England alone can boast of. I dwell for a moment on the beauties of Nature, inasmuch as no real lover of art can be unmindful of those beauties, from which all that is precious in taste or design emanates. In fact, the study of art gives the mind a keener insight into Nature's charms, and teaches us to observe and appreciate them justly.

All therefore I desire to remark en passant, when

travelling to the East, in reference to Messina, is that it ever appears to me as the last spot en route on which a feeling of civilization rests, and, on returning, the first. It contains, however, a fountain of great beauty in the public square, which bad taste has somewhat destroyed by restoration. I had a photograph taken of it, with the intention of submitting it to Minton or at Miessen; as, modelled and produced in china, it would make an exquisite centre-piece for a dinner-table, either in china or silver.

Of bric-a-brac shops I have as yet never discovered one at Messina; still there is a gentleman who has had the good taste to be a collector of such gems as chance has brought to him from other lands. These he is courteously willing to show, and by no means unwilling to sell, to the stranger. I therefore feel the more fortunate in having made his acquaintance; and I suggest to all bric-a-brac hunters who may pass through Scylla and Charybdis to follow my example.

I owe him a debt of gratitude; but as he himself is entirely ignorant of the fact, I am by no