_Sir Thomas Herbert's Memoirs of Charles I._--The question suggested by MR.
GATTY'S first note upon this subject was one of some importance, viz.,
whether the original MS. in the possession of his friend contained anything
of Sir Thomas Herbert's not hitherto published? There is no doubt that the
"Memoir of the two last years of King Charles I." was written by Sir Thomas
Herbert, after his retirement to his native city of York, at the request of
the author of the _Athenae Oxonienses_, who made use of nearly the whole of
it in compiling that great work, adapting different portions to his
biographical notices of the persons to whom they principally related. The
notices of Colonel Joyce and Colonel Cobbet are chiefly composed of
extracts from Herbert's Memoir; whilst under the name of Herbert himself
not more than about one-third of his own communication will be found.
The first edition of the _Athenae_ was not published until 1691, several
years after Sir Thomas Herbert's death; and the memoir in a complete form,
with the title of _Threnodia Carolina_, did not appear until the year 1702,
when it was published by Dr. Charles Goodall, physician to the Charter
House, together with other tracts relating to Charles I. This is doubtless
the volume described by MR. BOLTON CORNEY (vol. iii., p. 157.), who will, I
hope, favour your readers with the information requested by MR. GATTY (p.
222.).
The Memoir, as published in 1813 by G. and W. Nicol, Booksellers, Pall
Mall, professes to be a faithful reprint of the former edition of 1702. The
commencing and concluding paragraphs in this reprint are precisely the same
as those transcribed by MR. GATTY'S friend from the MS. in his possession.
His idea, that an incorrect copy of his MS. was improperly obtained, and
published in 1813, seems to be without foundation.
[Delta].
* * * * *
Minor Notes.
_Shakspeare's Venus and Adonis._--The following extract from an
advertisement in the _St. James's Chronicle_, April 15, 1779, is worth a
note as illustrative of the altered value of the book referred to:--
"If any person is possessed of an impression of Shakspeare's _Venus and
Adonis_, 4to. Printed by Richard Field for John Harrison, 1593, and
will bring it to Mr. Thomas Longman, bookseller, in Paternoster Row, he
will receive one guinea for it."
Malone gave 25l. for the copy in his collection in the Bodleian.