The commoner description of goods, the blue and white ware, seem to have been, very naturally, considered by Champion to be the branch most likely to pay him, commercially, and this he at one time cultivated to a greater extent than any other. The patterns in many cases being almost identical with those of Worcester and other places -which, of course, arose from the fact of the different works copying from the same original Oriental models-the ware made by Champion is sometimes apt to be appropriated by collectors to that manufactory. It may, however, easily be distinguished by those who are conversant with the peculiarities of its make.

In blue and white, Champion produced dinner, tea, and coffee services, toilet pieces, jugs, mugs, and all the varieties of goods usually made at that period. The blue is generally of good colour, and the painting quite equal to that of other manufactories. Some of these pieces are embossed, and of really excellent workmanship. A good deal of the blue and white ware was marked with the usual cross, but it appears more than probable that the greatest part of this kind of goods passed out of the works unmarked.

Another characteristic class of goods made by Champion

was the imitation of the most common Chinese patterns, examples of which, from my own collection, are shown in the accompanying engraving of a saucer and a teapot.

One of the choicest examples of the highest class of Bristol

art existing at the present day, is the tea-service of which the cup and saucer engraved below forms a part, the cup and saucer now being in my own collection. This example is also highly important as showing the perfection to which the manufacture of porcelain had been brought at the time of the transfer of the works from Cookworthy to Championthe service having been made in 1774-5, within a very few months after the establishment of the works in Bristol. It

was made to the order of Edmund Burke, while the contested election for Bristol was going on, as a present to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who were his warm friends and zealous supporters, and whose guest he was. The decorations are of the most chaste and elaborate design, and of the most delicate workmanship, and the pieces profusely and massively gilt in both dead and burnished gold.

Another notable and beautiful feature of the Bristol works was the production of plaques, bouquets of flowers, wreaths, and armorial bearings, in biscuit. Of these, two examples, belonging to Mr. Lucas and Mr. Baller, are shown on the following page, as is also a large vase.

Despite the energy of himself, the skill of his workmen, and the beauty of the ware produced at his manufactory, Richard Champion's hopes of permanently establishing an art in Bristol, which should not only be an honourable and

useful, but a remunerative one, proved fallacious, and in

little more than two years from his obtaining the Act of

fordshire potters, who continued the manufacture at New Hall for some time, when the ordinary soft-paste china, which had previously been tried by Champion, was allowed to supersede it. Thus the works at Bristol were brought to a close, and the manufacture of porcelain was lost to the locality. Champion himself is said to have removed for a time into Staffordshire, and to have remained there until the year 1782.

S

CHAPTER XIV.

SHIRE.

INTRODUCTION OF THE MANUFACTURE OF CHINA INTO STAFFORDWILLIAM LITTLER AND AARON WEDGWOOD. CHAMPION'S PATENT BOUGHT BY A COMPANY. - WORKS ESTABLISHED AT TUNSTALL.- - REMOVED TO SHELTON.--NEW HALL WORKS. SAMUEL HOLLINS; ANTHONY KEELING ; JOHN TURNER; JACOB WARBURTON, AND OTHERS.-EXAMPLES OF NEW HALL CHINA.-JOSIAH WEDGWOOD ENTERS INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH MR. CARTHEW FOR WORKING CORNISH STONE.-THOMAS BENTLEY VISITS PARIS.-WEDGWOOD AND BENTLEY'S DUTCH AND FRENCH CATALOGUES. -JOHN FLAXMAN.-DEATH OF THOMAS BENTLEY.-HIS MONUMENT AT CHISWICK.-PROPOSED INSCRIPTIONS TO HIS MEMORY.

Ar the time when experiments were being made in various parts of the kingdom, and when works were successfully carried on at Chelsea, at Worcester, at Derby, and at many other places, Staffordshire, long the great seat of the potter's art, as I have shown, had made no progress in the manufacture of china, and its production remained a sealed book to manufacturers in that county. It is true that one of its sons had made experiments about the middle of last century, and had produced some tolerably good pieces of ware, but no other attempt had been made to introduce this important manufacture into the locality which is now its principal seat. The potter to whom I allude was William Littler, the brother-in-law and partner of Aaron Wedgwood, of whom I have before spoken, who, it seems, like many other pioneers of science and manufacture, sacrificed his patrimony in the cause, and found himself later in life rich in experience, but