512 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Dec. 29. 1855-, 



might safely do, as that was not the Society in- 

 trusted with the preservation of the secret, al- 

 though many of the members were doubtless 

 initiated into the mysteries of the concealment of 

 Junius. 



From Dayrolle's death, in 1786, to the sale of 

 the Stowe Library, nothing that can be relied on 

 transpired respecting the vellum-bound books. 

 On Jan. 29, 1849, this unique copy of the Letters 

 was offered for sale ; and it is probable it would 

 have fetched a high price, if the biddings had been 

 permitted to go on. One gentleman, Mr. Hag- 

 gard (see "N. & Q.," April 5, 1851), commissioned 

 his agent to bid as far as 10^. ; but it being inti- 

 mated that fifty guineas, or any other sum, would 

 not purchase the two volumes, they were knocked 

 down to Mr. Rodd, an agent, for 9Z. From that 

 time, like other clues to Junius, all trace of them 

 is lost. 



The AthencBum, the great oracle on the Junius 

 question, gave, from week to week, a report of the 

 sale of the Stowe Library ; but in that particular 

 week, when the vellum-bound copy of Junius was 

 offered for sale, The Athenceum was silent*, thus 

 laying the foundation for converting the vellum- 

 bound copy into a mi/th, which only required some 

 One of sufficient assurance, and whose name might 

 hereafter carry some authority with it, to impugn 

 the excellence of this vellum-bound copy. That 

 person appeared, only four years after, in the 

 character of editor of the Grenville Papers — the 

 ex-librarian of Stowe. With an effronter}' not to 

 be paralleled in the annals of literature, he ap- 

 pended to his Essay on Junius the following note, 

 which the lynx-eyed editor of The Athenceum suf- 

 fered to pass without comment or observation : 



" Note hy the Editor of the ' Grenville Papers.^ 



" If Mr. Woodfall had been inclined to pry into the 

 secrets of his correspondents, this was perhaps one of the 

 most favourable opportunities, but he did not avail him- 

 self of it ; and it is much the more honourable, because, 

 at this time, Junius had declared in the Dedication that 

 he was ' the sole depositary of his own secret, and that it 

 should perish with him.' It is clear that the books were 

 sent (the blue covered), for the receipt of them was ac- 

 knowledged b}'' Junius on the following day. How easilj' 

 it might have been for Woodfall to have set a watch upon 

 the person who applied for the parcel, and to have tracked 

 him home to his retreat. The books, here alluded to, 

 were the two sets in blue paper covers mentioned in the 

 note from Junius (No. 47.) in Dec. 1771 ; but, at the same 

 time, he also desired Woodfall to send him one set bound 

 in vellum, gilt. And with respect to the latter, it is very 

 doubtful whether the manner of the binding was not 

 altogether forgotten by Woodfall, or whether they were 

 ever sent, or, if sent, still more doubtful whether they 

 were applied for or received by the author. If Woodfall 

 did send them to the last address, fifteen months aftcr- 



* The Literary Gazette (Feb. 3, J849,) noticed the s;tle 

 of these volumes thus: "Letters of Junius on vellum, 

 supposed to be unique, Avith Proofs or Portraits before 

 Letters, sold for 9/." 



No. 322.] ; 



wards, in March, 1773, there is presumptive evidence 

 that they were subsequently reclaimed by him, because 

 no application had been made for them, in the fact that 

 the original letter (No. C4.), in the handwriting of Henry 

 Sampson Woodfall, which is supposed to have accom- 

 panied them, is now in the possession of his grandson ; 

 and its having been sealed, shows that it is the original, 

 and not a copy. This letter is dated March 7, 1773. The 

 last communication which Woodfall received from Junius 

 is dated 19th January (1773), and that was after a silence 

 of^ eight months. It is a curious fact, that so little did 

 Woodfall think of his old friend and correspondent, that 

 his letter remained without notice until its receipt was 

 acknowledged in the Fublic Advertiser of the 8th March 

 following." — Grenville Papers, vol. iii. p. cciii. 



This note solves the mystery of the vellum- 

 bound books being found in the hands of the 

 Grenvilles, and the letter which accompanied 

 them in the hands of the present Mr. Woodfall. 

 Without some such arrangement, there would have 

 been no "presumptive evidence" that the books 

 were subsequently reclaimed by Mr. H. S. Wood- 

 fall. Mason Good states that the copy, from which 

 the letter (64.) was printed, was a rough draft 

 found among the papers of the late Mr. H. S. 

 Woodfall. The reader will judge whether our 

 " presumption," or Mr. Smith's, is most entitled 

 to consideration. We cannot conclude this note 

 without correcting a gross mis-statement con- 

 tained in the "curious fact" adduced by Mr. 

 Smith, as evidence of Woodfall's want of respect 

 for his old friend and correspondent. So far from 

 this /ac^ being true, it is well known to all readers 

 of the Junius controversy, that Woodfall inserted 

 no less than five signals before he elicited the last 

 answer from Junius. That letter, and Woodfall's 

 reply (64.), will show whether Mr. Smith had 

 carefully examined and accurately ascertained the 

 truth of his "curious fact" before he gave it to 

 the public. William Ckamp. 



SWALLOWS. 



(Vol. xii., p. 413.) 



The winter retreat of this migrating bird, is a 

 subject which has excited among naturalists much 

 interesting speculation, as it has been suggestive 

 of many ingenious theories. Among other hypo- 

 theses, that of subaqueous hybernation, though 

 partially supported by well attested facts, can 

 hardly be said to be admissible, except only so 

 far as regards subaqueous descent or temporary 

 submersion. The capability of the bird for exist- 

 ence under water for any lengthened period, 

 during the winter, is inconceivable. The possi- 

 bility of such a state has been sufficiently objected 

 to on the ground of the necessary decomposition 

 and destruction of its extravascular plumage ; as 

 well as from the fiict, that no warm-blooded or 

 quick-breathing animal, either can, or does so 

 hybernate. In partial support, howevci*, of the 



