-

REPLIES:-College Salting, 10-"Coqueliner," 11-Dr.

Parr and Tobacco, 12-" Fellowes' Visit to la Trappe," &c.,

the Note on it in Willis's Catalogue, 13 - Centenarianism,

15- Derivation of Shakspeare -Pencil Writing -De-

scriptive Catalogue Library discovered at Willscot

Glebe-House

Mural

The Gold Ants of Herodotus -

Burial- Hereditary Alias Ride v. Drive-Paul Hiffer-

nan-Ventilate- - Čarnival at Milan-Vant - Henry Can-

trell, M.A.-Splitting Paper- Publication of Banns-

Rutherford Family-Submerged Bells-The Judas Tree

-The Rev. John Huttou- Colonel Hooke-Britain 1116

B.C.- John Wythers, 15.

Notes on Books.

Notes.

COLLEY CIBBER AND GAY.

Cibber succeeded to the "bays" upon the death

of Eusden in 1730. The poet who might have

calculated more surely than any other upon that

distinction was Gay; but, by a strange incon-

sistency of conduct shortly after the accession of

George II., he had obstructed his promotion, and,

by greater subsequent acts of indiscretion, de-

stroyed the faintest hope of establishing his for-

tunes, at least through the influence of the court.

Gay experienced, in fact, the truth contained in

his own inimitable fable of "The Hare":

who depend

66

On many, rarely find a friend."

No doubt, he had aspired to the office of lau-

reate, and would have obtained it most probably

through the intervention of Queen Caroline; who,

whilst Princess of Wales, had always been very

favourably disposed towards him, and, imme-

diately upon her accession, had given him an

earnest of her sincerity and condescension by

offering him the situation of gentleman-usher to

her daughter, the Princess Louisa. The office

was almost a sinecure, worth more than 2001. per

ann., and a sure stepping-stone to higher prefer-

ment; yet Gay had the folly and indecency not

only to reject it peremptorily, but with every

expression of scorn. The infatuated poet then

"Love in a riddle, for so my new-fangled performance

was called, was as vilely damned and hooted at as so

vain a presumption in the idle cause of virtue could

deserve."

The signal failure of that dramatic piece, no

less than his "annual Odes," which had no merit

but their loyalty, exposed the unlucky laureate to

the incessant attacks of Gay and his friends; and

amongst the latter not one was so persistent in his

opposition as Fielding. Gay himself had established

the precedent of writing "volunteer Odes," and

had by such means at first attracted the favour-

able notice of the Queen, whilst she was Princess

of Wales. The authors of the accompanying “Ode

for the New Year" (reprinted for the first time

from the original broadside) intended as well to

retaliate upon the presumptuous laureate as to ex-

in the

pose the foibles of the principal personages
court. Both the hand and kindly nature of Gay
are discernible in it; in those stanzas, I mean,
which refer to that truly excellent, but oftentimes
For whilst

much abused lady, Queen Caroline.

the ballad hints at the parsimonious and irascible

disposition of the King, the weakmindedness of his

voluptuous and dependent son, Prince Frederic

Louis of Wales, and their mutual and disgraceful

squabbles, the allusions to her Majesty are rather

complimentary than satirical; evidencing, in fact,

her steady patronage of the most distinguished

men of her day, without regard either to their

religious or political creeds.

"AN ODE FOR THE NEW YEAR:

Written by Colley Cibber, Esq.,

Poet Laureate.

"God prosper long our gracious King,
Now sitting on the throne;
Who leads this nation in a String,
And governs all but One.*

* His minister, Sir Robert Walpole; whose red ribbon