Sept. 17. 1853.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



263 



he was very sorry lie could not assist him, but he really 

 did not know exactly what he meant when he wrote 

 it." We doubt not some of our contributors could sup- 

 ply us with many similar avowals. 



This opinion will no doubt offend many of those 

 blind worshippers of Shakspeare, who will not believe 

 that he could have written a passage which is not per- 

 fect, and who, consequently, will not be satisfied with 

 any note, emendation, or restoration which does not 

 make the passage into which it is introduced *' one en- 

 tire and perfect chrysolite." But this is unreasonable. 

 We have direct evidence of the imperfect character of 

 much that Shakspeare wrote. When told that Shak- 

 speare had never blotted a line, Ben Jonson — no 

 mean critic, and no unfriendly one — wished he had 

 " blotted a thousand," Would rare Ben have uttered 

 such a wish iguorantly and without cause ? We be- 

 lieve the existence of such defects in the writings of 

 Shakspeare, as they were left by him. It follows, there- 

 fore, that in our opinion Shakspeare is under great 

 obligations to the undeservedly-abused commentators.* 

 It would be strange indeed, when we consider how 

 many men of genius and learning have busied them- 

 selves to illustrate his writings, if none of them should 

 have caught any inspiration from his genius. We be- 

 lieve they have done so. We believe Theobald's " bab- 

 bled o' green fields" to be one of many instances in 

 which, with reference to some one particular passage, 

 the scholiast has proved himself worthy of and excelling 

 his author. Yes, Shakspeare, the greatest of all un- 

 inspired writers, was but mortal ; and his worshippers 

 would sometimes do well bear in mind that their golden 

 image had but feet of clav. 



^attS, 



MR. PKPYS AND EAST LONDON TOPOGRAPHY, ETC. 



In ''N. & Q." (Vol. i., p. 141.) there appeared 

 an article upon the Isle of Dogs, &c., which spoke 

 of the neglected topography of the east of London, 

 and requested information on one or two points. 

 Having felt ranch interested in this matter, I have 

 endeavoured to obtain information by personal 

 investigation, and send you the following from 

 among a mass of Notes : — 



1. Isle of Dogs. In a map drawn up in 1588 

 by Robert Adams, engraved in 1738, this name is 

 applied to an islet in the river Thames, still in 



One of the most specious arguments which have 

 been advanced against the genuineness of the Notes and 

 Emendations is, that they agree in many instances with 

 readings which had been suggested many years before 

 the discovery of the MS. Notes. Of course it is obvious 

 that, wherever the readings are right, they must do so ; 

 and these coincidences serve to satisfy us of the correct- 

 ness of both. 



part existing, at the south-west corner of the 

 peninsula. From this spot the name appears to 

 have extended to the entire marsh. 



2. Dick Shore, Limehouse. This is now called 

 Duke Shore, Fore Street. In Gascoyne's Map of 

 Stepney, 1703, it is called Dick Shoar. Since 

 that time Dick has become a Duke. Mr. Pepya 

 would find boats there now if he visited the spot. 

 . 3. Mr. Pepys, in his Diary of Mar. 23, 1660, 

 speaks of " the great breach," near Limehouse. 

 The spot now forming the entrance to the City 

 Canal or South Dock of the West India Dock 

 Company was called " the breach," when the canal 

 was formed. 



4. July 31, 1665. Mr. Pepys speaks of the 

 Ferry in the Isle of Dogs. This ferry is named 

 as a horse-ferry by Norden in the Britannim 

 Speculum, 1592 (MS.). The ferry is still used, but 

 only seldom as a horse-ferry. 



5. Oct. 9, 1661. Mr. P. mentions Captain 

 Marshe's, at Limehouse, close by the lime-house. 

 There is still standing there a large old brick 

 house, which may be the same ; and the lime-kiln 

 yet exists, for, as Norden says, " ther is a kiln 

 contynually used." 



6. Sept. 22, 1665. Mr. P. speaks of a discovery 

 made " in digging the late docke." This discovery 

 consisted of nut trees, nuts, yew, ivy, &c., twelve 

 feet below the surface. Johnson no doubt told 

 him the truth. The same discovery was made in 

 1789, in digging the Brunswick Dock, also at 

 Blackwall, and elsewhere in the neighbourhood. 



This very week (Aug. 25, 1853) I procured 

 specimens of several kinds of wood, with land and 

 freshwater shells, from as great a depth in an 

 excavation at the West India Docks; the wood 

 from a bed of peat, the shells from a bed of clay 

 resting upon it. There exists an ancient house at 

 the dock which Mr. P. visited, and which is pro- 

 bably the same. 



Other illustrations of the Diary from this 

 quarter might be adduced ; let these, however, 

 suffice as a specimen. 



It may probably be new to most of your readers, 

 as it is to me, that an ancient house in Blackwall 

 (opposite the Artichoke Tavern) is said to have 

 been the residence of Sebastian Cabot at one 

 time, and at another that of Sir Walter Raleigh. 

 Whether the tradition be true or not, the house 

 is very curious, and worth a visit, if not worthy 

 of being sketched and engraved to preserve its 

 memory. Perhaps the photograph in this case 

 could be applied. 



It is not impossible that Sir John de Pulteney 

 or Poultney, to whom the manor of Poplar was 

 granted in the 24th of Edward III., resided on 

 this spot. My reasons for thinking it are — this 

 fact, which connects him with the neighbourhood ; 

 and the inference from two other facts, viz. that 

 the house in which Sir John resided in town was 



