VERTUE, GEORGE, distinguished as an English engraver and antiquary, was born in London in the year 1684, of poor but respectable parents. At the age of 13; he was set to study under an eminent French engraver there; subsequently, he became a pupil of Michael Vandergucbt, with whom he remained seven years, and in 1709, he commenced business for himself. He was generously befriended by sir Godfrey Kneller, the great portrait-painter of the day, who did much to procure him employment. His talent soon made itself recognized; and his eminent success in an engraved portrait of archbishop Tillotson, for which he received a commission from lord Somers, at once placed him in the very front rank of his profession. In 1711, on the institution of the academy of painting, with his friend sir Godfrey Kneller as president, he enrolled 'himself as a member: but his contributions were few and unimportant. In his own more special de partment, lie wrought through life assiduously, confining himself for the most part to reproductions of the portraits of Kneller, Richardson, and one'or two others of the more eminent painters of the day. On the accession of George I., he issued a larged engraved bead of that monarch, winch had an immense run, much increasing his reputation with the public. Himself, from an early period, devoted to antiquarian research, which
from time to time be prosecuted in journeys hither and throughout England, he iras appointed, in 1717, engraver to the society of antiquaries, in which capacity he worked up to the time of his death, which occurred on July 24, 1756. He lies buried in the cloisters of Westminster abbey. In addition to his eminence in his art, lie was a man of considerable general accomplishment; an adept in drawing and music, 'and with a competent knowledge of the French, Dutch, and Italian languages. He projected -a History of the Arts in England, and had accummulated masses of material for it. At his death, his manuscripts were bought by Walpole, who made free use of them in his Anecdotes of Painting in England. In a supplementary volume of that work, entitled A Catalogue of Engravers who have been born ol• resided en England, a full list of his works is given, with some interesting notices of his character, the genuine unassuming worth of which is indicated in an unaffected expression of respect, of rather more than usual significance, as coming from the caustic and supercilious Walpole.