Bp. PERCY to SAMUEL ISTED,* Esq.

"DEAR SIR, Somerset Street, Monday Morning, July 28, 1800. "Should you see my Lord Spencer, his Lordship will be glad to hear, what I am assured by Lord Egremont, that the German Dr. Zach did not carry away any of the Petworth Papers relating to Harriot's Discoveries in Astronomy, and that they are now all at Petworth, except such as are in the hands of the Astronomical Professor at Oxford (so I understand his Lordship). "Most affectionately yours,

THOS. DROMORE."

Somerset Street, July 29, 1800.

Bp. PERCY to the EARL of EGREMONT.† "MY LORD, "I hope this will be delivered to your Lordship before your departure for the North, or will be preserved safe until your return. I could not prevail on myself to part with the manuscript and papers till I had examined them with more care than at first was in my power, on account of indifferent health and the pressure of business. Now I could wish to obtain a duplicate of Dr. Zach's Memoir, or could learn if it has appeared in any collection in this its English dress, which I would gladly purchase at any price.

"At all times I should be happy, by any services, to testify the respect with which I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient servant,

"THO. DROMORE. "P.S. On the slightest intimation to Mr. Isted, my nephew would attend to examine your Lordship's MSS. and papers at any time most convenient.

Memoranda by Bp. Percy.

"Translation of a Paper given by Dr. Zach, Astronomer to his Highness the reigning Duke of Saxe-Gotha, Member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at Brussels, of the Royal Academies of Sciences in Lyons, Dijon, and Marseilles. Printed in the Astronomical Ephemeris of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin, published for the year 1784.

"Account of the curious MSS. which I found in the year 1784 at Petworth, in Sussex, &c.

be

"Harriot had got from Holland telescopes with magnifying powers of ten, twenty, and thirty times.

"He observed spots in the sun, and observations he has entered in his papers, which run from December 8, 1610, till January 18, 1613 (as early as those of Galileo). "Of Jupiter's Satellites, the first observations of Harriot are of January 16, 1610, and they go on till February 26, 1610. Galilei pretends to have discovered them January 7, 1610.

"Harriot has remarkable observations of the Moon, of Mars, and the Comets of 1607 and 1618."

CHARLES BUTLER,* Esq. to Bishop PERCY. "MY LORD,

Lincoln's Inn, 28 July, 1800.

"I have the honour to send your Lordship the critique of the Monthly Review on Baruel's book. That critique has always appeared to me a most extraordinary performance. The author of it, in my opinion, knows much more of Illuminism than Baruel. He is supposed to be a Doctor Willich, who now practises physic in London.1

"With it I take the liberty to send you a little book, which, in consequence of an engagement I made with a bookseller above twenty years ago, I found myself obliged to write about a twelvemonth since. With the greatest respect, I have the honour to be,

"Your Lordship's most obliged and humble servant, "CHARLES BUTLER."

Bishop PERCY to C. BUTLER, Esq.

"SIR, Somerset Street, 4 Aug. 1800. "I should not so long have delayed my thanks for the obliging present of your Uncle's § Life (which does equal honour to the exemplary character who is the subject and

* The eminent conveyancer and very voluminous author. He died June 2, 1832, aged 82. See an account of him and his works in Gent. Mag. vol. CII. 11. pp. 269, 661; and Dr. Dibdin's character of him in Gent. Mag. 1836, vol. VI. P. 130.

† See Monthly Review, 1798, vol. XXVII. p. 509.

Dr. A. F. M. Willich, author of "Lectures on Diet and Regimen," and of a translation of Dr. Struve's Treatise on the Education of Children. He also published Kant's "Elements of Antient Philosophy, 1798," 8vo. This eminent German physician died at Charkof, in Russia, in 1804, shortly after his arrival. He had been appointed professor of physic there. His widow died, in Marylebone, May 1, 1817.

§ Rev. Alban Butler, author of "The Lives of the Saints."

to the pen of his affectionate and judicious nephew), but I wished to send something more than mere thanks, though at last I have nothing better to offer than four juvenile performances, each of them first published thirtyfive years ago (in 1765). My nephew's edition of the Reliques,' however, has one claim to your attention, as in the Dissertation on the Origin of Gothic Romance, in vol. III. the opinion of Bishop Warburton is discussed, who would derive this species of fabling from the Moors in Spain, which tended to overthrow all claim to a native northern original of the Scaldic mythology, of the Edda, &c. &c.; and, therefore, I think its confutation in these volumes conduces to your great object; on which account I hope you will receive with the more indulgence this slight tribute of the respect of, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, THO. DROмore.

"P.S. I return the volume of Monthly Review, and am much obliged to you for pointing out to me the very singular article contained in it. I am soon leaving town, and wish you a pleasant summer. About October I hope to be at Dromore; and then if I can find anything that will fall in with your proposed plan, &c. I will forward it to you. In the interim, I shall be glad to receive your commands at Ecton, near Northampton."

Rev. SAMUEL HENLEY* to Bishop PERCY. "MY LORD,

21, Howland Street, 8 August 1800. "I am much mortified that I have been prevented by unavoidable business from waiting upon your Lordship, and communicating in person what I now transmit by letter. This, however, I trust will be in time.

"The passages I referred to, in which Mr. Steevens, from pique to me, altered the last edition of his Shakespeare, are, (Tempest, Act 4, Sc. 1) :

"The peonied and lillied brims,'

for pioned and twilled.

"Two Gentlemen of Verona: the omission of an ?, necessary to the sense;

"But once or twice was Written down?'

Dr. Samuel Henley. See some account of him and his publications in Literary Anecdotes, vol. VIII. p. 15; also notices of him, vol. VII. p. 590. He died Dec. 29, 1815; see Memoir of him in Gent. Mag. vol. LXXXVI. 1. pp. 88, 182. His valuable Correspondence is in the possession of Dawson Turner, esq. F.R.S. of Yarmouth.

"Macbeth, Act 3, Sc. 4:- if trembling I inhabit,' changed again to the nonsense inhibit.'

"There are other things, had I his edition by me, which I could point out, but the only one in general besides that I remember is the putting poor Amner's name to his own obscene notes.

*

"Your Lordship will allow me to offer my best wishes for a pleasant voyage to Ireland, and hopes of seeing you in perfect health and spirits at your return.

"I have the honour to be, my Lord, your ever obliged and obedient, S. HENLEY."

Dr. DUIGENAN† to Bishop PERCY. "MY LORD, "I find myself under the highest obligations to your Lordship for the very flattering account you were pleased to give of me and my endeavours to serve the Church and State in this kingdom, to our new Primate: it is certainly of consequence to me to stand well with his Grace in my situation; and the weight of the recommendation of a Prelate so distinguished for taste and discernment as your Lordship, must be very great; yet give me leave to assure your Lordship that I feel more gratified at finding that I have a place in your Lordship's esteem, than in the prospect of any advantage I may derive from being acceptable to his Grace.

Henrietta Street, Dublin, Aug. 9, 1800.

"I request that your Lordship will present my humblest respects to Mrs. Percy; and believe me to be, with great gratitude, your Lordship's most faithful and most obedient humble servant, PATRICK DUIGENAN."

Sir FREDERICK MORTON EDEN, Bart. to Bp. PERCY. "Lincoln's Inn Fields, Aug. 20, 1806. "Mr. Robert Jamieson (a native of Scotland, now an assistant in a school at Macclesfield), a gentleman who is

* Rev. Richard Amner was a highly respectable Dissenting Minister at Hampstead, whose name G. Steevens affixed to his indecent notes on Shakspeare. His different publications bear ample testimony to his great learning, particularly on subjects of theology and biblical criticism. Mr. Amner died at Hinckley, his native place, in June 1803. See a memoir of him in Nichols's Leicestershire, IV. 747.

† Right Hon. Patrick Duigenan, LL.D. died April 11, 1816, aged 81. See an account of him in Gent. Mag. LXXXVI. i. 371.

Sir F. M. Eden died Nov. 14, 1209. See an account of him in Gent. Mag. LXXIX. p. 1178.

engaged in making a collection of ancient ballads, and is anxious to avail himself of the folio MS. of the Bishop of Dromore, has requested Sir Frederick Eden, who is well acquainted with Mr. Jamieson, to avail himself of the opportunity of his Lordship's stay in London to bear testimony of Mr. Jamieson's integrity.

"Sir Frederick undertakes this office with pleasure; and begs leave to assure his Lordship, that Mr. Jamieson is a young man of great modesty and honour; in every respect of pure principles; and, from his classical knowlege and acquaintance with Northern languages, very competent to become a humble gleaner in that field of literature which his Lordship's labours have deservedly rendered a favourite with the public.

"Right Rev. the Bishop of Dromore."

Bishop PERCY to SIR F. M. EDEN, Bart.

"Ecton, Aug. 27, 1800. "The Bishop of Dromore presents his compliments to Sir Frederick Eden, and begs he will believe that it would have given him great pleasure to comply with a request so liberal as his, and to gratify so deserving a person as he represents Mr. Jamieson to be; and this the more readily as he has long since grown indifferent to the amusements (perhaps he ought to say follies) of his youth; but the MS. alluded to is at present engaged, for the booksellers are soliciting a fourth volume, to be prepared by the Editor of the last edition of the three former volumes, published in 1794, and, till that is completed, it cannot be spared.

"The Bishop begs to be indulged with some account of Mr. Jamieson and his object."

Sir F. M. EDEN, Bart. to Bishop PERCY. "MY LORD, Worthing, Sussex, Sept. 3, 1800. "Having been absent some days from London, I have unavoidably been prevented from returning an earlier answer to your Lordship's obliging letter respecting Mr. Jamieson's application for the use of your folio MS. I believe the principal object Mr. J. had in view, in requesting it, was to compare some unpublished Ballads in it with the copies he had procured; and to notice the variations, if of importance, between the different copies.