_Portrait of Baretti_ (Vol. VIII., p. 411.).--In reply to MR. G. R. CORNER'S Query regarding Sir Joshua Reynolds' picture of Baretti, I can give him the information he requires.
This very interesting portrait is now at my brother's, Holland House, Kensington.
My late father, Lord Holland, had a pretty picture of the late Lord Hertford's mother (I believe), or some near relation of his. Not being connected with that family, my father offered it to Lord Hertford, leaving it to his lordship to give him such picture as he might choose in exchange. Some time afterwards this portrait of Baretti was sent, and was much prized and admired. It represents Baretti reading a small book, which he holds close to his face with both hands; he is in a white coat, and the whole carries with it a certainty of resemblance. This occurred about twenty-five years ago. Perhaps it may interest your readers to learn that our distinguished { 478} painter, Watts, painted for my brother, Lord Holland, a portrait of another distinguished Italian, Mr. Panizzi, and pendant to the former. He is represented leaning forward and writing, and the likeness is very striking.
_Passage in Sophocles._--In Vol. viii., p. 73., appears an article by MR. BUCKTON, in which he quotes the following conclusion of a passage in Sophocles:
"[Greek: Hotôi phrenas] [Greek: Theos agei pros atan;] [Greek: Prassein d' oligoston chronon ektos atas.]"
This, [Greek: petrôi stathmên harmozôn], he translates,--
"Whose mind the God leads to destruction; _but that he_ (_the God_) practises this a short time without destroying such an one."
But for the Italics it might have been an oversight: they would seem to imply he has some authority for his translation. I have no edition of Sophocles by me to discover, but surely no critical scholar can acquiesce in it. The only _active_ sense of [Greek: prassein] I remember at the moment is _to exact_. It surely should be translated, "_And he, whom the God so leads to_ [Greek: atê], _fares_ a _very_ short time without it." The best translation of [Greek: atê] is, perhaps, _infatuation_. Moreover, how is the above translation reconciled with the very superlative [Greek: oligoston]?
_Brothers of the same Name_ (Vol. viii., p. 338.).--It is not unusual in old pedigrees to find two brothers or two sisters with the same Christian name; but it is unusual to find more than two living at the same time with only one Christian name between them: this, however, occurs in the family of Gawdy of Gawdy Hall, Norfolk. Thos. Gawdy married three wives, and by each had a son Thomas. The eldest was a serjeant-at-law, and died in 1556. The second was a judge of the Queen's Bench, and died in November, 1587 or 1588. The third is known as Sir Francis Gawdy, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas; but he also was baptized by the name of Thomas. Lord Coke, who succeeded him as Chief Justice, says (Co. Lit. 3. a.):