2°d S. X. Oct. 13. '60.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



283 



the heart-burninf^s occasioned by this memorable 

 controversy, and is another painful chapter in the 

 history of The Quarrels of Authors. • 



J. Yeowell. 



September 12, 1785. 

 Mt Dear Mat, 

 I should have answered your friendly letter 

 sooner, had I not waited with an expectation of 

 enriching it with an account of an extraordinary 

 duel. However, as the two dissentients of whom 

 I speak, proceeded not to the deed of blood, I 

 must content myself with giving you a cold nar- 

 rative of the words that passed only : and you 

 may depend upon the strict truth in the whole, as 

 far as my memory will carry me. 



Two or three evenings ago, I drank tea with 

 Dr. Glynn, when he informed me that his friend 

 Shakspeare Steevens was arrived in Cambridge, 

 and that he should not be surprised at a visit 

 from him : " but," added the Doctor, "jf he does 

 come to me, I am determined to tell him my mind 

 at once." Behold, however, as we were stretch- 

 ing our legs after tea by King's Chapel, who 

 should run up towards us, with all the transport 

 of affection, and hat in hand, but the above-men- 

 tioned George ! " I see somebody running this 

 way, Dr. Glynn," said I, not knowing who it was, 

 "and as he may want you, I will leave you." 

 "Hold!" replied the Doctor, grasping my arm, 

 " I charge you not to stir ! This is the very var- 

 let we Avere just speaking of, and I should wish 

 there might be a witness to what will pass." 



Steevens. " My dear Dr. Glynn, I am overjoyed 

 to see you. How have you done since I had that 

 pleasure last ? " 



Dr. Glynn. " Sir, I am very well, I thank you." 

 Steevens. " My dear friend, let me congratulate 

 you upon your good looks. Dr. Farmer indeed 

 had made me happy with an account of your 

 health, and I am rejoiced to find your appearance 

 confirms it." 



Dr. O. " Sir, I am your most obedient servant. 

 Mr. Steevens, to be plain, I cannot say that I re- 

 turn your compliments with cordiality : and to 

 tell you my mind at once, your behaviour has 

 been such, as to make me very indift'erent about 

 any connection or acquaintance with you." 



Steevens.^ " Good G— d, Dr. Glynn, you surely 

 cannot be in earnest. What can I possibly ever 

 have done to deserve the smallest anger from 

 you?" 



Dr. G. " What can you have done. Sir ? Why, 

 the whole tenor of your conduct has deserved re- 

 proach from me and every one besides. Your 

 underhand proceedings in this Society, from whence 

 you clandestinely procured manuscripts : your 

 constant behaviour on similar occasions, is enough 

 to warrant me in saying that you are mean and 

 shabby. But, Sir, besides this, I know that the 

 only reason for your keeping up an acquaintance 



with me is to hold me up to ridicule, and when 

 you have turned your back, to make sport of me 

 with the first man you meet ; and, therefore, I will 

 not, upon those terms, be acquainted with any 

 man living." 



Steevens. "My dear friend, there never was a 

 man in the world more injured than I am by such 

 an opinion. With regard to the manuscripts, &c., 

 that you talk of, I can answer it at once» I had 

 the liberty of taking it from a Fellow of your own 

 House. I never meant to make any farther use of 

 it than to throw a little of it into some notes. 

 And, as an- instance of my attachment to this 

 place, I have written some time ago to France, to 

 procure from the Due de la Valiere's library a 

 continuation of this same manuscript (for which 

 purpose I have an unlimited commission), and to 

 present it to the King's College library. But 

 what I am most sensibly afflicted at Indeed, is the 

 charge of my ever having held, or spoken of you 

 but with the utmost respect and regard. Your 

 accusation, Sir, provokes an inquiry on my part : 

 and I do say that no man living dares to stand 

 forth and say, that I ever uttered a word of you, 

 but to show my friendship and affection for you." 

 Dr. G. "Ml-. Steevens, it does not signify, you 

 and I are of very different sentiments, as you well 

 know, in many respects. You may compliment 

 me now as you please ; but you and I both know 

 that you have not always the same language. 

 However, Sir, from your conduct toward myself, 

 and your shabby treatment of a very worthy man, 

 poor Catcott*, I must say that I do not desire a 

 continuation of your acquaintance." 



Steevens. " I am very glad you mentioned his 

 name, as I was afraid you were going to charge 

 me with ill-treating a gentleman for whom I have 

 the utmost respect and regard, Mr. Bryant. As 



to Catcott he is scarce worth our ." 



Dr. G. " Sir, you will leave me to end this 

 controversy. Your conduct and behaviour have 

 been so extremely exceptionable in every respect, 

 that I will now tell you my plain sentiments at 

 once; which are, that from this moment I wish 

 never more to have the least connection or ac- 

 quaintance with you whatever. And so, Sir, your 

 servant ! " 



Steevens. " Sir, though your treatment of me 

 has been so exceedingly unjust ; yet, in spite of 

 all, nothing still shall prevail with me to speak a 

 word disrespectfully of you, or to mention the 

 very hard usage which I have met with from you. 

 And so, Sir, I am your most obedient servant!" 



You may depend upon the exactness of my ac- 

 count, as the Doctor desired me to recollect the 

 circumstances, lest I should represent them in his 

 own way. Let me know, when convenient, your 

 opinion of this event. The Doctor's picture is 



• Catcott was a pewterer at Bristol, and the possessor 

 of a portion of the Rowley papers. 



