_Clerical Portrait._--May I request the assistance of "N. & Q." in
discovering the name of a reverend person whose portrait I have recently
met with in my parish? The individual from whom I procured it could give
me no other history of it, but that he had bought it at the sale of the
effects of a respectable pawnbroker in the village many years ago.
Afterwards I learned from another resident in the parish that he well
remembered visiting the shop of the same broker, in company with another
gentleman still living, when this identical portrait was the subject of
conversation, and the broker went into his private room and brought out
a book, conceived to be a magazine, from which he read a description of
the person of whom this was the portrait, to the following effect, viz.,
"That he was born of obscure parentage in the parish of Glemham,
Suffolk; that he was sent to school, and afterwards became a great man
and a dignitary of the church, if not a bishop; and became so wealthy
that he gave a large sum for the repairs of Norwich Cathedral."
These are the only particulars which I have yet ascertained as to the
portrait, for neither of the gentlemen who were present at this
transaction with the broker, though they agree in the circumstances
which I have above narrated, can remember _the name_ of my great
unknown.
I look, however, with confidence to the wide range of your
correspondents, and hope to receive some clue which may guide me to the
wished-for discovery.
The portrait is an oil painting, a fine full florid face, with a long
wig of black curly hair resting on the shoulders, gown and band, date
probably from Queen Anne to George II.