hollow-ditching a ploughed field on a high hill, and could not draw the water from one corner which lay like a pond, and as he guided the plough he sunk in over his boot-tops. Some people say half the kingdom will not be sowed this season. I believe on the most moderate computation too great a proportion of it is spoilt by the rains. The unusual sinking of the barometer was not for nothing. The day after the great rain we had some very cold heavy showers, with a west wind, and there was an Aurora Borealis the night before, viz. December 2, the only one I have seen this year. Wishing you as good success in the Lottery as that person had who bought a share in a ticket to pay a hackney-coachman, I am, Sir, your obliged humble servant, R. GOUGH."

DEAR SIR,

a8

Enfield, July 18, 1769.. "I am extremely obliged to Mr. Walpole for his offer of Vertue's London papers, and to you for communicating it. My engagements hardly admit of my accepting it just now, were I capable of disposing them as you are pleased to think. If I do not mistake, Mr. Walpole, in his Anecdotes,' represents these papers as mere sketches of a work, which, had Vertue lived, might have been valuable and entertaining. Much of the then state of London must be wanting; and I am sure my application and knowledge cannot supply it. Had I the leisure and opportunites of those who offer their assistance in this work, I could not indulge the presumption of arranging their observations.

"Blomefield, in his Collectanea,' says the arms on the porch at Anglesea are those of the founder, Richard de Clare, though Tanner gives the honour to Henry I. This does not, however, account for the initials we saw on the same porch.

"Mr. Cowper brings you a set of Perry's windows, of which, and some other things that accompany it, I beg your acceptance. "The few references I had made about our antient habits are to Folkes's Tables of Coins, p. 9; Peck's Desiderata Curiosa,' vol. II. b. xv. c. 2.; Anstis's 'Black book of the Garter;' and the 'Annual Register' for 1761, p. 179. I hope, by and by, to be able to furnish you with more materials on this subject, and am, "Dear Sir, your obliged humble servant, R. GOUGH.

"P. S. If Mr. Walpole has no objection to favouring me with a perusal of the papers through the hands of my bookseller, Mr. Brown, just removed to the corner of Essex-street, Strand, I could better judge what use might be made of them. R. G."

"DEAR SIR,

Winchester-street, April 9, 1770. "I wrote to Mr. Colman the 30th of last month, that if Mr. William Cowper had any thoughts of parting with all or any of his brother's, our late worthy friend's, books, I should be glad to have one or two which I had formerly given him, or any others, at the price set on them by the Cambridge booksellers. Among those I was particularly desirous of having, I mentioned the Paris edition

of Catullus, Tibullus, and Propertius, Piersoni Verisimilia, one or two French Abregés of the history of some European nations, and the interleaved copy of Hoeltzlin's edition of Apollonius Rhodius, in which I believe our late friend had made some remarks. But as this was a commission of a delicate nature, I submitted it entirely to the President's discretion, as I do now to yours, if it be not too late to transact it, and Mr. Cowper has the least intention of parting with the above or any other articles. At the same time that I wish to have such memorials of the friendship that subsisted between me and his brother, I would not be guilty of the least impropriety in an application in which Mr. Haistwell joins with me. I can ascribe the President's silence to nothing but his absence from College, and shall be glad of as early an answer from you as convenient. I could have wished to have seen you at the Society's house when you were lately in town, where you made so short a stay that 1 heard of your arrival and return at the same time. I would then among other things have inquired how the scheme of drawing the Cambridge churches went on, and whether, among the win-dows I sent you last September, you did not receive a duplicate of the last plate. I beg my respectful compliments of condolence to the Master, and to be remembered to all friends; and am, "Dear Sir, your obedient humble servant,

R. GOUGH.

Letters relative to a projected New Edition of Mr. JOHN LE NEVE'S "FASTI ECCLESIÆ ANGLICANÆ*."

1. Mr. GOUGH to a Graduate of the University of OXFORD †. "SIR, 'Enfield, May 16, 1794. "I learn with pleasure from my friend Mr. Gutch, that you meditate a new edition of Le Neve's Fasti, a desirable work, and which the University of Oxford ought to patronize.

"I doubt not there are many interleaved copies of it extant. But as that in the Bodleian is to be the groundwork, and you propose beginning with a transcript of it, before you compare it with others, it will be time enough to point out where those others are when that transcript is made. As a preliminary to making it, I have an interleaved copy of the Fasti in which no additions have been made, which shall be at your service when you are quite ready for it, on this single condition, that you give me the pleasure of your company here to fetch it.

"We may then talk over another publication, which Mr. Urban's reviewers have suggested to you, and which, if I am not misinformed, you do not seem disinclined to undertake. "In the mean time, believe me your obedient humble servant, R. GOUGH,"

* See the "Literary Anecdotes,” vol. VIII. p, 228, + Who afterwards declined the task,

2. Rev. Dr. PEGGE to SYLVANUS URBAN.

"Mr. URBAN, Aug. 13, 1795. "That very useful book, John Le Neve's 'Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ,' was published, in small folio, 1756, near fifty years ago, so that it seems to be high time that it should be re-printed, and continued down to the present day.

"The present volume, no doubt, will require correction in various places; and here the learned and diligent undertaker of the new and improved edition, whom I would willingly suppose to be a person of large and extensive connexions, will request and call upon all his literary friends and acquaintance to impart to him such remarks as occasionally they may have inserted in their copies of Le Neve; particularly he should have recourse for assistance to the registers and chapter-clerks of all the cathedral and collegiate churches in England and Wales, and the two Universities. Much may probably be collected from Dr. Browne Willis's works, and our county histories, and those of single cities and towns which have appeared since the year 1726; and I am fully persuaded that many studious and inquisitive gentlemen resident in the Universities, especially such as may have an Antiquarian turn, will be able to contribute largely to an undertaking likely to prove so generally useful. L. E."

3. Rev. JOHN GUTCH to SYLVANUS URBAN. "Mr. URBAN,

6

Oxford, Sept. 16, 1795. Being well assured from whose friendly hand the hints in your last month's Miscellany originated, p. 658, respecting a new edition of Le Neve's Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ,' I return my respectful compliments to your old and venerable correspondent; and, in compliance with his kind intimation, I beg leave to announce my intention of republishing that Work, with a continuation. My present engagement in the History of the University,'" having beyond all expectation increased on my hands, has prevented me from making my intention public. The two last volumes of the history are now completed, making near 1700 pages, and will be published as soon as the Indexes are finished. Browne Willis's interleaved copy of Le Neve † in the Bodleian seems likely to afford me the greatest assistance, having a great number of additions in the earlier part of the work, with many new lists, and several corrections. Mr. Deputy Nichols has kindly promised me a copy in his possession very full of additions; and Richard Gough, Esq. has also offered me the use of

My venerable Friend and Contemporary was for many years Registrar of the University of Oxford, from which he retired in 1824 on a liberal pension.

Five different copies were added to the Bodleian Library by the liberality of Mr. Gough, with numerous corrections by the Rev. William Cole, the Rev. Robert Masters, Mr. Brooke the Lancaster Herald, and others.

several copies which he has purchased from time to time. An application has likewise been made to a Literary Character, who, I am informed, is in possession of Bishop Kennett's copy with corrections and additions; and, froin his well-known liberality of sentiment, I have great hopes he will grant me the use of it. I shall request the indulgence of the Bishops to have reference to the Registers in their several Sees; and will thankfully acknowledge the favour of communication from any other quarter. Yours, &c., J. GUTCH."

4. Mr. GUTCH to Mr. NICHOLS. "DEAR SIR, Oxford, Nov. 26, 1798. "In consequence of my letter in the Gentleman's Magazine of my intention of giving a new edition of Le Neve's Fasti, I have lately had an offer of a copy of that Work, from a Mr. George Allan, of Grange near Darlington, co. Durham, which contains, he says, many thousand corrections and additions. He informs me also that he has lately made a present to the Antiquarian Society, of all the MSS. of the Rev. W. Smith †, formerly Fellow of University College, and Rector of Melsonby, in his neighbourhood, a living belonging to that College, which Mr. Smith had collected from the several public libraries, relating to Oxford, and fairly transcribed by himself, in twenty quarto volumes, which would afford a fund of matter for any future publication relating to that University, and save great trouble in searches. I hope some time or other to have an opportunity of turning over this treasure. When I shall be able to finish Le Neve for the press I cannot say. My new offices here take up so much of my time, that it will be impossisible for me to do it without an assistant. I have made an offer to our young friend Ellis to that purpose, and hope when he has finished his present History he will be induced to engage with me in such a publication§. Yours truly, J. GUTCH."

* A copy with large additions by Bishop Kennett is noticed in Gent. Mag. vol. LXVIII. pp. 510. 752, as then missing.

+Of Mr. Smith and his MS Collections, see more hereafter.

"Young Ellis," who at a very early age, obtained much credit by his well-digested" History of Shoreditch," has since very eminently distinguished himself in the Literary World. He now fills the office of Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries; and, highly to the satisfaction of the publick, enjoys the important office of Keeper of the MSS. in the British Museum.

§ Mr. Gutch, after making a few additions to the interleaved copy lent to him by Mr. Nichols, relinquished the undertaking, as interfering too much with his various official duties; and that copy has since, together with Mr. John Le Neve's own corrected copy, by purchase, become the property of the Rev. William Richardson, Librarian of St. John's College, Cambridge, from whom a much improved Edition of the "Fasti" may speedily be expected.

JAMES HARRIS, Esq.

The name of this accomplished Scholar, who is universally allowed to possess an uncommon portion of learning, has frequently met with due respect in the "Literary Anecdotes *." He was the eldest son of James Harris, Esq. of the Close, Salisbury, where he was born July 25, 1709, and educated at the Grammar-school there. In 1726, he was removed to Wadham College, in Oxford, but took no degree. He cultivated letters, however, most attentively, and also music, in the theory and practice of which he is said to have had few equals. He was member for Christchurch, Hants; which he represented in several successive Parliaments. In 1763, he was appointed one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and soon after removed to the Board of Treasury. In 1774, he was made Secretary and Comptroller to the Queen, which post he held to his death. He died December 21st, 1780, in his seventy-second year, after a long illness, which he bore with calmness and resignation.

He was the author of some valuable works. 1. "Three Treatises; concerning Art, Music, Painting, and Poetry; and Happiness; 1745," 8vo. 2. "Hermes; or, a Philosophical Enquiry concerning Universal Grammar, 1751," 8vo. Of this piece, Bishop Lowth, in the Preface to the " English Grammar," expresses himself thus: "Those who would enter more deeply into this subject, will find it fully and accurately handled, with the greatest acuteness of investigation, perspicuity of explication, and elegance of method, in a treatise intituled, 'Hermes, by James Harris, Esq.' the most beautiful and perfect example of analysis that has been exhibited since the days of Aristotle." 3. " Philo

* See the passages referred to in vol. VII. pp. 171. 887.