your advices as to the present state of all those formerly set up will be acceptable to them, as well as the particulars of all such as have been erected within this year. Such particulars may relate the number of children, of either sex, taken in, and of those clothed; the sums subscribed, collected at the churchdoors, or given by other benefactors; and the number of children placed out to 'prentice or to service. I hoped to have seen Mr. Robinson in town, according to his kind promise; but am, however, very much his humble servant. With all due respect, "I am, reverend Sir, your most faithful servant, H. WANLEY."

Mr. R. CROWE to Mr. THOMAS MARTIN.

"DEAR SIR, Swaffham, July 8, 1758. "The best information I could get in regard to the Plates, &c. was from Mr. Thom, which indeed amounts to almost nothing. His answer to me is, That he could not give you any true information of the Copper Plates of the Saxon Coins which Sir Andrew published; but remembers that, about a year before Sir Andrew died, he was applied to by a gentleman in London, to know whether he had any Copies of the Treatise upon Saxon Coins by him; if not, where he could get one, or whether he had the Plates in his custody. Sir Andrew's answer was, that he had no copies of that Book, and that he did not remember where the Plates were lodged.' Mr. Thom says, he imagines they are deposited in some of the Colleges at Oxford, and rather thinks at Christ Church. If they are there, no doubt but your Society will be admitted to see them.' The Treatise upon these Coins in Narford Library is bound up with Hickes's Thesaurus Linguar. Septent.' I am concerned it so happened we could not meet at Diss: the loss was on our side. I thank you for your intended assistance at Bedingfield, and hope the tenants will attend. I shall endeavour to make satisfaction for the trouble you have. Captain Young is still here recruiting, in good health and spirits. I am, with much esteem, &c. R. CROWE."

Rev. Dr. THIRLBY to Dr. Z. GREY.

"REVEREND SIR, July 14, 1738. -"I humbly thank you for the use of the books. I kept them a few hours longer than I begged them for, upon Mr. Norfolk's assuring me that you had done with them; and I return them sooner than I otherwise should have done, for fear he should have been mistaken. If you have quite done with them, and with the third volume, I should be glad to have the use of them together for two or three days: otherwise, having taken off the edge of my curiosity, can wait very contentedly till you have.

"I am, Rev. Sir, your most humble servant, S. THIRLBY."

Jan. 15, 17..

Rev. Dr. WILLIAM RICHARDSON to Dr. GREY. "REV. SIR, "I heartily thank you on Mrs. Bentham's behalf; but, as she takes boarders, and her eldest daughter is by sickness rendered

useless

useless to her, she cannot part with the youngest. I have been in the Library to look for Dr. Shaw, but find some body has got him out. As soon as he returns, I will send him to you. I expected that Mr. Salmon would have sent for the Letter which he desired, but he is at last gone without it; however, I will send one after him. Please to return Mr. Baker thanks, and accept them yourself. Your observations I will send to Mr. Lewis. I am still a prisoner, and do not know when I shall be otherwise : however, I am determined to try as soon as possible. Have you yet wrote to Lord Oxford, and communicated my request? I am now pretty much at leisure; or rather am more fit for writing than reading. The affair of Oxford, which you mention, I fancy must be curious, and therefore should be glad to see it. "I am, with all due respect, &c. W. RICHARDSON.” [undated.]

"GOOD SIR, "You now find that I am as good as my word in one way, though, perhaps, you will say that I am not so in another. I am obliged to be at Oxford on Tuesday night, and am also obliged to do it by the way of Newport, which prevents my waiting upon you at Ampthill, but hope the weather will hold till my return; if so, will do myself that pleasure. We shall have a struggle for Vice Chancellor. The Duke of Newcastle says, 6 The same shall be re-chose.' We say, 'No.' And a little time will determine. Pray my compliments to the ladies; who am, "Rev. Sir, your most obedient servant, W. RICHARDSON."

Dr. RICHARD RAWLINSON to Dr. DUCAREL. "SIR, London House, Aug. 6, 1743. "With much pleasure and gratitude I received your last favour, and beg your acceptance of the trifles which attend this, till I have worked off my other Plates. I should be glad to know the reason of printing RecorderWrighte's Speech at this time, though guess it to have been done to obstruct Mr. Rowney's election to that high post, enjoyed formerly by none less than Nobles. I had it many years since in MS. but put no great value on the oratory. Qu. Where is the Music-school building, and at whose expence, the publick, or private? An answer at your leisure would much oblige, sir, your humble servant, R. RAWLINSON."

Sir PETER THOMPSON* to Dr. DUCARrel. " DEAR SIR, Poole, Sept. 23, 1761. "Your letter of the 15th instant gave me a real pleasure, in many respects; in hearing that my good friends Dr. Ducarel, Dr. Birch, and Mr. Norris, were well; and gave their judicious advice to Mr. Hutchins regarding the publishing his intended History of Dorset. The publishing it in Numbers is the thing, and in an alphabetical order, something similar to Philpot's Kent. This method Mr. Ames and myself recommended to his consideration at least 15 years since.

* See the "Literary Anecdotes,” vol. IX. p. 800.

"On

"On the receipt of your Letter, I wrote Mr. Hutchins a few lines, and hinted the affair of Aubrey's MS. to him, that I would do all in my power to promote its being printed;-his reply I beg leave to give you in his own words: -' Dr. Ducarel is too hasty I told him more than once that Aubrey's MS. was only for my own private use, and that I thought I could not publish it without the consent of Mr. Churchill the proprietor, for which I have engaged Lord Milton, but as yet have no answer.'

"As to Mr. Aubrey's MS. Bp. Gibson's account of that curious collection, in his Second Edition of Camden, vol. I. made me very desirous of seeing them. I was acquainted with the late Mr. William Churchill, of Henbury, which is about five miles from hence, but his death prevented my being gratified with a sight of them. His brother, Mr. Awnsham Churchill, obliged Lord Milton with the loan of them; and Lord Milton was so kind as to leave them with Mr. Hutchins, who, in my humble opinion, only made some extracts for his own amusement. I do not apprehend he copied the whole four volumes. I beg leave to quote Bishop Gibson's account of them, to save you the trouble in turning to the book: Prospects of Noblemen and Gentlemen's Seats, Templa Druidum, Monumenta Britannica, &c.; being large Collections, and curious Observations, relating to the Antiquities of England; in four Volumes MS. By Mr. John Aubrey, F. R.S.' In the summer 1755 the late Mr. Ames paid me a visit I carried him to Wareham to see Mr. Hutchins, who was so kind as to lend us what he had copied from Aubrey's MS. with the liberty of transcribing what we thought proper. Mr. Ames did copy many things into an octavo book, which is now before me, and contains 300 pages; to which Mr. Ames added occasionally many similar historical curious observations; and on the 30th of September 1750 Mr. Ames generously made me a present of this curious MS. to which Mr. Ames gives the following title: Extracts from the Monumenta Britannica of John Aubrey, Esq. in MS. and others: for an account of Aubrey's MS. see Memoirs of the Curious, for May 1708, p. 151.' Mr. Ames transcribed 44 church-windows; the first 14 are the same as are in the print you favoured me with. To conclude, I hope this hasty incident will be a means that the public are obliged with the whole of Aubrey's MS. which shall be my study how to attain; but it will be an arduous task, under whose direction; Mr. Hutchins is equal to the thing, but he cannot attend to it. His time, I think, will be wholly taken up with his intended History of Dorset. Pray favour me with your thoughts on this, and pray present my respectful compliments to Dr. Birch, Mr. Tutet, &c. I have collected several Anecdotes relating to Mr. Ames, which shall be submitted to Dr. Ducarel when they are collected together, and his aid desired, ere they see the light.

"I am, dear Sir, your most faithful humble servant,

PETER THOMPSON."

Rev. JOHN JORTIN to the Rev. THOMAS BIRCH.

"DEAR SIR, Monday, April 22, 1751. "You and I have sought one another very often to no purpose, being both of us afternoon-ramblers, and street-walkers. Mr. Warburton is in town, and would be very glad to see you; therefore, this is to invite and summon you to meet me at his house on Wednesday morning, to breakfast there, and to settle such points as may arise. Your most obedient, &c. J. JORTIN." "DEAR SIR, Thursday, May 6, 1762.

"You will see by the inclosed, which I received yesterday, that you are the only person who can oblige Mr. Blackburn and his friend with the use of Kirchmaier. So I told Mr. Chambers, who proposes to wait upon you, one of these days. The Bishop of Lincoln was not well enough to pay any visits on Tuesday, and kept the house all day. We missed you at our thin Society yesterday; if I had had the pleasure of meeting you there, I had this Letter in my pocket for you. Our next meeting is at Mr. De Missy's. I received Sir D. Dalrymple's pretty book last night. If you write to him, be so good as to send my compliments, and to assure him that I have not even Otium scalpendis auribus. J. J.” "DEAR SIR, Hatton Garden, March 24, 1763. "My Curate, Mr. Canham, leaves me at Midsummer. If you should know of any one who, in your opinion, would suit me, be so kind as to inform me. I have so many things to do, and so much upon my hands between this and Midsummer, that I would be glad to settle this necessary affair. I have made the same request to one or two friends. I was in hopes to have met you at the Society last night. The next time is at Mr. Clarke's. J.J." "DEAR SIR, Saturday, Sept. 25, 1762.

of

6.

:

"I am in some uncertainty about the future operations of my campaign but yet not without hopes of doing my business on Tuesday. I need not use any apologies for begging the favour you, who are an early man, to come to me, dressed, on Tuesday morning between eight and nine, to go with me to the Bishop, and dine with him, and after dinner to induct me at Kensington. This was Dr. Parker's advice to me this morning. J. J.” "DEAR SIR, Kensingion, Sept. 20, 1763. Yesterday I received a card from Mr. Light, who has just lost a niece, and is obliged to postpone his intended visit to me. But I hope it will not be long before I have the favour of his company; and as soon as he lets me know the time, I will inform you of it, and shall be glad of your company also; for as you seem to be quite uncertain yourself about Wednesday, another day may perhaps suit you better. Mr. Emlyn was with me yesterday, and gave me a melancholy account of his mother's ill health. My son is in Leicestershire, and I hope to see him at home towards the end of this month. I am, dear Sir, &c. J. JORTIN."

Dr.

Dr. THOMAS HAYTER, Bp. of Norwich, to Dr. BIRCH.

"DEAR SIR,

Norwich, Dec. 7, 1758.

"I know your readiness to assist your friends, especially in any enquiries that turn upon antient MSS. I must therefore beg your assistance in procuring for me a copy of an antient instrument, which you will find in p. 100 of the Register which is entitled " Registrum Cartarum Abbatiæ Sancti Benedicti de Hulme." This, in the Cotton Library, was marked Galba E. 11. The instrument I want to have transcribed at full length is under this title: Conventio facta inter D'num A. Abbatem & Oliverum de Ingham Militem de Wrecco Maris.' Without seeing the whole of this agreement, which my Secretary, who last year made extracts from the Register, tells me is of a considerable length, I cannot state a Case of great importance to the See of Norwich, which I am now preparing for the opinion of Counsel. It will, upon that account, be a great addition to the favour, if you can send it to me soon. It is too much to ask you to be at the trouble of copying it yourself, who have so many literary calls of various sorts to make a much better use of your time. But, perhaps, it will not be difficult for you to employ another hand; and whatever you pay him for the copy I shall thankfully repay you when we meet, and I hope the time is not far off. I should indeed have been in town at the opening of the Session, if my mother's illness had not prevented me. She is now surprizingly mended; and about the middle of next month, or perhaps sooner, I shall necessarily be obliged to move towards Lisle-street.

"I had also forgotten to desire a transcript of another Instrument, in p. 32 of the above Register, entitled, "Transcriptum Nich'i de terrà in Carleton & Barford." As several other instruments appear to be in the same page, this cannot be a very long one. I have directed my Letter to you at the British Museum, that it meet you on the spot where the Register is, and save you the trouble of going thither on purpose.-All here join with me in their services to you; and I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate friend and humble servant, THO. NORWICH.' Dec. 21, 1759.

"DEAR SIR, "I am greatly obliged to you for taking more trouble for me than I could either ask or expect you to take, though I believe you would have had more difficulty in procuring another hand to copy the Instruments I wanted, than you found in copying them with your own. The copies speak their own exactness; and I should otherwise have no doubt of it, as they are yours. I remember very well the character of the original, and how much I was puzzled when I first attempted to read it, especially by the abbreviations. But a MS. which you cannot read might as well lie buried under the ruins of Herculaneum, for any use or benefit that could arise from it.

"I am very glad to hear from you, that the British Museum is now just ready for the public view; and I shall long to see in its full glory what does so much honour to this age and country.

But