A very important MS., with relation to Scottish history, was placed in
the Library on Dec. 5, in this year. It is a transcript (from the
originals,) by Col. J. Hooke, agent in Scotland for James II[287], of
all his political correspondence between the beginning of the year 1704
and the end of 1707. It forms two folio volumes, but is unfinished, as
the second volume ends with the commencement of a letter from James
Ogilvie, of Boyn, to M. de Torcy, Dec. 26, 1707. A brief narrative of
Hooke's negotiations, which contains copies of a few of the letters here
given, was published in France, in the French language, and a
translation was printed in a small volume at Dublin in 1760; but the
great mass of the correspondence is as yet inedited. The volumes came to
the Library in pursuance of a bequest from the Rev. J. Tickell, Rector
of Gawsworth, Cheshire and East Mersea, Essex, who died at Wargrave,
Berks, July 3, 1802. The bequest was to take effect upon the death of
his wife, which occurred towards the close of 1816[288].
The Curators reported, at the end of the annual list, that considerable
progress had been made towards the formation of a new general Catalogue.
Further progress was reported in the following year; in which year also
Dibdin[289] announced that the Catalogue would be finished, in four
folio volumes, by Messrs. Bandinel and Cotton under the superintendence
of Professor Gaisford[290]. He adds, 'The Prince Regent hath
munificently given a considerable sum towards the completion of these
glorious labours.' There is no record in the annual accounts of any such
donation; but in 1823 and 1824 payments amounting to £420 were made to
the Librarian, Sub-librarians, and Assistant, for their work on the new
Catalogue[291], out of 'the Prince Regent's benefaction.' On the
proposition of the Chancellor, Lord Grenville, in 1814, Mr. Vansittart,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had expressed his willingness to apply
to Parliament for a grant of £5000 for the purpose; probably this idea
was abandoned for the more easily practicable one of a grant from the
Privy Purse.
Four Greek MSS. were presented in this year by Rev. ---- Hall, Chaplain at
Leghorn[292]; a copy of Lucan's _Pharsalia_, with MSS. collations by
Joseph Addison, by the Warden of Merton College; and a large collection
of books in Oriental literature, printed in Bengal, by the East India
Company.
[287] Hooke in 1685 was one of the Chaplains attending Monmouth in his
rebellion! _Lockhart Papers_, 1817, vol. i. p. 148.
[288] _Gent. Magaz._ vol. lxxv. ii. 569.
[289] _Bibliogr. Decam._ iii. 429.
[290] Portions of the Letters A F and P which had been thus prepared
were subsequently printed, but the whole work was then for some years
suspended, and afterwards commenced _de novo_. And nearly thirty years
elapsed before it was finally completed.
[291] Previous grants amounting to £260, had been made in 1820.
[292] Three of these are described in Mr. Coxe's Catalogue, cols.
812-14.