1824.] late Rev. J.J. Vout/beare. 165 



correct notion of their characteristic structure of sentence, and 

 a fair estimate of their merits as poetical compositions." And 

 though he proceeds to regret his inability to execute the 

 English versions in a manner more worthy the spirit of his 

 author ; yet those who read them will find that he has accom- 

 plished the task with much success : the character of his ver- 

 sions is at once simple and dignified, and adapted with much 

 taste to the varying style of the original poems. 



The same volume contains two papers, communicated to the 

 Society in 1813, on the metre of the Anglo-Saxon poetry; con- 

 taining observations, suggested, in the first instance, by the 

 perusal of two very interesting documents contained in the 

 Exeter Manuscript ; and showing the origin and the fallacy 

 of the contradictory opinions which our ablest philological 

 antiquaries had advanced on the subject. He proves, in the 

 first communication, that the poetical compositions of the 

 Anglo-Saxons were distinguished from their prose by the con- 

 tinual use of a certain definite rhythm ; and investigates, to a 

 considerable extent, the metrical structure of those venerable 

 and interesting remains. In the second paper he adds such 

 further remarks on their peculiar characteristics as had been 

 suggested to him by an attentive examination of the prin- 

 cipal works of this description, preserved either in print or in 

 manuscript. 



In the following year our indefatigable Professor communi- 

 cated to this Society, two short poems of the time of Richard II. ; 

 which occur in the latter part of an immense manuscript volume 

 of English Poetry preserved in the Bodleian Library, and usually 

 styled, from the name of its donor, the Vernon Manuscript. 

 They present a lively picture of the popular feeling, towards the 

 commencement of the weak and disastrous government of that 

 monarch. 



In November 1814, he transmitted to the Antiquarian So- 

 ciety, for exhibition to its members, a copy of an early English 

 work, entitled, "A Hundred Merry Tales;" and printed by 

 Rastell, but without a date, in small folio; 22 leaves, pp.44. 

 He had found this work converted into pasteboard, and forming 

 the covers of an old book: as it had previously been known 

 only from the casual mention of its title by Shakespeare, its 

 discovery excited much interest among the students of the lite- 

 rature which the history and explanation of his works has 

 created. We subjoin the following extract from Mr. Cony- 

 eare's communication respecting it: 



" The inline of Shakespeare has given such value to every 

 tiling, however trifling, which can tend to the explanation or 

 illustration of his works, that 1 perhaps scarcely need apologise 

 for submitting to the inspection of the Society of Antiquaries, a 

 copy, which, though much mutilated, is, I believe, unique;, of 



