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will, from the nature of the decorations by which it is intended to be accompanied, require some time for its completion, a general view of the collection may not, in the interim, be unacceptable to the Society." It is certainly to be lamented that a paper, read before the Society in the early part of the year 1826, if it ever were designed for the press, should not be printed till the year 1834, long after the author's death, and then in a manner unworthy of his high reputa

tion. I have only to express my regret, as a member of the Society, that the proof sheets of Mr. Roscoe's essay were not submitted to Sir Frederick Madden; who having completed the descriptive Catalogue of the Holkham Collection of MSS. must be too well acquainted with their subjects, to have suffered such errors as those pointed out, and others not mentioned now, to remain on the pages of the Society's Transactions. Yours, &c. JOHN HOLMES.

MEMORIALS OF LITERARY CHARACTERS, No. V.

DYER THE POET TO MR. DODsley.

SIR,

You shd have had my thanks before now for your handsome publication of the Fleece, had I not flattered myself with a journey to town, and wth seeing you; but very ill health still confines me, and I almost despair of the journey.

If the poem shd come to a 2a edition, be pleased, in particular, to make this necessary correction in 1. 72, B. i. Or marl with clay deep-mix'd, either by restoring the 1. of the copy, Or heavy marl's deep clay, &c.

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THE booksellers of London have undertaken a kind of body of English Poetry, excluding generally the dramas, and I have undertaken to put before

each authour's works a sketch of his

life, and a character of his writings. Of some, however, I know very little, and am afraid I shall not easily supply my deficiencies. Be pleased to inform me whether among Mr. Baker's manuscripts, or any where else at Cambridge, any materials are to be found. If any such collection can be gleaned, I doubt not of your willingness to direct our search, and will tell the booksellers to employ a transcriber. If you think my inspection necessary, I will come down; for who that has once experienced the civilities of Cambridge would not snatch the opportunity of another visit?

I am, Sir, your most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON. Bolt-court, Fleet-street, July 22, 1777. To Dr. Farmer, Emanuel Coll. Cambridge.

LETTERS OF THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES FOX TO DENNIS O'BRYEN, ESQ.

DEAR O'BRYEN, (June 4, 1802.) WITH respect to leaving Parliament, my mind is all but made up upon the subject. I know not who is for, or who against it; nor indeed, as my own ease and happiness are the considerations which principally influence me, is it material that I should. Of course you will not suspect me of being so selfish as to give way to motives of this kind, if, per contra, there were any prospect that the sacrifice I might personally make, might be beneficial to the publick or even to my friends; but this cannot I think be contended by the most sanguine. There is one argument which you have urged in your last letter, which I must entreat you, if you have any kindness for me, never to touch upon again, even in the most distant way. It is a possibility which I neither can will think of, and pray never recall it again to my mind, no not so much as by noticing this paragraph of my letter. Pray comply with this weakness of mine, if it be weakness, in the most litteral manner, by not even saying that you will do so.

nor

I learn from Adam that he is enabled to do something with respect to some of the most pressing Demands, so that for the present you are free from immediate alarm. Now show how you can use such an interval. As to the parliamentary plan I see less hope than ever; there can be no objection however to your mentioning it to Adam, who will, if he can, point out some way, and if he would, I would do my part; but I confess I see no light. Now you have used yourself to stage coach hours, I hope you will come again soon, and perhaps before we come to Dryden, you may help me a little in history. If Mrs. H. comes, I hope you will of course. weather again, but no hay for me. Yours ever, C. J. F.

St. Anne's Hill, Friday.

Fine

DEAR O'BRYEN, (July 31, 1802.) I HAVE received of yours the packet by the coach, containing the letters which I return, as also (sent me from St. Anne's, where you directed it, though I had told you I should leave home before the post came in) the short note with the account of Wednesday's poll, and now your letter by post. That by the machine I have not yet, but will send to inquire for. The victory has been great indeed, but none of your letters give the least idea how the numbers of the two last days were obtained.† Monday and Tuesday, though pretty good, were not out of the course of things; but the two last days must be owing at least to some new discovery.

I do not feel about Erskine's letter as you do at all. I think his succeeding P. Arden would be a very desirable thing, and by no means dishonourable to himself. Now to the material part of your packet, Bonaparte's reception of me, what it will be I know not, nor do I in fact much care; but I do care very much about what you hint, I mean the taking of any measures, however indirect, to ensure a good reception. I do most earnestly entreat you and all other friends not to take any step, however secret, or as 1 said indirect, to that purpose. If he receives me well, it may be a little flattering to the vanity of some who love me, not to my own upon my honour, and that they should be pleased is I own an object; if he does not receive me well, I can not think on the other hand that it will be a great mortification to any of you, or that in England or in Europe, generally speaking, or even in France, I shall be esteemed the less. I have no time to write more.

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* Of Craven-street, Strand. He died at Margate, Aug. 13, 1832, aged 77, and his political corre spondence with several of our greatest statesmen has been recently sold by Mr. Evans. Au important letter of Mr. Canning to Mr. O'Bryen written in 1817, respecting the Pitt Club, has since been published in foc-simile in Gwyn's Autograph Portfolio, and the Literary Gazette of Dec. 6.

+ This alludes to Sir F. Burdett's election for Middlesex.

Mr. Fox was presented at the First Consul's Levee on the 24 Sept. and afterwards dined with him. He was received in a very flattering manner by Buonaparte; so much so, that he is said to have been styled by the Parisian wits, "the Consui's Lictor." (London Evening Post, Sept. 11.)

WILL OF JOHN GOWER THE POET, ANNO 1408.

The Will of the Poet GOWER, printed in Gough's Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain, vol. ii. p. 25, was reprinted in TODD'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF GOWER AND CHAUCER, pp. 87-90, and again in the Retrospective Review, New Series, vol. ii. 103, where many interesting particulars respecting the family of Gower may be found. It is evident, however, upon a collation of these several printed copies with the record in the first Register of Archbishop Arundel, remaining in the archives of Lambeth Palace, that they were never compared with that Record.

As the Will of this early Poet has been considered of sufficient interest to attract frequent attention, it is certainly desirable that it should appear with all possible accuracy. The following copy has, therefore, been collated literatim with the Archbishop's Register.

W. H. B.

In Dei noïe Amen. Ego Johannes Gower compos mentis et in fide catholica ad misericordiam dñi a dñi ñri iħu xpi ex toto me com [m]endans condo testamentum meum sub hac forma. In primis lego [256 b.] animam meam deo creatori meo et corpus meum ad sepeliend in ecctia Canonicos beate marie de Oueres in loco ad hoc spialiter deputato. Et lego Priori dicte ecctie qui p tempore fuerit quadraginta solidos. Itm lego subpriori viginti s. Itm lego cuitt Canonico sacerdoti Deo ibidem seruienti xiij s. & iiij d. celis vero Canonicis ibidem Nouicijs lego cuiliť eoz sex 3. & viij đ. ita vt omes & singuli exequias sepulture me[e] deuocius colant orantes p me. Iťm lego cuiliť valetto infa portas dicti prioratus Priori et Conuentui seruienti duos solidos et cuiliť Garcioni xij đ. Iĩm lego ecctie beate Marie Magdalene xl. §. ad luminaria & ornamenta dicte ecctie. Ifm lego sacerdoti ibidem poch. x. 3. vt oret & orari Itm lego Mão Ctico ibidem iij s. Itm lego subctico ij 3. Im lego iiij. eccti[i]s pocħ in Soutwerk. v3 sancte Margarete sĉi Georgij. sĉi Olaui. & sancte Marie Magdalene iuxa Bermundesey cuilit ea singillatim xiij . & iiij d. ad ornamenta et Luminaria vt supa. Et cuilit sacerdoti poch siue Rectori in cura ibidem p tempore residenti & eccție seruienti sex 3. & octo d. vt orent et orari P me in suis poch faciant et pcurent. Itm lego magro Hospitalis sancti Thome Martiris in Southwerk. xl. §. et cuiliť sacerdoti qui est de gremio dicti Hospitalis. in eodem seruienti vj. §. & viij đ vt orent ibidem p me. Itm lego cuiliť sorori pfesse in dicto Hospitali iij s. & iiij d. et cuilit ea ancille infirmos custodienti xx. d. Itm lego cuilit infirmo infa dictum Hospitale languenti xij đ. Iťm lego

faciat

p me.

• The word domini is written twice by mistake,-at the end of one line and beginning of the next. Mr. Todd read the first divinam.

GENT. MAG. VOL. III.

H

singulis hospitalib3 subscriptis v3 sĉi Antoni. Elsingspitett Bedlem exa Byschopus gat. seint mary spitel iuxa Westm cuiliť sorori vbi sunt sorores in dictis hospitalib3 pfesse vna cum ancillis et languentib; ibidem vt pcipiant singillať modo vt supa. Im lego cuiliť domui leprosoz in suburbijs London decem 3. ad distribuend in? eosdem vt orent p me. Itm lego Priori de Elsingspiteft. xl. §. et cuiliť Canonico sacerdoti ibidm pfesso sex. §. et viij. d. vt orent p me. Itm lego ad seruiciù altaris in Capella sancti Johannis Baptiste in qua corpus meum sepeliend est v3 duo vestimenta de panno serico cum toto eoz appatu quoz vnū est de Blw Baudkyn. mixtū de colore albo. Et aliud vestimentu est de albo serico. Itm lego ad seruiciu dicti altaris vnū missale gande & no[u]um eciam & vnū calicem nouu vnde voluntas mea est qd dicta vestimenta vna cum Missale et Calice maneant imppm tantümodo ad seruiciu dicti altaris & non alibi. Itm lego Priori et Conuentui. quendam magnū Librum sumptib3 meis noui? compositum qui Martilogiū dicitTM. sic qd in eodem spialem memoriam scriptam secundum eoz pmissa cotidie habere debeo. If lego Agneti vxori mee C. ti. legalis monete. Itm lego eidem iij ciphos vnu coopculum duo salaria et xij. Cocliar de argento. Itm lego eidem omes lectos meos & cistas. vna cũ appatu aule panetre coquine & eoz vasis & omib; vtensilijs quibuscumq. Itm lego eidem vnū calicē et vnū vestimentū p altare quod est infa oratoriu hospicij mei. Itm volo qd si dicta Agnes vxor mea diucius me viuat qd tunc ipa libere et pacifice inmete post mortem mea pcipiat omes redditus michi debitos de firmis Man' ioz meoz tam de Southwell in Comitatu Nortħ qam de Multon. in Com Suff' put in quodam scripto inde confecto sub sigillo meo necnon sub sigillis alio plenius constari polit. Huius autem testamenti mei facio [et] constituo executores meos v3. Agnetem vxorem meam dñm Arnaldum Sauage Militem dñm Rogerumb Armigerum dñm Wittm Denne Canonicu Capelle dñi Regis & Johem Burton. Cticum. Dat infra Prioratum beate Marie de Oues in Sutwerk. in festo assumpcionis be[a]te Marie ao, dãi Mittio CCCCmo. viij.

Tenore ẞsencium Nos Thomas &c. Notum facimus. vniusis qd vicesimo quarto die Mef Octobris anno Dñi Mittio CCCCmo, octauo in Man'io ñro de Lamhith pbatum fuit coram nobis testamentum supascriptum p eo &c. cuius pretextu &c Admist cioq, omniū bonoz dictum testamentum concern. vbicunq, &c dilecte in xpo filie Agneti

Thus in the Register; the name omitted.

vxori sue exec in eodm testamento noïate cōmissa extitit & P eandm admissa in debita forma iuris Reseruat nobis potestate & In cuius rei &c. Dat die Loco Mense et anno dñi supadictis Et ñre tanslac anno terciodecimo.

[257 a.] Nouerint vniusi p presentes &c qd Nos Thomas &c de fidelitate dilecte in xpo filie Agnetis relicte & executricis testamenti et bonoz admïstatricis. Johannis Gower nup defuncti cuius testamēti p nos nup de prerogatiua ñre Cant ecctie pro eo quod idem defunctus nonnulla bona optinuit in diusis dioc ñre Cane puinc dum viuebat et tempore mortis sue time extitit appbatum et admistacio bonorum eiusdem dicte Agneti comissa. de & sup admïstacione & confidentes ipam ab vlteriori &c In cuius rei &c Dať in Man'io ñro de Lamhith. vijmo, die Mensis Nouembris ao, dñi Mittio. CCCCmo octauo Et ñre tanslač anno terciodecimo.

RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW.

The Writings of Sir Richard Blackmore, Knt.

OF all the English poets, who have suffered under the ridicule and satire of their contemporaries and rivals, no name stands so conspicuously as that of Sir Richard Blackmore, Knt. When Dryden had sufficiently vented his wrath upon him, Pope mangled him afresh; and Swift was always at hand to lend an additional blow. There is, however, a drop of comfort in the bitterest cup; this the poor son of Apollo found in the high praises bestowed on him in his lifetime by Locke and Watts; and after his death, his rusty laurels were cleaned and polished by no less a person than Dr. Johnson. Being, Mr. Editor, not much addicted to wit myself, and not relishing that kind of poetry which falls under the head of imaginative and pathetic, I have found the poems of Sir R. Blackmore more to my taste (though I grant it may be fallible) than those of persons, such as Spenser and Milton, who are much more celebrated, though I consider not much more read. Now, as it is pleasant to a humane and feeling mind to raise the injured and depressed, and as there is something delightful in discovering beauties in an author unknown, or slightly noticed before, I shall take the liberty of extracting a few passages from my favourite, which, I think the most fastidious judgment must approve, and which every candid reader must allow, have too long been buried in an undeserved obscurity. I have been led to these reminiscences, by seeing one of my most select passages lately quoted by Mr. Southey (who, by the bye, inherits a fine portion of Blackmore's genius, though it is a pity he does not write in rhyme and the heroic couplet, as his predecessor did,) in his Life of Watts, and I am delighted to see that the Laureate considers it worthy of quotation, among innumerable fine passages around it. Sir Richard supposes that Queen Elizabeth in the body, is taken into heaven by the angel Gabriel in a chariot (or properly caroch, for chariots were then unknown), that she

and,

May see the triumphs of the blest,

Of future joys, a pleasant earnest taste.

One of the sights with which the Angel entertained the Queen, was—a review before the walls of the New Jerusalem,

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