disposition, even more current in his time than now; though some say it was done unknown to him.  At all events, having finished the statue of a Cupid, after breaking off an arm, it was buried, and in due time discovered, disinterred, and brought to the notice of a distinguished Roman dignitary, who pronounced it to be a genuine antique and paid a large price for it, well pleased, as he had reason to be, with his prize.  But afterwards, the deception being exposed, and the proof by means of the missing arm given that it was the work of the then unknown Florentine sculptor, the disenchanted connoisseur was furiously indignant, and disposed to take prompt vengeance upon the parties concerned.

To come back to our own day.  Let us suppose a rich collector to have arrived in some well-known Italian market for art,—­picture-jockeying is much the same everywhere,—­in pursuit of “originals.”

Great is the commotion among dealers and their sensali or jackals.  These latter are versed in intrigue and mystification, with enough intelligence to tell a good picture from a bad one, and a parrot-like acquaintance with names and schools.  They are of all classes, from the decayed gentleman and artist, to shopkeepers, cobblers, cooks, and tailors, who find in the large commissions gained a temptation to forsake their petty legitimate callings for the lottery-like excitements and finesse of picture-dealing.  No sooner has the stranger gone to his hotel than a watch is put upon his movements, and bribery and cajolery used to get access to him.  It is the sensale’s business to discover and offer pictures.  He is supposed to know the locality of every one, good or bad, in his neighborhood.  However jealous of each other, all are loyally pledged together to take in the stranger.  Leagued with the dealer, artist, owner, courier, or servant, with any one, in fact, that by any possibility can stand between the buyer and his object, it has become almost an impossibility, especially for transient visitors, to purchase anything whatever without paying a heavy toll to intermediates.  When the conspiracy is widely extended, the augmentation of price above what would be required in direct dealing with the owner is sometimes double or even quadruple.  Occasionally, however, by way of compensation for their general evil, the sensali, having scented a prize, offer it first to the amateur, in view of their own increase of gain over what the dealer would allow.  In this way, good pictures not unfrequently escape the merchant, and reach the collector at a lower price than if they had gone directly to the former.