The handles,' continued he, drawing Sponge's attention to them, 'are very
handsome--composed of satyrs holding festoons of grapes and flowers, which
surround the neck of the vase; on the sides are pastoral subjects, painted
in the highest style--nothing can be more beautiful or more chaste.'
'Nothing,' assented Sponge.
'The pictures I should think are most valuable,' observed Jawleyford. 'My
friend Lord Sparklebury said to me the last time he was here--he's now in
Italy, increasing his collection--"Jawleyford, old boy," said he, for we
are very intimate--just like brothers, in fact; "Jawleyford, old boy, I
wonder whether your collection or mine would fetch most money, if they were
Christie-&-Manson'd." "Oh, your lordship," said I, "your Guidos, and
Ostades, and Poussins, and Velasquez, are not to be surpassed." "True,"
replied his lordship, "they are fine--very fine; but you have the Murillos.
I'd like to give you a good round sum," added he, "to pick out half-a-dozen
pictures out of your gallery." Do you understand pictures?' continued
Jawleyford, turning short on his friend Sponge.
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