SIR,

LETTER I.

To Mr. Harley, at Ch. Ch. in Oxford.

Long Leat, Aug. 16, 1732. I NOW write at a venture, for I am not sure this will find you. I can never think that you are got quietly again to Ch. Ch. whilst the affairs of state are in such agitation: and if you are not, I will not advise you to go. I rather could wish that, as you imitate Apollo in some things, you would also imitate his tree

"Parnassia laurus

Parva sub ingenti matris se subjicit umbra."

I need put no comment to decypher my meaning. You will pardon my making use of so rural an image. Sometimes one may compare great things to little without diminution.

When I know where you are, I will write again.

MY LORD, Aug. 1, 1732. HAVING heard that your lordship has several curious manuscripts of Homer, I take the liberty to acquaint you that Dr. Bentley has lately revised the whole works of Homer, which are now ready for the press with his notes, some of which I have seen, and are very curious; and he desires leave to collate your manuscripts upon some suspected verses in our present editions. If your lordship will be pleased to let the doctor have the manuscripts for a short time for that purpose, I shall be obliged to you. I have set the doctor at work, and would be glad to procure such assistance as he desires, that he may have no excuse not to proceed. If your lordship has no objection to this request, you will let him have the manuscripts to be perused at Cambridge, upon his application to you. I desire the honour of an answer, that I may acquaint the doctor with it. As you are a known encourager of learning, and learned yourself, I hope this request will not be disagreeable to you. I am, my lord, with the greatest respect, your lordship's most humble and most obedient servant. CARTERET.

MY LORD,

LETTER III.

To the same.

March 8, 1732-3.

I THANK your lordship for your great goodness in sending me the eleven MSS. of Homer and relating to him, and for your permitting me to send them to Dr. Bentley. I shall take his receipt for you; and I am persuaded he will take great care of them: they shall be returned to your lordship with thanks and honourable mention of you. I shall have them packt very carefully. I am, my lord, with the greatest truth and respect, your lordship's most humble and most obedient servant,

CARTERET.

"All these MSS. were returned to me, by the hands of Mr. Casley, Aug. 19, 1737. OXFORD."

LETTER IV.

To Lord Dupplin.

MY LORD, Paris, March 10, 1731. I HAVE received and perused the book your lordship was so good as to send me. I am extremely acknowledging for this favour, and satisfied with the reading of it. I wish it were in my power to find occasions of being any way useful to you in this country; at least it is a satisfaction to me, of having had the honour and pleasure of your acquaintance. Honour me with your commands; and believe me, with all esteem and sincerity imaginable, my lord, your lordship's most humble and most obedient servant,

1779, June.

BERWICK.

XXIV. Letters from Bishop Atterbury to Mr. Prior, and from Mr. Prior to Mr. Wanley..

MR. URBAN,

I SHALL make no apology for sending you two letters of Bishop Atterbury and Mr. Prior, transcribed from their originals in that excellent repository, the British Museum. M. GREEN.

Yours, &c.

To Mr. Prior.

Deanery, New-year's day, 1717-8.

I MAKE you a better present than any man in England receives this day: two poems* composed by a friend of mine, with that extraordinary genius and spirit which attend him equally in whatever he says, does, or writes. I do not ask your approbation of them. Deny it, if you can, or if you dare. The whole world will be against you; and should you therefore be so unfortunate in your judgment, you will, I dare say, be so wise and modest to conceal it. For though it be a very good character, and what belongs to the first pen in the world, to write like nobody; yet, to judge like nobody, has never yet been esteemed a perfection.

When you have read them, let me see you at my house; or else you are in danger, lame as I am, of seeing me at yours. And the difference in that case is, that, whenever you have me there, in my present condition, you cannot easily get rid of me; whereas if you come hither, you may leave me as soon as you please, and I have no way to help myself, being confined to my chair just as I was when you saw me last. If this advantage will not tempt you rather to make than receive the visit, nothing else will.

Whether I see you or not, let me at least see something under your hand, that may tell me how you do, and whether your deafness continues. And if you will flatter me agreeably, let something be said, at the end of your letter, which may make me for two minutes believe that half as much mine, as I am,

Your faithful humble servant,

you are

To Mr. Wanley↑.

FR. ROFFEN.

DEAR MR. WANLEY,

April 5, 1718.

I TORMENT you before my appointed time, finding this sheet at home; and as soon as you have looked it over, it may be carried immediately to the printer. I will trouble

"Solomon," and " Alma."

+ This letter and another which is printed in the " Additions to Pope," are expressly referred to by the excellent Editor of "Reliques of ancient English Poetry," vol. II. p. 27. The poem they allude to is “The Nut-Browne Maid," the ground-work of Prior's "Henry and Emma." In fixing the age of this poem, Dr. Percy judiciously observes, "Mr. Prior was probably guided by the learned Wanley, whose judgment in matters of this nature was most consummate."

It is

you to-morrow morning for the sheet which you have. compliment in the most refined French Dictionaries. But I submit it to you, as I ought with great reason to do thing concerning literature.

every

1780, March.

Yours ever,

M. PRIOR.

XXV. Letters to and from Mr. Garrick.

SOON after Mr. Garrick had purchased a moiety of Drury-lane Theatre, he discovered the company wanted a considerable recruit of low actors: in the choice of those he generally paid an attention to person and look, more than to genius, for as they seldom had any thing to say, the eye was principally consulted. There was at that time about the Theatre a very whimsical fellow, whose name was Stone; he had much humour, but never could be prevailed upon to tread the stage. Mr. Garrick, however, found him something to do, and he was employed in recruiting about the town for the drama; whenever he brought a person who was permitted to make an essay, whether successful or otherwise, he had a certain sum given him for his trouble; and for three or four years, this man (who had acquired the appellation of the Theatrical Crimp,) made in this kind of service a tolerable subsistence. A variety of letters passed between Mr. Garrick and Stone during the course of their negociations. Four of them we have been lately favoured with by a gentleman, who informs us, that the following were written in the year 1748.

Thursday noon.

❝ SIR, "MR. LACY turned me out of the lobby yesterday, and behaved very ill to me-1 only ax'd for my two guineas for the last Bishop*, and he swore I should not have a farthing.

The person here called the bishop was procured by Stone, and had often rehearsed the part of the Bishop of Winchester in the play of Henry the Eighth with such singular eclat, that Mr. Garrick frequently addressed him at the rehearsal as Cousin of Winchester. The fellow, however, never played the part, although the night of his coming out was announced in the public papers. The reader will soon guess the reason, from the two following letters that passed between Mr. Garrick and Stone, on the very evening he was to make his appearance.

"SIR, The Bishop of Winchester is getting drunk at the Bear-and swears, damn his eyes if he will play to night. I am your's, W. STONE.

Auswer. "STONE, The Bishop may go to the Devil-I do not know a greater rascal except yourself. D. G."

I cannot live upon air--I have a few Cupids you may have cheap, as they belong to a poor journeyman shoemaker, who I drink with now and then.

I am, your humble servant,

ANSWER.

W. STONE.

← STONE,

Friday morn.

"You are the best fellow in the world-bring the Cupids to the Theatre to-morrow. If they are under six, and well made, you shall have a guinea a-piece for them. Mr. Lacy will pay you himself for the Bishop-he is very penitent for what he has done. If you can get me two good murderers, I will pay you handsomely, particularly the spouting fellow who keeps the apple-stand on Tower-hill, the cut in his face is just the thing. Pick me up an Alderman or two, for Richard, if you can, and I have no objection to treat with you for a comely Mayor. The Barber will not do for Brutus, although I think he will succeed in Mat.

1780, Dec.

D. G."

XXVI. Montague Bacon, Esq*. to the Rev. Mr. Williamst. Monday morning.

SIR,

As it is your post in the University to honour me with a few words to-morrow, I beg, and most heartily intreat you, that they may be as few as you conveniently can. I am descended, on one side, from the Lord Keeper Bacon, who had so considerable a hand in the first establishment of the church of England; and on the other side from the Earl of Sandwich, who, next to Monk, had, I believe, the chief hand in the Restoration, for King Charles, on his first landing, gave him an earldom, a garter, and 4000l. a year in land, besides places to the value of about 10,000l. a year more. Now, as the restoration of the royal family was likewise the restoring of the church, I beg you would chiefly insist on the

A younger son of Nicholas Bacon, Esq. of Shrubland, in Suffolk, admitted a fellow-commoner of Trinity-college, Cambridge, in 1704-5. Three of his letters to George Jeffreys, Esq. of the same college, are in the Letters of eminent Persons, vol. II. by which it appears that he had much critical acumen. He died in 1740, aged 51.

+ Fellow of St John's-college, and public orator; afterwards D. D. and Rector of Barrow, in Suffolk.