Notes and Queries, Number 28, May 11, 1850 | Page 7

can give no information. He evidently belonged to the Anti-Calvinistic party. His name does not appear to have been known to Mr. Walter Wilson, the historian of the "Dissenting Churches" of London, although he quotes a portion of them. But they were probably composed between 1728 and 1738. In the former year, Dr. James Foster's London popularity arose, on the occasion of his undertaking the evening lecture at the Old Jewry. In the year 1738, Mr. Robert Bragge, one of the subjects of the poem, died. Of this gentleman the story is told (and to it the poem evidently alludes), that he was employed no less than four months in developing the mysteries of Joseph's coat, from Genesis, xxxvii. 3.: "And he made him a coat of many colours." In reply to the sarcasm on Mr. Bragge, Mr. Walter Wilson states (_Hist. and Ant. of Diss._ ch. i. p. 247.) that the following stanza was composed:--
"The unwearied Bragge, with zeal, in moving strains, Unfolds the mysteries Scripture-Book contains; Marks every truth, of error shows the cause, And from each mystery useful doctrine draws."
The unfavourable notice of Dr. Sam. Wright in the opening stanza, is at variance with the general report of biographers. In the copy of the verses in the Blackmore MSS. is this note:--"I think this is too severe on the Dr." Dr. Wright was admired for his pulpit elocution; and it is said that Archbishop Herring was, in his younger years, a frequent hearer of his, with a view to improve in elocution. The notice of the celebrated Tom Bradbury is grossly unjust. He was a man of wit and courage, though sometimes boisterous and personal. His unsparing opponent, Dr. Caleb Fleming, wrote admiringly of "his musical voice, and the flow of his periods, adapting scripture language to every purpose."--_The Character of the Rev. Mr. Thos. Bradbury, taken from his own Pen, &c._ Lond. 8vo. 1749, p. 35.
A.B.R.
Dukinfield.
* * * * *
REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.
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."
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
Nash's Terrors of the Night.--Excessively rare. Boswell had a copy, and another is in the library of the Earl of Ellesmere, described in Mr. Collier's Bridgewater Catalogue as one of the worst of Nash's tracts.
L.
Tureen (No. 25. p. 407.).--The valuable reference to Knox proves the etymology from the Latin. Terrene, as an adjective, occurs in old English. See quotation in Halliwell, p. 859.
L.
English Translations of Erasmus' Encomium Mori? (No. 24. p. 385.).--Sir Thomas Challoner's translation of Erasmus' Praise of Folly was first printed, I believe, in 1540. Subsequent impressions are dated 1549, 1569, 1577. In 1566, William Pickering had a license "for pryntinge of a mery and pleasaunt history, donne in tymes paste by Erasmus Roterdamus," which possibly might be an impression of the Praise of Folly. (See Collier's _Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Company_, vol. i. p. 125.). This popular work was again translated in the latter part of the following century, by White Kennet. It was printed at Oxford in