Page:Nollekens and His Times, Volume 2.djvu/126

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114

LIART.

Bryan, in his "Dictionary of Painters and Engravers," speaking of Matthew Liart, the Engraver, erroneously states that "This artist was born at Paris in 1736, but came to England when very young, where he was employed in engraving some plates for Mr. Boydell's collection." Matthew Liart was born in London, in a house built by his grandfather, a respectable periwig-maker and barber, on the south-west corner of Compton-street and Crown-street[1] which was, until 1762, called Hog-lane. Liart's family, as well as many other natives of France, settled upon this spot after the Edict of Nantz. The barber's son, Liart's father, who was a maker of survelois, a relishing kind of sausage, placed him with the celebrated Monsieur Ravenet, the Engraver, with whom he remained

  1. Near an old house with pillars before it, then standing on the site of the entrance to the present chapel in Moor-street: it was called "the French Change," being a place much frequented, and indeed surrounded by natives of France, who came to England after the Edict of Nantz. Here they met, and communicated with each other upon their several concerns; and hence arose the establishment of the numerous à-la-mode beef shops for the convenience of the neighbourhood.