LETTERS OF MR. DANIEL PRINCE TO MR. GOUGH

AND MR. NICHOLS; REFERred to in p. 684.

"July 5, 1780. Mr. Nichols is one of those laborious and truly useful Gentlemen who do not spare pains to preserve and inform Posterity in Literary History.-As I am now old, have all my life been connected with Books, and cannot help satisfying my curiosity at least in looking into them, especially Biography, I am a little qualified to point out mistakes: an invidious employment, but somewhat useful, especially of persons from and of Oxford. In my skimming over the two new Volumes of Biographia Britannica,' Mr. Granger's Biographical History,' &c. I find the Biographia Britannica' and Mr. Granger have many errors. The British Topography,' I speak of Oxfordshire only, I apprehend, has but few mistakes, though it might be considerably enlarged. DAN. PRINCE.”

"Aug. 13, 1781. I am much obliged to you for the History of Printing' and your Supplement. I cannot speak to your Supplement, for, honestly, I have not read it, but will soon. I have spent two days on the Oxfordshire Additions to Camden, and have made many corrections. I hope to get more, and will return the sheets in a few days. I think the Botanical List may be much enlarged, as we have plenty of industrious Botanists.Dawes is now published, and is said to be well done, by an incomparable young Scholar*; yet am obliged to you for thinking of me. I was always much hurt at the paltry accounts in the Biographia of Aldrich and Atterbury. I will apply for you to able people about Atterbury, and hope I shall succeed.

66

Topographical and Biographical accounts will for ever be imperfect; but we are obliged to those who will take pains. There is a Gentleman at Durham, or perhaps now at Darlington, just 14 or 15 miles South of Durham, who has an improved Camden, greatly ornamented with prints, &c. &c. of great value. His name is Cade; he is a member, I think, of the Antiquary Society. In the Volumes of Collectanea Curiosa † I am now printing is much of Durham, perhaps 40 pages, and many curious particulars of Oxford.

"I have inclosed the Fasti part of one of the old editions of my Oxford Book, which may be of use to you in dates. It was very difficult to collect it, and the matter of the accession to Headships of Colleges and Halls, and Professorships, not to be found in the Graduate Book, or elsewhere. In a few instances I could never get informed. It took up more room than I could spars; and I have now only the present members, and wholly omitted the preceding ones, up to the Revolution. I have this day been with the best Botanist we have, and hope I have prevailed on him to give the List of Plants in Oxfordshire; which I suspected was greatly deficient. I knew in general that from Benson to Caversham, where Mr. Loveday lives, in those

The Rev. Thomas Burgess, Fellow of Corpus Christi College; M. A. 1782; Prebendary of Salisbury 1757; B. D. and Prebendary of Durham 1792; D. D. and (most deservedly) Bishop of St. David's 1803.

Published by my excellent Friend the Rev. John Gutch,

Woods,

woods, chiefly North of Lord Cadogan's house, &c. were the most plenty of rare, beautiful, and, as the Botanists say, polite plants, of any part of the kingdom. Not one mentioned in that district. Indeed the Gentleman, who must at present be nameless, told me the List as it stands is exceeding unworthy. His term was, that "they were only a few vulgar plants." Dr. Nash's Worcester is very incomplete in the Botanic part.-If the List of Oxfordshire Plants can be done according to the complete idea given me, for I am no Botanist, no one particular will give greater satisfaction. From two neighbourhoods you have had a few good plants, but from the two or three most celebrated not one. I will make some application about Bp. Atterbury to the Canon, who is Librarian also, and a Westminster man. A Westminster man will always lend his help to any one from that School sooner than many other places; a laudable partiality, we must acknowledge. DAN. PRINCE.

"P. S. Since Mr. Prince made up the parcel for Mr. Nichols, he has had a thought, which he supposes may enable Mr. Gough to be on good ground for the rare Plants in every County, viz. by searching Hudson's Flora Anglica,' separating them, and then arranging. He hopes to procure more than Mr. Hudson has for Oxfordshire, that Mr. Gough may make a figure in that hitherto neglected part. A new and much enlarged Edition of Hudson's Flora was published in 1778.- If Dr. Nash had used Hudson's Flora for his Worcestershire, he would have escaped the censure he has had on that score; because that Work lay before him. We must not expect Dr. Nash to be a Botanist; but he might have applied to friends."

"Oct. 4. The roll inclosed I have kept by me six or seven days, in hopes to have procured the Additions to Oxfordshire Plants, to have sent with it. I see the learned Botanist almost every day; but cannot press him, except it is immediately wanted.— Mr. Price desires to know what MS. of Camden Mr. Gough means to request.—I send you the Title, and one leaf of Dedication, to Mr. Mores's Antient Nobility; and a Print, which I apprehend was engraved for him, which you may like to keep. DAN. PRINCE.

"Entre nous (for perhaps Mr. Warton will not like to have it made known) I am printing a History of Kiddington in this County, where T. W. is Minister, intended as a Specimen of Parochial History and Antiquities *."

"Dec. 3. I am sorry you have not had more satisfaction from your Correspondents in this place. It is greatly to be lamented, that such able, often such well-informed, and oftener the only persons who can assist in the local learning of this place, are so difficult to be brought to take a little pains, as I fear you find. DAN. PRINCE."

"Aug. 4, 1783. I thank God, by continually changing the air, I am much recovered; and I don't know but, at my age †, I should not say I am better than before my illness. I cannot guess what

This was a very small impression, not for sale; and of which a second edition was printed, under Mr. Warton's inspection, at my expence, in 1783. See vol. VI. p. 180. † See before, p. 685.

is meant by the University of Cambridge giving Mr. Nasmith the printing of Tanner's Notitia Monastica.' Tanner was an Oxford man. The Work has been long since printed: what can there be to give * ?-Dr. Atterbury is gone to Ireland. Your message I have given to his Correspondent here, who will send it to the Doctor.-My late illness, and near 72, should put me in mind of leaving my little connexions in this world, to be continued by one of this enlightened age. We know, few indeed are the enlightened in our profession, though an employment so likely to produce them. The Bible-printing here employs a great number of hands, not one of which would suit me; few of them can do any other work. I have at present only five compositors. One of them, I fear, has done his work. He will hardly be at the Printing-house any more. I have only one press at present employed. Most likely I shall continue in this small way till the middle of October, at farthest. I have a large prospect of business, and apprehend I shall much want one or more of the better hands;-and, to return to what I said of my prospect, I should be glad to have such an one as might assist me, and succeed me in a business which is reputable, liable at least to good connexions-ordinarily no great profit, but may be attended with very successful advantages. In one instance (the late Judge Blackstone) I was very fully employed for ten years; and afterwards, with Messrs. Strahan and Cadell, purchased his celebrated Work. About a year ago I thought myself hurt by too much business, and gave up the printing the Edition just now advertized to Mr. Strahan. You see, here is a chance to get a Popular Work, though we are too much confined to dry unprofitable labours. Mr. Warton's History of English Poetry' will be at press again at Michaelmass next. If you could recommend a young man, or one not young, if not too old, that is sober, civilized, and of decent address, I think he might live an agreeable life, and acquire reputation, if not money. If he could command a few hundreds, he would find a good interest from it. Qur Editors are generally ill prepared; which is troublesome, but must be paid for. I think I may add, that one who had his health to seek, still if qualified as above, with some Latin and a little Greck the better, might find it greatly to his benefit. If I come to town this autumn I will call on you; but should be glad to hear from you; and remain, very truly, &c. DAN. PRINCE. "As Mr. Warton's History of English Poetry' says, LONDON: Printed, &c. you might think it was done there. The number, 1500; 1300, or more, go off directly of each volume.

6

You have, no doubt, heard of the death of our Divinity Professor, Dr. Wheeler †. He was author of the Dialogue inclosed.

See vol. II. p. 164.

+ Benjamin Wheeler, Canon of Christ Church, and a Prebendary of St. Paul's, to which he was collated by Dr. Lowth, Bishop of London, and had been installed the week before his death. He was Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford; and author of a curious Latin Dialogue (unpublished) spoken in the Sheldon Theatre July 8, 1773. He died, at welm, of an apoplectie fit, July 22, 1783.

You

You may put it in your next Magazine, and say it was by him; but not use my name, as some of his friends may think it too trivial for his grave character: but the majority think otherwise. Hely Hutchinson is the son of the present Provost of Trinity College, Dublin. Dr. Wheeler was tutor to Hutchinson, and wrote the piece to show the young man.

"Nov. 30. I wish you could have come here, if but for a day. Sure the weather is at least as good as summer for travelling. Mr. Stevenson (who was the industrious Collector of Abingdon) had a good Library of Books; History, Divinity, and some Antiquities of Berks by Ashmole, of Surrey, Oxfordshire, and a few towns, but not one with any MS notes. He was a neat scribe, but never scribbled in books. There were several of Hearne's Books, but all dear.-The price of the Ashmole's Berks is 1l. 11s. 6d. a good copy.—I have the remainder of the impression of Hearne's Sprotti Chronicon, which I sell so cheap to brethren as 2s. 6d. I put it at 5s. in my Catalogue. That you may not be impatient, I will send to you the very day I can finish the business with the parties. DAN. PRINCE."

"Dec. 6. By the coach which went from hence this morning I sent you the whole collection of materials for Abingdon*. I made a mistake in my last, when I said that Dr. Patten had the Seal of the Abbey; I should have said the Seal of St. John's Hospital. Perhaps you will find it mentioned among the scattered papers in the rough leather book. In turning them over, I saw a loose paper of the parish of Radley, about two miles from Abingdon, where the present possessor of that place is called Sir William Stonhouse, bart. It should now be the Rev. Sir James Stonhouse, bart.' So, if Lord Harcourt is mentioned, you will see how to name the present by the Peerage. I hope you will like the Papers, as you bought them without seeing them. When Mr. Gough sees them (for I consider him as your Superintendant in Antiquities) I should think there is some importance in the subject, and labour enough for the money; and that, when fabricated, it will not disappoint you. I have not gone to the extent of your commission, as the sum I shall draw for will be 11. 118.; but I expect a book. DAN. PRINCE."

"Aug. 25, 1786. I must acknowledge myself obliged to you for inserting (especially with honourable mention) some late publications by the Dean of Canterbury. It may be too late to mention in August Mr. Crowe's Sermon on the late Attempt on his Majesty's Person; or Dr. Wall's Clinical Observations on the Use of Opium in Low Fevers, and in the Synochus.' My design in writing now is rather to inform you and Mr. Gough, if not known already, that Dr. Foote Gower's t Preparations for his Cheshire History are in the hands of Dr. Markham, of Whitechapel. As Dr. Gower is dead, his

*These Collections, which I purchased for Mr. Gough, formed part of his bequest to the Bodleian Library.

+ See Mr. Gough's Verses, addressed to Dr. Gower, vol. VI. p. 334. Of whom see Memoirs, vol. II. p. 682.

family are greatly hurt by the expence of that Work. I suppose Mr. Gough must know the state of the progress made, and could advise what is to be done in the business. Dr. Gower's second son is now here. I do not know the eldest, though I was well acquainted with the Doctor, and was sorry at his death to hear so large a sum was returned to the Subscribers. DAN. PRINCE." "Sept. 30. Young Mr. Gower has not been quite well lately; but, being recovered, purposes, at the request of his mother, to come to town in a few days; and tells me he will inform you of his being there. I suppose you will find the family more inclined to part with the materials for this vast Cheshire Undertaking, now they have had time to be convinced that they are a kind of property not very marketable, rather more flexibly than at your former interview. I am much obliged to you for your kind invitation to Enfield; but I shall hardly be in town this last quarter of the year, as I find myself less able to cope with the inconveniences of London than I used to be. DAN. PRINCE."

"Oct. 13. I am desired by Mr. Gower to mention to you, that in the Box, where the Cheshire Papers are kept, are likewise some Collections relating to Essex, to be added to Morant's History, the plates of which cost 70l. And, having my pen in hand, it may be worth mentioning, to inform you that the large Collection of authentic materials belonging to Stoneleigh Abbey are reserved in Lord Leigh's house. His Library his Lordship gives to Oriel College. DAN. PRINCE."

Mr.

"July 2, 1789. Yesterday I received the box of prints of Mr. Camden*, and return you very hearty thanks for your kind remembrance of me of a copy of the renowned Antiquary and Historian. Those for Christ Church, Magdalen, and Pembroke Colleges, were delivered to the several Governors or Vice-Governors. Warton had left us for Winchester on Monday. I shall write to him in a day or two, and will inform him why the print is kept here, it being for his successors as well as himself. I have the respects and thanks from the three Societies, and may add the same from Mr. Warton. Mr. Price sends his best respects and thanks, as does Mr. Loder, who is very proud of his present.

"Our two magnificent Prisons are now finished. The Castle is a noble style, in imitation of the best old work. The only very old buildings are, the Castle Tower, which is well preserved, and Castle Hill, and the Lady's Chapel, next to my house. It was well known at New College that the whole of the East end of their Chapel was ordered by Horne Bishop of Winchester (in the early part of Queen Elizabeth's time), to be completely hid, by plastering up the whole; and, in the operation, where any parts projected beyond their level, they cut all even. A few years since, a small opening was made, which presented such an elegant specimen, that the Society have now opened the whole, and purpose to have it restored, under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Mr. Wyatt. The images were all demolished. What remains is Gothic architecture, carried on to the cieling, with the niches

* See vol. VI. p. 282.

empty.