Again, there was lately a good deal of laughter caused by one of the whims of the German Emperor. It appears that his artistic eye had been offended by the incompleteness of a fine headless torso which was brought to the fatherland some years since. Everything, he was aware, could be _made in Germany_, so what more natural than to offer a prize for the best completion of the work of a Phidias or a Praxiteles? _Finis coronat opus_, and the sculptors of Germany were called upon to compete. None of the results, however, satisfied His Imperial Majesty, and two of the artists have been commissioned to try again. Would it be _lese-majestie_ to suggest that there is only one head in Germany that would prove quite acceptable? I present the idea to the competitors. Enough has been written to show that the pursuit of the palimpsest plate is sport of the very finest for the collector, for it is a sport which does not cease with the running of the quarry to earth. {244} I have reproduced, without comment, opposite pages 244 and 246, and on pages 245, 247, and 249, a few more of these adapted copperplates for the sake of any one who may be fortunate enough to possess either the original or the palimpsest. He will find it no bad sport to go hunting for its fellow. [Illustration: Undescribed palimpsest plate. (_First state and second state._)] {245} [Illustration: Aan den Experten Hollandichen Hoofd-Smith. (_The plate in its first state_)] [Illustration: Aan den Experten Hollandichen Hoofd-Smith. (_As adapted by the Anti-Jesuits_)] [Illustration: Undescribed palimpsest plate. (_First state and second state._)] {247} [Illustration: An adapted Copperplate. _First state_] [Illustration: An adapted Copperplate. _Second state_] {249} [Illustration: A History of the New Plot. _First state_] [Illustration: A History of the New Plot. _Second state_] {251} INDEX “Aan den Experten Hollandschen Hoofd-Smith,” 216, 243 “Aan der Meester Tonge-Slyper,” 216, 230–233 ADAPTED COPPER PLATES, 192–247 Ainsworth, Harrison, 3 Alken, Henry, 157–160 Allen, Archdeacon, 10 _American Notes_, 2 Anne, Queen, 237, 238 _Antiquities of Westminster_, 150–153 _A Pop-Gun fired off by George Cruikshank_, 79 “A Skit on Britain,” 239, 240 “A Trifling Mistake,” 70–73 _Ballad of Beau Brocade, The_, 3 “Becky Sharp,” 10 _Bentley’s Miscellany_, 43–52 Bewick’s _Birds_, 68 _Book of Snobs_, 9 “Breeches” Bible, Barker’s, 2 Brougham, Lord, 62 Browne, H. K., 27, 28, 29, 31, 33, 54–56 Bruton, Mr. H. W. 48, 49, 69, 75, 81 Buffon, M., 5 Bunn, Alfred, 10 Burlington, Earl of, 98–107 “Burlington Gate,” 108 Burns, Robert, 2 Buss, Miss F. M., 34 Buss, R. W., 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Bute, Lord, 235, 236 Calcraft, Captain Granby, 9 Capel, Monsignor, 2 “Captain Granby Tiptoff,” 9 “Captain Shindy,” 9 Carteret, Lord, 112 _et seq._ _Catalogue of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum_, 92 _et passim_, 198 _et passim_ Chandos, Duke of, 101