1804.] 
I do not recolle&, (for I have not the 
books here,) that Mr. Neale has charged 
me with one falfe quotation; and there- 
fire can’t imagine upon what evidence - 
Mr. Jeonings can hope to fupport his 
aflertions, fince the proot of the feveral 
propofitions in my book ftand wholly un- 
impeached : and the exact care and fide- 
lity, as well as an extenfive knowledge 
in hiflory, which appear. uncontradiéted 
in your feveral volumes, mufl give full 
conyiction of the impartiality and truth 
to be found in the Hiffory of the Puri- 
fans. 
I fhall be very glad to fee your Re- 
view, which I dare fay will be compofed 
with the utmoft candour and fidelity, and 
give juft tatisfaction to your readers, and 
in particular to, Sir, your faithful fer- 
vant, end affectionate brother, 
Wefirop, Fuly 20, 1743» Isa, ASAPH. 
SIR CORDELL FIREBRACE,. 
Query if the name of Firebrace does 
not come from fier-a bras, or valiant 
arm. One of the fons of Tancred de 
Hauteville, in Normandy, in the eleventh 
century was called Guillaume Fier-a- bras, 
who conquered part of Italy, near Naples, 
‘and was Count de la Puglia. , 
BISHOP ZACHARY PEARCE, 
The hiftory of Bifhop Pearce’s intended 
refignation is matter of {urprize to every 
body. Various motives have been 
thought of for him: but I have, by 
chance, heard of that, which he has 
declaied himfelf to a friend of: mine, 
viz. That as he never made a finecure 
of his preferments, he is tired with bufi- 
nefs, and being in the feventy-fourth year 
of his age, he will refign his church pre.. 
ferment whilft his faculties are entire, 
leatt he might chance to outlive them, 
and the church fuffer by his infirmities. 
The good Bifhop feemed to have juft been ~y 
reading Horace’s. 
Solve fenefcentem maturé fanus equam, 
&c. and did not fee, but an old Bifhop, 
@s well as an old horfe, had a right to his 
difcharge. 
Letter from Dr. Pettingal to Mr. 
. Cole, 25 Fan. 17646 
CORRESPONDENCE relative to CHAT- 
TERTON. 
Mr. Horace Walpole to the Rey. Mr. 
Cole. 
Strawberry Hill, Fune 19, 1777. 
** | thank you for your notices, dear 
Sir, and fhall remember that on Prince 
William. I did not fee the Monthly 
I 
Coliana. 
258 
Review, but hope one is not guilty of 
the death of every man who does not 
make one the dupe of a forgery. I be- 
lieve Macpherfon’s fuccefs with Offian, 
was more the ruin of Chatterton than I.° 
Two years paffed between my doubting 
the auihenticity of Rowley’s Poems, and 
his death. I never knew he had been in 
London, till fome time after he had un- 
done and poifoned himfelf there. The 
poems he fent me were tranfcripts in his 
own hand; and even in that circumftance 
he told a lie; he faid he had them from 
the very perfon at Briftol, ‘to whom he 
had given them. If any man was to 
tell you that monkifh rhimes had been 
dug up at Herculaneum, which was def- 
troyed feveral centurns before there was 
any fuch poetry, fhould you believe it ? 
jut the reverfe is the cafe of Rowley’s 
pretended poems. ‘They have all the 
elegance of Waller and Prior, and more 
than Lord Surrey—but I have no objec- 
tion to any body believing what he 
pleafes. I think poor Chatterton was an 
aftonifhing genius—but I cannot think 
that Rowley forefaw metres that were 
invented long after he was dead, or that 
our janguaze was .more refined at Briftol 
in the reign of Henry V. than it was 
at court under Henry VILE. One of the 
chaplains of the Bifhop of Exeter hag 
found a line of Rowley in Hudibras— 
the monk might forefee that too! the 
prematurity of Chatterton’s genius is, 
however, full as wonderful, as that fuch 
a prodigy as Kowley fhould never have 
been heard of till the eighteenth century. 
The youth and induftry of the former are 
miracles t60; yet fill more credible. 
There is not a fymptom in the poems, 
but the old words, that favours of Rowe 
ley’s age. Change the old words for 
modern, and the whole conftru@tion is of 
efterday. ae 
The other ftory you tell me, is very 
credible, and perfectly in character. 
Your’s ever, H, W. 
Berkely Square, Dec. 30. 1781. 
£6 AY ° e e e e- 
You will be furprized, when I tell 
you, that I have only dipped into Mr. 
Bryant’s book, aud lent the Dean’s. be- 
fore I had cut the leaves, though I had 
peeped into it enough to fee, that I fhall 
not read it. Both he and Mr. Bryant 
are fo diffufe on our antiquated literature, 
that I had rather believe in Rowley, than 
go through their proofs. Wr. Warton 
and Mr. Tyrwhyt have more patience, 
and intend to anfwer them—and fo the 
controverly 
