Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 6.djvu/107

 12 a. vi. APRILS, 1920.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

composed before Mar. 27, 1843, and pre- sumably after Sept. 4, 1842, since Words- worth did not then mention them in their necessary connection.

Lord Coleridge's copy of the edition of 1836-37 with Wordsworth's suggested altera- tions in manuscript is quoted by Knight in his Eversley edition as having variant readings for ' Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' ii. 1, 10, iii. 12, 19, 26, 29, 32. Knight's remarks on the date of these readings (vol. i., pp. 46, 47) show that we can expect no definite assistance from this source :

" These MS. notes seem to have been written by himself, or dictated to others, at intervals between the years 1836 and 1850. . . ."

"... .it is impossible to discover the precise year in which the suggested alterations were written by Wordsworth, on the margin of the edition of 1836 "

If Knight has not erred in his conclusions in regard to this document, the MS. in Mrs. St. John's library remains the important evidence as to the date of composition of
 * Ecclesiastical Sonnets,' iii. 16, 29, and 30.

ABBIE FINDLAY POTTS. Cornell University.

THE PARISH OF ST. MICHAEL: CROOKED LANE.

IT is generally known that this church was demolished, and practically the whole parish rebuilt, in order to provide the northern approach to London Bridge. To the narrow lanes and post-Great Fire houses there succeeded broad thoroughfares lined with blocks of offices, usually of the brick and stucco order, civic adaptations of Nash and Decimus Burton's pseudo-classical taste.

There have been some subsequent re- buildings, but with the expiration of leases great changes are taking place, and there is much to notice and record before final obliteration occurs.

The bibliography of the parish is difficult to compile. William Herbert prepared and issued by subscription :

" The History and Antiquities of the Parish and Church of Saint Michael, Crooked Lane, London. Including an account of the Roman and other discoveries in making the Excavations for the New London Bridge approaches and Historical Sketches of the Celebrated Boar's Head Tavern, Eistcheap." (Circa 1831.)

Several publishers were associated with the venture and the cover 01 each five shilling part announces that the work is "to be completed in about six parts." Apparently it was not completed. Parts i. and ii. in their covers as issued are before me ; part iii.

is known to me bound in a volume lent by a friend. A supplement, which may be accounted a fourth part, would appear to have been issued by the churchwardens as a memorial of the church. Its title reads : " Inscriptions on the mural monuments and tablets, Grave Stones and Tomb-Stor,es in the Church and Church- Yards of the Parish of St. Michael, Crooked Lane. In the City of London, with Short Historical Records relative to the Parish. 1831."

As all these parts are scarce I offer a few details :

Pt. i. Thin brown paper cover ; title on front ; other pages blank. Frontispiece, upright view of < church, " Drawn and Engraved by T. Wells." No title or half-title. Text : pp. 1-80 (B to L in fours). There exists a large paper issue of the three parts, and the ordinary issue in 8vo is presumably the same printing cut down.

Pt. ii. Folding plan " Shewing the Site of St. Michael's Church together with the ancient^ line of Roads and Buildings previous to their removal for the approaches to the New London Bridge in 1831. Drawn by William Knight, Archt. Engraved by R. Martin. 124 High Holbom." Frontispiece oblong view of church r by J. Wells. No title or half-title. Text,- pp. 81-160 (M to X in fours). Cover as for pt. i., except that p. 3 and part of p. 4 has list of subscribers."

William Knight, F.S.A., was " resident- Superintendent to the New Bridge."

Pt. iii. Presumably uniform with preceding, but No frontispiece, title, or half-title. Text r pp. 161-240 | ; Y to 2H in fours).

Inscriptions, &c. Title (Al). Introduction; orders in vestry directing the preparation and printing (pp. A3 and A4). Text, pp. 1-50 and 1 blank leaf (B to H in fours). Frontispiece, same view as for pt. i. but an earlier state of plate as the title is etched.

The fact that sheet A is missing from these parts and that they have neither title nor half-title suggests an intentional suppression ; possibly because these were unsuitable, or because the non-success of the issue in parts decided the author to publish in volume form only.

There is matter of great interest in this unfinished work, though it has little to relate about the Boar's Head or the parish generally. That the author intended to devote the other parts to these is evidenced by the title and the existence of a scarce lithograph he had issued about the same time. Small oblong folio in size, this is- printed by Gilks and its title reads : "A Fac-simile of the original Shakesperian Relic. In the possession of Thomas Windus Esqre F.S.A., Stamford Hill." For "Fac- simile" read "Illustration." The relic is a plaque or circular boss with a boar's head in relief, presumably carved in wood, framed?