Part 1 (1/2)

Books and Authors

by Anonymous

NOTE

This collection of anecdotes, illustrative sketches, and _ to the ever fresh and interesting subject of BOOKS AND AUTHORS, is not presented as co all the choice ather is so wide and fertile, that any collection warranting such a claim would far exceed the compass of many voluht to offer, in an acceptable and convenient for literary facts or incidents hich one individual, in a soes which he has admired; some of the anecdotes and jests that have amused him and may amuse others; some of the reminiscences that it has reat portion of the contents of this voluinality of subject-matter advanced The collection, however, is submitted with so, as accurate, and as ood taste, as it has been endeavoured to make it

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

_CURIOUS FACTS AND CHARACTERISTIC SKETCHES_

THE FINDING OF JOHN EVELYN'S MS DIARY AT WOTTON[1]

The MS Diary, or ”Kalendariu the family papers at Wotton, in Surrey, from the period of his death, in 1706, until their rare interest and value were discovered in the following singular manner

The library at Wotton is rich in curious books, with notes in John Evelyn's handwriting, as well as papers on various subjects, and transcripts of letters by the philosopher, who appears never to have eement of these treasures was, many years since, entrusted to the late Mr Upcott, of the London Institution, who ue of the collection

One afternoon, as Lady Evelyn and a female companion were seated in one of the fine old apart feather tippets, her ladyshi+p pleasantly observed to Mr Upcott, ”Youtime: it is, however, my hobby; and I dare say you, too, Mr Upcott, have _your hobby_” The librarian replied that his favourite pursuit was the collection of the autographs of eminent persons Lady Evelyn remarked, that in all probability the MSS of ”_Sylva_” Evelyn would afford Mr Upcott soined The bell was rung, and a servant desired to bring the papers from a lumber-room of the old ht to light the manuscript Diary of John Evelyn--one of the raphy in the whole colish literature

The publication of the Diary, with a selection of familiar letters, and private correspondence, was entrusted to Mr William Bray, FSA; and the last sheets of the MS, with a dedication to Lady Evelyn, were actually in the hands of the printer at the hour of her death The work appeared in 1818; and a volume of Miscellaneous Papers, by Evelyn, was subsequently published, under Mr Upcott's editorial superintendence

Wotton House, though situate in the angle of two valleys, is actually on part of Leith Hill, the rise froradual Evelyn's ”Diary” contains a pen-and-ink sketch of the mansion as it appeared in 1653

[1] See the Frontispiece

FAMILIES OF LITERARY MEN

A _Quarterly_ Reviewer, in discussing an objection to the Copyright Bill of Mr Sergeant Talfourd, which was taken by Sir Edward Sugden, gives soeny of literaryto speculate about the causes of the fact; but a fact it is, that uished for extraordinary intellectual power of any sort rarely leave enius have scarcely ever done so; ht say, almost never With the one exception of the noble Surrey, we cannot, at this moment, point out a representative in the eneration, of any English poet; and we believe the case is the sas of that order can seldom be traced far down, even in the female line

With the exception of Surrey and Spenser, we are not aware of any great English author of at all re person clailish poet prior to the reat author of any sort, except Clarendon and Shaftesbury, of whose blood we have any inheritance ast us Chaucer's only son died childless; Shakspeare's line expired in his daughter's only daughter None of the other drah, nor Bacon, nor Cowley, nor Butler

The grand-daughter of Milton was the last of his blood Newton, Locke, Pope, Swift, Arbuthnot, Hureatly extend the list), never broke, nor Addison, nor Warburton, nor Johnson, nor Burke, transainst a _perpetuity_ in literary property is, that it would be founding another _noblesse_

Neither jealous aristocracy nor envious Jacobinism need be under such alarht, consummate flower'

in this kind, it seems commonly to be near its end”

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