ever boast he may derive from ancestry, or to whatever situation abilities or contingencies may raise him, will always have reason to boast of being born of such a mother.'* "I thank you also for your answer on the subject of the pension claimed upon Easton, though I fear I shall not obtain any redress. I will, however, take all proper and respectful means to do so. "I have the pleasure to inform you that the 'Reliques' were sent to Mr. Fr. Tytler at Edinburgh, exactly according to your order, within a week after your letter (dated Sept. 26) reached me. The binding was what they call extra, which perhaps was more than you meant; but the difference will not be above three or four shillings, and the copy particularly pleased my eye. "Your last packet was what they term above privilege ; consequently, I paid seven shillings for it. This, however, is of no consequence, as the British Critic at large will pay it: I only mention it to prevent future mistakes. Franks are now limited (in England) to 1 oz. or 1 oz., which I have taken care to observe in making up these packets for you. "Allow me to ask, against I hear from you again, who was the Mr. Cartert who made the very beautiful original tune to your elegant ballad, 'O! Nanny, wilt thou gang wi' me?' and when was it first set? I think it one of the finest ballad airs that were ever composed: I will not add how fitly bestowed, but the whole effect is admirable. I have heard it harmonized, or thrown into parts, by Harrison, and it was delightful in that form. We look forward with pleasure to the hope of seeing you and Mrs. Percy in London, which I hope no circumstance will delay beyond the time intended. "I hope the Ecton family are well, &c.; and remain, very sincerely, your obliged and faithful servant, "MY LORD, "ROBERT NARES." British Museum, April 26, 1802. "Your last letter to me begins with an apology for long * British Critic for Nov. 1801, p. 529. +"Poor Carter, the celebrated composer, died on Friday last, Oct. 12, 1804. He possessed an uncommon share of genius; but his prosperity in life never kept pace with the greatness of his talents. He was the author of many excellent musical pieces and beautiful ballads, among the latter of which were, "O Nanny, wilt thou gang wi' me?" "Tally Ho! &c. &c."-London Evening Post, Thursday, Oct. 18. See the Gentleman's Magazine for 1847, vol. XXVII. pp. 376, 481, 604. silence, which would make me blush to see it, having yet more occasion for it myself, had I not to plead that the expectation of seeing you here has long restrained my pen. From the time, indeed, when I began to think it probable that you might have moved from Dromore, I have been in constant expectation and hope of hearing of your approach. It now begins to be probable that you have relinquished the intention, at least for the present; and I therefore feel it necessary to send this explanation of my conduct, lest you should at all impute it to negligence. "At a dinner given lately by Sir William Scott, I had the pleasure of seeing Dr. Duigenan, and becoming acquainted with him. Of him I made inquiries respecting you, but could learn only his opinion, that you would probably be now in Dublin. I saw him again yesterday, on the point of returning for Ireland, and charged him with my apologies; but, recollecting that he might not see you, and that a letter enclosed to Mr. Lee's would be forwarded to you wherever you might be, I resolved no longer to omit writing. "I was much obliged to you for transmitting Dr. Caulfield's pamphlet, and for the hints you gave upon it; but this also has been laid by, in hopes of further instructions from you in person, how it would be most proper to notice it. I regretted that ill health was the apology for your preceding silence, and shall be very desirous to hear that the same cause has not interposed to prevent the journey to England, which I knew you had before intended. "You inquired, in the P.S. of your last, whether any answer to Volney had been published, besides that (of Mr. Roberts*) noticed in the British Critic.' I believe not. That reply, though we chose to make the best of it, on account of the laudableness of the design, was certainly not * The Rev. Peter Roberts died in May, 1819, at Halkin, co. Flint, to which living he had been inducted only a few months. This event deprived Wales of an eminent writer in its particular literature and language, and the kingdom at large of a rare union of worth and talent. It is said Mr. Roberts was a student of Trinity College, Dublin; wherever he was educated, he was an honour to the foundation. His valuable and extensive library was sold in Shrewsbury (nine days sale), commencing the 9th of August. He was author of "Observations on the Principles of Christian Morality;" ;"-" Christianity Vindicated in a series of Letters to M. Volney, on his Revolutions of Empires ;"-" Harmony of the Epistles ;"-" A Sketch of the early History of the Cymry, or Antient Britons, from the year 700 before Christ to A.D. 500;"-"View of the Policy and Doctrines of the Church of Rome ;"-" The Chronicle of the Kings of Britain ;"-" On Christian Morality;"-" Manual of Prophecy ;"-" The Cambrian Popular Antiquities," &c. (See British Critic, 1802, and Monthly Review, vol. XXXVI. p. 164.) so vigorous as might be wished. I should be very glad to learn that you had a design of furnishing such an antidote to the poison as might be more effectual. I do not, however, find that Volney has done much mischief in England; but the studious circulation of his book, whether here or in Ireland, must certainly be carried on for the most mischievous purposes. I have been anxious (among many other topics of inquiry) to ask whether the Life of Goldsmith, lately published with his Miscellaneous Works, really proceeds from your information, as is confidently asserted; and, if not, how much credit is due to it, on its own account. Many things are there told which were not known before; but their value must depend upon their authenticity, of which no person now living, probably, can judge so well as you. "A very handsome letter from Mrs. West,* accompanied by a bound copy of her work, gave me great satisfaction a month or two ago. I returned my best thanks to the respectable lady, without loss of time; but I ought also to return them to you, since it must have been through you that she gained the information to which I owed her civilities. I have since been introduced to her son.† He is a very modest young man, and I am assured likely to do justice to her instructions. "In consideration of my very true apologies, I hope you will favour me with an early answer. I am very desirous to know what are your present plans; and what hope we may yet entertain of seeing you and Mrs. Percy this season in England. "The matter of the pension to the Bishop of Peterborough remains in suspense. All the inquiry I have been able to make confirms the suspicion that it ought to be paid by the impropriators of the great tithes, namely, the College; and, as soon as the hurry of this month is over, I mean to write to the Dean upon it. On this subject also I had hoped for your personal advice, as the best supplement to the written admonitions you had so kindly given. "I am, my Lord, with great regard, "Your obliged and faithful servant, * See this vol. p. 88. † See p. 89. From the rectory of Easton Mauduit. See before, p. 593. "MY LORD, Lichfield, August 28, 1802. "The time of my annual removal from London has been, as usual, a period of great hurry, and since my arrival here I have almost daily been purposing to write to you, and as frequently have been obliged, or induced by business or interruption, to postpone it. I very safely received your three packets containing Sir Richard Musgrave's reply to Dr. Caulfield. "I intended fully to have taken your advice as to the postponing the account of Dr. Caulfield's defence,* till I should hear more of the issue of the dispute; but I found myself so particularly urged by letters, and called upon in point of justice to take some notice of it, that I inserted the account which appeared in July, p. 91. I hope you will approve the manner in which it is done. These Roman Catholics wonder that we are so ready to believe them inclined to murder Protestants, forgetting that in every part of the world they have always shown that disposition, and have acted accordingly whenever opportunities were offered, under the sanction of the highest authorities of their church. "In coming to this place we made a circuit by Cambridgeshire, and paid a visit of three days to Dr. Smith,† Mrs. Nares's father. This new modelled our whole route, and brought us hither by Huntingdon, Thrapston, Kettering, Market Harborough, &c. We passed a night at the last-mentioned place, and I was determined not to lose the opportunity of becoming acquainted with Mrs. West. Mrs. Nares and I therefore waited upon her soon after our arrival, and made her a visit of some length. From our previous knowledge of each other as writers, we were easily acquainted, and I had great pleasure in conversing with a lady whose excellent talents and disposition are *"The Reply of Dr. Caulfield, Roman Catholic Bishop of Wexford, to the Misrepresentation of Sir R. Musgrave, Bart." 8vo. 1801. See British Critic for July, 1802, p. 91. † Dr. Samuel Smith was of Trinity College, Cambridge; B.A. 1754; M.A. 1757; LL.D. 1764. He succeeded Dr. Markham as head master of Westminster School, and was afterwards one of the prebendaries. He was also a canon of Peterborough, rector of Walpole, Norfolk, and of Dry Drayton, Northamptonshire. He died March 23, 1808, aged 77; said to be possessed of more than £100,000. One of his sons, Dr. Samuel Smith, was Dean of Christchurch, which deanery he exchanged for a prebend of Durham, with the present Dean of Christchurch, Dr. Gaisford. The elder Dr. Smith left also three other sons, and two daughters. All the sons are dead. The eldest daughter married James Wake, esq. barrister-at-law; and the youngest married Mr. Archdeacon Nares. Both the daughters are living; but their husbands are dead. so clearly displayed in her writings. We talked of you first, and afterwards of various other topics; and I hope that if any thing brings her to London she will not forget to inquire for the British Museum. "With respect to the pension charged upon poor Easton, I gained some material information just before I left town, from Clapham, Senr. On examining his papers Mr. Clapham found that the pension of 13s. 4d. per annum was demanded at the visitation in 1780, and was paid as for 3 years; but that, in 1783, Mr. Clapham refunded the payment by order of bishop Hinchliffe, by whom it was ever afterwards received. If these particulars should bring any other circumstances to your mind, you will much oblige me by an early communication of the intelligence, as I expect to see the bishop of Peterborough here in the course of September. I will write also to Mr. Gibbs, as these dates may lead him to discover some memorandum on the subject in the Easton rental. "Many thanks for your kind information on the subject of Goldsmith's life. If I take any advantage of what you mention, in noticing the book, it shall be in such a way as cannot implicate you, or lead to any knowledge of its coming from you. We had a very agreeable day with the Isteds and Sothebys at the British Museum, and should have been extremely glad if you could have been added to the party. Your absence from England disappointed us all, and I am not yet informed whether the arrangements for the Parliament ensuing are such as to bring you over soon; if so, I shall be among those who will most rejoice in the prospect of your friendly and instructive conversation. I am, my lord, with great regard, your obliged and faithful servant, "ROBERT NARES." "MY LORD, Lichfield, Sept. 2, 1802. "I had just troubled you with a letter which must have been nearly of the same date with yours; I sent it inclosed to Mr. Lee's, not being quite certain where you might be. I write now, without loss of time, that you may know that your letter, though sent to London, was duly forwarded hither, and to say that I have sent the inclosure to Mr. Park, in another frank, back to town. I can positively assure you that nothing but what was truly complimentary was intended by the citation of the Reliques; and, whatever Mr. Ritson may choose to say, |