Faulkner's History of Chelsea. 
to any degree, means of indulgence or 
protection. The other branch consisted 
of those who had been employed about 
these manuscripts; Rosini, Peter ta Vega, 
the unfolders, and the copyists, wished 
to retain, as, in fact, they retain, the 
same employment under the French. 
Both these branches of the same party, 
protected by the queen, obtained, through 
Seratti, the king’s order for not removing 
these manuscripts, nor those engraved 
fue simile copies. To these motives 
must be added another, if I inay call 
indifference a motive, for relinquishing 
these manuscripts. ‘This indifference of 
men in the two Sicilies, with regard to 
literature in general, and therefore with 
regard to these ‘manuscripts, is remark- 
able. For instance, a Marquis Berio, 
with whom I was well acquainted, ‘had 
one of the best libraries in the world: 
he possessed the reputation of learning, 
and of the encouragement of the learned. 
This eminent Jetterato, in the frequent 
visits he made me at Portici, would al- 
ways come to my own house, to the 
museum never. Aman of that country, 
now high in office at Palermo, asked me, 
whether the text of those fumosi papiri 
were not Arabic, 
More than two hundred “ Papiri” had 
heen opened wholly, or in part, during 
my stay at Naples. ‘he experience of 
every day had added infinite facility and 
skill, with accurate and secure, but rapid, 
dexterity, to each unfolder and copyist. 
Hence, with these increasing advantages, 
every one of the remaining fifteen hun- 
dred, or as many of them as could be 
opened, would be opened, and copied, 
it was reasonably and universally cal- 
culated, within the space of six years at 
the most, The enemy can, therefore, in 
-addition to the original manuscripts 
themselves, enjoy the advantage of this 
improved skill in the persons, whom I 
employed about them. 
At Palermo it was in vain that Tap. 
plied to the Chevalier Seratti to obtain 
permission to have lor my use, and witli 
a view to publication, a single manus 
script, that is, a single fac simile copy, 
of all the fuc simile copies which were 
brought from Naples, although they had 
heen unfolded and copied under my 
direction, and although they had all been 
corrected, and many of them had been 
‘interpreted and translated by myself. 
This minister Of state wislied, as he had 
with the most corrupt and most inde- 
eorous misconduct, contributed to de- 
prive your roya! highness of all the ori- 
667 
ginal manuscripts, and of some of tha 
most valuable engraved fuc simile copies, © 
to have been also as successfully guilty 
with regard to all those fac simile copies. 
The auspicious return of the Right 
Honourable Sir William Drummond, his 
Majesty’s minister at that court, this 
second time the successor, as the first 
time the predecessor, of Huyh Elliot, 
esq. defeated all the intentions of the 
Chevalier Seratti. The Chevalier dé 
Medici, the successor of the Chevalier 
Seratti, complied at once with the de= 
mands of Sir William Drummond, and 
consigned to him, by order of the king, 
all the fac simile copics, which are now 
at Oxford. Of these, the Treatise upon 
Death, and the Fragment of the Latia 
Poem, together with the Greek and Las 
tin alphabets, were immediately en- 
graved under my superintendency at 
Palermo. 
EE 
AN 
Historical and Topographical Description 
OF CHER YSE At 
AND ITS ENVIRONS; 
interspersed with Biographical Anecdotse 
of Illustrious and Eminent Persons whe 
have resided in Chelsea during the three 
preceding Centuries. y 
By Tuomas FauLener, of Chelsea. 
Mr, Faulkner has made the best use of 
a good subject. The vicinity of Chelsea 
to the mevopolis, and its pleasant sité 
on the banks of the Thames, have for 
many ages made it the retreat of states- 
men ard of persons engaged in the active 
scenes of life; hence its history involves 
personal anecdotes of those whose ine- 
mory is the most dear to the recollec. 
tions of Englishmen. Our limits do not 
allow us to do that justice to Mr, Faulk- 
ner’s work which it deserves, but most of 
our readers will be amused by the follow. 
ing passages, and for others of equal 
curiosity we refer them to the work itself 
For our parts we wish every considerable 
parish round London had an historian 
of the taste and industry of this writer, ° 
CHELSEA BUNS. 
The manufacture of Chelsea buns 
should not be oinstted, having been so 
long in esteem, and carried on upon the 
same spot, for more than acentury: and 
they have likewise been honored by the 
notice of Swift. near a hundred years ago: 
“ Pray, are not the fine buns sold here 
in our town; has it K-r-r-rer-r-r-rare 
Chelsea 
