86 A LOST PAPER ON HUGH PETER. 
In this prefatory chapter to the hist edition of the Cu- 
riosities of Literature, dated 1848, but only issued in 
1858, the Right Honorable Benjamin Disraeli, speaking 
of his father, says, "the last labor of his literary life was 
to vindicate the character of Hugh Peters." 
My attention was called to these facts at Oxford, in an 
interview with which I was favored, in April, 1886, with 
the Rev. C. W. Boase, a fellow of Exeter Collesrc and a 
brother of the author. I afterwards availed myself of such 
means as lay in my power, from time to time, to trace ont 
and, if [)ossible, to secure for printing in our Historical 
Collections, so valuable a contri))ution to the local annals 
of Salem. But these efltbrts were without results until 
Mr. Lewis Fry, a member of Parliament for Bristol, vis- 
ited the Essex Listitute in October, 1888, and, interesting 
himself in the remains of the meeting-house in which Pe- 
ters ministered, enlisted with ardor in the search. To him 
I am wholly indebted for such negative success, — ap[)ar- 
ently the only result possible, — as has at last been reached 
and I put on record these interesting conuuunications in 
order to show that no eflbrt has been spared, either on Mr. 
Fry's part or on mine, which could have led to the unearth- 
ing and publication of this unique i)roduction. Mr. Fry 
addressed himself directly to the Right Honorable Mon- 
tague William Lowry-Corry, C. B., Lord Rowton, for- 
merly private Secretary to the Earl of Beaconsficld and 
now his literary executor, with the following result. 
GoLDNKY House, Cliftox Hill, Bhistol. 
15"' Aiig., 1889. 
Deah Mr. Rantoul : 
You may remember th;iL when we liad the pleasure of seeing you 
last autumn you asked me whether I could ascertain from the late 
Lord Beaconsfield\s literary executor whether Lsaac Disraeli's i)aper 
in vindication of Hugh Peters were in existence and whether I could 
get the original or a copy for your Historical Society. I did not at the 
