sought after; but with equal truth it may be observed, that in this kingdom you will discover little zeal to promote the welfare of his needy relations, hundreds of objects here having a superior claim to publick charity. All these circumstances you will weigh in your own mind; and now, heartily wishing success to your Lordship's undertaking, I hasten to repeat that I am always your most faithful and obedient servant, G. STEEVENS. "Mr. Reed (on whom I called this morning) requests that his best compliments to you may be offered; and, once more, my good Lord, I solicit your whole indulgence to this unconnected scrawl, which is despatched in great haste, for fear of being too late for the post."

Bishop PERCY to Mr. STEEVENS.

"10 Sept. 1797.

"Your obliging Letter was received this morning, and merits my best thanks, which I could not defer presenting a moment. Yet I fear you will have reason to repent of your readiness to serve your friends, when you find it has encouraged me to trouble you again.

"The Epilogue, of which I sent the exordium and conclusion, I find (by an endorsement which escaped me when I copied them for you) was intended to be spoken by Mrs. Bulkeley. I wish she could, by some means, be asked if she remembers for what play it was intended. It may possibly, after all, be not written by Goldsmith, but only given for him to correct, though I think he would scarce have adopted the four lines in his epilogue to his printed comedy from it had it not been his own.

"He gave it me among a parcel of letters and papers, some written by himself, and some addressed to him, with not much explanation. But I have always considered it as his. Yet it would be awkward if, after being inserted in his Works, some other author should prove his claim to it, and therefore, before I close with the booksellers, who are impatiently pressing, I wish, if possible, to ascertain this point.

"I have another unprinted poem of Dr. G.'s, in his own handwriting, that is undoubtedly his, which is of more consequence, together with many original and some very curious letters; so that I shall not abate of my terms with the booksellers, even if this should be withdrawn. How

ever, neither to them nor to the actress, would I, in the present stage of the business, excite any doubt concerning the Epilogue, of which I suppose the lines I sent you are sufficient to awake any recollection which she may have on the subject."*

Mr. STEEVENS to Bishop PERCY.

"MY DEAR LORD, Hampstead Heath, Sept. 14, 1797. "Till now I have not expressed the least backwardness in undertaking to execute any commission you might please to entrust me with; but you must forgive me if, on the present occasion, I decline the honour of your commands. The lady you would have interrogated ceased to be, at least seven years ago; and what would the public say, could it be known, that your Lordship, a Protestant Bishop, was desirous to send your sober correspondent into the other world a harlot-hunting?

"Yet though I may not choose to proceed in person on this errand, for the benefit of any one who likes to undertake it, I will suggest the following hints, by attention to which he may save some degree of trouble in his research. I would not advise him to present himself at Lucretia's rout, or Penelope's tea-table, in the hope of meeting Mrs. Bulkeley at either of these places. It is more probable he will find her in private conference with Jocasta, the mother and wife of Edipus; for it is well known that our fair epilogue-speaker was kept by a player, and seduced his son to her bed. For this conduct she was repeatedly hissed, and compelled, during several seasons, to withdraw from the stage.-" Some sins do bear their privilege on earth," says Shakspeare; but he would not have enumerated the act of Mrs. B. in the catalogue of venial offences. The captain of a trading vessel was afterwards fool enough to marry her, and in his possession she died. In short, but one out of all the actresses who figured in Goldsmith's comedies is now alive.

"It is not unlikely, that the original MS. of his + Epilogue was left in the hands of the Deputy Licenser; and that the copy given to you, might have been a prompter's transcript for the use of the theatre. Why it was returned

* Prior's Life of Goldsmith, vol. II. p. 8, from MS. Correspondence then in the possession of Mr. Mason.

+ Goldsmith's.

to its author, cannot, at this distance of time, be ascertained.

"I foretold, that the first effort of nature to relieve poor Farmer would be the last moment of his existence. He was striving to throw up some bile, and died in his exertion. He sunk back on his bed, as if asleep, and left the world without the slightest struggle. His nephew Tom was with him; and Captain Farmer (who, I believe, is his executor) was immediately sent for from Leicester. Dr. Farmer will be buried in the chapel at Emmanuel, near the remains of his friend and predecessor, Harry Hubbard. About the contents of his will, and the destination of his library, I have nothing to say at present; nor can I learn that his successor in Amen-corner is announced. I am equally doubtful respecting the Mastership of the College.

"The author of the Pursuits of Literature' is still unknown. He is undoubtedly an Etonian, and one of the parasites of a certain Cambridge Doctor of Physick,‡ who (if he had the power) would exterminate all the parties concerned in the detection of the Pseudo-Rowley.

"I am, my dear Lord,

"Your very faithful and obedient servant,
"G. STEEVENS."

"MY DEAR LORD, Hampstead Heath, Nov. 10th, 1797. "The necessity of my immediate examination of many thousand papers belonging to our late friend, will, I trust, be received as an apology for the briefness of my reply to your last favour.

"When I was requested to look over these manuscripts I was utterly unconscious that even a single letter would be found among them; but, to my great surprise, I met with several hundreds, written on an infinite variety of occasions.

"From a careful review, therefore, of some of these documents, I think myself authorised to inform your Lordship, that, exclusive of the memoranda you allude to,

* Dr. Farmer died Sept. 8, 1797. Of this distinguished scholar see ample memoirs in Literary Anecdotes, vol. II. p. 618; and Index vol. VII. pp. 132, 564.

Afterwards ascertained to be Mr. Thomas-James Mathias. He died Aug. .., 1835. See a memoir of him in Gent. Mag. 1835, vol. IV. p. 550.

Dr. Robert Glynn Clobery. He died Feb. 8, 1800, in his 81st year. See memoirs of him in Literary Anecdotes, vol. VIII. p. 211.

not less than four of your own epistles contain acknowledgments of a debt long due, though the quantum of it is unspecified. This deficience, however, may in some degree be supplied by the report of Dr. Farmer himself. In October 1794 I casually asked him how it happened that you, who are an Oxonian, took your Doctor's degree at our University. He immediately gave me a distinct account of the whole transaction; and concluded by observing, that the £100 which he had lent you to pay for your academical honours was not at the time of our conversation re-paid. He subjoined more particulars, such as your preparation to read your Thesis, &c. and your progress through other solemnities of your act. These circumstances are fresh in my remembrance; though I can assure you that, as yet, I have not mentioned to the Rev. Thomas Farmer a word about them, or the specific sum entrusted by his uncle to you. Do not suppose, however, that all notice of the debt is confined to my single testimony; for much the same intelligence had been already communicated by the deceased to another gentleman, who, like myself, has the honour of your Lordship's acquaint

ance.

"If, therefore, I may be permitted to advise you (which I do according to my best judgment, and I am sure with the utmost sincerity) the £100 should be immediately re-paid, that no further inquiry may be urged about it. The sum is trifling compared with inconveniencies that may suggest themselves to your own consideration.

"Let me now, conclude, my Lord, by observing, that though in the course of your correspondence with Dr. Farmer I have discovered a few traits relative to myself, which might as well have been omitted, I act on the present occasion with the strictest impartiality, and exactly as I should have done, had your Lordship's later sentiments concerning me been as favourable as your first.

"I have the honour to be, my dear Lord,

"Your most faithful and obedient servant,
"GEO. STEEVENS.

Forgive the interlineations of the letter, which I have not time to transcribe."

BP. PERCY TO GEORGE STEEVENS, ESQ.*

Eaton, Nov. 12, 1797.

"DEAR SIR, "Your last relieved me from a disagreeable uncertainty, as it mentioned the specific debt supposed to be owing to Dr. Farmer. For when his nephew informed me indistinctly that my name was given in to him by the deceased among his debtors, I had the hard task to prove a negative, and also to find out as I could against what indefinite charge I was to produce my proof. But as to the money lent me when I took my degree, I doubt not to show that it was paid him 20 years ago; and, therefore, so far from wishing (as you advise) that no further inquiry may be made about it, or desiring that it may not be mentioned to the Rev. Thomas Farmer; I request that he may be immediately informed and desired to communicate to Capt. Farmer, what you heard from the deceased; and let the same be told to every individual you please, whether friend or foe, because if I do not satisfy every impartial person that the money has been paid, far from taking advantage of the lapse of time, I will still repay it, notwithstanding my own conviction that it has been paid already. I must only require to be allowed to examine my papers, which unfortunately are in Ireland, and cannot be inspected till my return. And if, in the interim, I may not be allowed extracts from such of my letters in your hands as acknowledge the debt, &c. I hope it is not too much to ask to be favoured with the date of the last of them, wherein it is mentioned, to assist my recollection.

"I little thought it could ever have been possible for me to have wished to survive a friend so beloved; yet now I cannot but think it providential that this charge has not been brought after my decease, when it could not have been cleared up by my family, and must have left imputations on my memory.

"I know not what you may have found in my Letters, written in the most unreserved confidence, and under the sacred seal of friendship, nor under what impressions at the moment; but as I formerly entertained a very sin

* It is melancholy thus to close the correspondence of two such eminent men as Bishop Percy and George Steevens. It should, in justice, be added, that the family of Dr. Farmer expressed their satisfaction at the Bishop's explanation. See Mr. Meen's letter to Bp. Percy, Nov. 25, 1799, printed hereafter, p. 48.