Notes and Queries, Number 69, February 22, 1851 | Page 8

manner of little moment; but the correspondence of living as gods, and
dying as men, both undoubtedly taken from Holy Scripture; the phrase
occurring in either Testament: "I have said, Ye are gods ... But ye shall
die like men" (Psalm lxxxii. 6, 7.); quoted by our Saviour (John, x. 34.):
"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are
Gods?"
J. G. M.

Hallamshire.
Cause of Rarity of William IV.'s Copper Coinage.--The copper coinage
of William IV. is become so scarce, that possibly a doubt may some
day arise, whether any but a very limited issue of it was ever made; it
may be well, therefore, to introduce a note on the cause of its
disappearance, while the subject is comparatively recent.
When the copper coins of the last reign appeared, a slight tinge in the
colour of the metal excited the suspicion of those accustomed to
examine such things, that it contained gold, which proved to be the fact;
hence their real value was greater than that for which they passed
current, and they were speedily collected and melted down by
manufacturers, principally, I believe, as an alloy to gold, whereby every
particle of that metal which they contained was turned to account. I
have been told that various Birmingham establishments had agents in
different parts of the country, appointed to collect this coinage.
R. C. H.
Burnet.--In the list of conflicting judgments on Burnet, quoted by your
correspondents (Vol. i., pp. 40. 120. 181. 341. 493.), I find no reference
to the opinion of his contemporary, Bishop Nicolson. That writer takes
a somewhat partial view of the character and merits of the historian,
and canvasses, by anticipation, much of what has been urged against
him by our more modern critics. But, as the weight of authorities
already cited appears to militate against Burnet, I am induced to send
you some of Bishop Nicolson's remarks, for the sake of those readers
who may not have immediate access to them. I quote from his English
Historical Library, 2nd edition, p. 119.:
"In the months of December and January in the year following (1680),
the historian (G. Burnet) had the thanks of both Houses of Parliament
for what he had already done; and was desired to proceed to the
finishing of the whole work, which was done accordingly. This
historian gives a punctual account of all the affairs of the Reformation,
from its first beginning in the reign of Henry VIII., till it was finally
completed and settled by Queen Elizabeth, A.D. 1559. And the whole

is penned in such a masculine style as becomes an historian, and such
as is this author's property in all his writings. The collection of records
which he gives in the conclusion of each volume are good vouchers of
the truth of all he delivers (as such) in the body of his history; and are
much more perfect than could reasonably be expected, after the pains
taken, in Queen Mary's days, to suppress everything that carried the
marks of the Reformation upon it. The work has had so much justice
done it, as to meet with a general acceptance abroad, and to be
translated into most of the European languages; insomuch that even the
most piquant of the author's enemies allow it to have a reputation
firmly and deservedly established. Indeed, some of the French writers
have cavilled at it; but the most eminent of them (M. Varillas and M.
Le Grand) have received due correction from the author himself."
HENRY H. BREEN.
St. Lucia, Dec. 1850.
Coleridge's Opinion of Defoe.--Wilson, in his Memoirs of the life and
Times of Defoe, vol. ii. p. 205., having quoted the opinion of the Editor
of Cadell's edition of Robinson Crusoe,--"that Defoe wanted many of
those qualities, both of mind and manner, which fitted Steele and
Addison to be the inimitable arbitri elegantiarum of English society,
there can be no doubt,"--Coleridge wrote in the margin of his copy, "I
doubt this, particularly in respect to Addison, and think I could select
from Defoe's writings a volume equal in size to Addison's collected
papers, little inferior in wit and humour, and greatly superior in vigor of
style and thought."
Ts.
Miller's "Philosophy of Modern History."--In the memoir, chiefly
autobiographical, prefixed to the last edition (published by Mr. Bohn,
1848-9) of this most able and interesting work, we find the following
words, p. xxxv.:
"In the preceding period of my lecturing, I collected a moderate
audience [seldom exceeding ten persons] in the Law School [his friend,

Alexander Knox, being always one], sufficient to encourage me, or at
least to permit me, to persevere, but not to animate my exertions by
publicity. But as I was approaching the sixteenth century, the number
of my hearers {137} increased so