The Second and Third Volumes of "Dr. South's Sermons," published by Jonah Bowyer *. to " "George for Britain; a Poem written by the Lady Piers." London, printed for Bernard Lintott*; 44 pages, royal 8vo, handsomely printed; and inscribed, in a well-written dedication, to King George the First. Some high compliments are paid Right Reverend York" to Cowper, "that eminent proficient in the Law;" to Nottingham, "a most substantial pillar of the State;" to Halifax, "the wise and good Mæcenas of the age;" to the "noble brave Argyle;" and "the superlative great Ormond." Nor are the Poets forgotten: "Thy battles fought, thy conquering laurels won, The sweet melodious voice of Lansdown's lays!" *This is merely a coincidence of surnames; for there was no relationship whatever between the bookseller and his printer. † Sarah, daughter of Matthew Roydon, esq. originally of Roydon in Yorkshire, married Sir George Piers, bart. of Stonepit in the parish of Scale, Kent, whose family was of Westfield in Sussex; but Lawrence Piers, esq. marrying Catharine, daughter of John Theobald, esq. of Stonepit, obtained that antient seat, and removed there. Sir Thomas Piers his son, the first baronet, was grandfather of Sir George Piers, bart, this lady's husband, who died in 1720, and was buried with his relations in the church of Scale; as it is probable his lady may have been, though I have not discovered the time of her decease. A Lady Piers died in 1719, and was buried at Chelsea, but she was the wife of Sir Charles Piers, knt. and alderman of London. Soon after the death of Sir George, Stonepit was alienated, and is now the property of Mr. Richard Round. Noble's Continuation of Granger, vol. III. p. 447; where a print of her is described. In 1705 this celebrated Bookseller was thus characterized: "He lately published a Collection of Tragic Tales, &c. by which I perceive he is angry with the world, and scorns it into the bargain; and I cannot blame him: for D'Urfey (his Author) both treats and esteems it as it deserves; too hard a task for those whom it flatters; or perhaps for Bernard himself, should the world ever change its humour, and grin upon him. However, to do Mr. Lintott justice, he is a man of very good principles, and I dare engage will never want an Author of Sol-Fa, so long as the Playhouse will encourage his Comedies." Dunton, p. 314. He was father to Pope's bookseller. § Sir Williara Dawes, bart. VOL. I. The following short letter *, written to Mr. Wanley, is here printed, to introduce the article which accompanies it, relative to his design of an edition of some of our antient Historians, on a plan worthy his skill in English Antiquities, and which ought to be adopted in such particulars. "Sir, I have computed the copy you shewed me on Monday last by the specimen Mr. Sare since shewed me; and I believe it will make about 205 sheets, containing 62 lines in each page, and about 64 letters each line. "Your most humble servant, W. BOWYER." To this Mr. Wanley has added, "The copy I shewed Mr. Bowyer consisted of these treatises following; viz. "Chronicon Dunstapliæ; transcribed from the Cottonian MS. by mine own hand. "Benedicti Petroburgensis Abbatis Chronicon; transcribed from the Cottonian MS. by myself, and collated with the other. "Annales de Lanercost, transcribed from the Cottonian MS. for me by Mr. Elphinstone +. "The late Lord Viscount Weymouth put me upon the design of publishing these, or any other of our old Historians or Chronicles which I might like better; and, for the labour and charge of copying the same, gave me 100l.; intimating further, that when they should be published, he would give me another, as a reward for my Dedication. Moreover, his lordship promised to take off fifty * Transcribed from the Harleian MSS. No. 3778. + 8 April, 1713. My Lord Bp. of Carlisle's advice to me about printing a Volume of English History from the Cotton Library. "1. Some of the Monastic Chronicles to be immediately transcribed: particularly those of Wyndescomb, Dover, Dunstaple, Winchester (or Waverley), Peterburgh, and Hagneley. St. Lanercost so far as wanting in that of Mailros. "2. During this compare the eldest of those by private hands; chiefly Bened. Petroburgensis, Ran. Niger, Joh. de Tuxter, R. de Coggeshall, P. de Yckam, &c. in order of time, till enough for a volume. Harl. MS. 3777. n. 114. The articles here enumerated above, as appears by Mr. Bowyer's letter, had been transcribed with a view to publication. of of the printed copies; and afterwards was pleased to extend this promise to a hundred copies. I own that I was not willing that the work should be hurried, because I would compare these treatises with others. I was willing to have large notes, illustrating the whole, with charters, seals, monuments, epitaphs, buildings, and as much other unprinted matter as would fall in my way properly, and always pertinent to my subject: not forgetting an Index Nominum Propriorum et Materiarum, and a Glossary. But, it being thought that these things would take up too much time, I was ordered to publish, as soon as possible, even the naked text; and it was then alledged, that what else I had proposed might be printed in another volume at mine own leisure. I then brought Mr. Sare, Mr. Wyat*, Mr. Knaplock, Mr. Tooke, and Mr. Cowse, booksellers, and all honest men, together; proposed the matter to them, disclaimed all reward or other' consideration for copy-money, and promised to procure more than fifty subscriptions. Afterward, Mr. Bowyer came to me, and cast over the copy, as above is noted. In other meetings, I promised subscriptions for more than 100 copies, and shewed from whom they would proceed. We agreed with Mr. Bowyer about the paper, &c. the volume, letter, &c.; and were ready to enter upon mutual articles; when, to our great surprize, that noble peer deceased [July 28, 1714], in very old age, without having shewn the least regard to this work. Hereupon I got the booksellers to meet me again; who, understanding that our common patron was departed this life, and no money left for payment *"If Trim Tram have any truth in it, he is an honest and ingenious Bookseller; but indeed it is character enough for him that he was Mr. Robinson's apprentice. He prints Mr. Dorrington's books. However, a Bookseller is not always accountable for the errors and bigotry of his Authors." Dunton, p. 283. ↑ "He printed Mr. Wesley's Defence of his Letter,' &c. and then, to be sure, he is no Dissenter. However, he is a very sober honest man; and has not one spot in his whole life, except it be the printing that malicious and infamous Pamphlet." Dunton, p. 293. of the copies his lordship intended to buy, would by no means enter into any further deliberation or covenant about printing the book, but flew off from it utterly. When I found this, I thought. myself likewise discharged from it. This is a true account why the treatises above mentioned did not see the light as I intended. HUMFREY WANLEY." * Mr. Humfrey Wanley, son of Nathaniel Wanley, was born at Coventry, March 21, 1671-2. What time he could spare from the trade of a draper, to which his father put him, he employed in turning over old MSS. and copying the various hands, by which he acquired an uncommon faculty of distinguishing their dates. Dr. Lloyd, his diocesan, sent him to St. Edmund's Hall, Oxford, of which Dr. Mill was then principal, whom he greatly assisted in his collations of the New Testament; but he afterwards removed, by Dr. Charlet's advice, to University College. When admitted to the Bodleian Library, he made large extracts from the MSS. and promised a supplement to Hyde's Catalogue of the printed books, which Hearne completed (and which was published by Robert Fysher, B. M. in 1738.) He intended a treatise on the various characters of MSS. with specimens, Mabillon's work on that subject being corrupted by the conceits of the engravers, who inserted characters that never were nor could be used. Upon leaving Oxford, he travelled over the kingdom in search of AngloSaxon MSS. at Dr. Hickes's desire, and drew up the catalogue of them in his Thesaurus. Mr. Bag * The two first of these Historians were published by Thomas Hearne, Oxford, 1733 and 1735, 2 vols. 8vo. t Of Trinity College, Oxford, B. A. 1653; M.A. 1657; vicar of Trinity Church, Coventry; and author of "The Wonders of the Little World." Brit. Top. I. 158, 668. He was author also of Memoirs of the Family of Feilding, in the History of Leicestershire, vol. IV. p. 175. Preface to Chronicon, sive Annales de Dunstaple, p. xii. See also Fysher's Preface to "Catalogus Impressorum Librorum Bibliotheca Bodleianæ, 1738," where (strange to tell) no mention is made at all of Hearne's labours on that score. ford ford mentions some design of his in relation to a Saxon Bible. Mr. Nelson, who had endeavoured to procure for Mr. Wanley the office of Librarian to the Cottonian Library, introduced him to the office of Secretary to the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge. He was soon after employed in arranging the valuable collections of Robert Earl of Oxford, with the appointment of Librarian to his Lordship. In this employ he gave such particular satisfaction, that he was allowed a handsome pension by Lord Harley, the Earl's eldest son and successor in the title, who retained him as Librarian till his death; the date of which appears by the following epitaph in the parish church of St. Maryle-bone: "Here lyes Mr. HUMPHRY WANLEY, Library-Keeper to the Right Honourable There is an original picture of him in the Bodleian Library: another half-length sitting, in the possession of the Society of Antiquaries. A mezzotinto print of him was scraped by Smith in 1718 from a painting by Hill. In Mr. Wanley's Harleian Journal, preserved in the late Marquis of Lansdown's magnificent library (and since purchased for the British Museum), are several remarkable entries, as will appear by the following specimens. * Several of their Letters on this occasion are preserved among the Harleian MSS. where are also a great number from Mr. Bagford and Mr. Baker, addressed to Mr. Wanley at the coachoffice in Surrey-street. "This stone lies across the passage from the North door, at the distance of 6 feet 9 inches from it; and on the other side is within 6 inches of the communion rails." Hearne, Preface to Chronicon sive Annales de Dunstaple, p. vii. Formerly part of the MS collection of James West, esq. It is mentioned the Lansdown Catalogue, No 1264. The |