judgment, which was what Anthony very much wanted. I should have been glad to have seen the latter part; but this I now despair of seeing, you having parted with the original, and there being, perhaps, no copy of it in any friend's hand. But if there should be any copy, I earnestly beg that you would get me a sight thereof, and I promise to make no other use of it than to read it over, without writing any thing out of it, unless you, or the owner, shall give me leave.*

A few years since came out a view of London, done by one Hatton, an accountant. I take it to be a very slight and mean performance. I had much rather Stowe were reprinted, and a continuation to the present time added. Stowe was but an indifferent scholar himself; but then he having had the use of Mr. Leland's notes (which are now lost) there are many excellent things in the

* Lord Oxford received Wood's Diary from Mr. Anstis, who gave it his Lordship in 1712. Anstis procured it from Mr. Dale in exchange for some of Anthony Wood's Letters (see page 60.) But Wood's Life, written by himself, being afterwards discovered among Bishop Tanner's papers, it was published by Hearne in the second volume of Thome Caii Vindicia Antiq. Acad. Oxon. printed in 1730, a work now of considerable rarity and value. This Life with many additions from other persons, and a continuation derived from the papers of Dr. Richard Rawlinson of St. John's college, was printed in 1772, at Oxford, with the Lives of Leland and Hearne. The editor of this publication was Mr. Huddesford of Trinity college.

work, and some of them learned, and worthy the observation of even our best scholars.

I should be glad to know whether Rymer's "Fœdera"* will be continued. He intended to have published a separate volume of Critical Observations. But how well he was qualified for that I know not. It is certain such a performance would be acceptable, and whoever does it will have thereby an opportunity of shewing his learning and judgment, both as a Critic and an Antiquary.

The last time I saw Mr. Tyrrell, he told me he was going to London to print another part of his General History of England. I hope he will retract his errors; but this I cannot well expect, considering his age, and his zeal for republican principles.

I lately saw a small piece advertised of Sir John Fortescue's. I formerly transcribed it from a MS. in our public library, and, it seems, the editor hath made use of my copy; but I have not yet seen the edition, and therefore can say nothing of the performance. I suppose you may have

* We rejoice to hear that this most valuable work is about to be reprinted by Government, with considerable additions and a continuation. Such undertakings as these assist literature, and do credit to the nation.

VOL. I.

seen it; and if so, I should be willing to know whether he hath made any additions.

Dr. Aldrich.-Mr. Strype.-Mr. Fortescue.-Life of Sir

William Dugdale.

SIR,

DR. Aldrich was a very great man, and had extraordinary skill in music,* and no

In the "Pleasant Musical Companion," printed in 1726, are two catches by Dr. Aldrich," Hark the bonny Christ Church bells," and a "Smoking Catch, to be sung by four men smoking their pipes, not more difficult to sing than diverting to hear."

The following story of Dr. Aldrich's excessive love of smoking is told by Sir John Hawkins, in his History of Music.

"A young student of the College once finding some difficulty to bring a young gentleman, his chum, into the belief of it, laid him a wager that the dean was smoking at that instant, viz. about ten o'clock in the morning. Away therefore went the student to the deanery, where, being admitted

one, I believe, was better qualified for understanding the musical notes in the old MS. you gave to my Lord Treasurer. He hath given a public instance of his knowledge in the ancient music in some learned notes upon one of the old inscriptions in the "Marmora Oxoniensia."

You have great interest with my Lord Treasurer, and perhaps may prevail with him to let me have a copy of A. à Wood's Diary.

Mr. Strype hath a large collection of MSS. Papers, and he is an industrious man. But then, as I take it, he wants both learning and judgment, and does not know how to make a true and right use of his papers. The things he hath published are voluminous, and written in a creeping style. Had they been managed by a

to the dean in his study,, he related the occasion of his visit. To which the dean replied, in perfect good humour, 'you see, you have lost your wager, for I'm not smoking, but filling my pipe.' The [Smoking] Catch above-mentioned was made to be sung by the dean, Mr. Sampson Estwick, then of Christ Church, and afterwards of St. Paul's, and two other smoking friends. Mr. Estwick is plainly pointed out by the words, I prithee Sam fill." ".;

Dr. Aldrich had a noble collection of Church-music, and has enriched our stores by very judiciously adapting English words to the music of Italian composers.

* He had all the MS. Collections of the industrious Fox, the Martyrologyst. These Strype sold to Lord Oxford, and they are now among the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum.

judicious man they would have been brought into a less compass, and been adorned with better and more pertinent observations. What Dr. Gerard Langbaine, who was a man of most exquisite learning and judgment, hath said of Sir John Cheek in the Account of his Life, prefixed to Sir John's excellent little book called "The Hurt of Sedition,"* (reprinted by the Doctor's care at Oxford in 4to. in the year 1641) tho' it be very short, yet it is much more satisfactory, and is indeed a much more exact history of his Life, than the long, dry, riff-raff narrative of it published by Mr. Strype; who, by the by, is also unfit for this sort of work, by reason of his striking in with the abettors of those republican and Whiggish notions that have been so industriously propagated of late by the party.+

I have not yet seen Mr. Fortescue's book. I expect nothing now from his Discourse about the use of the Saxon tongue. I do not know of any one that denies it to be useful; but then I think there are some who are too extravagant in its praises. For my part I look upon an exact knowledge in the Greek and Latin tongues to be much more necessary for a Common Lawyer, as

* Of Sir John Cheek, see Athena Oxonienses, vol. i. col. 241, &c. edit. 4to.

+ See Hearne's opinion on the word Party, and the Party itself, at page 226.