1. _Newburgh Hamilton_.--Can any of your readers inform me who Newburgh
Hamilton was? He wrote two pieces in my library, viz. (1.) _Petticoat
Plotter_, a farce in two acts; acted at Drury Lane and Lincoln's Inn
Fields, London, 1720, 12mo. This has been mutilated by Henry Ward, a York
comedian, and actually printed by him as his _own_ production, in the
collection of plays and poems going under his name, published in 1745,
8vo., a copy of which I purchased at Nassau's sale, many years since. (2.)
_The Doating Lovers, or the Libertine Tamed_, a comedy in five acts; acted
in Lincoln's Inn Fields. It is dedicated to the Duchess of Hamilton and
Brandon, whose "elegant taste and nice judgment in the most polite
entertainments of the age," as well as her "piercing wit," are eulogised.
Accident gave me a copy of Mr. Hamilton's book-plate, which consists of the
crest and motto of the ducal race of Hamilton in a very curious
framework,--the top being a row of music-books, whilst the sides and bottom
are decorated with musical instruments, indicative, probably, of the tastes
of Mr. Hamilton.
2. _The Children's Petition._--I have also a very extraordinary little
book, of which I never saw another copy. It formerly belonged to Michael
Lort, and is entitled
"The Children's Petition, or a Modest Remonstrance of that Intolerable
Grievance our Youth lie under, in the accustomed Severities of the
School Discipline of this Nation. Humbly presented to the Consideration
of the Parliament. Licensed Nov. 10. 1669, by Roger L'Estrange. London,
1669. 18mo."
The object of this most singular production is to put down the flagellation
of boys in that particular part of the body wherein honour is said to be
placed; and the arguments adduced are not very easily answered. The author,
whoever he was, had reason, as well as learning, on his side. I am not
aware of any other copy north the Tweed; but there may be copies in some of
the libraries south of that river.
3. _Dr. Anthony Horneck._--Do any of the letters of the once celebrated Dr.
Anthony Horneck exist in any library, public or private? His only daughter
married Mr. Barneveldt; and his son, who served with Marlborough, left
issue, which failed in the male line, but still exists in the female line,
in the representative of Henry William Bunting, Esq., the caricaturist. The
writer of these Queries is the direct descendant of Mrs. Barneveldt, and is
anxious to know whether any unpublished MSS. of his ancestors still exist.
There was a Philip Horneck who in 1709 published an ode inscribed to his
excellency the Earl of Wharton, wherein he is described as LL.B., a copy of
which I have. There can be no doubt he is the individual introduced by Pope
in the _Dunciad_, book iii. line 152.; but what I wish to know is, whether
he was a son of Dr. Horneck, and a brother of the general.
4. In Clifford's _History of the Paul of Tixall_, the name of the real
author of _Gaudentio di Lucca_ is given. Every reliance may be attached to
the accuracy of the information there given, not only on account of the
undoubted respectability of the author, but from the evident means of
knowledge which he, as a Roman Catholic of distinction, must have had.
5. _The Travels of Baron Munchausen_ were written to ridicule Bruce, the
Abyssinian traveller, whose adventures were at the time deemed fictitious.
Bruce was a most upright, honest man, and recorded nothing but what he had
seen; nevertheless, as is always the case, a host of detractors buzzed
about him, and he was so much vexed at the impeachment of his veracity,
that he let them get their own way. Munchausen, a veritable {118} name--the
real possessor of which died in October, 1817--was assumed, and poor Bruce
was travestied very cleverly, but most unjustly. The real author has not
been ascertained; but at one time it was believed to have been James
Grahame, afterwards a Scotch barrister, and author of a poem of much
beauty, called _The Sabbath_. Circumstances which came to my knowledge,
coupled with the exceedingly loveable character of Grahame, render this
belief now incredible; but undoubtedly he knew who the real author was. The
copy in my library is in two volumes: the _first_, said to be the second
edition, "considerably enlarged, and ornamented with twenty explanatory
engravings from original designs," is entitled _Gulliver Revived: or the
Vice of Lying properly exposed_, and was printed for the Kearsleys, at
London, 1793. The _second_ volume is called _A Sequel to the Adventures of
Baron Munchausen_, and is described as "a new edition, with twenty capital
copperplates, including the Baron's portrait; humbly dedicated to Mr.
Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller," was published by H. D. Symonds,
Paternoster Row, 1796. I had for years sought for an original copy of this
very singular work, and I at last was so successful as to purchase the one
above described, which had been picked up by a bookseller at the sale of
some books originally forming part of the library at Hoddam Castle.
On looking over a copy of Sir John Mandeville,
"Printed for J. Osborne, near Dockhead, Southwark; and James Hodges, at
the Looking Glass, on London Bridge:"
I observe he gives--at least there--no account whatever of his
peregrinations to the polar regions; and the notion of ascribing to him the
story of the frozen words is preposterous. I have not in my library, but
have read, the best edition of Sir John's _Travels_ (I don't mean the
abominable reprint), but I do not remember anything of the kind there.
Indeed Sir John, like Marco Polo, was perfectly honest, though some of
their informants may not have been so.