time been. He desired me not to forget his particular compliments. Dr. Berdmore,* whom probably your Lordship knew, lies dangerously ill at his house in Southampton Buildings. From having been well as usual, he was suddenly and violently attacked by an inflammatory fever. He has lately published a little pamphlet, containing strictures on Gray, Hurd, Warburton, &c. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant, "H. MEEN."

"MY LORD,

Bread Street Hill, March 17, 1802.

"Be pleased to accept of my many and sincere thanks for the favour of your letter, dated 19th February, in which your Lordship has obligingly promised to exert your influence in procuring Milton's copy of Lycophron of its noble possessor. It would, as your Lordship well knows, be to me a valuable acquisition. As it is probable that the curiosity of many may have been already excited, and that applications may have been early made to obtain this treasure, it seems but a prudent step to adopt, as soon as possible, whatever means your Lordship may think proper to employ for the purpose intended. If you would be so obliging, my Lord, as to take the earliest opportunity of writing to this young nobleman, the information wished, will, I am confident, be immediately given. Such early application is, I think, most likely to be attended with success. Thus might the book be in readiness for your Lordship in your way through Dublin. But I am ashamed to be thus troublesome. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obliged and obedient servant, "H. MEEN."

Bread Street Hill, June 26, 1802.

"My LORD, "Be pleased to accept of my sincere thanks for the favour of your Lordship's letter just now received, and for your kind condescension in pursuing your inquiries after Milton's Lycophron. Milton's Notes and Emendations may, perhaps, be neither numerous nor important; but

*The Rev. Dr. Samuel Berdmore, the learned schoolmaster at the Charter House; elected in 1769, and resigned 1791. He was a member of the Unincreasable Club. He published "Specimens of Literary Resemblance in the Works of Pope, Gray, and other celebrated writers, with critical observations," 8vo, 1801; and died Jan. 20, 1802. See an account of him in Gent. Mag. 1802, p. 94.

your Lordship well knows into what consequence even trifles rise when the pen that wrote them has attained its eminence.

"Dr. Lettice is about leaving Hampstead, and retiring to his living. Mr. Reed continues in tolerable health, and desired me to transmit to you his kind and respectful compliments.

"The 1st volume, in 4to., of a work, called Londinium Redivivum,' is just now published. It is also called in the title-page, An Ancient History and Modern Description of London; compiled from parochial records, archives of various foundations, the Harleian MSS., and other authentic sources. By James Peller Malcolm.**

"A weekly publication, entitled, "The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, abridged,'t will make it appearance on Saturday.

"Your Lordship's truly obliged and obedient servant, "H. MEEN."

"MY LORD, Bread Street Hill, Jan. 1803. "Be pleased to accept of my sincerest thanks for the favour of your letter and the information it afforded me. I am greatly obliged to your Lordship for pointing out to me the channel through which I may hope to be indulged with a sight of Milton's Lycophron. Its greatest curiosity, so far as I can learn, is, that it bears the name of Milton in his own hand-writing. I cannot learn that it contains any marginal notes. Yet is it difficult to conceive that such an author as Lycophron could ever possibly have been read by such a reader as Milton without having enriched it with original remarks and conjectural emendations.

"Be assured I shall with the greatest pleasure receive of your bookseller two or more sets of Goldsmith's works, and shall be happy to second your Lordship's charitable design by the sale of a few copies. This edition is a valuable acquisition to literature. And as it is a work

Mr. Malcolm was an able antiquary and a skilful draughtsman. He died April 5, 1815; and an account of him is given in Gent. Mag. for 1815, i. p. 467-469.

This valuable Abridgment of the Philosophical Transactions was compiled by the celebrated Dr. Hutton, Dr. Shaw, and Dr. Richard Pearson, and was published by Mr. R. Baldwin, of Paternoster Row.

which has had the good fortune not only to have been finished under your Lordship's inspection, but to have been furnished with valuable materials from your own literary stores, it will, I am confident, have many purchasers.

"The new edition of Shakespeare, with additions by Mr. Steevens, will, I understand, soon make its appearance. This business your Lordship knows is in Mr. Reed's hands, who desires me to present his compliments.

"Mr. Todd, the ingenious editor of Milton, is very busy in preparing a splendid and useful edition of all Spenser's Poems.

"The book of antiquities, entitled 'Londinium Redivivum,' by Malcolm, lately published here, has met with considerable encouragement. It is patronized by Mr. Nichols and Mr. Gough. Mr. Malcolm is an industrious antiquary. He has collected his materials from places hitherto unexplored, and has arranged them in a manner that pleases and informs.

"But the period I hope is not far distant when an opportunity will offer of congratulating your Lordship on your return to this town after a very long absence. In the mean time, be pleased to accept of my services, in whatever instance you may see occasion for them. I have not had the satisfaction of hearing from or seeing your nephew Dr. Percy for a long time. Be pleased to present my compliments to him. Whenever he passes through town I shall be glad to see him, and hope that he will not forget to favour me with a call. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obliged and obedient servant, H. MEEN."

Bread Street Hill, May 18, 1803.

"MY LORD, "The favour of your Lordship's letter was highly gratifying, as it conveyed to me the most satisfactory account of your better health and gradual recovery. Indeed I have been long anxious to hear from your Lordship, having understood from various quarters, that you had been very much indisposed. I was therefore happy to have received from yourself this favourable account; which I shall with pleasure communicate to inquiring friends. Permit me once more to express my thanks, and acknowledge my obligations to your Lordship, through whose friendly interposition and kind exertions I am put in possession of Milton's Lycophron. In consequence of

a note from the Hon. Mr. Caulfield, I waited upon him at his house, and returned with this literary treasure in my pocket. On examining it I found a greater number of marginal notes than I had been led to expect; viz. about 50. Many of these notes are but trifles; they are mere references to other editions, and intimations of the preference which Milton was disposed to give to other readings. But in some few notes, to the amount of five or six, he has called forth his critical talents, and given something, suo de penu, worthy of himself. It will be proper, I think, to collect these marginal notes together, and assign them a place by themselves; for, like precious ore, long buried in the mine, and late extracted, they will be prized for their worth and rarity. Mr. Caulfield has indulged me with the use of this book till his return to town. It is my intention then to accompany it with a letter of thanks to Lord Charlemont, requesting him to give me leave to insert the late Lord Charlemont's wellwritten account of this literary curiosity. This paper came inclosed in the book, and was transcribed by Mr. Caulfield from the original. I have also other rarities to produce, of which I can say nothing now, having already trespassed much too long on your time and sight.

"Mr. Todd is still busily employed about Spenser. He has gained much reputation by his edition of Milton. The booksellers have agreed to pay him a very liberal sum for his Spenser.

"In consequence of what had passed in a former letter from your Lordship, respecting the sale of some copies of Goldsmith's Works, I expected to have received, long since, some copies from Mr. White. But he has sent me none, and seems not to have been acquainted with your Lordship's intention. I should be happy to receive them by the channel you had mentioned, and for the purpose you designed.

"I hope your Lordship's complaint is gradually going off; and that I may be gratified with hearing soon, that your former health is established.

"Mr. Reed presents his compliments. He continues in tolerable health. We both unite in our wishes for your Lordship's return. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's truly obliged and obedient servant, H. MEEN."

* Bookseller, in Fleet-street. See “Literary Anecdotes," III. 127.

"MY LORD,

Bread Street Hill, Aug. 1803. "I beg leave to return your Lordship many thanks for the favour of your letter lately received. On the receipt of it, and without delay, I inquired after Mr. Charles Goldsmith, and learned, that he had lodged for some time at a house in Somers Town. The master informed me, that on the return of peace he left England, and went over to France; from which country he had reason to suppose that he was not yet returned.*

"Mr. Reed, who desires me to present his particular compliments to your Lordship, assures me, that the plate and note, respecting the men whose heads appear not above their shoulders, are inserted in that edition which he has just now published. I am in possession of the former edition, of the year 1793, published under the immediate inspection of Mr. Steevens. In reading Cymbeline, I was much entertained and informed by an excellent note on 'her attendants are all sworn and honourable,' for which permit me here to return your Lordship my thanks.

"Your Lordship may reasonably conclude, that Lord Charlemont's Milton has been long since returned to him. That it is not, must be ascribed to a circumstance which I will relate in few words. When I received this book of Mr. Caulfield, who with great politeness allowed me to take it home, it was my wish to return it as soon as possible. Having satisfied my curiosity, and transcribed the notes, a few weeks after my first call, I repeated my visit to Mr. Caulfield at his lodgings, taking with me a copy of my Remarks on Lycophron, intending to request the favour of his acceptance of it. He was not at home. I then left a note, and a copy of my Remarks, requesting to know what day he would choose to appoint, on which I might wait upon him with the Lycophron, and accompany it with a line of thanks to his Lordship. To this note, which was left on his table, together with my Remarks, in the presence of his servant, no answer was returned. I was every day expecting an answer, but received none; till at last, but not till Mr. Caulfield's return to Ireland, I was favoured with a letter from him, in which he expressed his surprise that I had so long detained this book, con

* Charles Goldsmith returned to England, and died in Ossulston Street, Somers Town. He had a son Oliver, who, with his mother, returned to the West Indies. See Prior's Life of Goldsmith, II. 575.