_The Wilkes MSS. and "North Briton."_--I inquired long since what had
become of these MSS., which Miss Wilkes bequeathed to Peter Elmsley, of
Sloane Street, "to whose judgement and delicacy" she confided
them,--meaning, I presume, that she should be content to abide by his
judgement as to the propriety of publishing them, or a selection; but
certainly to be preserved for the vindication of her father's memory;
otherwise she would have destroyed them, or directed them to be destroyed.
In 1811 these MSS. were, I presume, in the possession of Peter Elmsley,
Principal of St. Alban's Hall, as he submitted the Junius Correspondence,
through Mr. Hallam, to Serjeant Rough, who returned the letters to Mr.
Hallam. Where now are the original Junius Letters, and where the other
MSS.? The _Athenæum_ has announced that the Stowe MSS., including the
Diaries and Correspondence of George Grenville, are about to be published,
and will throw a "new light" on the character of John Wilkes. I suspect any
light obtained from George Grenville will be very like the old light, and
only help to blacken what is already too dark. I therefore venture to ask
once again, Where are the Wilkes MSS.? and can they be consulted? Further,
are any of your readers able and willing to inform us who were the writers
of the different papers in the _North Briton_, either first or second
series? Through "NOTES AND QUERIES" we got much curious information on this
point with reference to the _Rolliad_.