Richardson, in his anecdotes of painting, tells the following:--“Some
years ago, a gentleman came to me to invite me to his house. ‘I have,’
said he, ‘a picture of Rubens, and it is a rare good one. Little
H----the other day came to see it, and says it is a copy. If any one
says so again, _I’ll break his head_. Pray, Mr. Richardson, will you do
me the favour to come and _give me your real opinion of it_?’ ”