Jan. 4. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



13 



Cardinal Erskine (Vol. ii., p. 406.) flourished 

 later than your correspondent G. W. supposes. 

 He was in communication with Mr. Pitt about 

 1799-1800. Querj, was he then in England? 



W.H.C. 



The Author of Peter Wilkins (Vol. ii., p. 480.). 

 — An advertisement prefixed to the edition of 

 this remarkable work in Smith's Standard Library^ 

 1839, gives the following information respecting 

 the author : — 



" In the year 1835, Mr. Nicol the printer sold by 

 auction a number of books and manuscripts in liis pos- 

 session, which had formerly belonged to tlie well-known 

 publisher Dodsley ; and in arranging them for sale, 

 the original agreement for the sale of the manuscript 

 of ' Peter Wilkins,' by the author, ' Robert Piiltock of 

 Clement's Inn,' to Dodsley, was discovered. From 

 this document it appears tliat Mr. PuUock received 

 twenty pounds, twelve copies of the work, and ' the 

 cuts of the first impression,' that is, a set of proof im- 

 pressions of the fanciful engravings that professed to 

 illusyate the first edition, as tlie price of the entire 

 copyright. Tliis curious document was sold to Jjhn 

 Wifks, Esq., M. P., on the 17th December, 1835." 



Mr. Leigh Hunt, in his Book for a Corner, re- 

 marks upon this, — 



" The reader will observe that the words 'by the 

 author,' in this extract, are not accompanied by marks 

 of quotation. The fact, howevtr, is stated as if he 

 knew it for such, by the quoter of tlie document." 



The difference mentioned by Dr. Rimbault 

 between the initials in the title-page and those 

 appended to the dedication, occurs also in Mr. 

 Smith's edition. But the dedication to which the 

 initials K. P. are alhxed, speaks of the book as tlie 

 work of the writer in the most unmistakeable 

 terms. Was the S. in the place of the P. a typo- 

 graphical error, perpetuated by carelessness and 

 oversight ; or a mystification of the author, adojited 

 when the success of the book was uncertain, and 

 continued after the dedication liad contradicted it, 

 by that want of attention to minutia; wliich was 

 more frequently manifest in former times than at 

 present ? 



Mr. Leigh Hunt informs us that the Countess 

 of Northunibeilaud, to whom the dedicatitm is 

 made, was the lady to whom Percy addressed 

 his Jh'lifjuet! of Ancient Poch-y "She was a 

 AVriothesley descended of Shakspeare's ICarl of 

 S"utliam|)ton, and ajipears to iiave been a \Qry 

 amiable woman." 



Permit me to take this opportunily of saying 

 that tliere is a misprint in the poem Ijy Barry 

 Cornwall (Vol. ii., p. 4.'5].), liy which the title of a 

 poem from which a (piolation is made, a|)])i'ais as 

 the name of a dramutix ptrsoiia " Paris " is the 

 title of a poem by tlie liev. Geo. Croly, from which 

 the " motto " is quoted. G. J. De Wilde. 



Peter Wilkins (Vol. ii., p. 480.). — In the pre- 

 face to a garbled and mutilated edition of this 

 work, which appeared Lend. 1839, sq. 12mo., it is 

 stated that the author was Robert Pultock, of 

 Clement's Inn, which is in accordance with the 

 initials to the dedication. Those of R. S. on the 

 title I consider as mere fiction. Lowndes gives 

 the 1st ed. 1750, 2 vols. 12mo. ; and I have a note 

 of a reprint, Dublin, Geo. Falkner, 1751, 2 vols. 

 12mo., " illustrated with several cuts." My copy 

 is Lond. 1816, 2 vols. 12mo., with a few indifferent 

 engravings. F. R. A. 



" The Toast,'" by Dr. King (Vol. ii., p. 480.).— 

 De. Rimbault will find the /cey to the characters 

 named in this poem printed in Davis's Second 

 Journey round the Library, i^T., p. 106. F. II. A. 



[W. A. informs us that there is a key to this work 

 in Martin's Account of Privately Printed Books.'] 



The Widow of the Wood (Vol ii., p. 406.). — 

 The history of this publication can hardly be given 

 without raking up a piece of scandal affecting an 

 honourable family still in existence. If Db. Rim- 

 bault wishes to see the book, and has any diffi- 

 culty in meeting with it, I shall be happy to for- 

 ward him my copy by the post on learning his 

 address. I inclose you mine, and will thank you 

 to communicate it to him if lie should wish for it. 



The maiden name of this "widow" was Anne 

 Northey. Her second husband was Sir Wm. 

 Wolseley ; her fourth, Mr. Hargrave, father of 

 the celebrated jurist. Every copy of the work 

 which could be found was destroyed by the latter 

 gentleman. H. C. 



Damasked Linen (Vol. ii., p. 199.). — It may in- 

 terest R. G. P. M. to learn that a portion of the 

 damasked linen which formed part of the esta- 

 blishment of James II. when in Ireland, still exists 

 in the possession of R. Ely, Esq., of Ballaghmore 

 Castle in the Queen's County. I have seen with 

 that gentleman several large napkins beautifidly 

 damasked with (he then royal arms, together with 

 the initials J. R. of large size, and elaborately 

 flourished. The tradition of the family is, that 

 they were obtained from the ])liinder of James's 

 camp equipage, after the defeat of the Buyne. 

 Mr. Ely's ancestor was in William's army. 



X. Y. A. 



NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC. 



Every one who had an opportunity of inspecting the 

 glorious assembl.age of masterpieces of workmanship 

 and design whicli were collected together at the Ex- 

 hibitioH of Ancient unci Mediaival Art last spring, must 

 liavc felt a desire to ])ossess some more lasting memo- 

 rial of tliat unparalleled display tliaU the mere cata- 



