Willis's Current Notes Part 5

Respectfully yours, R. B.

A TRAVELLING NAME.--The anecdote told by your Correspondent "J." in the last number of your "Current Notes," p. 7, is somewhat differently related in the Memoir of Mr. James Smith, prefixed to his "Comic Miscellanies," where it is stated: "The following incident occurred to James Smith in a Brighton coach. An old lady struck with his extraordinary familiarity with things and people, at length burst forth, 'And pray, Sir, you who seem to know every body--pray may I ask who you are?' 'James Smith, Madam.' This evidently conveying nothing to her mind, a fellow pa.s.senger added, 'One of the authors of the _Rejected Addresses_.' The old lady stared at them by turns, and then quietly said, 'I never heard of the Gentleman or the book before.'"

T. C. C.

SALE OF RARE BOOKS.--Some curious books of an interesting character, collected by the son of SIMON LORD LOVAT, who, it will be remembered, was executed for treasonable practices, have recently been sold by Auction by Messrs. SOTHEBY & WILKINSON, of Wellington Street. The Collection contained specimens from the presses of Pynson, Wynkyn de Worde and Caxton; also some rare and early works relating to America, and on the subject of English Theology during the time of the Elizabethan Age, and some curious works on Machinery and the Occult Sciences. Among them may be specially named, "THE BOOK OF THE ORDRE OF CHYVALRY OR KNYGHTHODE," (lot 244), said to be one of the rarest productions of the press of CAXTON; one of three copies, (two of which being in the British Museum), and considered to be one of the most interesting volumes which we owe to the perseverance of Caxton as a translator, and of great beauty as an example of his typographic skill. It unfortunately wanted two leaves, but produced 55. 10s. The next in importance (lot 585) was a copy of the works of BEN JONSON, the edition of 1640, having belonged to the Somerset family, and of much interest from the circ.u.mstance of its containing on the inside of the cover an unpublished Poem of twenty-six lines, of a complimentary character, on the Nuptials of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset, entirely in the autograph of Ben Jonson, and concluding with the following beautiful stanza:--

"And when your yeares rise more than would be told, Yet neyther of you seeme to th' other old.

That all y^t view you then, and late may say, Sure this glad payre were maried but this day."

BEN JONSON.

The flattering wishes of the great Bard were however not realized in the future history of the unhappy pair. It produced 14, and has found a resting-place in the British Museum.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

H. M.'s communication has been forwarded to the periodical for which it appears to have been intended.

MEDIaeVAL MUMMIES. "_A Bookworm_" who dates from the "British Museum," in type, but too long to appear this month.

[Greek: D]. Thanked.

TOBACCO. S. T. "Chester," received, and in type. The copy of the collected edition of "Current Notes" sent as desired.

A. Oak House, in type, but must stand over until next month.

ANTONINE'S ITINERARY and ETYMONS, &c. received after G. W.'s "Current Notes" had been made up for press.

=Literary and Scientific Obituary.=

CLEMENTS, William. Newspaper Proprietor (_Morning Chronicle_, _Observer_, _Bell's Life in London_). 24th January.

CRABB, George, (M.A.) Law, Language, and History. 16, Oxford Place, New Road, Hammersmith. 4th December. 1851. Aged 83.

DAVENPORT, Richard Alfred. History, Biography, Criticism, Poetry, &c.

Brunswick Cottage, Park Street, Camberwell. 25th January. Aged 72.

GRIMSHAW, William. School Histories, American Chesterfield, Ladies'

Lexicon. Philadelphia. 8th January.

HOLCROFT, Thomas. Periodical Writer, formerly Secretary Asiatic Society.

37, Woburn Place. 6th Feb.

PROUT, Samuel. Water Colour Painter. 10th February. Aged 68.

RODWELL, George Herbert. Musical Composer, Dramatist and Novelist. Upper Ebury Street, Pimlico. 22nd January.

RODWELL (John). Publisher (_Rodwell and Martin, Bond Street_) of Batty's Views, &c. January 3rd. Aged 71.

STUART (Professor), Moses. Biblical Scholar, Author of Hebrew Grammar, &c. Andover, U.S. 4th January. Aged 71.