_Tracts by Dekker and Nash._--_The Raven's Almanacke_, 1609, is the
production of Thomas Dekker, the dramatist, and one of the rarest of his
numerous works. A copy sold in the _Gordonstown_ sale for seven guineas;
and another occurred in Mr. J.H. Bright's collection (No. 1691.); but I
have not the sale catalogue at hand to quote the price. Dekker was also
the author of a similar work, entitled _The Owle's Almanacke_, 1618; but
it is not mentioned in the lists furnished by {455} Lowndes and Dr.
Nott. The latter is indeed very inaccurate, omitting many well-known
productions of the author, and assigning others to him for which he is
not answerable. Whilst upon the subject of Dekker, I cannot resist
mentioning a fraud upon his memory which has, I believe, escaped the
notice of bibliographers. In 1697 was published a small volume,
entitled, _The Young Gallant's Academy, or Directions how he should
behave himself in an Ordinary, in a Playhouse, in a Tavern, &c., with
the Character of a Town-Huff, by Samuel Vincent_. This is nothing more
than a reprint of Dekker's _Gull's Horn-book_, with some slight
alterations to adapt it to the times.
Nash's _Terrors of the Night, or a Discourse of Apparitions_, was
printed by John Danter for William Jones, 1594. It is a very interesting
tract, and contains many personal allusions to its unfortunate author. A
copy was sold in Heber's sale (Part IV. No. 1592.) for 5l. 18s. A note
in the handwriting of that distinguished collector gives us the
following information:--
"Only two other copies are known to exist, one in the Ashbridge
Library at Cleveland House, the other, not so fine as the
present, bought by Malone at Brand's, since James Boswell's, and
now (1825) _penes_ me, R.H."
All things considered, I think your correspondent "J.E." (p. 400.) _may_
congratulate himself on having "met with a prize."