The Lawyer's Fortune; or Love in a Hollow Tree.

Comedy,

by Wm. Lord Viscount Grimstone. 4to. 1705. 8vo. and 12mo. 1736.

G. Nassau, 1824, 78.

Lord Grimstone, who wrote this Comedy when a school boy at the age of 13, afterwards, as far as lay in his power, attempted it's suppression, by buying up the copies. This attempt to obliterate all trace of authorship, of which his Lordship's maturer years rendered him ashamed, would most probably have succeeded, had not the malevolence of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough procured a copy, at a time when his Lordship was Candidate for the Borough of St. Albans, and when she took occasion to interest herself in opposition to him; and as a means to forward her plans, caused an impression in 8vo. to be printed and distributed amongst the electors, at her own sole charge, with a frontispiece, " conveying," says the Biographia Dramatica, " a most indecent and unmannerly reflection on his Lordship's understanding, under the allegorical figure of an elephant dancing on a rope." This edition he also bought up as nearly as he was able, upon which she sent a copy to Holland to be reprinted. The 8vo. edition has a sarcastic dedication, and some ill-natured notes.

Swift, in allusion to this Play and its Author, says, "The Leaden Crown devolv'd to thee

Great Poet of the Hollow Tree."

See Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors, Noble's Continuation of Granger, and Biographia Dramatica.

Waller's (Edmond) Poems. 8vo. Tonson.

1711.

Should contain the following Plates by Vertue and Vander

gucht.

Portrait of the Author in his 23d year.

Edmond Waller, aged 76, at end of the life.

Col. Townley's copy, large paper, in morocco, sold for

41. 88.

Ordinary copies are of moderate value.

Hearne, (T)

Acta Apostolorum, Græco Latine, Litteris Majusculis E. Codice Laudiano, &c. &c. 8vo. Oxon. 1715.

Large paper, Gough, 207.

"To the disgrace of opulence and our country," says Beloe, "when the learned Hearne published proprosals for printing no more than 120 copies of this book from the very curious manuscript of the Acts of the Apostles in the Bodleian Library, he could only obtain the names of 41 Subscribers nor dispose of more than 76 copies.

A suitable account of Hearne, who in the words of Noble, Might be said to have no relations but munuscripts; no ac

quaintance but dusty parchments; nor progeny but edited fragments of antiquity," with a copious account of his numerous, and, to the Antiquarian, the Historian, and the Scholar, useful publications, would be a most desirable present to the Literary World, and which I am glad to hear it is likely soon to possess.

I shall only add here, in order to give some idea of the great esteem in which Hearne's publications are held, that at Lord Raymond's sale at King and Lochee's, April 29th, 1808, thirtyfive volumes only, (sold in separate lots,) produced the very large sum of 2137. 198.

Bagster's attempt at republishing these works has proved a complete failure, from the want of support.

Spence's Polymetis; or, an Enquiry concerning the Agreement between the Works of the Roman Poets, and the Remains of the Antient Artists. Folio. London. 1747. Heath, 1810, 71. 98. 6d.; marked usually by booksellers at 71. 78. in their sale catalogues.

The Vignette at the end of the 17th Dialogue in the first edition of the Polymetis contains a caricature of Dr. Cooke, Provost of Eton, in the character of a pedagogue with an ass's head. The resemblance is said to have been too striking not to have been instantly perceived by those who knew him. It was removed in the third edition of the Polymetis, 1774, and another Vignette of Hermes the Egyptian Mercury inserted in its stead. Spence cleared 15007. by his Polymetis alone.

* See Cole's letter to Walpole, in the British Museum, quoted by Mr. Singer, in his edition of Spence's Anecdotes.

The Toast. An Heroic Poem. In four Books. Written originally in Latin, by Frederick Scheffer: now done into English, and illustrated with Notes and Observations, by Peregrine O'Donald, Esq. Dublin-printed. London reprinted. 4to. With Frontispiece. 1747.

This Poem, by Dr. Wm. King, Principal of St. Mary's, Oxford, of which much has been said, but the contents of which have been a sealed book except to the select few, is a violent satire, and, if not true, a virulent libel against his adversaries, in a law suit about an estate in Galway, to which the Dr. laid claim, as having lent his uncle, Sir Thos. Smith, large sums on mortgage, previous to his death; but which claim was contested, and subsequently compromised.

In the former Journey Round a Bibliomaniac's Library, I mentioned a MS. Key, as being contained in the copy of Dr. King's Works, sold in Isaac Reed's sale for 107. 10s. I have now in my possession a copy of the Toast, from which the above recited title is correctly extracted, and containing in manuscript the following Explanation of the persons alluded to in the Toast: Page.

1. Myra.*-Lady Frances Brudenal, (celebrated by Lansdowne,) sister to the Earl of Cardigan, married first Count Newburgh, afterwards to Lord Bellew, and lastly to Sir Thos. Smith, Dr. King's uncle, but this match was not owned.

3. 0**.-Walpole.

5. Volcan or Vol.-Capt. John Pratt, Deputy Vice Treasu

*See Noble's continuation of Granger for some account of this Lady, vol. i. p. 365 and 366.

Page.

rer of Ireland, who while in that office is supposed to have cheated Government of 30,000l. He became bankrupt, and it is believed died in the Marshalsea. He was father of Lady Saville, mother of Sir George. 7. Mars Chevalier.-Sir Thos. Smith, the Author's uncle, appointed in 1704 Ranger of the Phoenix Park, in which he had a Lodge.

8. Mrs. D.—Mrs. Denton, another man's wife; which intrigue cost about 50007.

15. Lord John.-Lord Granville.

16. Hortensius.-Dr. Hort, Archbishop of Tuam. 17. Milo, (a huge B(attle A)x Chief)-Butler, a Lieutenant of the Yeomen of the Guards.

18. Clara.-Lady Lowth.

20. Trulla.-A woman that Butler kept.

27. Lord Viscount A.-Lord Viscount Allen..

37. Ottor.-Dr. Trotter, a Master in Chancery, or, as another copy of the Key has it, Judge of the Prerogative Court. 40. Jocco. Robert Jocelyn, Esq. Attorney General at that time, and afterwards Lord Chancellor of Ireland. 42. The PRIME.-Singleton, then Premier Serjeant, afterwards Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. 49. Little Ali.-Lady Allen, wife to Lord Viscount Allen, and mother of Lady Carysfort and Lady Newburgh of Castlemaine. She was the daughter of a Dutch Jew... 84. Piercy.-Sir Edward Pierce, Surveyor-General of Ireland. 86. Lord Paм.-Dr. Hort, Archbishop of Tuam, called Pam. by Dean Swift.

89. P-ce-Pierce.