ADVERTISEMENT. of a different tafte, who may be unprovided with better or more recent accounts. Of Catalogues indeed, there is no deficiency; they fwarm in every town and every palace of Italy: but thefe publications are merely catalogues; fuch criti- cifms as they offer being oftentimes fortuitous, fre- quently falfe, and for the greater number calculated by the proprietor to promote the fale of fuch pictures of indifferent merit, as be wishes to part with to ad- vantage and profit. Thofe in this country who commiffion perfons re- fiding in Italy (of which there are many) to procure them the best of fuch pictures as chance brings to market, may acknowledge fame utility in critical dif- quifitions of this nature, if executed with a decent portion of truth and information, as ferving to direct their choice upon the immediate objects of preferences and proving, when in correfpondence with the reports of those employed by them, a confirmation of their eftimates and recommendations.-Here they will alfo learn, that many pictures, fuppofed the property of their former cwners, will appear to be in the poffeffion of other masters and other countries. After all, if thofe who have not already travelled in, or who have no expectation of vifiting Italy: if those who 4 are
