[We believe all that is known of Bishop Turner's MS. Life of Nicholas
Ferrar is, that it was in the custody of the editor of _The Christian
Magazine_ in 1761. Foster the Essayist (_Lectures_, vol. ii. p. 504.
edit. 1848) says, "A long and well-written account of Ferrar was drawn
up by a Dr. Turner, Bishop of Ely, and left by him in manuscript. It
remained in the hands of the persons to whom his papers descended, till
it was communicated to the conductors of a miscellany called _The
Christian Magazine_, in a volume of which for the year 1761, this
curious memoir was lately pointed out to me." Gough, in his _British
Topography_, vol. ii. p. 299.*, furnishes a few other
particulars:--"The papers of Bishop Turner, in the year 1761, appear to
have been in the hands of Dr. Dodd, who printed some of them in _The
Christian Magazine_ for that year. In particular the _Life of Mr.
Nicholas Ferrar_ was abridged, and published at p. 356. In the
introduction the editor says, 'As the _Life_ is rather too long for our
pamphlet, even divided, we have taken the liberty to abridge some
particulars in the Bishop's account, and now and then to alter a phrase
or two in his language, which through length of time is in some places
rather become obsolete.' From this passage it will appear that it was
published in the worst manner it could be." Our correspondent will find
much curious matter respecting the biographies of Nicholas Ferrar in
our Second Volume, pp. 119. 407. 444. 485. Among the Addit. MSS. (No.
5540., f. 53.) in the British Museum, is a Letter of Bishop Turner's
addressed to Mr. Reading, and read at the trial of Lord Preston, 1691.]
_Raleigh's History._--What is the story of Raleigh's burning the second
volume of his History?