402 CANADA IN THE BODLEIAN. 



stone of this bridge, on the 31st of October, 1760 : " That there might 

 remain to posterity a monument of this City's affection to the Man 

 who, by the strength of his genius, the steadiness of his mind, and a 

 certain kind of happy contagion of his probity and spirit (under the 

 Divine favour and fortunate auspices of George II.), recovered, aug- 

 mented and secured the British Empire in Asia, Africa and America, 

 and restored the ancient reputation and influence of this country 

 amongst the nations of Europe, the citizens of London have unani- 

 mously voted this bridge to be inscribed with the name of William 

 Pitt." 



In a contemporary account of a royal visit to the city, in the year of 

 the coronation, we have the following description of the reception given 

 to Pitt by the crowd in the streets : " What was most remarkable," the 

 writer says (An. Reg. 1761, Chron. 237), " were the prodigious accla- 

 mations and tokens of affection shown by the populace to Mr. Pitt, who 

 came in his chariot, accompanied by Earl Temple. At every stop, the 

 mob clung about every part of the vehicle, hung upon the wheels, 

 hugged his footmen, and even kissed his horses. There was a universal 

 huzza ; and the gentlemen at the windows and in the balconies waved 

 their hats, and the ladies their handkerchiefs. The same, I am in- 

 formed, was done all the way he passed along." 



From the contribution of R. Heber, M.A., of Brase-nose College, 

 father of the well-known Bishop of Calcutta, and of the famous helluo 

 librorvm, Richard Heber, two lines were selected, on account of the 

 familiar sound of one of them — 



" The brightest jewel in the British crown." 



With us, I believe, this phrase is chiefly held to describe a colony of 

 Great Britain, and Canada par excellence; but in the text where it is 

 found, its application is to something quite different. It there appears 

 as an apposition to an honorable prerogative enjoyed by the Sovereigns 

 of England : 



" To reign in freeborn hearts is true renown, 



The brightest jewel in the British crown." 



One more brief extract and we have done. There is again no 

 reference by name to Canada or this continent therein, but it helps to 

 illustrate the general contents of the volume which has been engaging 

 our attention ; and is a specimen of a kind of production insipid enough, 

 as it seems to us, but which was once in high repute not only in the 



