666 
remained in manuscript, of which se- 
veral copies are still extant, until the 
civil wars, when it was first printed 
under thetitle of ** The Necocintions 
of Thomas Wolsey, &c. 4to. 1641.” 
and the chief object of the publication 
was a parallel between the Cardinal 
and Archbishop Laud, in order to 
reconcile the public to the murder of 
that Prelate. That this object might 
be the better accomplished, the manu- 
script was mutilated and interpolated 
without shame or scruple, and no pains 
having been taken to compare the 
printed edition with the original, the 
former passed for genuine above acen- 
tury; nor until within these few 
months has the work been presented 
to the public as the author left it*.” 
The facts of Wolsey’s life are thrown 
together by Mr. Chalmers with great 
compactness. The Cardinai’s intimacy 
with Erasmus is touched with the pen 
ofa master. “ It is yet more in proof,” 
Mr. Chaimers says, ‘“* having been of 
the most liberal kind, and accompanied 
with a corresponding liberality of sen. 
timent, that .he became acquainied 
with Erasmus, then at Oxford, and 
joined that illustrious scholar in pro- 
moting classical studies, which’ were 
peculiarly obnoxious to the bigotry of 
ihe times. The letters which passed 
between Wolsey and Erasmus for some 
years imply mutual respect.and union 
cf sentiment in all matters in which 
literature was eoncerned; and _ their 
love of-learning and contempt for the 
monks, alihouch this last was excited 
by different motives, were points in 
which we perceive no great disagree- 
ment. Yet, as Erasmus continued 
to livethe life. of a mere scholar, pre- 
carious and dependent, and Welséy was 
ranidly advancing to rank and honours, 
ico many and too high fora subject, 
a dixstence was placed beiween them 
witch Wolsey would pot shorten and 
krasmus could not pass. Hence, 
while a courteous familiarity was pre- 
served in Wolsey’s correspondence, 
- Erasmus could not help betraying the 
feelings of a client who has received 
litte more than promises from_ his 
pairon; and when Wolsey fell from 
his high state, Erasmus joined in the 
opinion that he wes unworthy ef it. 
For this he is ‘severely censured by 
Piddes, and ably defended by Jortin.” 
¥ In Dr. Wordsvortl’s Eec‘eaistical 
Biography, Vol. 1. 
Retrospect of Domestic Literature— 4 aliquities. 
To go farther into the history of 
the different colleges here, would be. 
superfluous. The accounts of all are’ 
wrilten With the same care, and pro- 
per compression. At the close we have 
the history of the principal public 
buildmgs attached to the university. 
The schools, with the Bodleian Library . 
—the Theatre—the Ashmolean Mu- 
seum-=-the Ciarendon Printing-House 
—the Radcliffe Library—the Observa- 
tory—the Physic Garden—and St. 
Mary’s, or the University Church. 
Afier enumerating the exertions of 
Sir Thomas Bodley in restoring, or 
rather re-founding the public library 
ofthe University in 1597, Mr. Chal. 
mers proceeds to notice the numerous 
additions to its contents by other per- 
sons as well during the founder’s life as 
afterward. ‘ 
“It would require a volume,” he 
observes, ** to enumerate the many 
important additions made to this li- 
brary by its numerous benefactors, or 
to give even a superficial sketch of 
its ample contentsin every branch of 
science. Among the earliest benefac- 
tors were, Robert Devereux, Earl of 
Essex; Thomas Sackville, Lord Buck- 
hurst and Eail of Dorset; Robert 
Sidney, Lord Sidney of Penshurst : 
Vicount Lisle and Earl of Leicester ; 
George Carey, Lord Hunsdon ; Wii- 
liam Gent, Esq.; Anthony Browne, 
Viscount Montacute; John Lerd Lum- 
ly ; Philip Scudamore, of London, 
Lisq. and Laurence Bodley, younger 
brother to ihe founder. All these 
coutributions were made before the 
year 1600. § 
In 1601, collections of beoks and 
manuscripts were presented’ by Tho- 
pes Ailen, some time fellow of Tri- 
nity College; Thomas James, first 
librarian ; Herbert Westphaling, Bishop 
of Hereford; Sir John Fortésque, 
Knt.; Alexander Nowell, Dean of St. 
Paul's; John Crooke; Reeorder. of 
Londor, and Chief Justice of the Com- 
mon ‘Pleas; and Nicholas Bend, B.D. 
Presidei.t of Magdalen College. . The 
most extensive and prominent collec- 
tions, however, are those of the Earl 
of Pembroke, Mr. Selden, Archbishop — 
Laud, ‘ir Thomas Roe, Sir Keneln 
Digby, General Fairfax, Dr. Marshall, 
Dr. Barlow,’ Dr. Rawlinson, Mr. Sé. 
Amand, Dr. Tagner, Mr. Willis, T. 
Hearne, and Mr. Godwin. ‘The last 
collection bequeathed, that of the lale 
eniinest and teamed antiquary, Richard 
Gough’ 
