Page:Initials and pseudonyms, first series (Cushing).djvu/156

 [" JUNIUS " LETTERS ]

148

356, xi. 102, 4th Ser., xi. 130, 178, 202, 243, 387, 425,465, 512, xli. 33, G9, 81, and JSTos. LIT., LTIII.,

LXIV ,

George HI, lung of England.

" Ma'am Serrcs condemns all aspirers to pot That prate of a Junius, since Uncle Wilmot Banks scribe of each letter she dares pledge her

word, As sine as not one came from King G-eorge the

Thiid."

See Ireland's poem, " Scribbleonmrna," p 308, for a cuiious note on this subject.

Oibbon, Edward, b. 1737 ; d. 1794.

This claimant, beyond holding a position, does not seem to have distinguished himself to any extent in the politics of his day, his mind being too absorbed in the great task which has made him famous. See Kos. in, Lrv.

Glover, Richard b. 1712; d. 1785.

Johnston declares that he has no faith in the claim of Glover, although his advocates, as cor- roborative facts 9 assert that he " wore a hag, -with his xvjg accurately dieesed, and earned a small cocked hat under his arm, before the year 1776, and in this costume constantly walked, in nne weather, fiom his house in fc$t James Street, in "Westminster, into the city", this fact being brought forward in proof of hia being identical with the " tall gentleman " who threw the letter into Mr. Woodtall's office in Ivy Lane

Wraxali, Iti his "Memoirs of his own Time," 1836, ii. 97, states that Qlover's son assured him that "he had not the least reason to suppose or to beheva that his father composed the letters of Junms." See Nos. sue., mix.

Grattan, Henry, b. 1750 ; d. 1820.

Grattan's claims were advocated by Tt Perry in 1831 ; in the 1SOO edition of the " Letters/' published by Almon, the compiler says that it was supposed by some that Grattan and Maclean were the joint authors. Mr. Almon addressed a letter of inquiry to the Irish patriot, which evoked the following leply :

SIB, I frankly assure yon that I know Both. ing of Junms, except that I am not the author. When Jaruus began I "was a boy, and knew noth. ing of politics, or the persons concerned in them

I am, Sir, not Jumus t but your very good wisher arid obedient servant,

JDu&Zfe, Nov. 4, 1805 H. GRATTAN.

Greatrakes, William, la. 1729: d. 1781.

This clajnoantis brought forward in the ' * Gent. Mag." for December, 1813, laandii. 647; in Cov- entry's "Critical Enquiry,'* No. un.: and in Wraxall's " Memoirs."

Oreatrakes, a native of Ireland, died suddenly at Hungerford, on his way from Bristol to Lon- don, and was buried there, with the words "stqt nominis umbra " inscribed on his tombstone. As thia motto figures on the "Junius " title-page, it is easy to imagine how he comes to be classed among the claimants. Britton undertakes to prove that G-reatrakes was the araa&uensis employed by Jumas to copy his letters for the Public Adver- tiser " ; but it ought first to be shown," says Wade, " that Junius employed an. amanuensis. If he did, and Greatrakes waa hia penman, it could hardly give him a claim to the motto of his principal. That was s* distinction, which, if it nns any significance, could be applicable only to the shadow of a shade that wrote the letters, not the copyist of them."

Grenville, George. 1). 1712; d. 1770 The pnme-mmistei died bcfoie the lettcis

weie discontinued, hcnco but Halo attention

need be paid to his claims.

OrenviUe, James, d. 1783

He was the brother of the preceding, find Lord of the Treasury Although no has boon accused of the authorship, he himself established no claims to the honor.

Hamilton, William Gerard. b.

1729; d 1796.

This claimant is mentioned in Pi. Good's essay, and a letter in the " Public Advoitisei" of ]STov SO, 1771, is addiessed to William Junius Bmglespeech, Esa Fox said, that, although he would not back Hamilton against the Held, ho would b.'ick him against any single claimant, and Wiai.aU declares, that, " tlii ougliout the various companies in which, from 1775 do\\ n to the pies- cnt time, I have heard this wystcnous question agitated, the great majoiity concuiiod m giving to Hamilton the merit of composing the 'Let. tcia' under examination " Mrs Piozzi and Sam- uel Johnson weie both inclined to believe In his claims.

The only icason that appeal a for these letters e\ or having been attributed to Hamilton was that he happened to be aware of the context of a let- ter which did not maize its appcanmco until the following day (For a full account of this curious story, the icadorisiefeiied to "Notes and Que- ries," 2d Ser, vJ 44 )

The arguments against him arc foui in num- ber, and very conclusive

1. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland from Septetnbei, 1760, to April, 1704, the pei lod when all the letters appeal ed.

2, When questioned on the subject, by Bail Temple, he positively denied the authorship See Dr. Good's "Kssay," p. 56.

S Woodfall declared that neither Burke nor Hamilton weie responsible for the Letters.

4 Hamilton again distinctly denied th<* inthoi - ship, just before his death, when questioned by a member of the House of Commons.

Hollis, James.

He is referred to, AS a claimant, by Wade and Alhbone.

Hollis, Thomas, b. 1720; d 1774.

Alluded to in Coventry's *' Critical Enquiry," Ko. LSI.

Jackson, Sir George, Secretary of the Admiralty.

For an account of the claims advanced in his favor, see "Notes and Queries," 1st Ser., i. 172, 270, 322.

Jones, Sir William, b. 1740; d.1794.

Mentioned, ae a claimant, by Oovonliy and Wade.

Kent, John. d. 1770.

Kent wished to pass for Juntas; but, accoid- ing to Almon, be was only a newspaper editor, at a small weekly salary. Bee the "Letter'* dated July 21, 1769, Jn which Junius refers to this personage.

r,ee, Maj.-Oen. C&arles. b. 1731 ; cl. 1782.

In 1803, Gen. Lee Is said to have acknowl- edged himself the author. If the reader 1s de- sirous of seeing some curious evidence nguinet the claimant, he is referred to Wade, i 61-67.