A curious commentary on this is, that the remains of Sir Thomas himself, after havin been buried in 1682, were accidentally exhumed in 1840, when his skull was appropriate by the sexton. Five years later it was acquired by the Norfolk and Norwich Hospita and although claimed about 1895 for the church of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, is still i the possession of the former establishment.

Sir Thomas Browne, as Hallam remarks, united, like Pascal and Johnson, with hi strong devotional sensibility, a most acute and sceptical understanding. "Where th Scripture is silent," writes our author in his " Religio Medici," "the Church is my text where it speaks, 'tis but my comment."

Old Calf.

BUTLER, SAMmuel.

Hudibras The first part. Written in the time of the late War. [Emblem, Rose and Thistle, each crowned.] London, Printed in the Year, 1663. Sm. 8vo.

A-H, in eights.

Title, A 1; with Imprimatur, dated Nov. 11, 1662, on verso;+ pp. 125. At foot of last page is a list of Errata.

Butler undoubtedly drew the first idea of his book from Don Quixote. Voltaire has noticed his obligations to the " Satyre Ménippée." Although it has never been proved Sir Samuel Luke, whom Butler served in some capacity, was probably the original of Hudibras.

From an advertisement in the "Publick Intelligencer,” December 23rd, 1662, this appears to be the first issue of what was probably a pirated copy. In the second issue, the occasion for the Errata had been removed; the Rose and Thistle also were omitted from the Titlepage. See "Notes and Queries," VII. Series, iii. 446. !

Authors seem to have suffered from literary pirates almost as soon as printing began, and copyright was an early institution. We find an exclusive privilege granted in 1563 to Thomas Cooper, afterwards Bishop of Winchester, to print his "Thesaurus," or Latin Dictionary, for twelve years; another to Richard Wright to print his translation of Tacitus during his natural life; anyone infringing this privilege to forfeit 40s. for every printed copy. Old Half Calf.

Hudibras. The first part. Written in the time of the late Wars. London, Printed by J. G. for Richard Marriot, under Saint Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet. 1663. 8vo. [1st Edition.]

A-R, in eights.

Imprimatur, A 1; the Title, A 2;+pp. 268. Errata at foot of p. 268.
"Hudibras" was written against the Puritans, and is full of keen satire.

Butler published, besides, an "Ode on Duval" (the famous highwayman), and two pamphlets attributed to Prynne. In 1715 three volumes entitled "Posthumous Works of Mr. S. Butler" appeared, and enjoyed great success.

Old Marbled Calf.

Hudibras. The Second Part.

By the Authour of the First. [Printer's sign.] London, Printed by T. R. for John Martyn and James Allestry at the Bell in St. Pauls Church Yard, 1664. 8vo. [1st Edition.]

B-P 4, in eights. F 3 misprinted "F 4."

Imprimatur dated "Novemb. 5th 1663,” and Title 2 leaves; +pp. 216. Errata at foot of p. 216.

There was probably no spurious edition of this Part, which was protected by the copyright "Imprimatur" of Sir Roger l'Estrange; but a doggerel substitute was published anonymously before its appearance.

Old Calf.

BUTLER CHAPMAN, JONSON, AND MARSTON.

5

BUTLER, SAMUEL. Hudibras. The Third and last Part. Written by the Author of the First and Second Parts. London, Printed for Simon Miller, at the Sign of the Star at the West End of St. Pauls. 1678. 8vo. [1st Edition.]

A-S, in eights.

Title, A 1;+ pp. 285 (p. 157 misprinted 175) and a leaf of "Errata" in 5 lines.

Butler died two years after the publication of the Third Part, on September 25th, 1680, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Paul's, Covent Garden. He was, we are told, "of a leonine-coloured hair, sanguine, choleric, middle-sized, strong." Wycherley is said to have striven hard to procure for the neglected poet the patronage of Buckingham. An interview with the great noble was at last arranged, from which the duke was, alas! called off by the passage of “a brace of ladies." Thus the opportunity was lost.

Dorset, who desired to make the acquaintance of the author of " Hudibras," persuaded a common friend to bring him to a tavern. At the first bottle our author was quiet and reserved, at the second full of wit and spirits, at the third dull and stupid-upon which Dorset's comment was that Butler was "like a nine-pin, little at both ends, but great in the middle."

Old Calf.

CHAPMAN, GEORGE, JONSON, BENJAMIN, and MARSTON, JOHN. *Ouids Banquet of Sence. A Coronet for his Mistresse Philosophie, and his amorous Zodiacke. With a translation of a Latine coppie, written by a Fryer, Anno Dom. 1400. Quis leget hoc? Nemo Hercule Nemo, vel duo vel nemo : Persius. [Within a border.] Sibi Conscia Recti. At London, Printed by I. R. for Richard Smith. Anno Dom. 1595. 4to. [1st Edition.]

A-I 3, in fours.

Title, A1; Dedication to Ma. Mathew Royden signed by George Chapman, A2; Laudatory Verse by Richard Stapleton and others, A 3-4 recto; Ovids Banquet, B-E 4; A Coronet, E4 verso-F 2; The amorous Zodiack, F 3-GI; The amorous contention of Phillis and Flora, translated out of a Latine coppie, G 2-I 2; Certamen inter Phillidem & Floram, I 2 verso-I 3.

Charles Lamb was an admirer of Chapman, and among other of his pieces praises highly the invocation to a Spirit of Intelligence in "Bussy d'Ambois," beginning:

"I long to know

How my dear mistress fares," etc.

Chapman was the friend of Spenser, Jonson, and Shakespeare; was temperate and pious, and, according to Oldys, "preserved in his conduct the true dignity of poetry, which he compared to the flower of the sun, that disdains to open its leaves to the eye of a smoking taper."

Collier quotes from a contemporary diary the following anecdote of the rough Marston, whose name is with Chapman's on the title-page: "Nov. 21, 1602.-Jo. Marston, the last Christmas, when he danced with Alderman More's wife's daughter, a Spaniard born, fell into a strange commendation of her wit and beauty. When he had done, she thought to pay him home, and told him she thought he was a poet. "'Tis true,' said he, 'for poets feign and lie; and so did I when I commended your beauty, for you are exceeding foul.'” Poets, we trust, are more courteous at the present day.

The Preliminary matter (i.e., the commendatory verses, etc.) was omitted in the 2nd edition of 1639.

Red Mor., by Bedford.

Eastward Hoe. As It was playd in the Black-friers. By the

Children of her Maiesties Reuels. Made by Geo: Chapman, Ben Ionso Ioh: Marston. At London, Printed for William Aspley. 1605. 4to.

A-H, in fours.

Title with "Prologvs" on verso, A 1; Signature G cut into, H 4 wanting.

"Tha

In Act III. Scene 2. a passage occurs in some copies of this play reflecting on the ScotsSo King James had it cut out, it began “Only a few industrious Scots" and ends, we do here." Though this has a similar title-page to my other perfect copy it is a differen edition.-F. L. The type was re-set, and occupies fewer leaves.

Other instances of this sort occurred, for we find an Order of Council, June 7, 1660, tha the Stationers' Company do seize and deliver to the Secretary of State all copies of Buchanan's "History of Scotland" and "De Jure Regni apud Scotos," "which are very pernicious to his Majesty's blessed progenitors." (Kennet's "Register,” 176.)

In those early days publishing was a very perilous matter, and an author might proudly rise in the morning worth £1,000 a year, and go to bed at night with loss of an ear and all his cash. The disgusting tyranny of the Star Chamber is well known. Leighton, a Scots divine, having published an angry libel against the hierarchy, was sentenced to be publicly whipped at Westminster and set in the pillory, to have one side of his nose slit, one ear cut off, and one side of his cheek branded with a hot iron, to have the whole of this repeated the next week at Cheapside, and to suffer perpetual imprisonment in the Fleet. Prynne, for printing "Histriomastix," under Charles I., was sentenced to stand twice in the pillory, to lose both his ears, to pay a fine of £5,000, and to suffer imprisonment during the King's pleasure.

On E i verso is the quotation, "and enough is as good as a feast.”

Of Virginia is said: "A whole Countrie of English is there man, bread of those that were left in '79; they have married with the Indians & make 'hem bring forth as beautifull faces as any we haue in England: . . . . 'tis some six weekes saile no more, with any indifferent good winde: And if I get to any part of the coaste of Affrica, ile saile thether with any winde. Or when I come to Cape Finister, ther's a foreright winde continuall wafts us till we come to VIRGINIA."

From this play Hogarth is supposed to have taken the idea of his set of prints called "The Industrious and Idle Prentices." There appeared three editions of this play in 1605, of which the first only contained the offending passage against the Scots.

Red Mor., by De Coverly.

CONGREVE, WILLIAM. The Mourning Bride, A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, By His Majesty's Servants. Written by Mr. Congreve. Neque enim lex æquior ulla, Quàm necis artifices arte perire sua. Ovid. de Arte Am. London, Printed for Jacob Tonson at the Judge's Head near the Inner-Temple-Gate, in Fleet-street, 1697. 4to. [1st Edition.]

A-K 2, in fours.

Short Title and Title, 2 leaves; Dedication, A 1-3; Prologue, A 3 verso—4, with Personæ Dramatis on verso; The Tragedy, pp. 1-74 (the pagination omits 57-64); Epilogue, I leaf.

The opening line of the Tragedy reads, "Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast."

Dr. Johnson said that the description of the temple in Act II. was the finest poetical passage he had ever read, and that he recollected none in Shakespeare equal to it. Citron Half Calf.

The Mourning Bride, A Tragedy. As it is Acted At the Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, By His Majesty's Servants. Written by

Mr. Congreve.-Neque enim lex æquior ulla, Quàm necis artifices arte perire sua. Ovid. de Arte Am. The Second Edition. London, Printed for Jacob Tonson, at the Judg's-Head, near the Inner-Temple-Gate, in Fleet-street. 1679. [sic-should be 1697.] 4to.

A-K 2, in fours.

Short Title and Title, 2 leaves; Dedication, A 1-3; Prologue, A 3 verso-A 4, with Personæ Dramatis on verso; The Tragedy, pp. 1-66; Epilogue, 1 leaf.

The opening line of the Tragedy reads, "Musick has charms to sooth a savage Beast." This version appears to be due to the Printer rather than to the Author. The issue is full of errors, which begin with the date and continue throughout the text. Thus-"Crows" for "Crowns," "should not tell" for "should tell," "distance shouts" for "distant shouts," ," "Gracia" for "Garcia," "by" for "my," "bess" for "bless," etc. Tonson seems to have realized this, and to have issued corrected copies, the words "second edition" being retained. One of these corrected copies is in the 1886 Catalogue of the Rowfant Library.

The Rev. James Bramston seems to have remembered the above version of the opening line in his "Man of Taste," 1733:

Half Red Calf.

"Musick has charms to soothe a savage beast,
And therefore proper at a sheriffs' feast."

CONGREVE, WILLIAM. The Mourning Muse of Alexis. A Pastoral. Lamenting the Death of our late Gracious Queen Mary Of ever Blessed Memory. By Mr. Congreve. Infandum Regina Jubes renovare dolorem ! Virg. London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, at the Judge's Head, near the InnerTemple Gate in Fleetstreet. 1695. Folio. 12 x 7 in. [1st Edition.]

A-C, in twos.

Title, A ; Poem, pp. 10.
Boards.

The Old Batchelour, A Comedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal, By Their Majesties Servants. Written by Mr. Congreve. Quem tulit ad Scenam ventoso gloria Curru, Exanimat lentus Spectator; sedulus inflat. Sic leve, sic parvum est, animum quod laudis avarum Subruit, aut reficit-Horat. Epist. I. Lib. II. London, Printed for Peter Buck, at the sign of the Temple near the Temple gate in Fleet street, 1693. 4to. [1st Edition.]

A 1-4; a, 2 leaves; B-H, in fours.

Title, A1; Dedication "To the Right Honourable Charles Lord Clifford of Lanesborough, etc.," A 2; Commendatory Verse by Tho. Southerne, J. W. Marsh, and Bevil Higgins, A 3, 4 and a, with Prologue, by an unknown hand, on verso; Prologue and Personæ Dramatis, a 2; The Comedy, pp. 55; Epilogue, p. 55 verso.

Congreve states in the Dedication: "It is the first Offence I have committed in this kind, or indeed, in any kind of Poetry, tho' not the first made publick . . . when it was first written. . . Ignorance of the Town and Stage, would then have been Excuses in a young Writer, which now, almost four Years experience will scarce allow of."

Congreve was only twenty-three years of age when this play was first acted. Dryden pronounced it to be the best first play he had ever seen.

8

DAVENANT-DAVISON.

Congreve's characters, however, are generally vicious and heartless; which, on bei attacked by Collier, he justified by Aristotle's definition of comedy; that it is φαυλοτέρων.

Calf, green back, by Riviere.

DAVENANT, SIR WILLIAM. Madagascar; with other Poems.

B

W. Davenant. London, Printed by John Haviland for Thomas Walkly, and are to be sold at his shop at the Flying Horse neare Yorke house. 1638 12mo. [1st Edition.]

A-G, in twelves. The 3 first and the last blank.

Title, A 4; Imprimatur dated Feb. 26, 1637, A 5; Laudatory Verse, etc., by Endimion Porter, Sir J. Suckling, Thomas Carew, and Wm. Habington, A6—12; Madagascar, pp. 1-21; other Poems, pp. 22—141.

I do not possess Gondibert, it is very heavy. Reading it quite an effort, like swimming in glue, but I believe there are pieces in the volume better than anything in this. I know his "dream" and the Soldier leaving his sweetheart. ("Preserve thy sighs.”)—F. L.

Cowley and Waller-friends of our author-considered "Gondibert " (1651) a great and durable monument of genius! There is a story that Davenant was the natural son of Shakespeare. The story was related to Pope by Betterton the player, and of course greedily snapped up. Young Davenant, anyhow, is said to have admired Shakespeare above all other poets, and one of his first efforts was an Ode to Shakespeare, included in his “ Madagascar and other Poems."

Our dramatist wrote twenty-five plays. "His last work," says Southey, "was his worst; it was an alteration of the 'Tempest,' executed in conjunction with Dryden; and marvellous indeed it is that two men of such great and indubitable genius should have combined to debase and vulgarise and pollute such a poem as the 'Tempest.' Although the accomplished Southey says so, Davenant has not left his mark upon our literature as a man of "great and indubitable genius;" he rather seems a commonplace playwright and poetaster.

Original Calf.

DAVISON, FRANCIS. A Poetical Rapsody Containing, Diuerse Sonnets, Odes, Elegies, Madrigalls, and other Poesies, both in Rime, and Measured Verse. Neuer yet published. The Bee and Spider by a diuerse power, Sucke Hony & Poyson from the selfe same flower. Printed at London by V. S. for John Baily, and are to be solde at his Shoppe in Chancerie lane, neere to the Office of the six Clarkes. 1602. 12mo. [1st Edition.]

B-L7, in twelves, preceded by 3 leaves.

Title, I leaf; Dedication to William, Earl of Pembroke, with Address to the Reader on verso, 2 leaves; Pastorals and Eglogues, B-C 12; Title for "Sonnets, Odes, Elegies and Madrigalls." By Francis Dauifon, Walter Dauison Brethren. DI; Sonnets, etc., D 2-F 11; Title for Sonets, Odes, Elegies and other Poesies, F 12. Sonnets, etc., G—I 12; Diverse Poems of svndry Avthors, K 1-L7.

The head lines of the two first portions answer to their Short Titles. The fourth part has the same head line as the second part.

Bought at Sotheby's on Tuesday, 12th November, 1891.-F. L.

Under date 8th July, 1602, John Chamberlaine wrote to Sir Dudley Carleton: "Young

Davison hath lately set out certain Sonnets and Epigrams."

Only one other copy of this 1st edition is known, viz., that in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. The Bodleian copy, however, is imperfect, wanting sigs. E 1, E 12, F 1, F 12, which