Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/516

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. vn JUNE i, 1007.

Horatian Ode upon Cromwel's Return from Ireland ' ; this ends on the verso of n3 (p. 118). On R4 begins 'The First Anni- versary Of the Government under O.C.,' which ends on the recto of T ; and finally, on the verso of u2 (p. 140), is ' A Poem upon the Death of O.C.,' which wants two leaves to complete it. Having regard to the curious bibliographical history of the famous ' Horatian Ode ' and the poem on Cromwell's death, it is not necessary to say a word as to the interest and importance of the dis- covery of this volume. As originally printed, all copies, no doubt, contained the Cromwell poems ; and though Marvell was dead, their cancellation is not difficult to explain. Dryden had in this very year, 1681, been reminded of the change in political affairs by the republication of his elegy on Cromwell and by a ' Panegyrick ' addressed to himself for having written it ; and it is quite likely that the publisher of Marvell's poems thought it wiser, upon consideration, to bring the book up to date.

G. THORN-DRURY.

LANCELOT SHARPE. From the fourpenny box at a second-hand bookstall, some years ago, I purchased a volume inscribed on the fly-leaf, in the autograph of the author, as follows :

To Lancelot Sharpe (viro tarn ingenii quam nominis acuti : expertus loquor) I do very respect- fully present this book. JAMES TATE.

Amen Corner, St. Pauls, 9 Feby., 1835.

The book was ' Richmond Rules to form the Ovidian Distich,' &c., edited by James Tate, Jun., M.A., master of the Free Gram- mar School at Richmond. The preface is dated 21 Jan., 1835, only a few days before the above inscription was penned. The writer of this bon mot was a noted school master, who numbered among his pupils C. L. Dodgson, afterwards famous as Lewis Carroll.

Later, in The. Gentleman's Magazine of January, 1852, p. 99, I came upon an obituary notice of the Rev. Lancelot Sharpe, who died 26 Oct., 1851, at the Rectory, Mark Lane, incumbent of All- hallows Staining, Prebendary of St. Paul's, and F.S.A.

This notice of him may be welcome, perhaps, in these pages, as he seems to have been omitted from the pages of the ' D.N.B.'

C. V. H. S.

AUTOGRAPH PRICES. A provincial book- seller's catalogue of recent date lies before me, containing an appendix headed ' A Fine Collection of Autographs.' This appendix

presents some curious reading, and suggests equally curious reflections. Most of the specimens of calligraphy were penned by deceased writers. What would they think of the valuation set upon these, in the main, ephemeral specimens of their handwriting ? And what is the principle of that appraise- ment ? Is it antiquity or celebrity ? Is there a graduated scale of worth ? and will the prices demanded fluctuate with the passing years ? The first of the last two queries seems to require an emphatic " No ! " Let me take a few instances at haphazard ; they are both interesting and instructive.

Two of Harrison Ainsworth's autographs are offered at 8s. each ; one of Sir Archibald Alison at 3s. Qd ; a signature of John Bright, 2s. 6d. ; twelve pages of Jeremy Bentham at 18s. ; four pages of Lord Brougham at 3s. ; two pages of William Black, 7s. ; twelve letters and three sonnets of Eliza Cook, 15s. ; signature of Dickens, 7s. ; one page of same, 30s. ; two pages of W. E. Gladstone, 8s. ; three pages of Grote, 4s. ; one page of Tom Hood, 4s. 6d. ; one page of Leigh Hunt, 20s. ; four pages of Jean Ingelow, 15s. ; one page of James Knowles, 3s. ; one page of Landseer, 4s. ; a slip of Macaulay's (" I have the honour to be, Madam, ,your odedient servant, Macau- lay "), 7s. ; four pages of Pepys, 18s. ; three pages of Lord Salisbury, 5s. ; one page of the Duke of Wellington, 7s. ; and so on.

Some of the above figures are almost calculated to cause the writers to turn in their graves ; others to encourage the living to the comfortable assurance that, should the workhouse threaten them in the future, a few pages of their handwriting would stave off that calamity. At all events, the bookseller's prices form a strange com- mentary on the unequal values set upon political and literary celebrities.

J. B. McGovERN. St. Stephen's Rectory, C.-on-M., Manchester.

[See also the query by MB. ALECK ABRAHAMS, post, p. 428.]

THE OCTAGONAL ENGINE HOUSE ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH. Visitors to this plea- sant locality will hear with regret that the order has gone forth, at the instance of the Metropolitan Water Board, for the demoli- tion of this famous old building, which is situated close to the railway station. The London Argus in its issue for 27 April contains a few paragraphs giving a brief outline of its history :

" This building, we are reminded by The Hamp- ttead Record, is closely associated with the history