The very interesting notices which you have often given us of the truly
great and inestimable Locke, induce me to trouble you with an inquiry
relative to a philosophical writer, who followed in his school, I mean
the Rev. Mr. Gay, the author of the Dissertation prefixed to Bishop
Law's translation of King's _Origin of Evil_. It is sufficient evidence
of the importance of that Dissertation, that it put Hartley upon
considering and developing the principle of association, into which
principle he conceived, and endeavoured to prove, that all the phenomena
of reasoning and affection might be resolved, and of which Laplace
observes, that it constitutes the whole of what has yet been done in the
philosophy of the human mind; "la partie réelle de la métaphysique"
(_Essai Philosophique sur les Probabilités_, p. 224. ed. 1825).
Of this Mr. Gay, I have not yet been able to learn more than that he was
a clergyman in the West of England; but of what place, of what family,
where educated, of what manner of life, or what habits of study,
biographical or topographical reading has hitherto furnished me with
any information. I should feel greatly indebted to any of your readers
who would give the clue to what is known or can be known about him. It
is probably within easy reach, though I have missed it. The ordinary
biographical dictionaries make no mention of him.
EDWARD TAGART.
North End, Hampstead, May 19. 1851.
Minor Queries.
_Carved Ceiling in Dorsetshire._--In the south of Dorsetshire there is a
house (its name I do not remember) which has a beautifully carved
ceiling in the hall. This is said to have been sent from Spain by a King
of Castile, who, being wrecked on this coast, and hospitably entertained
by the owners of the mansion, took this method of showing his gratitude.
Can any of your readers inform me what king this was, or refer me to any
work in which I may find it?