to quote the Menagium.' We meet with Phililphus,' 'Lupus Castelliunculus,' Marsilius Fuinus,' ' Guadrio,' Gionotto Donati,' 'Lord Buckhorst,' Nicolai Uptoni de officio militari,' &c. &c. We have even in three several places Lord C. T. Coke' for Lord Chief Justice Coke. It may be said that it is being captious to criticise severely what are simply errors of the press, and that some errors are unavoidable, as no doubt they are; but when they become so numerous and so grave, as quite to disfigure a deceased author's work, it is but justice to his memory to point them out. There are some, however, which can scarcely be qualified as errors of the press,' yet cannot be thought those of Mr. Roscoe; for instance, Fra Martinus,'' Pier-Candidus Decembrius,' ' Gulielmus Orsino, Gran Concelliere di Francia,' &c.

These Italo-Latin compounds I cannot imagine to have been in his MS. I can only suppose the terminations of abbreviated names to have been hastily and inaccurately supplied by the editor. From the manner in which, throughout the paper, the names of Italian writers are given sometimes in Italian, sometimes in Latin, a practice quite inconsistent with Mr. Roscoe's avowed opinions, and at variance with that which he adopted in the works published in his lifetime, together with the apparently hasty composition of the Essay, I conceive that it was not intended by him for publication, at least in the form in which it is now given to the world, but only for perusal at the meetings of the Society; to use his own words, when speaking of his contemplated Catalogue of the Holkham Manuscripts, as this work (the Catalogue)

sui coenobii variis codicibus manuscriptis auxerit, magnamque illius partem sumptuose admodum ad majores studiorum illecebras compingi curavit, quorum voluminum aliqua hodie adhuc in bibliotheca Cathedralis Ecclesiæ Gandensis visuntur oloserico byssoque tecta ac auro fulgida." It appears from Mr. Roscoe's Essay, that Mr. Coke possesses several manuscripts formerly in this collection, and in the British Museum there is a very fine manuscript (Bibl. Arundel. 93,) with the name of Raphael de Marcatellis, and having this coat of arms: Gules, a fess embattled counterembattled Argent. This bearing was that of the family of Buren. From Lord Arundel's having possessed this MS. we may believe the collection to have been dispersed in the earlier part of the seventeenth century.

"The practice which I have heretofore adopted of designating the scholars of Italy by their national appellations, has given rise to some animadversions. In answer to which I beg to remark, that whoever is conversant with history, must frequently have observed the difficulties which arise from the wanton alterations, in the names of both persons and places, by authors of different countries, and particularly by the French, who, without hesitation, accommodate every thing to the genius of their own language. Hence the names of all the eminent men of Greece, of Rome, or of Italy, are melted down, and appear again in such a form as would not in all probability have been recognized by their proper owners; Dionysius is Denys, Titus Livius Tite Live, Horatius Horace, Petrarca Petrarque, and Pico of Mirandola Pic de Mirandole. As the literature which this country derived from Italy was first obtained through the medium of the French, our early authors followed them in this respect, and thereby sanctioned those innovations which the nature of our own language did not require. It is still more to be regretted that we are not uniform, even in our abuse. The name of Horace is familiar to the English reader; but if he were told of the three Horaces, he would probably be at a loss to discover the persons meant, the authors of our country having commonly given them the appellation of the Horatii. In the instance of such names as are familiar to our early literature, we adopt with the French the abbreviated appellation; but in latter times we usually employ proper national distinctions, and instead of Arioste, or Metastase, we write without hesitation, Ariosto or Metastasio. This inconsistency is more sensibly felt, when the abbreviated appellation of one scholar is contrasted with the national distinction of another, as when a letter is addressed by Petrarch to Coluccio Salutati, or by Politian to Ermolao Barbaro, or Baccio Ugolini. For the sake of uniformity, it is surely desirable that every writer should conform as much as possible to some general rule, which can only be found by a reference of every proper name to the standard of its proper country. This method would not only avoid the incongruities before mentioned, but would be productive of positive advantages, as it would in general point out the nation of the person spoken of, without the necessity of further indication."-Pref. to Leo X.

MEMORIALS OF LITERARY CHARACTERS, No. V.

LETTERS OF THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES FOX TO DENNIS O'BRYEN, ESQ.

DEAR O'BRYEN, (June 4, 1802.) WITH respect to leaving Parliament, my mind is all but made up upon the subject. I know not who is for, or who against it; nor indeed, as my own ease and happiness are the considerations which principally influence me, is it material that I should. Of course you will not suspect me of being so selfish as to give way to motives of this kind, if, per contra, there were any prospect that the sacrifice I might personally make, might be beneficial to the publick or even to my friends; but this cannot I think be contended by the most sanguine. There is one argument which you have urged in your last letter, which I must entreat you, if you have any kindness for me, never to touch upon again, even in the most distant way. It is a possibility which I neither can will think of, and pray never recall it again to my mind, no not so much as by noticing this paragraph of my let

nor

ter. Pray comply with this weakness of mine, if it be weakness, in the most litteral manner, by not even saying that you will do so.

I learn from Adam that he is enabled to do something with respect to some of the most pressing Demands, so that for the present you are free from immediate alarm. Now shew how you can use such an interval. As to the parliamentary plan I see less hope than ever; there can be no objection however to your mentioning it to Adam, who will, if he can, point out some way, and if he would, I would do my part; but I confess I see no light.

Now you have used yourself to stage coach hours, I hope you will come again soon, and perhaps before we come to Dryden, you may help me a little in history. If Mrs. H. comes, I hope you will of course. Fine weather again, but no hay for me. Yours ever, C. J. F.

St. Anne's Hill, Friday.

*

DEAR O'BRYEN, (July 31, 1802.) I HAVE received of yours the packet by the coach, containing the letters which I return, as also (sent me from St. Anne's, where you directed it, though I had told you I should leave home before the post came in) the short note with the account of Wednesday's poll, and now your letter by post. That by the machine I have not yet, but will send to inquire for. The victory has been great indeed, but none of your letters give the least idea how the numbers of the two last days were obtained.† Monday and Tuesday, though pretty good, were not out of the course of things; but the two last days must be owing at least to some new discovery.

I do not feel about Erskine's letter as you do at all. I think his succeeding P. Arden would be a very de sirable thing, and by no means dishonourable to himself. Now to the material part of your packet, Bonaparte's reception of me, what it will be I know not, nor do I in fact much care; but I do care very much about what you hint, I mean the taking of any measures, however indirect, to ensure a good reception. I do most earnestly entreat you and all other friends not to take any step, however secret, or as I said indirect, to that purpose. If he receives me well, it may be a little flattering to the vanity of some who love me, not to my own upon my honour, and that they should be pleased is I own an object; if he does not receive me well, I can not think on the other hand that it will be a great mortification to any of you, or that in England or in Europe, generally speaking, or even in France, I shall be esteemed the less. I have no time to write more.

C. J. Fox.

Yrs ever,
Dover, Saturday morning.

P. S. We expect to embark in about an hour; the day is fine and wind fair.

* Of Craven-street, Strand. He died at Margate, Aug. 13, 1832, aged 77, and his political correspondence with several of our greatest statesmen has been recently sold by Mr. Evaus. An important letter of Mr. Canning to Mr. O'Bryen written in 1817, respecting the Pitt Club, has since been published in fuc-simile in Gwyn's Autograph Portfolio, and the Literary Gazette of Dec. 6.

This alludes to Sir F. Burdett's election for Middlesex.

Mr. Fox was presented at the First Consul's Levee on the 2d Sept. and afterwards dined with him. He was received in a very flattering manner by Buonaparte; so much so, that he is said to have been styled by the Parisian wits, "the Consul's Lictor." (London Evening Post, Sept. 11.)

WILL OF JOHN GOWER THE POET, ANNO 1408.

The Will of the Poet GowER, printed in Gough's Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain, vol. ii. p. 25, was reprinted in TODD'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF GOWER AND CHAUCER, pp. 87-90, and again in the Retrospective Review, New Series, vol. ii. 103, where many interesting particulars respecting the family of Gower may be found. It is evident, however, upon a collation of these several printed copies with the record in the first Register of Archbishop Arundel, remaining in the archives of Lambeth Palace, that they were never compared with that Record.

As the Will of this early Poet has been considered of sufficient interest to attract frequent attention, it is certainly desirable that it should appear with all possible accuracy. The following copy has, therefore, been collated literatim with the Archbishop's Register.

W. H. B.

In Dei noïe Amen. Ego Johannes Gower compos mentis et in fide catholica ad misericordiam dñi a dñi ñri iħu xpi ex toto me com [m]endans condo testamentum meum sub hac forma. In primis lego [256 b.] animam meam deo creatori meo et corpus meum ad sepeliend in ecctia Canonicoz beate marie de Oueres in loco ad hoc spialiter deputato. Et lego Priori dicte eccfie qui p tempore fuerit quadraginta solidos. Itm lego subpriori viginti §. Itm lego cuitt Canonico sacerdoti Deo ibidem seruienti xiij ŝ. & iiij &. ce?is vero Canonicis ibidem Nouicijs lego cuiliť eoz sex §. & viij đ. ita vt omes & singuli exequias sepulture me[e] deuocius colant orantes p me. Itm lego cuilit valetto infa portas dicti prioratus Priori et Conuentui seruienti duos solidos et cuilit Garcioni xij d. Itm lego ecctie beate Marie Magdalene xl. s. ad luminaria & ornamenta dicte ecctie. Ifm lego sacerdoti ibidem poch. x. 3. vt oret & orari faciat p me. Itm lego Mão Cłico ibidem iij s. Itm lego subctico ij s. Itm lego iiij. eccti[i]s poch in Soutwerk. v3 sancte Margarete sči Georgij. sĉi Olaui. & sancte Marie Magdalene iuxa Bermundesey cuiliť eaz singillatim xiij š. & iiij đ. ad ornamenta et Luminaria vt supa. Et cuilit sacerdoti pocħ siue Rectori in cura ibidem p temresidenti & ecctie seruienti sex s. & octo d. vt orent et orari pore me in suis poch faciant et pcurent. Itm lego magro Hospitalis sancti Thome Martiris in Southwerk. xl. s. et cuiliť sacerdoti qui est de gremio dicti Hospitalis. in eodem seruienti vj. §. & viij đ vt orent ibidem p me. Itm lego cuiliť sorori pfesse in dicto Hospitali iij s. & iiij . et cuilit eaz ancille infirmos custodienti xx. d. Itm lego cuiliť infirmo infa dictum Hospitale languenti xij đ. Iĩm lego

P

The word domini is written twice by mistake,-at the end of one line and beginning of the next. Mr. Todd read the first divinam.

GENT. MAG. VOL. III.

H

singulis hospitalib3 subscriptis v3 sĉi Antoni. Elsingspitett Bedlem exa Byschopus gat. seint mary spiteft iuxa Westm cuiliť sorori vbi sunt sorores in dictis hospitalib3 pfesse vna cum ancillis et languentibz ibidem vt pcipiant singillať modo vt supa. Iĩm lego cuiliť domui leprosoz in suburbijs London decem §. ad distribuend in eosdem vt orent p me. Itm lego Priori de Elsingspite. xl. §. et cuilit Canonico sacerdoti ibidm pfesso sex. §. et viij. d. vt orent p me. Itm lego ad seruiciū altaris in Capella sancti Johannis Baptiste in qua corpus meum sepeliend est v3 duo vestimenta de panno serico cum toto eoz appatu quoz vnū est de Blw Baudkyn. mixtū de colore albo. Et aliud vestimentū est de albo serico. Itm lego ad seruiciu dicti altaris vnū missale gande & no[u]um eciam & vnū calicem nouū vnde voluntas mea est qd dicta vestimenta vna cum Missale et Calice maneant imppm tantūmodo ad seruiciū dicti altaris & non alibi. Itm lego Priori et Conuentui. quendam magnū Librum sumptib3 meis noui? compositum qui Martilogiū dicit. sic qd in eodem spialem memoriam scriptam secundum eoz pmissa cotidie habere debeo. If lego Agneti vxori mee C. fi. legalis monete. Iťm lego eidem iij ciphos vnu coopculum duo salaria et xij. Cocliar de argento. Itm lego eidem omes lectos meos & cistas. vna cū appatu aule panetre coquine & eoz vasis & omib3 vtensilijs quibuscumq. Itm lego eidem vnū calicē et vnū vestimentū p altare quod est infa oratoriu hospicij mei. Itm volo qd si dicta' Agnes vxor mea diucius me viuat qd tunc ipa libere et pacifice inmete post mortem mea pcipiat omes redditus michi debitos de firmis Man' ioz meoz tam de Southwell in Comitatu North qam de Multon. in Com Suff' put in quodam scripto inde confecto sub sigillo meo necnon sub sigillis alio plenius constari polit. Huius autem testamenti mei facio [et] constituo executores meos v3. Agnetem vxorem meam dñm Arnaldum Sauage Militem dñm Rogerumb Armigerum dñm Wittm Denne Canonicū Capelle dñi Regis & Joħem Burton. Clicum. Dat infra Prioratum beate Marie de Oues in Sutwerk. in festo assumpcionis be[a]te Marie ao. dãi Mittio CCCCmo, viij.

Tenore Psencium Nos Thomas &c. Notum facimus. vniusis qd vicesimo quarto die Mef Octobris anno Dãi Mittio CCCCmo, octauo in Man'io ñro de Lamhith pbatum fuit coram nobis testamentum supascriptum p eo &c, cuius pretextu &c Admĭstacioq, omniū bonoz dictum testamentum concerñ. vbicunq, &c dilecte in xpo filie Agneti

Thus in the Register; the name omitted.