Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 8.djvu/265

 ii s. VIL APRIL 5, i9i3.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

261

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1913.

CONTENTS.-No. 171.

NOTES : Dr. Benamor, 261 The Mr. W. H. of Shake speare's Sonnets, 262 Statues and Memorials in the British Isles, 263 Epitaphiana, 265 Signs of the Fifteen Last Days of the World, 266 An Old Man's Hobby "Good Friday" in Welsh and Irish Virginia " -al," Noun-Suffix: " Disallowal," " Disallowance," 267.

OUERIES : Diderot : Letters and Essay on Sculpture Bukaty Family Horatio Hele Manor of St. James, Westminster Authors of Quotations Wanted Gilbert oi Kilminchy and Knockinay " Columpnas "Companions of George I., 268 References and Quotations Wanted Carisbrooke Castle Water - Wheel Evelyn Query- Portraits by Lawrence Macaulay on Harrison Ainsworth Dancing on " Midsummer Night" The Roman Rite in England before the Reformation, 269 Adam : a Medi .jeval Conceit A Reputed Relation of George Washing- tonBiographical Information Wanted " Killing the calf in high style" Memoir of John Wilson Croker Miracles Interior of Durham House" The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea," 270.

REPLIES : Early Railway Travelling, 271 Lions in the Tower, 272 " Sharpshin " Authors Wanted, 273 W. Carr, Artist An Uncorrected Error in Evelyn's ' Diary ' Dolls buried in a Scottish Cave "Of sorts" "Touch," 274 The Red Hand of Ulster Norris " Hypergamy," 275 Wombwell Sir John Gilbert, J. F. Smith, and ' The London Journal' Stone from Carthage Wreck of the Royal George Bibliotheca Bryantiana, 276 'Comus' and Gray's ' Elegy 'East Anglian Families Fullwood : Halley: Parry: Pyke, 277 Markland-"The Sport of Kings " " Hastie Roger," 278.

NOTES ON BOOKS :' History and Historians of the Nineteenth Century' 'The Flemings in Oxford' 'The Fortnightly'' The Nineteenth Century.'

Notices to Correspondents.

DR. BENAMOR,

THE other day, among some family papers, I came across the subjoined interesting letters from the Rev. John Newton (1725- 1807), the friend of the poet Cowper, ad- dressed to a Dr. Benamor of Milman Street, W.C. They were written on the occasion of the illness and death of his wife, "whom [according to the ' D.N.B.'] to the end he loved with what he feared was an idolatrous love." The second letter was written the day after she died. Neither appears in his correspondence.

I do not know how the letters came into the possession of my ancestors, except that Dr. Benamor was the friend and medical attendant of some of them while living in Rodney Street about that time.

Do any of your readers know anything of Dr. Benamor ?

Neither the courteous librarians of the Royal College of Surgeons nor the Royal |

College of Physicians know anything about him ; but I learn he was a Turk by nation- ality, and well known as a celebrated physi- cian late in the eighteenth and early in the nineteenth century.

MY DEAR DOCTOR, The Lord (blessed be his name) has brought us, and I hope you and yours, to see the light of another day, in peace and safety.

My Dear still breathes She lies perfetly quiet and I hope is not sensible of pain however there will be no more pain, where 1 trust she is going and what is best of all, no more sin.

She seems sometimes asleep, at others a little cough is heard, and there are some convulsive catches, but very slight and seldom.

Love to Mrs Benamor, &c. from Your much

obliged

3 (?) o'clock. JOHN NEWTON.

Doctor Benamor Milman Street.

MY DEAR DOCTOR. The Lord has released my Dear Dear Partner from this state of sin and sor- row, he has delivered me from a thousand cares and anxieties and he has freed you from a long, painful, and trying service. The inconveniences as to which I knew your unremitting attention and attendance for more than twenty months must have exposed you, coming to us as you did whether sick or well without regard to weather or carriage, have made me feel almost as much for you, as for myself.

I sincerely thank you, but it will never be in my power, either by word or deed, to manifest my full sense of obligation for your care and kindness. Farther than by peing deeply interested, in all that concerns the welfare of you and yours. The dear departed was not insensible, nor ungrateful. She loved you much and I believe the last words she wrote were addressed to you Last night from half past six till nine, I was by her bedside listen- ing to her groans, which were sometimes very loud, but she lay so perfectly composed in all other respects, that I hope she did not feel much dis- tress. My post was painful, but the Lord sup- ported me. Her sobs became more and more gentle, at length the Lord's time arrived for some minutes before she drew her last breath, appear- ances were quite calm her countenance was un- ruffledand she slipped away so softly, that it was some time before we could be sure, she was gone at a quarter before ten o'clock.

Now, I trust she is before the throne whither we hope to follow her. Oh what a meeting ! to see Jesus, to be like him and with him for ever. To recognize and join in happiness and praise, with our dear friends and not with them only, but with all the Redeemed of the Lord ! Love to Mrs. Benamor and all your children.

I am your affectionate and much obliged

JOHN NEWTON. Thursday. 13 (?) Dec' (1790). Dr. Benamor Milman Street.

WILLIAM BULL S House of Commons.