22 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2nd s. No 80., July 11. '57. 



The not asking a pertinent question by so 

 skilful a questioner of so willing and so well in- 

 structed a witness is, in itself, open to large in- 

 ferences. The eager purpose of all parties was to 

 create a belief that Wilkes was the author ; and 

 the witness Curry, who could and did depose as to 

 the handwriting on the copy of the frontispiece, 

 could with more certainty have deposed to the 

 handwriting of what is technically called the 

 " copy " of the poem. The question was not asked, 

 and therefoKe the reasonable inference must be, 

 either that the copy of the poem delivered to 

 Curry was not in manuscript, or that the manu- 

 script was not in Wilkes's handwriting. 



Sandwich, Le Despencer, and a very few peers 

 knew the fact as to authorship ; but the king, the 

 majority of the peers, the ministers, and all 

 persons down to the attorney who prepared the 

 case, may have believed, and I think did believe, 

 that W^ilkes was the author ; and in this faith the 

 Lords resolved to pray his majesty to order the 

 immediate prosecution of " the author or authors : " 

 to which his majesty replied that he would " give 

 immediate directions accordmgly" 



It is another and still more significant fact that 

 after this formal declaration by the House of 

 Peers, and formal promise by the king, Wilkes 

 was not prosecuted as the author, but for having 

 "printed and published, and caused to be printed 

 and published : " and so far as I know, Wilkes not 

 only never acknowledged himself to be the 

 author, but though a man who would, and often 

 did, take on himself any consequences if a threat 

 were held out, he on important occasions drew a 

 distinction between the author and what the law 

 calledthe publisher — maintaining, however, that 

 he was prosecuted for publishing what was never 

 published, except by Sandwich in the House of 

 Lords, and the government in the Courts of Law. 

 Wilkes was long after emphatic on this point in 

 his reply to George Grenville, who had, without, 

 I suppose, considering the exact distinction, said 

 that Wilkes had been convicted as author. 



" There is, Sir, in almost every part of your speech a 

 rancour and malevolence against Mr. Willies, which has 

 betrayed you into a variety of gross mistakes, and pal- 

 pable falsehoods. . . . You saj' in page 8. that 'he (Mr. 

 Wilkes) was tried and convicted for being the author and 

 publisher of the three obscene and impious libels,' &c. 

 You repeat the accusation, page 14., ' with regard to the 

 three obscene and impious libels, which were written by 

 him.' I have examined your charge with an office copy 

 of the second sentence passed on Mr. Wilkes, and I find it 

 absolutely groundless. There is not a syllable of author 

 or authorship in any part of it. The words are, ' being 

 convicted of certain trespasses, contempts, and grand mis- 

 demeanours, in printing and publishing an obscene and 

 impious libel, entitled An Essay on Woman, and other 

 impious libels in the information in that behalf specified, 

 whereof he is impeached,' &c. I may now appeal to the 

 impartial public, if truth is not here shamefully violated 

 by you. Is this ' that justice which is due to every man, 

 and which we ought to be more particularly careful to 

 preserve, in an instance where passion and prejudice may 



both concur in the violation of it'.' page 8." — Letter to 

 G. Grenville, 1769. 



With one other paper on the evidence, as to 

 authorship, I shall conclude. D. 



UNPUBLISHED LETTER OP HEV. JAMES GRANGER. 



[The following letter from the Eev. James Granger, the 

 author of that charming book Tlie Biographical History of 

 England, has, we believe, never before been printed. It is 

 of considerable interest, as showing that at the time this 

 letter was written, the book had, "in money and market- 

 able commodities, brought him in above 400/." We are 

 indebted for the opportunity of publishing it to the kind- 

 ness of the Earl of Harrowby, the grandson and repre- 

 sentative of Granger's kind patron, the first Earl of 

 Harrowby, the " Mr. Ryder " to whom it was addressed, 

 and who at one time had a house at Shiplake.] 



" Shiplake, 28 Nov. 1771. 

 " To Mr. Ryder. 



"Honoured Sir, 

 "I received your letter of the 28th of October, 

 and also the packet of Bank Notes ; among which 

 was one that struck me with surprise at your great 

 generosity, which was as far beyond my expecta- 

 tion, as it was beyond my merit. I return you, 

 Sir, my best, my sincerest thanks, for your noble 

 present, intended as a gratification for what was 

 itself a pleasure, and therefore its own reward. 

 I really loved my little pupil, and from the most 

 ready and pleasing of all motives, was ever willing 

 to instruct him to the utmost of my power. I 

 have often said since 1 have been vicar of this 

 place, beyond which my wishes never aspired, 

 that I had no expectation of being worth lOOZ. of 

 my own acquiring. But I have Sir, by the help 

 of your note, lately purchased 150 Stock, as a 

 resource in case of sickness. I find upon a fair 

 calculation, that my book hath, in money and 

 marketable commodities, brought me in above 

 400/. I am still what the generality of the bene- 

 ficed clergy would call a poor vicar ; but am really 

 "rich as content," and enjoy the golden mean. 

 May every true enjoyment that earth and heaven 

 can afford be the portion of you and yours, here and 

 hereafter ! Mrs. Granger joins me in the sincerest 

 Respects and good wishes to yourself, Mrs. Ryder, 

 and your whole Family, including Miss Jennings 

 as a part of it. We often drink your healths and 

 oftener think of You. 

 "I am Sir, 

 " Your most obliged and truly grateful humble 

 Servant, 



" James Granger. 

 " The 10 Guineas, &c. sent by J. W. we re- 

 ceived. Thanks, Thanks. 

 " Address. 



"A' Monsieur, 



" Monsieur Ryder, a la Poste 



restante a Aix chez Monselgneur 

 Acheveque de Tuam, 

 " en Provence." 



