your obliging letter followed me down. My new edition of the antient English Poems was nearly printed off before I received your judicious remarks; however, they will add greatly to the value of some Supplemental Notes which I shall throw to the end of each volume. "What you mention about the pictures of Jane Shore, still preserved at Eton and King's colleges, is curious; and to me entirely new. The first time I go to either of those places I shall not fail to give them an inspection. In the meantime, Sir, I should take it as a favour if you would give me a particular account of the mezzotinto print of her. "With regard to the poem attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh, and entitled the Lyre, I am still inclined to ascribe it to that great man rather than to the Earl of Essex; though, when it was first written and handed about in manuscript, we may suppose various reports and conjectures would travel about concerning the author, who at first would not be generally known. As Sir Walter survived the Earl so many years, and as the world at last generally agreed in ascribing these verses to the former, I think it may be presumed that he publicly owned them. The open and avowed enmity that was between Sir Walter and the Earl of Essex, I think renders it rather unlikely that there should be any poetical correspondence between them, and therefore I rather suppose the erasure, &c. which you mention in your MS. to be owing to misinformation. Of the two additional stanzas, which you have favoured me with, one, (viz. the last) I have already seen in a MS. copy of this Poem preserved in the British Museum, but from the levity of it I then judged it to be an interpolation; the other is much better. I believe I shall mention them in my supplemental note; but, be that as it may, I am much obliged to you, Sir, for the information, and should be extremely so for a sight of the antient poems of Sir J. Crew, which greatly pique my curiosity, because I have strong reason to believe that my antient folio manuscript, so often quoted in my book, was the work of a Cheshire man, and once belonged to some antiquary of that county. Should you come to town this spring, if you would not think it too much trouble to bring these Poems with you, I should be extremely happy to be indulged with a sight of them, under whatever restrictions, and should gratefully acknowledge the favour. "Your two other notes, about the Hue and Cry after Cupid,' and the Introduction of Dramatic Writing into Germany,' would be curious additions to my book, and, with the former, lay me under great obligation. In return, I beg you will do me the favour to accept of a copy of my new edition, when published, for the improvement of which I hope you will be so good as to transmit me any other remarks that may occur. Any line to me may be inclosed under cover to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, at Northumberland House, London, where I should be glad to pay my respects to you in person. I am, with compliments to Mr. Knapp, when you see him, your most obedient humble servant, T. PERCY." 7. "DEAR SIR, Northumberland House, March 28, 1767. "I have received the obliging favour of your letter and the packet you were so good as to send, containing innumerable curiosities, which merit my best thanks. The head of Jane Shore I had never before, and wish you could procure from Mr. Gray the anecdotes you mention about her; but then I must beg the favour not to have my name used to him, as I do not chuse to apply to him for any favour of any kind. 46 I should also be glad to see the pedigree you mention of the Percies of Cambridge; and, whenever you come to town, hope you will afford me an opportunity of thanking you in person for all your obliging favours to, dear Sir, "Your most faithful servant, THOS. PERCY. "P. S. My friend Mr. Astle (S. S. A.), who was with me when your curious parcel arrived, desires me to inquire whether you had among John Crew's MSS. any papers relating to Staffordshire, particularly any Registers of Religious Houses. He is collecting materials for a History of that County, and would thankfully acknowledge any assistance you would please to give him." 8. Dr. PERCY to RICHARD GOUGH, Esq. "Northumberland House, March 3, 1774. "Dr. Percy presents his compliments to Mr. Gough; he is just come to town, and finds a very obliging card from Mr. Gough, informing him that he has sent him the copy of Vincent on Brooke, with Sir William Dugdale's manuscript notes; but, as Dr. Percy does not find the book here, he hopes that Mr. Gough has it still in his possession, in which case he earnestly solicits the favour to have it lent him, which will oblige him exceedingly. The inclosed letter followed Dr. Percy into the country; and, as Mr. Paton informed him that it required no haste, he has ventured to keep it till he came to town. He begs the favour of Mr. Gough to let him have Sir David Lindsey's Satirical Play as soon as possible, as he wants to perfect it by a Scottish manuscript lent him out of the Advocates' Library, which he has been called upon to return. Dr. Percy will with pleasure pay the porter that brings Vincent on Brooke and this fragment of Sir D. Lindsey, whenever Mr. Gough pleases to send them. Capt. Grose having given me a small impression of the description of the Hermitage of Warkworth, be pleased to accept of it as it is very exact." *From the British Museum, Additional MSS. 6401. 9. Dr. PERCY to Mr. NICHOLS. "SIR, Northumberland House, Feb. 11, 1779. "You flatter me exceedingly by your very obliging present *, which does equal honour to the subject and the author, for I presume they are the same anecdotes which I have been reading with great pleasure in the Gentleman's Magazine. I should be very happy if you would allow me to give you a dish of chocolate when you come this way; and I should be exceedingly glad to see Mr. Iliffe, of Hinckley, should he ever come to town, as I believe he and I are both descended from a sister and a brother of John Cleiveland the Poet, concerning whom I want to pick up some anecdotes to insert in the new edition of the Biographia Britannica. In the mean time pray give my respects to Mr. Iliffe ; and desire him to recollect any thing he has heard concerning the Cleiveland family, which I believe came from York into Leicestershire. "I have lately received a letter from Dr. Nash, who has desired me to inspect the proof of his History, so far as relates to the family and genealogy of Meysey. I can make some improvements there; and am, Sir, "Your much obliged humble servant, 10. " SIR, THOS. PERCY." Easton Mauduit (near Bozeate), Northamptonshire, March 28, 1779. "A multiplicity of business, in which I was very much engaged before I left town, prevented me from waiting upon you as I intended, which I hope you will have the goodness to excuse; and allow me to request the favour of you to send me the sheet of the History of Worcestershire which contains the account of Bayton (page 54), in order that I may properly connect my genealogy of the Meysey family with the preceding and subsequent page. "In the cover of this letter you will see directions how you may forward it to me by the post. I should be also much obliged to you for a line to inform me how far the said History is advanced; and pray remember to give me timely notice before you come to those parishes which begin with the letter L, that I may prepare some communications I have to send for Lindridge parish. One of the most antient families in that parish, Lowe of the Lowe, is at present represented by the Rev. Mr. Cleiveland (the only male descendant of the Hinckley family), whose mother was a Lowe, and through whom he inherits the estate above-mentioned; this will give me an opportunity of introducing a very curious and full account of the family of Cleiveland of Hinckley, in which you and your relations there are interested as well as myself. I have got large collections relating An octavo pamphlet, containing memoirs of Mr. Bowyer. to this subject; and if any further points of inquiry should arise, I will trouble you with iny queries, to which you will have the goodness to procure me answers from your friends at Hinckley. Since I had the pleasure of seeing you, I have had occasion to write to my friend and relation Mr. Cleiveland above-mentioned, and he has desired to join with me in compliments to yourself, Mr. Green, and Mr. Iliffe and his family. In looking over my collections, I find that Elizabeth Cleiveland (daughter of the Rev. Thomas Cleiveland, Vicar of Hinckley), who was born in 1626, was married in 1649 to William Iliffe. I presume this couple were the lineal ancestors of your relation the present Mr. Iliffe, of Hinckley. I should be glad if you could procure from him an exact account of the names of all the intermediate generations between him and his said ancestors William Iliffe and Elizabeth Cleiveland. Desire him to set down upon paper the names of his father and mother, grandfather and grandmother, greatgrandfather and great-grandmother, with the dates of the year when they died, as also their trades or professions, where they lived and where buried. If you will be so good as to transmit the same to me, I shall then perhaps trouble him with further queries. Inclosed I send a short sketch of Mr. Cleiveland's descent, which may be a sort of direction to Mr. Iliffe. "Since I saw you, I have read with pleasure your History of Mr. William Bowyer; and the only criticism which occurs at present to me is, that Ichabod Dawkes (whom you mention in p. 1) did not, I apprehend, print a newspaper; but both he and Dyer sent written letters of intelligence all over the kingdom, which was the custom at that time. I remain, Sir, "Your very obedient humble servant, THO. PERCY." 11. DEAN PERCY to the Rev. THOMAS MAURICE *. "DEAR SIR, Easton Mauduit, Sept. 5, 1779. "Upon returning a few days ago from Carlisle, where I have spent all the summer, I received a parcel from Northumberlandhouse, the packet containing all the copies of your new publication †, together with your very obliging letter. I was quite concerned that it has not been in my power to acknowledge it before, more especially as you have laid me under particular obligation by the honour you have done me in your Poem. As soon as I come to town I will endeavour to collect the several subscriptions for the said books, and, together with my own, pay the same to your order, though I fear it will not be till the end of the year at soonest. I was not long since at Netherby, where I was most hospitably entertained by Dr. Graham; and with plea * Author of the Indian Antiquities, and of some autobiographical Memoirs, from which this letter is extracted. +"Poems and Miscellaneous Pieces." sure talked of you*. We expect the Doctor will attain the lawn, when I hope he will, by a good benefice, reward the celebrity you have conferred on his villa; this and every other good that shall befall you will give sincere pleasure to, dear Sir, your very faithful and most obliged humble servant, THOS. PERCY." 12. Dr. PERCY to Mr. NICHOLS. "Dear Sir, Feb. 10, 1780, "Accept a few remarks on the Ode to Solitude, by Bevil Higgins,' in the first volume of your 'Select Collection of Poems.' Page 133, stanza ix, the sense, I think, requires to be read thus: The raven with his dismal cries (That mortal augury of fate) Those ghastly goblins† gratifies, Which in these gloomy places wait, &c. Page 134, stanza xi, 1. 1, ‘antick' is a common word to express gambols, rude sports, plays, awkward motions, &c. Dr. Johnson's explanation is bold, ridiculously wild, buffoon in gesticulation.' 'Antick marble' signifies marble exhibiting, in its clouded veins, strange fanciful appearances, to which a fruitful imagination annexes the resemblance of birds, beasts, trees, &c. "Page 136, stanza xvi, Lege, meo periculo, 'Sometimes the sea the sand dispels, Trembling and murmuring in the bay, Which it,' &c. "Page 137, stanza xix, 1. ult. does not the measure require, 'As the flame which transports me.' * Mr. Maurice had printed in 1777, " Netherby, a Poem." Dr. Graham was never raised to any dignity in the Church; nor could any professional income be an object of desire with his great private property, which is prominently noticed in his epitaph, in the Church of Arthuret, Cumberland: "Near this place are interred the remains of the Rev. Robert Graham, D. D. the owner and improver of this large territory, who died February 2, 1782, ætat. 72. Blest with an ample fortune, he regarded not the gifts of Providence in a selfish view, but as the means of dispensing blessings and happiness to others. He was, indeed, of a disposition truly kind and beneficent; and the affectionate family he left, and those who were bonoured with his acquaintance, must long lament the loss of the best of fathers and of friends. Here likewise rest the remains of his eldest son Charles Graham, Esq who survived his father only a few days." Dr. Graham's next son was created a Baronet in the following year, and was father of the present Sir James Graham, of Netherby. "Which had been mentioned in the preceding stanza." |