lin, perhaps I could have tempted him to give me a few days, and let me shew him the beauties of a place that we here consider as amongst our best.

"I am no stranger to the affecting circumstance* that has occurred in your family, though I heard of it but a short time before we left the country; it would ill become me to suggest ideas of consolation to one so capable of supplying them himself, and so much my superior in every respect. Highly interested as I feel in whatever regards your Lordship's welfare, and sensible of the honour of your friendship, I hope to be indulged with a few lines by your amanuensis, to inform me how you are as to health and tranquillity; I could wish to hear something of former cheerfulness returning, and that you can enjoy a book being read, and a friend conversing. I hope Mrs. Meade either has or will soon be able to stay with you; her attentions and company will be the greatest comfort.

"The ingenious and amiable Mrs. Charlotte Smith died lately;† her lot in this life was, I fear, a hard one. I became acquainted with her in the year 1799, and she favoured me with three or four letters; her daughter wrote to me the other day to request them, as she was preparing some of her mother's works, and an account of her life, for publication.

"I believe your Lordship scarcely remembers that your curious Langbaine is still in my keeping. If Dr. Percy be still in England, and expected over soon, I should hope he would let me know of his arrival, and he would be the proper person to carry it to Dromore. A. Caldwell."

"MY LORD,

Dublin, May 5, 1807.

"I have been a good deal involved of late in domestic cares and distresses. My poor sister died the beginning of last March; she had been many years in an infirm state of health; life indeed could not be of much enjoyment in her situation, but the loss of an innocent friend to whom we were long habituated cannot but be felt by her sisters and me.

"It is highly gratifying to me that you express a wish to renew the correspondence with which you had some

Death of Mrs. Percy, Dec. 30, 1806. See vol. VII. p. 68.

This elegant poetess died Oct, 28, 1806, aged 57. See Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary.

VOL. VIII.

F

times indulged me; there shall be no failure, on my part, when any circumstance occurs that may seem amusing.

"The Marquis of Lansdowne's MSS. it is said are to be purchased for the British Museum; it is very proper they should be preserved there, as they relate entirely to our History and Law. Malone sent me over the first volume of the Catalogue; it has been drawn up with great accuracy and industry, and well arranged; I hope the second volume will come out.

"Isaac Reed's and Mr. Brand's books, &c. will both be very curious, and the Catalogues are to be very carefully digested. Malone says he will be broke. We are happily constituted, that, notwithstanding the daily instances of the instability and insignificance of all human concerns, yet still we that are left behind go on as eagerly with our pursuits as if they were of certain value and durability.

"The fire at Mr. Johnes's at Hafod has been a public calamity; he had lately made an addition of a fine library in Italy, with a most choice and complete collection of Aldus's; it was but just put up, and all is gone. Poor fellow he writes to Cooper Walker that he is stunned, but not knocked down. His materials for an Appendix to Froissart, and curious documents from Breslaw, are all perished.

"I hope you will at last receive your Langbaine safe; I wonder if Malone ever saw this copy. Your Lordship has made many valuable additions; he says he has done more than all his predecessors; he is continually adding to the notes.

"The auction at Lord Clonmel's engages the town; the rooms are as fine as stucco, gilding, glasses, carpets, &c. can make them; much too fine for comfort; not a particle in the whole house would tempt me to break a commandment; all is clean and new, and for all the expense the rooms were never opened more than twice.

"You mentioned you were about having an operation tried on your eyes; I wish you would go to London for that purpose. I met some years ago at my brother's one Mr. Roddam, brother to Admiral Roddam; he had undergone the operation about six weeks before, and entirely recovered sight, walked every where through London, but had not then ventured to read; his sister had also the same success; he said the operation was disagreeable but not painful. ANDREW Caldwell.

"There is and has been many debates in London, whether the Princess of Wales should publish her case or not; her Privy Councillors and advisers are not agreed about it. My humble opinion would be to let things remain quiet and drop. One cannot help observing that the King, who used to be her great friend and protector, has not for a long time taken notice of her, nor any of the royal family. It is said the Prince of Wales was out of humour with the late ministers, because they discouraged proceedings or publications relative to the lady; we shall see what the new old ministers will do.

"A foolish book, 'The Wild Irish Girl,' has been read here by most people; there is a note about an old harper, one Hampson, that is really entertaining; it is in the third volume, and the only passage in the whole work worth notice. I dare say you may borrow it in the neighbourhood; the note, I believe, was wrote by Sampson, brother to the exile. I suppose your Lordship has had Dutens' late publication, the Voyageur en repos;' it is translated into English, but my copy is the French."

"MY LORD, Dublin, 6 April, 1808. "Though I have not allowed myself the pleasure of writing to you for a long time past, yet I have always availed myself of any opportunity to inquire about your Lordship's health, and have had great satisfaction in hearing that you were well-and in good spirits. I cannot give the same account of myself. I came to town the beginning of November not well, and have been an invalid with a bilious stomach ever since. I have scarcely ever gone out,-never in the evening,-or to dine abroad. I am now, however, considerably better, and hope, when the weather becomes milder, to recruit entirely.

"Mr. Malone has printed a few observations upon the probable origin of "The Tempest,' and sent me one copy for myself, and another to be transmitted to your Lordship. His conjectures show his acuteness and diligent research but I should imagine that, though the voyage of Sir George Somers* might have suggested the original hint to Shakespeare, there has been some history or novel not

;

* Mr. Malone accordingly supposes the Tempest to have been written in 1611; but this opinion is very ably investigated by Mr. Hunter, in vol. I. of his New Illustrations of Shakspeare, 8vo. 1845, who gives to the Comedy the date of 1596.

yet discovered that may have supplied some of the remarkable incidents, such as those of Ferdinand and Miranda.

"I do not hear of any interesting publication lately. Political pamphlets are in plenty, but I have not patience for such dull reading, and look on them all as trash.

66

Many people are anxious about Fox's History;' but it is only a fragment, and can hardly contain any new facts. His bad health came on, and he was disappointed in the search for materials, the principal ones being destroyed during the fury of the Revolution.

"General Cockburn, who has been two years absent on the Staff in Sunderland, is just come over on a short leave; he desires to be particularly remembered with much regard to your Lordship. He spent a day at Alnwick Castle, where the family made many inquiries about your Lordship, and expressed great esteem; but much the contrary about Mr. Dutens, whose book they had been reading, and who is quite out of favour. The Duke of Northumberland could not come out of his room, and is generally in a bad state of health. The Duchess was very desirous to get authentic particulars about a young man, one Magauron, who had innocently been the occasion of some alarm to the late Duke and Duchess. By the General's desire I applied to Mr. Colvill, but he has forgotten all the circumstances, and referred me to your Lordship. If you please to mention what you recollect I shall communicate it to General Cockburn, who is to return to Sunderland the beginning of May.

WELL.

"ANDREW CALDWELL.”

CHARLES CALDWELL, Esq. to Bishop PERCY.

"MY LORD, 12, Rutland-square, Dublin, July 13, 1808. "With deep concern, I have the painful task of informing your Lordship, that my worthy good brother, Andrew, departed this life on Saturday the 2d instant, early in the morning, at Shanganna, the seat of General Cockburn, near Bray. He had been in a declining state for some months, but went off at last rather rapidly.

"I have the honour to be, with great respect, your Lordship's most obedient humble servant, "CHA. CALDwell."

General COCKBURN to Bishop PERCY.

"MY DEAR LORD, Chelmsford, 15 August, 1808. "You have, no doubt, before this heard of the death of your old friend, my worthy uncle, Mr. Caldwell. When I took leave of him last May, I had no idea he was so near his end. He went with Mrs. Cockburn to my house in the country, and I flattered myself country air might at least bring him through the summer. His age was 76.

"I have been moved from the northern to the eastern district, and am stationed at this town. Indeed, in point of climate it is a change for the better. Of the hospitality of the neighbourhood I cannot boast; but I had no good friend to introduce me, as I remember having had in your Lordship at Northampton.

"All the regiments of the line here are under orders for Spain and Portugal; and I think there is now reasonable prospect of some stop to French atrocity, and perhaps of better times for Europe than those we have witnessed.

"I remain, my dear Lord, with the greatest regard, your faithful humble servant, G. COCKBURN."*

JOHN NICHOLS, ESQ., F.S.A.

A series of Correspondence between Bishop Percy and Mr. Nichols is given in the Literary Illustrations, vol. VI. pp. 564 to 591. Most of the following Letters have come into the possession of the Editor since that volume was printed; and many of them are answers, or have reference to, the Letters which have already appeared.

Mr. NICHOLS to the Rev. Dr. PERCY, Dean of Carlisle. "GOOD SIR, July 7, 1781. "I hope that both you and Mrs. Percy arrived safely and well at the Deanery, and am exceedingly obliged by your kind remembrance of Mrs. Nichols and the children.

* See p. 59.