been a certificate or recommendation in support of Cocker's pretensions and talent as an artist; the whole of which, except a few words, has been torn off, but from what remains I en tertain no doubt of the certificate having been in the handwriting of Sir Philip Warwick, some of whose Letters have also been rescued by me. Yours, &c. ROBERT COLE. John Shakespeare, Bitmaker, demandeth [allo] wance by vertue of a Warrant for [his Maties] Stable, dated the xxvijth of September 1621, for these parcels followinge. [For fortie-fiv]e Watringe Bits at xs per peece ....w cast and graven bosses [For foure wat] ringe Bits at xij. p. peece .with cast and guilte bosses [For twelve] watringe Bits at xijs p. peece [For twentie-foure b]yts w' guilte bosses at xvijs iiijd peece [For twenty-four bi]ts at vjs viijd p. peece xxijli xs iijli vjs viijd xijli x iiijii ijli iiijs vij xxli xvjs vijli iiij viijk There are several other items, but the particulars of them are nearly torn away. The total of the bill amounts to the large sum of 302l. 11s. Sd. Another fragment is still more imperfect; but we gather from it this information, that these handsome accoutrements were sometimes made for presents. The two first items in the second fragment, which also belongs to the year 1621, are for six bitts guilte and graven with the armes of Denmark, and for six watringe Bitts at iijs iiijd p. peece for [the King of De]nmarke; the next for foure riche B[osses?] silvered, at vli p. [peece] and eight watringe [Bitts] at iijs iiijd p. peece for .re . . .oles; and the remaining two for two Snaffles at iij and for three silver . and gu[ilte ] cast and graven bosses for [? Longu]evile. The existence of this John Shakespeare has been noticed by Mr. Collier in his Annals of the Stage, vol. ii. pp. 42, 55; where he has given some extracts from the account books of Sir Humphrey Mildmay, in which the name occurs, and has noticed a privy seal of the 13th Car. I. (1637) which directed the payment of 1,6921. 11s. to " Mary Shakespeare, widow and executrix of John Shakespeare, our late Bittmaker deceased." (Payments, in another hand.) To Thomas Mynne, Esq., knight Harbinger, part of. To Francis Browne, Administratrix to Richard On the head of the other side- Septembr' 1637 171. 9. 4. } 3299. 2. 4. (Payments.) Sir Anthony Vandike Kn' part of 1200" for 300. le Seur, Sculptor, part of 7201i 300. Now, it would have been particularly interesting to have known what were the works of art for which the illustrious men abovementioned received payment. The only known productions of Hubert le Soeur remaining in this country are the equestrian statue of Charles the First at Charing Cross, which he made at the charge of the Earl of Arundel, not of the King; and his brazen statue of William Earl of Pembroke at Oxford. After our hearty commendacions By... generall Letters patents dormant dated the eigh.. (* Monk Duke of Albemarle.) * ALB.... A.... LETTERS OF SIR ROBERT LONG, CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER. "MR. BURGES, "I have signed a new debentur for Mr. Kirk, though it doe not appeare by the remayne that the tenths of Chester to answer the same are in the Exchequer; pay it out of that money and noe other, and cancell the former debentur. 1 send you a debentur for 100l. for Tom Killigrew upon his pention of 400l. It must be paid to Mrs. Rose, my Lady Killigrew's mayde, and to noe other; lett her have it when she comes for it. This is the second 1007. and intreat Mr. Wardo" from me to little (qu. let?) this passe wch shall be the last. I have signed 2001 for Emgen; tell him it is all I can doe and all he must expect at this tyme. I have signed 200 for Mordant, upon Aug. customes. I have signed Solbies order of 2501. tenths of Winton. I have signed the latine order and Mr. Wardo's of 201. and by the Remayne you will see how the money is to be taken. I have signed Vaux his order to the Thr'er of the Chamber for 352 1 4 and I look to have fees for it, being for a particular, as you know the Cofferer payes fees when he receyves for Sr Wm. Wale and other particulars; you take care to admit it upon the Thr'er of the chambers assignemt of ye royall ayd according to the warrant. I have signed 22 16 3 for Mrs. Cuningham, wch is all she is to expect at this tyme. I have signed 300' to ye Thr'er of ye chamber for ye maundy. I have signed 140 11 3 for Walker the Usher upon my lord Ashleys letter wch I send to you. Send me debenturs for the officers of the workes, and of the tents and toyles, but putt downe noe summe, only sett below how much it is a yeare and how long behind, wch rule observe in all debenturs regularly. The talley should be strooke upon the Greenwax, upon the oldest arere, unless we had my lord Thr'er's warrant to doe otherwise; and to enrowle my lady Villar's patent and to make allowance of soe much yearely of that rent as shall appeare by her acquittances to have beene paid to her; but at doe this tyme, when we want money, I leave it to you and Mr. Ward to doe as you shall thinke fitt. St W Swan having all his areres assigned upon tenths of Salisbury or other dioces, advertise me how much ye whole comes to. "I pray use all possible care to preserve yourselves and my house. Send for things to burne, and make use of them dayly. Lett noe body stirre out, nor any suitors come into the house or office. Lett every one take every morning a little London treacle, or the kirnell of a walnutt, with 5 leaves of rue, and a grayne of salt, beaten together and rosted in a figg, and soe eaten; and never stirre out fasting. Let not the porter come into the house; take all course you can agaynst the ratts, and take care of the catts; the little ones that will not stirre out may be kept, the great ones must be kild or sent away. "ROB. LONG. "I have obteyned an order of Councell for a proclamation to remove the Exchequer from Westminister to the Queenes house at Nonsuch. I send you the order and the substance of the proclamation by weh it must be done. Lett Bembow carry both to Mr. Sollicito', who is at his house neere Kensington, and gett the proclamation drawne up, that we may have the King's hand and great seale before the remoove of the Court if it be possible, wch will be upon Thursday next, soe that we have but this day and too morrow. Be preparing all things for the remoove, and in the meane tyme take care of yourselves; and to the end you may remoove securely, I will send barges from here to bring up all things by water to Kingston, and carts to carry them from thence to the great house at Nonsuch. I have likewise a warrant from my lord Thr'er to the officers of the workes to fitt up some roomes in that house (wch is something ruinous) for this purpose, and care shall be taken for a guard for the security of the King's money. Make sufficient provision of paper and other things for or use. Mr. Packer's brother was Sunday at Hampton Court, and will provide all things if desired. Write over this paper of the substance of the proclamation and add to it what shall be further necessary and then send it, and the order of councell, and send both to Mr. Sollicito; that if it be possible it may be dispatched to be heere tomorrow. I have a warrant from my lord Thr'er to draw up an order for 2001 vpon the generall dormant privy seale to be paid to you for the charge of the remoove, but espetially for the fitting the roomes heere by the officers of the workes. I have for expedition drawne up the order heere as well as I could and have sent it to my Lord Thr'er and Lord Ashley." Here follow some directions on official matters, in the handwriting of another person; a quarter of the sheet is then wanting, having been torn off; indeed the letter originally consisted of five sides of foolscap, but two quarter sheets have been broken off; in what remains is the following: "You know yt I sent 10' to ye parrish when I came away, 5' for ye worke house and 5 for ye visited; and theirfore I pray lett mee know if yt rate bee sett upon mee equally wth ye Tellers and others. I intended to send 51 more to ye parrish for ye visited, but since they tax me soe hey (high) I will send my charrity elsewheare, for wch I'll give you direction in my next Letter, though I intended itt out of yt 301 if ye bill had bin paid. "July 25. Indorsed, My Masters L're 25 July 1665. ROB. LONG." * Respecting the removal of the Exchequer to Nonsuch, see the account of that palace in our Magazine for Aug. 1837, vol. VIII. p. 143, where some passages in the diaries of Evelyn and Pepys relating to this subject are quoted. 607 RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW. Zimmermann's Aphorisms and Reflections, 12mo. London, 1800. THE work of Zimmermann on Solitude, has so completely established the author's reputation, as to obscure the other productions of his pen. His Aphorisms, which were first published in this country in 1800, contain some good remarks, of which some specimens are given below, but they do not place his habits of thinking in so estimable a point of view as the Solitude. The amiability which characterises that work disappears in a great measure, or is alloyed by ascerbity, and by a more than freedom of opinion which we should hardly have expected to find. It is possible that the melancholy tendencies of his disposition may have impaired the moral as well as the mental qualities. The former supposition is suggested by some of his Aphorisms; the latter is too evident from his own history. When the French entered Hanover, during the revolutionary war, he was persuaded that their object was to destroy his residence, an idea which became dominant amid all the symptoms of his hypochondriac disorder. It is painful to add, that he died in a state of premature decrepitude in 1798. His constitution was certainly of a melancholy cast, but the evil was aggravated by the bad health of his wife and children, and perhaps by a double want of firmness in meeting his afflictions, and of patience in supporting them. The following passages, as is already said, are taken from the Aphorisms, and they are some of the most favourable specimens. "Gain a friend by a quarrel, if it is possible; never lose one, however, this is possible; for there is a peculiar mode of conduct even when dissention reigns, that commands veneration, and generates esteem. The more you speak of yourself, the more you are likely to lie. Always to speak what you think is the way to acquire the habit of thinking, and acting with propriety. The strongest instance of friendship, or of disinterestedness, shall be the least regarded, if it thwarts our wishes, or crosses our inclinations. Excellent is the advice of the poet Shenstone, whatever situation in life you wish or propose to yourself, acquire a clear and lucid idea of the inconveniences attending it. To please those who have antipathies against us, is almost impossible. A youth introduced suddenly into life, feels as awkwardly as one immersed for the first time in water, and the chances are that he sinks as soon. Silence is the safest response for all the contradiction that arises from impertinence, vulgarity, or envy. Disguise reproof in a question; let it not follow the offence too rapidly, and utter it in a mild tone. Opinionatrety and contradiction have not inaptly been compared to paper-kites; will discover and take advantage of this weakness, so obvious and resistible is it. Advice is sure to be relished, if you can contrive to echo the sentiments of those who seek it. The instant our successor is fixed, we look upon him with secret infelt detestation. Keep all disappointments to yourself; trust him who has deceived you no oftener than you can help. Sincerity is indicative of an exalted mind. Lavater insists that we should not say we know another entirely, till we have divided an inheritance with him. Anger continued terminates in revenge ; and by calling up the anger of the opposite party, converts a temporary disagreement into an everlasting hatred. The Atheist's only hope ceases where the Christian's strongest hope begins. Occasionally declare your principles, lest what you are, and wish to be, should be liable to dubiety, or misinterpreta tion. Under the banners of patriotism, most revolutionists, or reformers, have enlisted for their own advancement; yet these very reformers, in their cry for reformation, always forget themselves [i. e. to reform themselves]. There are few mortals so insensible that their affections cannot be gained by mildness, their confidence by sincerity, their hatred by scorn or neglect. [It is observable, that in this passage Zimmermann says mildness, and not kindness. Did he mean to lay a stress on manner, rather than on actions? for certainly it is the more winning of the two, and perhaps one reason is, that it does not lay us under the same obligations.] He observes at p. 291, that all defensive causes must be good.' This is not true, in an absolute sense, but perhaps he meant, that sympathy is always upon their side. For this reason, in disputes with others, we should be careful not to make theirs the defensive cause. Those who refuse to risk an encounter with ingratitude, will never become extensively benevolent. In proportion to hope and pride, is the pain that refusal gives. Women must be gained by degrees, if they are wooed. He that takes credit [i. e. from a tradesman] confesses his poverty. It requires much consideration to determine on the dissipation of agreeable or consoling illusions. Before a reputation is established, it passes through all the gradatory shades from black to white. Rejoice in the enemies you have, if they are good; curse the friends you may possess, if they are specious. Economy appears to be nearly allied to probity. Those who speak with the greatest precision have the fewest ideas; those whose ideas are most numerous, are most confused. Probable obstacles and possible accidents, should always be taken into calculation. It is possible to infuse such candour in your refusal that the disappointed will not murmur. Neglect yourself, and you will neither be respected or respectable." A few extracts from LAVATER's Aphorisms are introduced into this volume, from which the following are selected. "He knows nothing of man, who expects to convince a determined party-man. The wrath, that on conviction subsides into mildness, is the wrath of a generous mind. scope, who suffers himself to be caught in a fit of passion. He who reforms himself, has done more to reform the public, than a crowd of noisy impotent [impudent?] patriots." "La chute de l'homme He submits to be seen through a microThe following sentence is quoted from Voltaire. dégénéré est le fondement de la théologie de presque toutes les anciennes nations." It is a remarkable admission, and is entitled to the same weight as Cicero's famous argument, "Consensus omnium populorum probat Deum esse." CYDWELI. |