"P.S. If any notes should occur to you touching our poet, hope you will do me the honour to communicate them, as the least trait from so able a pen as your Lordship's will give a lustre to the work.

"Pray who was King, that wrote the Inventions,' &c. Was he an Irish Bishop?"

1791-1794.

Dublin, Jan. 31, 1791.

Bp. PERCY to the Rev. EDWArd Berwick.* "DEAR SIR, "I am much obliged to you for your kind offer to execute any commissions for me in London, where, I conclude, you are at this time arrived. I shall not fail to apply to you occasionally. You tell me the King is deeply engaged in reading the Bible and Mr. Burke's two books. I know not what book of Burke's there is to engage his Majesty at this time, besides his Letter concerning the French Revolution. If it is that, the King is doing just what I should expect from a good man and a wise king. To recommend reading the Bible by his own example is his duty, and Burke's Pamphlet his interest,— but this, too, is his duty; for he is promoting the best interests of his subjects by both. It becomes not me to boast how much I read my Bible; but I am not ashamed to own, that I am never weary of reading Burke; he lies constantly on my table, and I never open him without fresh gratification. I know not which most to admirethe brilliancy of his wit, the keenness of his satire, and the tenderness of his pathetic strokes; or, the acuteness of his reflections, his deep knowledge of human nature, his great constitutional learning, and profound display of political wisdom.

The Rev. Edward Berwick, of Lurgan, Vicar of Leixlip in Ireland, formerly Chaplain to the Earl of Moira, and his son the first Marquess of Hastings. He was author of "The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, translated from the Greek of Philostratus; with Notes and Illustrations." "Lives of Marcus Valerius Messala Corvinus, and Titus Pomponius Atticus, the latter from the Latin of Cornelius Nepos; with Notes and Illustrations; to which is added, An Account of the Families of the first five Cæsars." This last work was dedicated to the Earl of Moira. "Lives of Caius Asinius Pollio, Marcus Terentius Varro, and Cneius Cornelius Gallus; with Notes and Illustrations," 1814. "Memoirs of the Life of the elder Scipio Africanus ; with Notes and Illustrations," small 8vo. 1817. "The Rawdon Papers, consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, Literary, Political, and Ecclesiastical, to and from Archbishop Bramhall,"vo. 1819. This volume was well spoken of by the Rev. T. D. Fosbroke, in Gent. Mag. 1820, i. 140.

"The King, however, is not more interested in the success of Burke's writings than any of his subjects who possess either property or power, or rank or titles, or any of the distinctions which elevate the noble above the base. To so enlightened a nobleman as my Lord Rawdon, I am persuaded Burke can be no less a favourite than he is with the King. Burke has stood forward the champion and defender of all his Lordship's high and merited distinctions. Like another Cocles he has opposed himself singly on the bridge to stop the advances of those rude and impudent invaders, who were passing over to destroy our Imperial City, and to level our temples and palaces to the dust. The example of France will teach us a useful lesson; and under so able an expositor as Mr. Burke, will recal to the recollection of all good Englishmen what their ancestors experienced in the last century,-the necessary gradation from-No Bishops-to No NoblesNo King.

"I am told (for I have not seen it) that Dr. Priestley has published an 'Answer,' which confirms every position of Mr. Burke, by showing that he has not imputed to that desperate faction more destructive and levelling principles than what this, their democratic advocate, openly avows for them. This alone was wanting to impress the conviction Mr. Burke aimed at, and will, I trust, have its salutary effect in putting every good subject with us upon his guard against that dangerous spirit of innovation which is operating so fatally across the Channel. T. DROMORE.

"To Rev. Edward Berwick, at Lord Rawdon's,

St. James's Place, London."

Rev. EDWARD BERWICK to Bp. PERCY. "MY LORD,

Moira House, Oct. 4, 1794.

"Since I came to town, I have found His Majesties Lepanto, or Heroical Song, being part of his Poetical Exercises at at vacant hours, notwithstanding what Mr. Harris says of its having been burnt in C. Yorke's Library. It is printed in 1603, has a preface by James, together with a sonnet by the same royal hand. If your Lordship wishes to see it, I will bring it down with me.

"Your Lordship's obliged Servant,

"E. BERWICK."

1791.

Rev. JOSEPH STIRLING* to Bp. PERCY. "MY LORD, London, February 11, 1791. "I had the pleasure of receiving your Lordship's favour of 31st ult. I have seen Mr. Coghlan; I found him satisfactory and communicative. I return you your list corrected and enlarged by him. I enclose to your Lordship Mr. Pilling's† pamphlet. I found Coghlan so explicit that it was unnecessary to call on Faulder. Coghlan can furnish you with any of the pamphlets, except one that is not to be got anywhere (he has marked it in the list); one or two more pamphlets are to be out in a few days. I shall be always happy to execute any commissions that your Lordship shall favour me with. There is at present rather a dearth of literary intelligence here. Mr. Cracherode desires his best respects to your Lordship. I one day met with Ritson, by accident, at White's the bookseller in Fleet Street; he is a shabby mean-looking fellow; when he left the shop, I had the curiosity to ask who he was, as he had been purchasing some uncommon books.

"I had a conversation the other day with Edwards the bookseller in Pall Mall; he wishes that your Lordship, in the next edition of your 'Reliques,' would have engravings for each ballad; it would certainly make it a charming book. I wish you would recommend it to Dodsley; he is, I think, your Lordship's bookseller.

"Your Lordship's obedient servant, "J. STIRLING. "P.S. I dine at Lord Granard's this day. Berwick desires me to present his respects to your Lordship."

London, March 22, 1791.

"MY LORD, "I had the pleasure of receiving your Lordship's letter of the 29th ult. Mr. Payne has got you all the pamphlets you marked, together with some new ones, and the ninth edition of Burke. Several answers have appeared. Mr. T. Paine, the American, appears to be his most formidable antagonist. I saw Mr. Berwick yesterday; and Mr. Cracherode is at my elbow. They beg to be remembered to your Lordship. Abyssinian Bruce is in Scotland, enjoying either his reputation, or the reverse. Your Lordship's

obedient servant,

JOSEPH STIRLING."

* Rev. Joseph Stirling,-author of a volume of Poems, published by Robinson, 1789.-J. M.

+ See Literary Illustrations, VII. 513.

James Edwards, esq. He died Jan. 2, 1816, aged 59. See an account of him in Literary Illustrations, vol. IV. 881--884; V. 378.

"MY LORD, London, April 10, 1791. "When your Lordship's letter arrived here I was out of town, so that the Catalogue of Dr. Lort's books* was not forwarded to you till yesterday. I thought it useless to send you Mrs. Gunning's letter, as it must have been published in Dublin before this. The celebrated Bibliotheca Parisianat was sold last week; about six hundred articles produced near 7000l., an unheard-of thing in the annals of literature. I was fortunate to get the only book I wanted there, Primalion of Greece, in Spanish. I have now completed my few specimens of romances. Primalion is a beautiful book bound in red morocco; I paid four guineas for him, and, as books went, I do not think he was dear. I also got a fine copy of the Tasso of 1590 with the designs of Carracis; he is also in fine old red morocco, with a cardinal's arms. I had an inferior copy, which I disposed of for what I paid for that.

"The Perceforest and Palladien, which I had from your Lordship, are now as fine as possible; Perceforest is bound in two vols. in russia, gilt leaves; Palladion, in purple calf with green sprinkled edges. A Mr. Johnes, Member for Radnorshire, was the most considerable purchaser at the Parisiana; I dare say his bill came to near 2000l. Our weather here is remarkably warm; I propose, about the latter end of the week, to go on a visit into Berkshire to a Mr. Bradley, who was a fellow of Corpus, Oxford, and has got two livings in that part of the country. The war with Russia seems to meet with the disapprobation of all parties.

"The Constitutional Society, I hear, have ordered twenty thousand copies of T. Paine's pamphlet to be printed off, and distributed through the country. Mr. Berwick desires his best respects to your Lordship. Your Lordship's obedient servant, J. STIRLING."

There is an account of Dr. Lort's Collection in Dibdin's Bibliomania, p. 548; and in Gent. Mag. vol. LX. pt. ii. p. 1199.

+ The Collection of M. Paris de Meyzieux, purchased entire by Edwards the bookseller, and sold in London. See Dibdin's Bibliomania, pp. 121, 543.

In the fire which destroyed Mr. Johnes' noble mansion at Hafod, March 13, 1807, his Welsh MSS. (the labour of Mr. Johnes for many years,) his valuable Froissarts, and much that he acquired in the sale noticed in the above letter, were included in the melancholy loss. A full account of the calamity is in Gent. Mag. 1807, p. 269.

1791-1796.

Rev. OWEN MANNING* to Bp. PERCY.

"Godelming, November 13, 1791. "Mr. Manning presents his compliments to the Bishop of Dromore, and begs leave to inform him that he has an old Cædmon of Mr. Lye's, which he (Mr. Lye) had, in some few places, interlined with a translation; that Mr. Manning went on with the design; and, excepting a very few passages which he postponed for further consideration, translated the whole, intending to have published it; but that he was discouraged by the prospect of incurring a certain, and, perhaps, no small expense, which few were likely to contribute to repay him. But, if his Lordship is likely to make a little longer stay at Bath, Mr. Manning will transcribe for him that part which relates to the Fall of Man (containing, from the Evil Spirit's setting out on that business, after the breaking up of the Council in Pandæmonium, to the completion of it, about eleven pages and a half), and send it as soon as he conveniently can.'

Godelming, June 1, 1796.

دو

"MY LORD, "I very well remember the very kind encouragement your Lordship once gave me towards facilitating a translation of Cædmon; but do not recollect that I ever entertained a design of such an undertaking. The specimen your Lordship desired has been finished long ago, and lain by ever since, for no other reason but that I did not know whither or how to send it you. I will set about transcribing it immediately. I have a Confirmation at Guildford on the 17th, previously to which many hours of my time will be taken up for several days, in preparing my young candidates, to the amount, I suppose, of three or four hundred. I hope the new Saxon Professor + is qualified to answer the intention of his founder, as well as to receive his salary. If the young students of Oxford knew but how much a knowledge of this our ancient language contributes to the perfect understanding of the modern English, he would not long want pupils.

* Author of the History of Surrey. He died Sept. 9, 1801, in his 81st year. See memoir of him in Literary Anecdotes, vol. IX. pp. 446-452; vol. VII. pp. 248, 623. Literary Illustrations, General Index.

† Rev. Charles Mayo, Fellow of St. John's College, M.A. 1793, B.D. 1798.